Right on

From Cliff Hilton, 51, restaurant owner, Beaumont, Texas:


President-elect Obama, I work 14 hours a day, seven days a week. Since I work that much, I can make a living. I employ 14 workers.

If I am to be taxed for working hard, make everyone that receives my money work as hard and as long as me. If they work seven days a week, they'll have less time to spend and want.

I live in a small apartment and drive a five-year-old car. I don't have cable TV or Internet at home. I keep the temperature at 80 degrees in the summer and never turn the heat on in the winter. My debt is a very small fraction of my net worth. I have cash to pay off my debt. I have lived a frugal life. If someone is to receive my money, they should be required to stay out of debt themselves.

I have chosen to eat good food and maintain my health. I don't take drugs of any kind. If someone is to receive my money, they should be required to maintain their health to the level of not needing health care. I worked two years before I could afford to purchase medical insurance with a $5,000 deduction. Some of my workers do not take care of themselves and want me to get them insurance for free. I could not imagine being required to do so.

I do not and will not support free public health insurance, retirement, protection, etc.

If I consider a plot of land, prepare the land (remove rocks, trees, weeds), plow the rows, plant the seeds, and pray to God for sunshine and rain, am I required to give the [harvest] to someone who never put their hands to help nor their money and health at risk for failure or success? Don't dilute my expectation. If I fail, I fail alone. No one wants to help pay for my failure. If I succeed, you should not want to take my money and give it to one who has failed.

Since you are now the President-elect, you must have worked pretty hard to get there. Others who supported you must have seen something in you that inspired them to give your campaign hard-earned money. Please do not require less from every single American that is receiving money from those that pay.

I will support you if you do nothing less.

you know what i really hate, is when i hear these heart torn a-holes who strike it rich, such as movie stars and you hear thier tear jerking stories of before they were stars and how they had to work 10 hours a day being a waiter or waitress...like the Oprahs. well im 44 and im still working 10 hour days...when does it end for me?

eric lavine wrote: well im 44 and im still working 10 hour days...when does it end for me?

10 hr days? So Eric, so what you're saying then is that you're partially retired, right? I hit 50 three weeks ago and I'm up to(shouldn't I be saying "down" to?) about 60 hrs a week. I guess we're just in the wrong businesses? But I don't look forward to retiring as much as just cutting back. If I'd stayed with the Bell system I'd be up to about 8 wks of vacation by now. That's all I'd need.