"People like me who made all the right choices and invested in themselves are being forced to bail out all the people who didn't. The people who overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed 42 years of my life for."
David Siegel, head of Westgate Resorts.
Well I don't exactly feel I'm entitled to all the same luxuries that David Siegel earned and sacrificed for. I mean I'm not really wanting the largest new home built in the United States, which is, after a few bumps in the old financial yellow brick road, nearing completion. The other day he assured MSNBC the elevators were being installed and workers were preparing to put in the marble.
I'm not wanting my wife to explore her opportunities on some new reality TV shows, which his current wife, Jackie is. I will admit, however, I haven't actually asked my spouse how she would feel about such a venture.
I am certainly not prepared to offer anyone $1 million to have sex with me. In February of 2008 a Florida court found in favor of 14 year employee Georgette Meyers who claimed Siegel did just that. She also claims she had to repeatedly fight off unwanted sexual advances by her boss. Mr. Siegel was forced to pay her $5.4 million.
In January of 2009 his company, Westgate Resorts was found guilty of violating the telemarketing sales regulations. In other words they completely ignored the Do Not Call Registry. The fine imposed by the feds was $900,000. That is a luxury I'd rather pass on also
Yes, these are all things I can do without in my life. I would, however, like to know that if our medical coverage is stopped for some reason, such as a loss of job, or benefits, that some insurance company can't turn me down because I have high blood pressure. I'd rather not be left on the streets with no coverage whatsoever. You see, Dave, we don't want it all. We just don't want to get dumped into a ditch on the side of the road and left to die.
Brother Siegel isn't taking any of that gruff though. He sent an email to his roughly 7,000 employees telling them that if the president wins reelection he will either down size, or close his company altogether laying most, if not all of them, off. He insists he isn't trying to intimidate his workers. "I can't tell anyone to vote," he said. "I just want my employees to be educated on what could happen to their future if the wrong person is elected."
Obviously one man's idea of intimidation is an other's concept of education. It does sound to me though that if you work for Westgate Resorts you just got an offer you can't refuse.
Siegel assures everyone he is financially secure. Indeed, he has his and not only will his home, humbly named, "Versailles," be finished, but his heirs will be well taken care of. And, in the end, he is just looking after the best interests of his employees. It is unknown at this time if any of them will wake up tomorrow morning with the severed head of a horse in their bed, but no one should be surprised if they do.
Sometimes, it isn't the avarice. Sometimes, it isn't even the lavish acts of dissoluteness. Sometimes, it is simply the brute arrogance. Sometimes, it is the naked and vicious cruelty put on display in the name of capitalism. Sometimes, it is just the way they say to the rest of us, "fuck you."
10-10-12
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