"YOU DIDN'T BUILD IT"

I'm trying folks, I'm really trying.  Trying to NOT comment on every asinine political statement I hear during this election year.

I'm not being very successful.

I've been holding THESE thoughts in for quite a while now and if I don't let it fly I might just die!

(Is that poetry?  "If I don't let it fly....I might die")

We have heard it several times now, from a couple of different politicians.  I've even heard just "regular" folks quote this statement as fact.

Here is it:    "If you own a business, you didn't build it!  You had fire protection, employees educated by the public school system, police protection, roads to drive on, etc.  YOU didn't build it, others built your business."

That is probably the stupidest thing I've ever heard.  Bear with me, and let me explain.

YES....business owners drive on public roads, take public transportation, enjoy protection from the finest firemen and policemen.

BUT...here's the kicker!  So does everyone else that did NOT or NEVER WILL build a business.
(Think:  stay at home moms, bus drivers, factory workers, bankers, every one in ministry, retired golfers, and SO many more.  ALL fine hardworking, lovely folks, but NOT business owners.)

Small business owners are a RARE courageous bunch.

THEY alone are the ones that take the risk, borrow huge amounts of money, often using their own house as collateral. THEY are the ones that pay the endless taxes and licenses required by the government, endure safety inspections and guidelines that often make no earthly common sense.

 THEY alone are the ones that stick it out for 3 years (statistically proven) before they see $1 of profit.  THEY alone are the ones that rise early, stay late and wrestle with payrolls, often foregoing their own salary so their employees get paid that month. (A 40 hour week?  Unheard of!)

 THEY alone invest in equipment that would make any ordinary persons hair stand straight up and burst into flames.

THEY alone are the ones that had the idea, visited the patent attorney, developed a sample product and perfected it again and again over time. THEY alone are the ones that attend trade conferences and plan changes and cost cuts to keep up with the competition.  THEY alone are the ones that listen to employees problems, and take their place at work when that same employee doesn't show up for work on any given day. THEY are the ones that deal with dissatisfied customers who don't hesitate for one minute blaming, shouting and cursing when something goes awry. THEY are the ones that provide necessary products and services for the rest of us.

Yes, they enjoy public services, but THEY PAY TAXES  to provide for them, too.

IF they didn't build their own businesses, WHO DID?  Those places of employment didn't pop up all by themselves.

A rebuttal to my argument (and I've heard this as well) is:  Consumers build businesses.

Nice thought, BUT....I can't sit in my house and wish for a tire store to appear down the street, a donut shop to magically appear because I long for  one, or a gift shop to pop up nearby as a convenience to me.  A brave BUSINESS OWNER has to take the first step and assume all the risk.

And if he/she does it right, consumers will come.  If not.....a dream is shattered and the business person will start all over again because it's in their DNA. Sitting down, waiting for someone to come rescue them is NOT an option.

And while they are regrouping the rest of us will be driving down the roads, enjoying the protection of the policemen and firemen and sending our kiddos to public schools.  And we'll be waiting for a job!