'Cruel' business owners aren't the problem

Hearing the president talk about the need to raise the minimum wage makes my skin scrawl when he says it's out of compassion. OK, I'm a business owner, a greedy, selfish, lazy person who treats my helpless employees like they should be grateful they have a job let alone give them a fair wage for anything they do. Thank goodness our politicians take care of people.

Contrast two opinions from the paper in a recent week - one from someone who worked her way up and one from a politician. The Elgin woman who now produces The Shark Tank says she "just kept working my butt off and working my way up." Contrast that with Republican candidate Jim Moynihan, who said, "If someone is working full time and running a household, they should at least have a job that pays enough to put food on the table."

Why any minimum wage? Are business owners really that cruel? What a wonderful concept to think that an individual can make whatever they want based on their desire to learn, work hard and be patient. Most business owners actually love to reward those who work hard. So what causes the no food on the table? The hard times are caused by the policies of "compassionate" politicians who like their private jets, health clubs, guaranteed pensions, nontaxable campaign funds. To them, the increase in the minimum wage will increase the percentage to the government. It has nothing to do with the workers.

If the politicians really want people to get ahead, quit taxing us to work. Quit leaning on the workers for your comfort. Stop payroll taxes altogether, and we'll see quite the change, quick.

Rhonda Dehn

Palatine