Libertarian & Green Parties

        Politically, I like to think to myself as an independent.  I am not a staunch Democrat or Republican.  Surveys show that I am first, a libertarian and second a constitutionalist.  I am conservative on fiscal issues and more liberal on social issues.  This may make me weird, but I never claimed to be normal.

        Since my profile shows me to be a libertarian, you would think I should be a supporter of Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party candidate for President, but after listening to him, there is no way I can support him.  Normally, I would expect him to draw votes from Trump, but after listening to him, he might draw more votes from Clinton.  Johnson is a joke, and will certainly not get my vote. 

        The Green Party is the fourth largest political party in the country.  They are far left and promote big government, global warming, gun control, income redistribution, gender equality, LGBT, and anti-racism.  They use words that are politically correct, but that is their platform.  I am not sure how they really differ from the Democratic Party, although they may be a little farther left, if that is possible.  The Green Party Presidential nominees for President and Vice President are Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka.  If the names do not tell you enough, check them out.  I am sick of politics trying to divide people along the lines of sex, race, and religion.

        When someone does not agree with the liberal left, the standard rebuttal is that they are racist or sexist.  I think that race baiters and politicians who use race as an argument are the real racists.  Every person living in a disadvantaged urban area should look at who has been in political power over the last fifty years and then vote for real change.  

        I have a problem with anybody who always votes a straight party ticket.  When party members have this kind of attitude, there is no incentive to clean up the party.  The party continues down the road to big government and the political elite without ever representing the working people of this country.   

        Some states and some cities always vote for one party regardless of who is on the ticket.  This is just ignorant and promotes the political elite, government graft, and corruption. 

        My dad always said he voted for the person and not the party.  I agree 100%.  Do we want to vote for the political establishment, big business, big media, and big government, or do we want to vote for change?  The only vote that has any chance of changing the direction this country is going is a vote for Trump. 

http://BusinessFits.com

                

Inside-Out

   

        I wrote Business Fits because after years as an entrepreneur, small businessman, consultant, and coach, I realized that many entrepreneurs were not prepared for starting a business.  They often picked a business for the wrong reasons.  No other book addressed this issue.

        Most people select a business based on their perception of a product or service, they may have prior experience in the business, or they just think the business would be fun, like turning a hobby into a business.  Some may have a perception of demand for the business based on their personal tastes.  This is what I call an Outside-In approach, which can lead a potential business owner down the wrong path.   

        I recommend an Inside-Out approach that matches your strengths, weaknesses, and resources, to a business model that can achieve your goals.  Many new businesses owners are not properly prepared to market and operate a business.   We don’t know what we don’t know. 

        The saying, “Do what you know and love, and you will be a success.” is true only if you are talking about daily activity which has nothing to do with the product or service.  If you hate your daily activity, you will fail, or be very unhappy.  This does not achieve anyone’s goals.  A specific product or service should not be part of the initial screening process for selecting a business.

        One example that guarantees failure is opening a coffee shop in a location where a coffee shop has already failed, expecting to succeed because you have a specific flavor of coffee to offer that you personally prefer.  Your personal taste will not guarantee success.  I’ve seen this and similar cases happen over and over again.  These failures can be prevented. 

        I often have friends and relatives call me about this “Great Opportunity” they have discovered.  It is usually based on activity or food they really enjoyed.  When they ask me what I think of their business idea, I can only respond, “For who?”  No business is right for everyone, and any business can fail with the wrong owner.

        Business Fits addressed all aspects of running a business.  I discuss how a business makes money and why some businesses are destined to fail.  I also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of new independent startups, buying an existing business, franchises, and other business opportunities. 

        Business Fits is available as an eBook or a paperback on Amazon.  To learn more about Business Fits: How to find the right business! go to http://BusinessFits.com

Likeabile, Trustworthy & Respected

     

        When we hire a new employee, we want someone we can trust.  They must be honest and competent.  We don’t have to be best friends with that employee as long as we have a mutual respect. 

        It is a bad practice to be too friendly with someone you supervise in business.  That friendly relationship can create problems with other employees.  They will perceive that the “friend of the boss” receives special considerations.  Bringing gifts to the boss or golfing with the boss may buy special consideration from the boss, but other employees may feel these considerations are not earned or deserved.         This is an even greater problem in the public sector.  Cronyism in politics is prevalent and creates hard feelings which hurt productivity. 

        Many political appointments are bought and not deserved.  They are bought with campaign donations, sponsoring fund raising events, or donations to certain so-called charitable foundations.  I want a chief executive that appoints and hires the most qualified people and not just someone who paid for the job with a donation.

        The vote in November will elect a new President.  All the media seems to be concerned with is the polls and who is the least likeable and least trustworthy.  The media commentators mention the issues, but rarely state a candidate’s actual agenda. 

        If we elect a President based on their likeability, race, or sex, we will deserve what we get when our economy and this once great country collapse.  Our country has declined both domestically and as a world power over the last eight years. 

        We elected a President who had never done anything except run for office and be a community organizer.  He was elected because he was likable, could give a good speech, and was black.  We know how that worked out. 

        Hillary Clinton’s biggest assets are that she is a woman and she has paid her dues with the political elite.  I think even her supporters have to admit she is a proven liar, so she cannot be trusted.  There is also a problem with all the of the many scandals in which she has been involved.   The most recent are the deleted e-mails and Pay to Play with the Clinton Foundation.  It is hard to consider her capable when the FBI Director said she was “extremely careless.”  She seems likeable when we only see her campaign face.  

        Donald Trump is arrogant, egotistical, says what he thinks, and is seldom politically correct.  Some people don’t like the way he combs his hair.  This does not make him likable, but he is what we need.  He clearly is a capable leader and manager.  He has no problem identifying the challenges out country faces and puts forward workable solutions.     

        John McCain and Mitt Romney were likeable, but I question if they had the leadership qualities to be a good President.  They probably would have continued to expand the Federal Government run by the political elite.  They were considered moderates, but certainly did not have what it took to get elected. 

        This country has some serious problems that need to be addressed and corrected.  Resolving the issues will require some strong leadership and some painful decisions.  These decisions will be for the good of the country, but will not be popular with many special interest groups. 

        We need a capable leader.  I don’t care if he is likeable. 

       

http://BusinessFits.com

Franchise Fees

   

        “Why should I pay a franchise fee and royalties for something I can do myself?”  This is one of the topics covered in the “Business Myths” chapter of Business Fits.  If someone can in fact do everything that a franchise provides, they should not buy a franchise, but this would be a very rare occurrence. 

        In today’s complex business world, it is impossible to be an expert in every area of business.  It is true that expert advice can be retained in areas in which you are deficient, but that probably will cost more than franchise fees. 

        Extensive market research needs to be done before starting any business.  Reliable market research is expensive and time consuming.  This research is already done for you with a good franchise. 

        A major cost of an independent startup business is the initial learning curve.  This can be a primary cause of failure.  In my opinion, the most important thing a franchise provides is a proven business system.  You are not reinventing the wheel. 

        One of the most frequent objections I hear about buying a franchise is, “I can do it cheaper.”  This is costly error.  A good franchisor will make sure a prospective franchisee is properly financed to succeed.  Under-capitalization is the number one reason an independent business startup fails. 

        Today’s consumer demands a certain image and a minimum level of service and selection.  An independent starting on a shoestring cannot provide this level of professionalism. 

        Marketing is essential to any business and the most often overlooked element by independent startups.  A franchisor has developed a detailed marketing plan that is an integral part of the business system.

        The market is constantly changing and keeping up with those changes is a challenge for every business.  It is hard if not impossible to maintain continuing market research to keep ahead of these changes while managing daily operations.  Feedback from the franchisee network makes it easy for a franchisor to keep up with market trends.

        A franchise may not be the right option for a new entrepreneur, but it should be considered and not be ruled out because of the franchise fee and royalties.  A franchise may be the easiest and cheapest way to be successful and achieve your goals. 

        Learn more about franchising and other business opportunities in Business Fits: How to find the right business for you!

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The American West

       I am a student of our American west from 1860 to 1890.  I have read extensively on the subject including The Old West series by Time-Life.  I have even read many of the books referenced in the bibliographies of the series.  

      The American Movie Channel (AMC) has been showing a mini series called The American West.  It is produced by Robert Redford and presented as a documentary.  It is actually a rewrite of American history.

     I started to watch The American West for entertainment as I did not expect to learn anything I did not know.  I quickly realized the series was rewriting American history.  Most of the commentators who had a history background were accurate in their statements.  Any student of the American west would recognize that many of the statements by Hollywood celebrities like Robert Redford were incorrect. 

      The storyline and script reminded me of a 1930’s western movie.  The production was very good and most people would believe the facts presented were accurate.    Now Redford has rewritten our history. 

   This sounds like the book 1984.  The government constantly rewrites the facts in history in this fictional book.

     One of the most ludicrous statements was that Jesse James went to New Mexico to recruit Billy the Kid into his gang after the gang was shot up in Northfield, Minnesota.  There is no account of Jessie James traveling as far west as New Mexico. What an interesting fabrication of history! 

      The gang was often referred to as the James/Younger gang.  Three Younger bothers were wounded and imprisoned in Minnesota after attempted Northfield bank robbery.  The Youngers were never mentioned. 

       Another ridiculous fabrication was that General Sherman killed all the buffalo to starve the American Indians into submission.  The series compares Sherman’s Indian campaign to his scorched earth policy during his march to the sea during the Civil war.  This idea is ridiculous because the largest estimate of buffalo killed every year was only a fraction of the annual birth rate.  The best theory of what killed the Buffalo is that it was “Texas Fever” transmitted but ticks on longhorn cattle from Mexico. 

    Why do liberals like Robert Redford want to rewrite history?  They realize that we need to learn from history and if history does not fit their political agenda, they believe it  must be rewritten.  This is frightening because it can be done in subtle ways like this mini-series with the public unaware they have been brain-washed. 

       

http://BusinessFits.com