72 Comments

• BrianO | Oct 22, 2012, 11:01 AM EDT

  My wife doesn't use birth control and as of yet neither does my 13 year old though I'm sure yours does. Tne question isn't what type of care one needs but of what insurance one needs. If I am single and gay why do I need to pay for an insurance program that pays for birth control, abortion, or child bearing? I would rather buy an insurance policy that conforms to my set of needs. You are a true believer and trust the non implemented plan as some freebie that should work because socialistic government is kind. I commend you on your trust, I do not share your faith in bureaucrats, many who will make decisions to save their government job or pension. We will not agree. But I did warn you, once an entity has control with the power of government enforcing compliance via the IRS all medical service will suffer. Yes the IRS will be in charge of health care compliance, now you can look forward to a health audit as well as a tax audit.

• BrianO | Oct 22, 2012, 08:27 AM EDT

  Have you even looked at what Obamacare is? It relies heavily on personal choice, something you seem to have difficulty grasping so simple a concept. And before Obamacare your employer could drop, change policy anytime they wanted to and then you would either have to pay yourself, pay more than you did or take a lesser policy offered.You already DO pay and dearly for those who are uninsured as when they get sick they have to be covered anyway. I notice you did not respond to my direct questions just go on whipping up the fear. I guess your non response is response enough and I have not mentioned the 1%.Surely that aforementioned 1% have many more assets than a home, they have HOMES, and many of them. And lets get this straight its not only the 1% that own property, the 47% own property, but they do not count to the R/R/Republicans, they are just retirees, former members of the military and it is arrogant and ignorant not mention oblivious to the reality of every day lives of people who are not millionaires to suggest they are not taking personal responsibility for their lives. That is not who should be in the white house ever!

• BrianO | Oct 21, 2012, 09:15 AM EDT

  No scam, how do you pay for the Government health scheme...tax people on the sale of their homes 3.8%, I'm waiting to her the wails when this comes to pass in January, but I'm sure that 3,8% of what is most peoples only asset will effect only the !% you demonize.

• shuvonn | Oct 20, 2012, 06:58 PM EDT

  do YOU pay extra for your wifes/daughters birth control or do you allow your health coverage to pay for it? No scam here and your inability to comprehend 2700 pages is not my issue :-) I never said government was my parent, how could the government be my parent when I pay for my own health insurance?? So simple a concept yet you cannot grasp it?? So don't even try to infer or lie about that one. There was NO coverup, Obama referred to it as a *act of terror* so open your own eyes and you seem to forget that what happens in Vegas stays in vegas and did you remember what Bush said about the 9/11 attacks.....

• BrianO | Oct 19, 2012, 01:43 PM EDT

  Birth control is legal just buy it. Obamacare is a scam, that is why it is 2700 pages. Try standing on your own two feet. Government is not a parent. The farther from the source the least feeling and more wastful a system becomes. Signed, Brickwall. So did the great one coverup the terrorist attack with his minnions to spread the youtube video sham? open your eyes, stand up for yourself, or go to Las Vegas like your concerned leader did the day after the Lybia assassinations.

• shuvonn | Oct 18, 2012, 07:51 AM EDT

  It's like talking to a brick wall, I watch BBC America for my news, I find it so much less biased and partisan than most US tv stations. And personally I would prefer Obama than someone who puts women in a binder and will try to deny them health care and birth control ( who passed Obamacare and now flip flopped) My eyes are wide open unlike yours it would appear. Why don't you do a little googling yourself about the Republican blocking 300 million for embassy security prior to the Ben Ghazi attack? Why don't you simply not take advantage of the benefits of Obamacare thus far? Should your employer change insurance providers, pay for yourself if you have a pre-existing condition.Pay for your own college age kids between 18-26. Pay more for your wife/daughters/mothers health care for preventative services. If you have a business do not avail of the tax credis for providing health care. All of those things are already in place and taken care of in Obamacare,as well as increases have to be justified by the insurance company. I suggest you might miss them if Romney/Ryan gets their way. And it's getting a bit too cold for flip flops :-) As far as I am concerned Nobody puts Shuvonn in a binder :-)

• BrianO | Oct 18, 2012, 02:26 AM EDT

  shuvon Google obama and waivers. Checkout the view, letterman, rice, and cnbc for ben ghazi. its time to open your eyes, he's an empty suit.

• BrianO | Oct 18, 2012, 02:24 AM EDT

  shuvon, was the greatone on Letterman and told the video fantasy? did he not tell the samr fantasy on the view? did he not send out his representatives to spread the same lie. i know how they work, to quote Bill Clinton " it depends on what the meaning of is, is". Either your in the sack for BO or you are blind. just Googled Obama and waivers--ex.--Documents released in a classic Friday afternoon news dump show that labor unions representing 543,812 workers received waivers from President Barack Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/06/labor-unions-primary-recipients-of-obamacare-waivers/#ixzz29d4Vc7ze

• shuvonn | Oct 18, 2012, 01:42 AM EDT

  So Brian you want to split hairs still on the Ben Ghazi attack? Obama held a press conference in the Rose Garden on the day after the attack specifically about that attack and said when referring to that attack *"No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for. Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, justice will be done."* And at that time many demonstrations were taking place world wide over that video. I am not here to do your homework on facts regarding what page of the health care law anything is on but I notice you do not address the waivers claim. Or Romneys passing of basically the same Obamacare in Mass and now he flip flops on it? And Republicans have been the most partisan since they gained control of the house with Obama in power at least Democrats were willing to work with republicans. EVERYONE'S insurance payments go up yearly and Obamacare will make insurance companies justify the increases and not allow them to cap out ever. And Romney in a conference call with the National Federation of Independent Business urged bosses to persuade their employees to vote for him and insists there is nothing wrong with a *little guidance* in their voting choices so it looks like Siegal took his advice on that one :-) I thought once the curtain closed the choice was yours alone to make, apparently NOT in Romney's world :-)

• BrianO | Oct 17, 2012, 12:42 PM EDT

  So shuvon when did he say it was a terrorist attack as opposed to a mob attack because of a video? What page of the 2700 page healthcare takeover on? Romneys part in the Massachusetts healthcare bill is one thing I don't approve of, because I'm from Massachusetts. Our insurance payments are almost double. But I also witnessed Romney dealing with a Dem house and Senate that could overide any veto and he did a good job.

• shuvonn | Oct 17, 2012, 07:39 AM EDT

  We'll start with and keep to the FACTS! Romney passed Obamacare in Mass while he was governer. And where is your proof that Obama supporters have gotten waivers? Obamacare relies heavily on choice and there is no way that it is anywhere near or ever will be total government control that is a lie and you know it Repition of a lie does not change that it is a lie.. As for your lie that the government will have better care? In 2014, Americans will have access to the same health care choices as Members of Congress. SEC. 1312 [42 U.S.C. 18032]. CONSUMER CHOICE. I do not care where the 47% comment was made, he said it, would not apologize at first and then flip flopped on it as usual.The president should care about all citizens not just 53% and it's not the first time Romney put his foot in his mouth ( 3 times on a 3 country tour this summer) And YOU want to talk smear machine? That's an awfully big glass house you are throwing stones from. All you have proven is that you hate Obama and are willing to lie to sustain that stance. Sort of like the egregious lies Romney told in the second debate as when he lied about the timing of Obama coming out and called the Ben Ghazi murders a terrorist attack, which is also a reprehensible use of this incident for political gain, I knew when Obama called it a terrorist attack and I am not in a presidential race, yet Romney thought he could lie and get away with it?

• BrianO | Oct 16, 2012, 02:17 PM EDT

  It is a federal law now. The effects will start this year, unless of course you have gotten a waiver, as many of the obama supporters have. After wwI they create an income tax, they said it would never be more than 3%. Do have car insurance? How about Life insurance? home owners insurance? How do you manage to receive these insurances.....Oh you pay for them. The fact is the government end game is control. If they have to ruin the best healthcare in the world then so be it. You won't see any of these politicians on the health care offered to the public by the government, just like you don't see them on social security. The 47% comment was made at a fundraiser and concerned Romney's thought that people who didn't pay taxes would be in obama's camp, because they have no skin in the game, a tax break doesn't appeal to people who don't pay taxes. I do believe he made a mistake as many of the 47% are retired or military who are squarely in his camp. With the Obama smear machine in full mode to only have this small shred to throw at Romney is pitiful. Too bad he couldn't get ahold of closed divorce records or challenge petitions to elimanate his competition like in Chicago- Tough and ruthless, but that ok just a couple of Black candidates eliminated by obama.

• shuvonn | Oct 15, 2012, 11:42 AM EDT

  The exact point is that there is no way it is anywhere near that the government will have full control over the health care in the US.It is NO where near that, there are too many states and too many people to be covered and too many individual companies to take into consideration so that will never happen. Just more of the *whipping up fear* is all that is, just hot air. And you seem to forget the companies that do not offer health benefits, do those people not count, are they like the 47% that Romney does not have to worry about? You also forget that you are aleady going to have to pay for people who have no health insurance IF they get sick anyway so why not get money from them while they are healthy? Even in Ireland yes there is state care but you can always get private insurance to supplement your health care such as VHI and relatives of mine who served in the Gardai have the retired Gardai health insurance also still as in a plan they also signed up for upon retirement. And IF you think that the ones that are not offered health care in their jobs (waitresses, part time workers (some companies avoid keeping full time workers to avoid paying benefits) are not important ( like Romney ) that speaks volumes and the government ensuring they get covered for a reasonable cost( their kids between 18-26) and for pre-existing conditions is the government doing nothing that's another example of the I'm all right Jack attitude....

• BrianO | Oct 15, 2012, 09:18 AM EDT

  The exact point is that with the government take over of health care you will have no choice. That is the end game, dependency and control. Employee plans are part of business benefits to attract good employees, When the government taxes businesses on top of the costs of the insurance businesses will discontinue these benefits. People will have no choice.--The realtor analogy, the point is that realtors WORK for their commission and they would gladly take the deal the government made which now the government makes3.8% commission the government does not work for this, so when you sell your house you will pay 6% to the realtors, 3.8% to the government, and depending on the situation capital gains taxes.

• shuvonn | Oct 14, 2012, 06:58 PM EDT

  That depends, S corporations could only deduct a certain percentage for their healthcare premiums and let's face it you are doing just a little whipping up fear yourself with claiming that you may end up having State or Federal care since as far as I know that does NOT exist yet (federal):-) And you always have a choice when you pay for it yourself :-) How do you think self employed people do it ?And if you think you didn't pay for the care of uninsured before Obamacare you're sadly mistaken. As for realtors not working for their commission? They could go months without a sale and no money so it works both ways!

• BrianO | Oct 14, 2012, 11:29 AM EDT

  No, Most have healthcare through employers as a non taxed benefit. that is being attacked through the obamacare. Many with "cadillac" or really good health care are being surcharged under obamacare. Employers will find they can dump this benefit and have their employees go on government health care, saving the business money but making more people dependent on the state for their health, that is the end game. much like social security the govrnment entity in charge will be able to threaten and scare the users of the healthcare system as the systematically reduce our freedoms. When a private company performs badly you can change companie, when your only option is federal insurance your only option will be to change countries. As to the fee for housing costs, ask a realtor if they would like a 3.8% fee for every house sold in the country and do no work for it, I bet most would jump at that deal.

• shuvonn | Oct 14, 2012, 08:01 AM EDT

  It depends on the deal with the realtor, I have bought and sold three homes and out of those 2 out of the 3 were subject to not sharing of the fee. I suspect it is not so rare as you claim BrianO. And you ALWAYS have a choice in healthcare providers when you pay yourself :-)You can pick any company you want then but I suspect you do not want to pay yourself and wish to avail of the care your employer provides which is my basic argument about *Obamacare* the *I'm alright Jack* attitude. I made many rational, reasonable points that prove the value of ALL having access to affordable healthcare whereby you are ALL paying when well, not just the emergency room visits which cost a fortune and everyone pays anyway and you have not refuted ONE, only resorted to the same old whipping up fear mistruths. You can move to a different state at any time and CHOOSE your healthcare any time, nothing is stopping you I suspect except you do not want to have to pay for it yourself :-)

• BrianO | Oct 14, 2012, 01:47 AM EDT

  most houses fee are divide through multi listings, very rare to receive the full six percent most realtors receive half or 3 percent. Check out the rise of health costs in Massachusetts. Soon most business will drop their better insurance coverage and force we citizens of this state to go on government health care. I hope that obamacare is repealled then i will at least have the option to move to a different state in order to buy the insurance I want.

• shuvonn | Oct 13, 2012, 04:34 PM EDT

  I do not know what state you live in BrianO but most states the real estate broker fee is 6% unless pre-negotiated. And IF she does sell her house, and live longer it will be because she will have been able to afford reasonable cost health care, that you should not be refused because you have a pre-existing condition. Again it seems to be the ones who have health care (again I hope it keeps fine for them ) that do not care about others who do not who they will have to pay for anyway when they get sick, why not get some money from them when they are well first ? P.S. the Obamacare you object to is the very same thing Romney passed in Mass and now he objects to it? That's kind of like Ryan complaining about the stimulus package money while begging for it repeatedly for his state while claiming it would be *devastating* to have it stopped.

• BrianO | Oct 13, 2012, 11:20 AM EDT

  Ephraim have you told granny that when she sells her house she will have to pay 3.8% to Obamacare, higher fee than her real estate broker will probably receive.

• EphraimKibbey | Oct 13, 2012, 01:17 AM EDT

  pilib04 - I heard that this has happened at several of Romney's appearences. The next time you see a news clip of Romney in front of employees at some factory or business, look at their faces. They are not HAPPY faces! Compare them to the faces of the people behind Obama at his events. Add this tactic to the salting of the audiences with paid Romney people at several of his speechs before minority organizations and it makes one wonder what kind of tactics he will use if he becomes president, Heaven Forbid.

• EphraimKibbey | Oct 13, 2012, 01:09 AM EDT

  shuvonn - you have perfectly explained what most of the Obamacare(s) bashering politicians fail to grasp. Interestingly, just today, I saw an old clip of a GOP politician saying almost word for word what you just wrote. It was Mitt Romney talking about HIS brand new Romneycare in Mass. as governer. It seems that he understood reality then. They say that watching Fox News can ACTUALLY make one more stupid (according to a study done by a college in New Jersey.) I wonder if that is what happened to Mittens. It is so sad to see a mind wasted like that.

• pilib04 | Oct 12, 2012, 10:06 AM EDT

  In Ohio, miners from Murray Energy's Century coal mine in Bealsville, were forced to attend an August 14 rally for Romney. The mine was closed for the rally and the workers lost a day's pay. According to Murray chief operating officer, Robert Moore, "Attendance was mandatory but no one was forced to attend the event." Robert Murray is owner of the Century mine. He and his wife have contributed $471,185 to Republican candidates since 2008. His employees have very generously given almost 1.5 million to Republicans over the same period. For more information checck the UFCW324 web page. Quotes and stats are from a LA Times story by Neela Banerjee, August 29,2012.

• BrianO | Oct 12, 2012, 09:41 AM EDT

  @Irishrose524, very funny, made me laugh.

• Will Hamilton | Oct 12, 2012, 08:58 AM EDT

  An inspiring story. You can be enormously wealthy and stupid at the same time. So if you're a struggling entrepreneur with a simplistic brain and the tastes of a trailer trash Lotto winner you can still go far. America: anyone can make it.

• hollabackgurl | Oct 11, 2012, 05:47 PM EDT

  We know employers have the right to hire and fire - it's when they threaten their ENTIRE STAFF to vote a certain way they've become plutocratic tyrants. And typical Romney voters, I might add.

• Murph46 | Oct 11, 2012, 05:17 PM EDT

  Wake up Cahir most employees are working under an option by their employer,it is called being an at will employee-Check it out!

• conorsmom | Oct 11, 2012, 02:50 PM EDT

  Irishrose524- I could not agree more with you! What do you think a billionaires hell looks like? Maybe they would have to make their own beds, clean up after themselves, cook and take care of their own children...... Hey wait, thats my life!!

• BigDaddy | Oct 11, 2012, 02:40 PM EDT

  WOW! A virtual cornucopia of stupidity on this subject. No one I know hates the rich for being rich but when they stand on balconies and smirk while drinking champagne as they look down on regular people protesting the loss of their savings while the law protects the thieves, then they tend to get pissed off I find. In this case, however, with the intimidation factor so obvious, you have to ask yourself, if you and your ideas are so superior, why is it they cannot stand victorious in the market place of ideas? Why must you resort to cheating and illegal tactics to win? My guess is that you know you are undeserving of what you have and threatening people gives you the feeling of being a man that has long since expired naturally.

• irishrose524 | Oct 11, 2012, 12:58 PM EDT

  I hope David Siegel burns in Royal Hell, which is alot worse then regular joe hell :-/

• BrianO | Oct 11, 2012, 11:50 AM EDT

  Captaincon, your comment represents all that is wrong with your side, If someone is successful but not liberal, then the power of the government should be unleashed upon them, very sad.

• Frosty38 | Oct 11, 2012, 10:45 AM EDT

  I see a large lawsuit in the making. Hop onboard

• CaptainCon | Oct 11, 2012, 09:23 AM EDT

  I would suggest an IRS audit on this chap and his hideous wife the day after the inauguration. I'm sure this chap's tax affairs will all be in order down to the last cent.

• shuvonn | Oct 11, 2012, 07:38 AM EDT

  I notice that the ones who moan about *Obamacare* have insurance, so I hope it keeps fine for them. However what they do NOT see or refuse to is that people who do not have insurance, avoid having routine tests and when they do get sick, they are likely to be sicker (costing more for treatment)or seeking emergency room care and everyone will have to pay for their higher cost care anyway. What makes that so difficult a concept for many to grasp?? Whereas IF everyone had access to some kind of reasonable cost insurance, paid their fair share while they were healthy, had regular check ups their cost to everyone else would be so much less in the long term, Those of you who are already benefitting from Obamacare such as covering your children up to 26 so they can continue their college education and it costs the parents nothing extra, and the abiltiy to not be excluded by pre-existing conditions are only hypocrites.

• DaddyMac22 | Oct 11, 2012, 05:36 AM EDT

  Fascinating\terrifying to read the usual right wing shock jock commenters, gleefully ignoring the disgusting behaviour of one of their brethren and attack the author instead. Take some responsibility. Comment on this disgusting character threatening the livelihood of average working people. Be fair, for once.

• merefalow | Oct 10, 2012, 08:09 PM EDT

  this arogant 1% ER MAKES AN EXCELENT CASE FOR INTRODUCING HIM TO THE GUILITINE,LET THEM EAT CAKE,TYPICAL OF THE BREED.

• Searlit | Oct 10, 2012, 07:33 PM EDT

  BrianO you will never convince me and I won't you. @Nicomax thanks for the comic relief.

• EphraimKibbey | Oct 10, 2012, 07:24 PM EDT

  What about the Michigan Auto Parts manufacturer who did the same thing last week? It seems that one of Romney's DON'T-think tanks has a chain letter going around suggesting that the "JOB CREATORS" threaten their employees this way.

• eiriamach | Oct 10, 2012, 07:08 PM EDT

  More whining about taxes from the usual Romneyites gathering here? I just visited Cathy Hayes' article on the taxes Google paid in Ireland. Ms Hayes takes her US corporate tax data from Cato Institute, so I do not expect to read ever again in a posting that ICentral has a "liberal bias"--hogwash! I checked on the data at the end of Hayes' article. I found that as a percentage of GDP, only Iceland among industrialized nations has a LOWER effective corporate tax than the USA has right now. A few million-dollar loopholes here, some billion-dollar depletion allowances there, throw in some multi-million-dollar administrative-expense deductions for jet planes and such, and as BrianO would say, it adds up to real money that US corporations are NOT sending to the US Treasury. US business owners keep more of their profits after taxes than owners in 88 other industrialized countries. But David Siegel wants to keep it all; never mind how much the rest of us pay to support the government that protects his profits as they roll in! And never mind that his workers get less of it in wages for more hours worked than workers in most other industrialized countries. Tax reform--must be top of Obama's 2013 agenda.

• EphraimKibbey | Oct 10, 2012, 07:06 PM EDT

  Siegel has been bragging that his business was doing better than ever. It seems that LUXURY resorts are doing just fine as the millionaires and billionaires are unphased by the collapse that they brought down on mainstreet. Siegel did this same stunt in 2004. He claims that Bush won because of the strongarm tactics he used on his employees. There is a law against this kind of intimidation if it occurs in our government agencies so why is it not illegal in the private sector. This soulds like the plot to an old western where the rich guy has the town under his thumb and they bring in Obama to run him out of town. When Obama is re-elected and the Dems take back the house and retain the senate, I think we need a special commission on voter intimidation and disenfranchisement. The one good to come from Siegel's actions is that it underlines the differences between the Plutocrates and the rest of the nation.

• mairint | Oct 10, 2012, 06:44 PM EDT

  This HAD to be written by Cahir O'D. He is terrified his beloved Obama will lose the election - and all the favoritism to the happy gay folk. We will see more from the same source as the 'battle' rages on over the next few weeks. Interesting indeed.

• seanomelb | Oct 10, 2012, 05:11 PM EDT

  What should we call Siegel a trough feeder or a bottom feeder and his followers below fail to understand the arrogance in his letter and his contempt he has for his employees.

• BobinNC | Oct 10, 2012, 03:28 PM EDT

  Did Cahir bother to read the letter to the employees? I think not. What he said was that if Obama gets relected and Siegal's taxes get raised as much as expected under Obama that Siegal would either downsize the number of employees or close the business all together. Guess what - this is called 'business' - NOT social welfare or hobby. The man started the 'business' to make money and if it becomes unprofitable he closes it. Anyone posting here would do the same thing, once a business can no longer support itself it closes - period. That's the real world, and his reason for sending the employees the letter is so they better understand the impact raising taxes has on business. In this case it has a direct impact on their jobs. Sorry folks, but this is the real world. As a footnote I don't understand why so many people are so darn concerned what people do with their own money. Given you're using a computer to read this article and my words this capability came about because of people like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Do you all begrudge them for getting rich off of their own efforts? If not its likely because its well documented that they held liberal political beliefs and are therefore not evil like those nasty Republicans that think people should be responsible for their own well being.

• CelticQueenUSA | Oct 10, 2012, 03:26 PM EDT

  If I worked for this AH I would ask hin to kiss myt Irish ass goodbye!!!! Jerk.

• carlow98 | Oct 10, 2012, 02:47 PM EDT

  Many good ideas here on the way taxes and spending helps our economy (Smyrnian,and Brian O). How this man spends his money, Cahir, should be no concern of yours. Unless of course you want someone to step in and start looking at how you spend yours. Too much beer? Tsk, tsk. Seriously, Cahir, do spend a bit of your cash and go take an Economics class.

• joreilly | Oct 10, 2012, 02:25 PM EDT

  A sad commentary on our values....personal greed is more important than the success of our country. If Obama IS RE-ELECTED I HOPE " VON SIEGAL" WOULD MOVE TO ISRAEL AND LIVE WITH THAT OTHER "....YAHOO" WHO KEEPS TRYING TO ORDER OUR GOVERNMENT AROUND. J.O'R.

• BrianO | Oct 10, 2012, 02:13 PM EDT

  Found this on the web without looking that hard------Mrs. Siegel believes it is important to give back to the community and has extensive philanthropic involvement. This includes serving on the Board of Directors and fund raising for many charitable organizations such as the Westgate Resorts Foundation, Special Olympics Florida, the Mennello Museum of American Art, the Orlando Ballet, and Femmes de Couer among others.

• Smyrnian | Oct 10, 2012, 02:13 PM EDT

  When you (or a business) are taxes more you keep less. When you keep less you spend less (and hire less). When you earn more you are taxed more and you spend more (and hire more and pay more) generating much higher tax revenue and economic momentum. Basic economics; not complicated. Socialism, however, takes from a productive group to 'share/redistribute' with another less productive group and that is why socialism has never worked. Good bye Obama.

• BrianO | Oct 10, 2012, 01:59 PM EDT

  Oh and if you are down on your luck and can't afford health insurance, you will be fined.

• BrianO | Oct 10, 2012, 01:57 PM EDT

  Searlit, If the billionaire is doing well and employing many workers, then those workers will have money to spend in small businesses. The economy that shrinks under The regressive obama regime hurts all, it's true the billionaire will have more reserves and personally will be fine. The small businessman and the employees of said billionaire will not fare as well. It therefore is more vital to the small businessman and employee to have a pro business government.One that doesn't bury them in red tape and tax collections. Without growing profitable business there can be no income for government to tax. Government produces no income, they take a percentage of it's citizens wealth. Growth is not discriminating, it helps both the rich and poor, to better themselves. Obama has done nothing for private small business except add another layer of bureaucracy with Obamacare. Under penalty of perjury you will have to prove you have insurance, I know because I live in Massachusetts, always nice to be threatened by the government you pay for.

• kubs | Oct 10, 2012, 01:21 PM EDT

  A--hole!

• Nicomax | Oct 10, 2012, 01:14 PM EDT

  Two questions: 1) With all they spent on that monstrosity of a house could they not afford an architect? 2) Based on their photo in the big chair which is bigger, his stomach or her chest?

• katiemac | Oct 10, 2012, 12:58 PM EDT

  This man runs luxury resorts. When money is tight people don't have the money to splurge on luxury resorts. When the guests don't schedule stays, you do not pay people to stand around. You lay them off. This is the harsh reality of working in a luxury business. Why should this man's personal funds (or how gratuitously he chooses to spend them) have anything to do with the day to day operation of the resort? In your typically idiotic faux logic you seem to think he should underwrite the business with that personal fortune. That's like saying Obama should cover the federal budget with his campaign contributions and the preceeds of his book. Plus I don't recall you jumping in when administration bosses told federal employees they would be out of work under Romney. Hypocrite.

• Searlit | Oct 10, 2012, 12:46 PM EDT

  BrianO, why are you so afraid for the bilionaires? Of course they could restart their businesses. Their money is safe somewhere in Swiss banks or Cayman Islands. This charicature of a businessman is in no danger of losing his business over Obamacare, Medicaid, Social Security or Medicare , and I'd wager you know that! All of these programs are but a drop in the bucket compared to the wealth of the multinational corporations. If working people all took a day off, at the same time that's what would really cause some businesses to fail. Everyone with any sense knows that it is the small busineses that create the majority of jobs in the United States. President Obama has done much to help small businessmen through the stimulus plan and the loans to the auto industry which increased demand. It's economics, BrianO.

• aloistmartin | Oct 10, 2012, 12:46 PM EDT

  Economic Conspiracy, Insecurity, and Blackmail, used where Predator Drones and Cultural Hegemony Fail ! Support the Arab Winter !

• cillowen | Oct 10, 2012, 12:25 PM EDT

  proves my belief - those mitt the gold controls us, Big Time.

• Bill Doherty | Oct 10, 2012, 12:19 PM EDT

  1 ass is not an acceptable sample size we have many successful business people who are always stepping up to help through donations and charity. Once the house is clean of this socialist the US engine will turn back on.

• hollabackgurl | Oct 10, 2012, 11:55 AM EDT

  Talk about a modern day Scrooge. Or is that a Mr. Potter? And it makes perfect sense that Romney is his candidate of choice. His gaudy mansion is grotesque.

• patrickesq | Oct 10, 2012, 11:47 AM EDT

  Poor David Siegal. If Obama is reelected he may only be able to build an 80,000 sq. foot Versailles mansion with perhaps only 27 or 28 bedrooms. What will this world come to if the rich can not become richer and the poor poorer? Thanks in part to President Bush individual tax rates are the lowest they have been in 50 years. His tax cuts contributed heavily to our present deficit, in combination with fighting two wars that were not paid for pursuant to government funding. This tax cut will expire come Jan. 1, 2013 as was provided in the tax cut law itself. Now these crybaby millionaires and billionaires (not all, but many) want us to feel sorry for them because they may have to pay more taxes due to a very modest increase in their tax rate.

• BrianO | Oct 10, 2012, 11:33 AM EDT

  And what the Cahirs of the world refuse to recognize is that when a billionaire loses everything his businesses close. When the businesses close all those employed by That billionaire become unemployed. Trickle down poverty to steal a phrase.

• Searlit | Oct 10, 2012, 11:33 AM EDT

  This is what you get when you allow uncontrolled greed, in a country. There also are reports that a Coal company owner, Mr. Murray coerced his miners to appear without compensation in one of Mitt Romney's campaign ads (I've seen the ad.)Then journalists heard through other workers, at the company that the employees were also forced to make a donation to Romneys campaign. It's what happens when crude people are allowed, by deregulation to acquire too much money. Of course, these kind of people are going to cry if the temporary tax cuts George W. Bush gave them are ended.

• BrianO | Oct 10, 2012, 11:30 AM EDT

  Watch the video above, it's funny, a riches to rags story, the fella may lose everything but knows he will rebuild. What bothers the Cahirs of the world is that the man was successful and will be successful again. Makes me want to start selling timeshares.

• The Waltons | Oct 10, 2012, 11:23 AM EDT

  What cahir conveniently neglected to post was a copy of the actual letter that was sent to the employees. In it the boss explains that, with all the taxes odumbo plans to create, it would not be cost effective for his company to continue to run. I love the smell of libtard desperation. It smells like... victory.

• TisEyerish | Oct 10, 2012, 11:18 AM EDT

  Can this possibly be legal? This guy sounds like a full-blown psycho to me. Obviously, we are hitting a new low when society reveres a person of this caliber, all because of the almighty dollar sign.

• KMcSinger | Oct 10, 2012, 11:15 AM EDT

  Oo, you BIG LIBERALS you! What an insult : ) Seriously though, if this is a true story can't this guy be sued?

• borefield | Oct 10, 2012, 11:05 AM EDT

  Anyone ever notice Cahir does not put his name on the Heading of his articles? I guess if I wrote such hate trash I wouldn't either. He is such a waste to IC

• milesmckee | Oct 10, 2012, 10:50 AM EDT

  Maybe it would be too much for the writer to admit that if Obama is re-elected the cost of funding his out of control borrowing that will have to finance his healthcare plan and other cost in-effective plans will make it impossible for men like the "villain" you write about above to stay in business. Obama has been and will be (if re-elected) a disaster for both the American and world economy.

• shuvonn | Oct 10, 2012, 10:14 AM EDT

  Something to think about when they go to the polls? Vote for Romney or else, how is blackmail in a supposed democracy okay?

• shuvonn | Oct 10, 2012, 10:00 AM EDT

  That will sure help the unemployment, he sounds like a big bully who threatens people if he does not get his way.....

• olovely | Oct 10, 2012, 09:52 AM EDT

  The trolls are out early I see. They can't defend this fatcat or his actions so they have to insult and threaten to boycott. Siegel reminds us who stands to benefit the most from a Romney/Ryan presidency. It'll be like George W Bush years and look at all the employment and economic boom times they resulted in. Not.

• Youngphil | Oct 10, 2012, 09:49 AM EDT

  The writer is an idiot

• francisquinn | Oct 10, 2012, 09:35 AM EDT

  I dont know why main-stream Irish Catholics bother reading the dribble that you guys print.....You are all BIG LIBERALS and see only one side....THE LEFT SIDE.. May take a break from your crap until after BO packs his bags..