I’m asked, in reference to this, if It’s not just the economics of employee retention that causes me act as I do with reference to pay and benefits.

I was just talking with my General Manager and Controller about this very thing this morning. It’s both, really. There’s the goodwill, plus the business economics that indicate it’s usually the best strategy because turnover and training can be very costly as well. I’ve always believed that this business could be done with reasonable benefits to employees. I also recognize that all industries are different, and I don’t suppose to second-guess the business requirements of others, which is a peripheral reason for why I’m against any form of regulatory control over offering benefits of any kind, minimum wages, or working conditions.

The market is perfectly suited to determine these things–not to mention that the government telling me what I can and can’t do with my business, or taxing my business, is theft–but that’s another subject altogether.

But none of this really addresses my original point either, from the post cited above. Philanthropists are always hailed as great benefactors of society, especially if they didn’t earn the money themselves; like an heir who did absolutely squat to create the wealth; has little or no appreciation of the efforts that went into its creation; often feels guilty about being rich; and so gives a lot away to atone for the sin of being wealthy. At the same time, the greatest builders of values, jobs and wealth from which all philanthropic giving emanates are recorded in history as "Robber Barons." Ingrates.

Without the sound investment and management of capital; without the vision; without the long torturous hard work; without the job creation that created the wealth in the first place, there would be no philanthropy. And we’d all be dirt poor spending our days scrounging for food, clothing and shelter from the elements. We wouldn’t know philanthropy.

We have our values and priorities ass-backwards, in my view, and it’s been that way for a long time. Moreover, the Democrat party, to whom so many pay allegiance in the global pastime of biting the hand is the prime source and instigator of this vile, evil, and ungrateful disgrace, and I will never, ever forgive them for that; nor will I forget it.