Who Hijacked Our Country

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Idaho Governor Tries to Lure Businesses from Oregon

As any Good Republican will tell you, when a state raises taxes or starts smothering businesses with too many cumbersome regulations — Businesses Will Leave! That’s why the red states have such healthy economies and the blue states are all withering on the vine.

Oregon’s voters have approved an initiative that will raise taxes on the state’s wealthiest residents. And the Washington legislature has suspended a voter-approved requirement that a two thirds vote is necessary to raise taxes. All they need now is a simple majority.

To Idaho governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, this spells Opportunity.

Butch Otter (I think there’s a lewd joke in there somewhere) sent a letter last week to business owners in Oregon and Washington. It was titled: “Love letter to our neighbors: Idaho is open for your business.”

Here are some exclusive excerpts from that letter:

“Up here in these parts, we don’t go believe in redistributing a man’s hard-earned money to a bunch of lazy pot smoking parasites. If you’re tired of your tax dollars subsidizing them commie schools and a bunch of tree hugging regelations, come on up. We simple folk up here.

“Employers here can do anything they want, when they want, and there ain’t any of them socialist bureaucrats getting’ in there and regelatin’ stuff. Workers up here know they’re damn lucky to have jobs, so you won’t hear them whining about low wages or dangerous working conditions. One complaint and out they go. If these folks want to put food on their families, they’ll shut the fuck up and keep their noses to the grindstone.

“And if you don’t think reading’ and ritin’ and edumucation is worth a tin shit, Idaho is the place for you. Just take a gander at some of these fine fellers. They ain’t much good at that there booklarnin’ — but if you give one of them a job to do, he’ll keep on working’ and working’ and working’ ‘til the job is done. And you won’t hear him whining about water pollution or endangered species or any of that other claptrap that liberals are always carrying on about.

“As you know, the southern states have a popular saying, ‘thank God for Mississippi.’ Well, I want the entire country to be saying:

Thank God for Idaho.”

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9 Comments:

Anonymous S.W. Anderson said...

Otter's joy at attracting any businesses from other states is sure to be short lived. The way things work these days, his state will just be a way station before they move on to China, Bangladesh or wherever.

March 17, 2010 at 12:08 AM  
Blogger Randal Graves said...

I can't wait until Bangladesh performs a Concert for the United States.

March 17, 2010 at 6:51 AM  
Blogger Joaquin said...

SWA is right......to a point. Businesses are fluid.
Much like companies, especially manufacturing and IT have moved overseas, many companies will gravitate to states with a 'healthier' business climate.

A 'healthier' business climate is defined by:
1. Climate. All things being equal, most folks would prefer to live in the South than Rochester, NY.
2. Distribution capabilities.
3. Capable work force.
4. Labor costs.
5. Taxes.
6. Government Incentives/Goodies (education, infrastructure contributions, tax deferments)

Now as far as business incorporation, is there any wonder why Delaware, Texas, Florida, and Nevada are at the top of the heap?
Ditto for Switzerland, Cayman Islands, and Bermuda.

March 17, 2010 at 9:11 AM  
Anonymous Thomas said...

Butch Otter? I've lived most of my life in Georgia and I thought we had the lock on politicians with stupid fucking names, Zell, Sonny, Newt. But Butch Otter.

Wow.

March 17, 2010 at 9:52 AM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

SW: I think you're right; easy come, easy go. Businesses that flit to Idaho for the better "business climate" will flit somewhere else at the drop of a hat.

Randal: That day might arrive sooner than you think.

Joaquin: I think South or North Dakota is also on that list of states where companies go to incorporate.

Thomas: The south sure does have some colorful names, but Butch Otter has them beat.

March 17, 2010 at 10:23 AM  
Blogger Holte Ender said...

C.L. "Butch" Otter should run for president, imagine having a president named Butch. It would be proof to the rest of the world that a really stupid nickname should not hold a man back from the highest office in the land.

March 17, 2010 at 3:07 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Holte: Newt Gingrich should be his running mate. "Butch/Newt in 2012." Yeah, has a certain ring to it.

March 17, 2010 at 4:48 PM  
Blogger TomCat said...

Although we Oregonians are hurting in this Bushwhacked economy, I don't think Otter's manifesto is much of a threat. Here in Oregon we can cypher without using any toes. ;-)

March 19, 2010 at 11:23 AM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

TomCat: LOL.

March 19, 2010 at 2:41 PM  

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