An Interesting Dilemma

In the news this week is the twitter based outrage over Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter announcing that in all likelihood franchise owners would be cutting their full time employees hour’s to part time to deal with mandates of the Affordable Healthcare Act, (AKA ObamaCare).  Following this was an announcement that Applebee’s was considering a hiring freeze as it worked to deal with the costs and taxes imposed by ObamaCare.

Of course the immediate response was to accuse these corporations of sour grapes because Governor Romney lost the election, and as has become the fashion for progressives dealing with decisions they don’t like, to organize a boycott to force change.

As the mandates and regulations stemming from this legislation become fully implemented, and businesses deal with the increased costs, where does everyone think the final impacts will be felt?  Do we really believe the corporate boards will all the sudden agree their shareholders don’t need to receive their dividends?  Will the CEO and senior leadership all the sudden believe they should not be richly compensated?  Since, as Ms. Pelosi said, they had to pass the bill so people would have time to read it after it was signed, your Representatives and Senators didn’t spend a great deal of time considering this.

As the workforce is downsized and costs for everything go up the real question is how many of those employees will then become part of the mandated State Exchanges to be funded directly by the taxpayer?  The unfortunate part -- once the companies have reason to raise rates they won’t come back down, even if this provision were to be changed.  It would take some other factor, like competition, to force that change.

So here is the dilemma, how do you maintain your lifestyle when all the places you like to eat at are on a blacklist?