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[Chernabog]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

Besides; free speech is for everyone.....not just people who have "activist" on their business cards

But again, totally inappropriate to send to everyone at work.

I mean yeah, speech is free, the CEO can send an email saying that gay marriage would cause a slippery slope that would end in men marrying cats, cats marrying dogs, and Nazis riding dinosaurs, but it's still inappropriate for the workplace and consequences should be expected.

[CoasterMatt]

My workplace gave me pumpkin pie yesterday. Somebody from senior management even wished me a 'Merry Christmas'.

We get asked by management from time to time to donate to some of the charities that the company helps support, or to volunteer at same charities = totally appropriate

I agree with Prudence on this one, nothing illegal, but inappropriate.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Agreed on inappropriateness.

Originally Posted by Pirate Bill

Well, then it's a poorly crafted letter. But reducing spendable income does hurt the economy.

So does cutting programs. Both are equally true and untrue, simultaneously, depending on the exact changes you're talking about. Both can make things better, both can make things worse. If you want to get into examples, we can...

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

He didn't technically say which way to vote. He encouraged you to consider certain issues.

Oh yes, the issues of "higher taxes are bad" and "those that talk about taxing the “rich” always end up taxing everyone". Yup, those are issues, all right.

[Not Afraid]

I wonder what would happen if you "replied to all" and wrote your own rebuttal or gave your own "SUGGESTIONS"?

[BarTopDancer]

If *I* did it I'd probably lose my job for some technical failure [that would mysteriously occur and I'd be blamed for]. He already tried to have my job when his wireless at home went out (because his son configured it wrong) and I couldn't tell him right-then-and-there how to fix it. Thankfully I have some awesome bosses who said uhhh that's not her job. We'll help you.

We used to have a few managers who would do just that. However, they had the established interpersonal relationship with him to do it.

I posted this note for a few reasons. I wanted to see what an objective eye thought of its appropriateness. I also wanted to see what an objective eye made of the content and ideals in it.

[Morrigoon]

Well, again, if the issues at hand affect the industry of your company in some way, then I could see how they would want you to be aware of that. Just like Disney tells its employees about their progress in the struggle between SOAR and whatever the deveoper's "public interest" front is called. Disney isn't telling you who to vote for, but they make it clear that these issues affect the company you work for, and by association, you.

He's not saying you, individually, will be fired for not voting this way. But he is stating that some issues on the table affect the health of your employer, and by association, your job security. He's also not promising that you won't be fired if you vote his way.

But to be fair, he also doesn't sound like a peach of a person, either.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Well, again, if the issues at hand affect the industry of your company in some way, then I could see how they would want you to be aware of that. Just like Disney tells its employees about their progress in the struggle between SOAR and whatever the deveoper's "public interest" front is called. Disney isn't telling you who to vote for, but they make it clear that these issues affect the company you work for, and by association, you.

That email had nothing to do with any specific business activity. It was a general, personal political appeal (full of generalities and speculative assumptions stated as "fact"). Entirely inappropriate for someone in a position of power to send. He wasn't updating his employees on any company matter, he was trying to influence personal political beliefs. Not illegal, but very inappropriate.

[Ghoulish Delight]

My response if I got this from someone that high up in my company:

Dear [jerk]:

I appreciate your passion regarding your political stances, however I do not feel that your email message is an appropriate forum for expressing them. You are in a position of power in this company and while I do not have any reason to expect that you would use that power to punish anyone for disagreeing with you, I believe it's important for someone in that position to recognize the implicit conflict you create by sending such a message. As president of this company, you act as the voice of this company, and by communicating your political views in this fashion, you are creating the impression of an "official company position."

While you express no specific recommendation or threat in your message, I hope you can understand that it risks putting undue pressure on your employees and creating an atmosphere where people can feel that their personal standing in the company is contingent on their political beliefs or actions. It is unlikely that this was your intent, but I'm sure, with your experience in the business world, you are aware that how a message is presented and how it can be perceived is just as important, if not moreso, than actual intent.

I would be happy to engage you, if you were interested, in friendly discussion/debate over the generalities you expressed in your message as I have some disagreement with your conclusions. I simply do not feel that you've expressed them in an appropriate forum.

Sincerely,
[Liberal employee who's goal is clearly to undermine our economy]

[Pirate Bill]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

So does cutting programs. Both are equally true and untrue, simultaneously, depending on the exact changes you're talking about. Both can make things better, both can make things worse. If you want to get into examples, we can...

Okay, I see what you mean now. My mind has been preoccupied with work things and I didn't give sufficient thought to what you had said. So, yeah, I can understand that and I do agree.

It's my opinion though that we all (everybody, lower-, middle-, upper-class) are way overtaxed at the moment anyway. I'm anti-"special tax" (cigarette tax, fuel tax, etc.) I'm anti-lottery. I think sales tax is too high (although I am enjoying living in a sales tax-free state). We're taxed on our phones, our utilities, our property. Even renters are paying the property tax for the landlords. The government dips its sticky fingers into my paycheck and takes out even more tax that's above and beyond income tax.

However, there are government sponsored programs that I am in favor of that do require tax dollars, and so taxes are a necessity. I just wish it could be done in a more favorable way. No nickel and diming us at every turn. Equitable across all incomes. And sufficient to efficiently fund a smaller government.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Pirate Bill

It's my opinion though that we all (everybody, lower-, middle-, upper-class) are way overtaxed at the moment anyway. I'm anti-"special tax" (cigarette tax, fuel tax, etc.) I'm anti-lottery. I think sales tax is too high (although I am enjoying living in a sales tax-free state). We're taxed on our phones, our utilities, our property. Even renters are paying the property tax for the landlords. The government dips its sticky fingers into my paycheck and takes out even more tax that's above and beyond income tax.

However, there are government sponsored programs that I am in favor of that do require tax dollars, and so taxes are a necessity. I just wish it could be done in a more favorable way. No nickel and diming us at every turn. Equitable across all incomes. And sufficient to efficiently fund a smaller government.

See, now that is a decently written, pointful opinion piece. Even if the person reading it doesn't agree with all of it, it's worth engaging, and shows that you're an intelligent person with specific ideas.
That's all I ask in political discussions.

On another note - I don't think I'd ever have the guts to send the letter GD posted above, unless I were actively looking for another job.