What, you may ask is a HENRY. HENRY stands for "high earner, not rich yet". I will not lie, I am a HENRY. I aspire to be rich. It is a goal of mine. You may ask why. Why would I want to be one of the "evil rich".
Well, first of all, I don't see that rich people can all be categorized as "evil". If you work hard and choose to save and scrape and have money, who has the right to tell you that you are evil? When does the fruit of a man's labor become "evil profits"?
Second, I like to help others and the more disposable income I have, the more people and animals I can help. I can sponsor more children around the world like we do through Catholic Charities. I can donate more of my time like I do to my church. I will be able to own land so I can help more horses and animals that need rescue. I can choose where more of my dollars go to help more of those in need.
Third, I want to be able to leave a good life to my children and grandchildren. If I am willing to bust my butt working hard to build a business and a chunk of savings, I can give more opportunities to my family. Most Americans aspire to give their children a better life - whether that is through an education, a family business or the freedom to chase a dream, that is the choice of the person who is building that empire.
We have heard for some time that "profit is evil" and that "rich people are greedy". Well, baloney. There are plenty of people, poor, middle class and rich that are not nice, that are greedy and that don't care a hoot about others. On the opposite side, there are plenty of rich people who do care a lot. Bill Gates is one. John Hunstman is another. Being rich doesn't make one evil. Neither does being poor make one virtuous.
When does a company become "evil"? There is a point that profit becomes questionable by reasonable standards. When a company pays its CEO so much money and then turns around and cuts benefits for the workers to the bone or lays off innumerable workers just so they can pay that CEO more; that raises a red flag. But, you know what? Those public companies that do act in that manner answer to their shareholders, investors and consumers. Just as the companies in the 1980's that divested of their investments in South Africa to protest apartheid, so too can YOU the consumer protest this type of behavior. It may not solve the problem overnight, but eventually, the company will get the message.
So, what is wrong with being rich and having to pay more in taxes because "you can afford it"? That goes against the grain of everything America offers through our meritocracy. Punishing the rich for being successful is a double edged sword. As a business owner, I love rich customers. They buy more products. When they buy more, I make more money that I can then use downstream in the economy. When you cripple the rich with vengeful taxation policies, you actually hurt the workers in the economy. When the rich cut back on expenditures, the companies that make the products that are no longer purchased suffer. They lay off workers, and the whole spiral continues downward.
Ultimately, rich people and profits are not evil. They are what drive our economy and what grow jobs. I hope there are more rich people in America and someday, I hope to be one. For now, I remain a hard working HENRY who still pays way too much in taxes.
