Laying off the Obama voters

More viral nonsense from wingnuttia.

The two main themes of the McCain campaign &#8212 fear and hatred &#8212 are combined in the latest bit of viral nonsense circulating (albeit with slightly different numbers) both by email and on line. The usual wingnut sites are posting it and celebrating it, though it has “urban legend” written all over it. Obviously, the idea of putting political opponents on the unemployment line fills their frigid little hearts with joy:

Dear Fellow Business Owners

As a Business owner who employs 30 people, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barack Obama, will be our next President, and that my Taxes and Fees, will go up in a BIG way.

To compensate for these increases, I figure, that the Customer, will have to see an increase in my fees to them of about, 8%. I will also have to lay off 6 of my employees. This really bothered me as I believe we are family,here and didn’t know how to choose who will have to go. So, this is what I did. I strolled through the parking lot and found, 8 Obama bumper stickers on my employees cars. I have decided these folks will be the first to be laid off.

I can’t think of another fair way to approach this problem. If you have a better idea, let me know. I am sending this letter to all Business owners that I know.

Sincerely

Ward

JOOA Corp.

The right wing can’t persuade; they need to frighten.

Author: Mark Kleiman

Professor of Public Policy at the NYU Marron Institute for Urban Management and editor of the Journal of Drug Policy Analysis. Teaches about the methods of policy analysis about drug abuse control and crime control policy, working out the implications of two principles: that swift and certain sanctions don't have to be severe to be effective, and that well-designed threats usually don't have to be carried out. Books: Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know (with Jonathan Caulkins and Angela Hawken) When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment (Princeton, 2009; named one of the "books of the year" by The Economist Against Excess: Drug Policy for Results (Basic, 1993) Marijuana: Costs of Abuse, Costs of Control (Greenwood, 1989) UCLA Homepage Curriculum Vitae Contact: Markarkleiman-at-gmail.com