Westgate Resorts CEO David Siegel Threatens to Go Galt if Obama Re-elected
A fantastic story today at CNBC highlights an email from CEO David Siegel to his employees at Westgate Resorts saying, that while he can’t tell anyone who to vote for, if Obama is re-elected and his taxes go up, people are going to get fired. And he might just close the company and live on a beach in the Caribbean. This is called “going Galt” which is the act of withholding job creating power as a protest to big government.
From CNBC here:
David Siegel, the owner of Westgate Resorts, sent a surprising email to his employees Monday.
It said that if President Barack Obama wins re-election and raises Siegel’s taxes, he will have to lay off workers and downsize his company — or even shut it down.
“If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, as our current President plans, I will have no choice but to reduce the size of this company,” he wrote. “Rather than grow this company I will be forced to cut back. This means fewer jobs, less benefits and certainly less opportunity for everyone.”
His email, which is in full at the link above goes on to conclude:
You see, I can no longer support a system that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, so will your opportunities. If that happens, you can find me in the Caribbean sitting on the beach, under a palm tree, retired, and with no employees to worry about.
Signed, your boss,
David Siegel
Freaking awesome! As owner of the company he spent 42 years of his life building it is his absolute right to do whatever he wants with his profits and his company. Of course, there is leftist backlash all over Twitter about it:
There’s only one way to call your billionaire boss’ bluff to leave if Obama wins gawker.com/5950189/the-ce… @westgateresorts employees
— Peter Macia (@petemacia) October 10, 2012
If you own a timeshare managed by @westgateresorts, congratulations you are now a willing participant in antiObama #VoterIntimidation
— Picasso Kat (@Picassokat) October 10, 2012
If this were any country other than the US, the CEO of @westgateresorts would be dragged through the streets covered in 1%-er urine.
— Timothy M Andrews (@TimAndrewsRG) October 10, 2012
Like a terrorist Westgate Resort’s CEO David Siegel says he will have to lay off workers if Obama is re-electedfinance.yahoo.com/news/ceo-worke…
— Sandro Ferrante (@sandroferrante) October 10, 2012
CEO David Siegel: If that n*gger wins & my taxes go up, Im going to throw a temper tantrum, fire all of you & retire. dailykos.com/story/2012/10/…
— Scott Karasick™ (@GuileOfTheGods) October 10, 2012
Glad I work for a public company so my CEO can’t email employees to vote against Obama. Lookin at you, David Siegel/Westgate Resorts #asshat
— parkavepirate (@parkavepirate) October 10, 2012
Let the best presidential candidate win. But I seriously hope this dude gets stripped away from his riches huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/09/dav…
— Jess Kim (@jessskimm) October 10, 2012
David Siegel is a piece of shit.
— George E (@GElemont) October 10, 2012
