Georgia Business Owner Posts Signs on Trucks: “Company Policy: We are not hiring until Obama is gone” (Video)
Posted by Jim Hoft on Wednesday, November 23, 2011, 2:40 PM
A Georgia business owner is stirring up controversy after he put signs on his truck saying, “Company Policy: We are not hiring until Obama is gone.” Bill Looman, of U.S. Cranes, LLC, says most of the feedback he’s received has been positive – “about 20 to 1.”
News Channel 11 reported:
A west Georgia business owner is stirring up controversy with signs he posted on his company’s trucks, for all to see as the trucks roll up and down roads, highways and interstates:
“New Company Policy: We are not hiring until Obama is gone.”
“Can’t afford it,” explained the employer, Bill Looman, Tuesday evening. “I’ve got people that I want to hire now, but I just can’t afford it. And I don’t foresee that I’ll be able to afford it unless some things change in D.C.”
Looman’s company is U.S. Cranes, LLC. He said he put up the signs, and first posted pictures of the signs on his personal Facebook page, six months ago, and he said he received mostly positive reaction from people, “about 20-to-one positive.”
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Published May 23, 2012 at 4:57 am - 45 Comments
Rhoda R commented:
I’ve seen many “Not Hiring” signs around, but this is the first that states the reason why.
a former dem commented:
Love the honesty. That is too funny. I needed a good laugh. LOL!
a former dem commented:
Looks like he’s one of those bitter clinging Americans Obama and the dems like to make funny off.
God Bless him for his honesty. And having the courage to state his opinions.
Sam Stone commented:
I have said this to people before. The economy is like a bottle of Coke and the next election is the Mentos waiting to be dropped in it.
When business knows what a new hire will cost them for the next couple of years they can then plan and hire.
Patty commented:
“can’t afford too” would have been a nice added touch.
But it seems after listening to the left and one in particular who said, “is this all Obama is going to do?” then maybe not a second term.
Patty commented:
Personally, Obama has done way too much! And very badly, too.
raybojabo commented:
I will be following this story. I feel the same way, but things are bad enough without busted windows and slashed tires on my trucks.
Truth Teller commented:
Obama is the biggest mistake we have ever made as a country.
StrangernFiction commented:
Bravo!
Liz commented:
Amen, brother.
big Al commented:
You Will Get No Government Contracts.
AirForceMom commented:
I was on a Liberal Facebook page last night and saw this. I applaud this guy…..he’s stating what most small business owners say privately. Until we get Obama out of office, get Obama-care repealed, companies (small and large) will not know what it’s going to cost them to hire new employee’s
bg commented:
++
OT..
Bachmann Demands Apology From NBC for Fallon Slight:
‘This Wouldn’t Be Tolerated if This Was Michelle Obama’
link @ link..
==
squeaky commented:
while this busy little group is probably a tip in the iceburg….no party affiation mentioned but…
http://www.walb.com/story/16104533/12-indicted-for-voter-fraud
RedBeard commented:
We’re not hiring either, for the exact same reason. I applaud this man’s honesty.
Eric commented:
I was going to send him a message of support and this was on his site. I’ll find his snail mail address and will do right after I post this. Please do so to if you feel led.
William (Bill) Looman is a veteran, a patriot, and most importantly, my friend and brother. He and I along with many other Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen/women and Coasties, served, still serve, and shall continue to serve, so that the Constitution of the United States of America cannot be so trampled as to rob any American of their right to freedom of expression. All of you who have been less than kind in your assessment of Bill for his practice of that freedom, should be ashamed of yourselves. Every American has the right of freedom of speech, through the printed word or spoken, and for you to look down upon that right is to declare that not only do you not believe in the American Constitution, but to also declare to all that listen that you do not care to be branded an American. How sad that is.
bg commented:
++
squeaky #14 November 23, 2011 at 3:24 pm
gee, can’t imagine who they voted for.. /s/
another OT article about something GP posted about & i’ve
already mentioned, but hey, better late than never.. *sigh*
Rezko Sentenced to 10½ Years, Media
Ignore It And/Or His Ties to Obama ….
==
bg commented:
++
Godspeed, God Bless & Thank You Mr. Looman..
It Has Always Been The Soldier
It is the soldier,
not the President who gives US Democracy.
It is the soldier,
not the Congress who takes Care of US.
It is the soldier,
not the Reporter who has given us Freedom of Press.
It is the soldier,
not the Poet who has given us Freedom of Speech.
It is the soldier,
not the campus [community] Organizer who
has given us the Freedom to Demonstrate.
It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag;
who serves beneath the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
that allows the protester to burn the flag.
~ Father Dennis O’Brien, US Marine Corp. Chaplain
God Bless America!
God Bless Soldiers everywhere for putting THEIR
lives on the line to protect us ALL from terrorism!
==
MN Jim commented:
#14 call me racist if you must, but the voter fraudsters are all black and the liberal media never states party affiliation when it is Democrat. If they were Republican, this would have been the first word in the headline.
squeaky commented:
[[Imagine joining the Navy ten years ago with a career in mind. Now, sailors with that career plan are getting pink slips as the military looks for places to save money.
Since June, 16,000 mid-career sailors have been waiting to find out if they will be forced out early. Last week, the Navy began its layoffs when the first of two rounds of personnel cuts were announced]] shades of jimmy carter and bubba clinton…we do have our own natural resources and if we’re assessed as being incapable of defending ourselves………
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/22/8962737-navy-to-lay-off-3000-mid-career-sailors
http://www.magic-city-news.com/Jim_Kouri_96/Obama_orders_review_of_military_budget_cuts14735.shtml
aprilnovember811 commented:
I just want to correct the man reading the teleprompter. It doesn’t say “President Obama,” but it says “Obama.”
bg commented:
++
MN Jim #19 November 23, 2011 at 3:44 pm
exactly.. that conclusion is more than
a given these days, it’s an automatic..
==
Taqiyyotomist commented:
“…is stirring up controversy…”
I wonder if this “journalist” has ever said those words about an OWS protester.
Clearly, something must be done about those who “stir up controversy.”
From the rest of the article, even more W.T.F….
Looman did receive some unexpected attention not long after he put up his signs and Facebook photos. He said someone, and he thinks he knows who it was, reported him to the FBI as a threat to national security. He said the accusation filtered its way through the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and finally the Secret Service. Agents interviewed him.
“The Secret Service left here, they were in a good mood and laughing,” Looman said. “I got the feeling they thought it was kind of ridiculous, and a waste of their time.”
How dare any non-progressives stir up controversy!
Taqiyyotomist commented:
“…for ALL TO SEE…”
Wow. Couldn’t he have just put the signs on, say, his trucks’ mufflers, or something?
He just had to make it so everyone could see these signs.
Gulag-bound, this one — if the Progs (and this dolt reporter) get their way.
bg commented:
++
squeaky #20 November 23, 2011 at 3:47 pm
*sigh*, and we truly ain’t seen nothin’ yet.. :*(
==
Taqiyyotomist commented:
I’m just surprised that I’m the first here to note that INSANELY BIASED opening paragraph.
Someone on the ‘sphere recently noted that “bias”, in automotive lingo, is when you let go of the steering wheel, the car gradually goes off the road, say, to the left.
This goes beyond bias — using the analogy, if you let go of the wheel, the car DOES DONUTS.
Mark Adams commented:
Nice! Someone not afraid to speak the truth!
dba...vagabond trader commented:
One big ass mistake America.
Celtic commented:
He can’t afford it because of Obama? Did his taxes go up drastically? I havent heard of any tax hikes. We’re in a major recession that started in 2008 or earlier. Major recessions don’t go away in 3 years, regardless of what the government does.
Wm T Sherman commented:
most of the feedback he’s received has been positive – “about 20 to 1.”
————————————————————————————————-
We. Are. The 95 percent.
We. Are. The 95 percent.
Granny commented:
#29 November 23, 2011 at 4:10 pm
Celtic commented:
He can’t afford it because of Obama? Did his taxes go up drastically? I havent heard of any tax hikes. We’re in a major recession that started in 2008 or earlier. Major recessions don’t go away in 3 years, regardless of what the government does.
______
Keep up Celtic. The problems that small business, small farmers and independent fisherman are facing having nothing to do with an increase in taxes, tax hikes or a recession. They are almost entirely due to the mountains of over-regulation that Obama has put in place since 2009.
Opus#6@AmericanPerspective commented:
This is why economists talk about Consumer Confidence. It is important that business owners as well as shoppers have a level of trust that the rug will not be pulled out from under them. With Obamacare and an avalanche of regulations, Obama has put business owners on notice that he is coming after them.
Who can blame them for pulling into their shell until the worst is over. And Obama is the worst president this country has seen yet.
dmacleo commented:
#29
maybe he is at 49 employees and the 50th will cost as much as the other 49 do today.
maybe he is regulated to death.
maybe it has nothing to do with the taxes you think he pays.
Clarion commented:
Gee, what a coincidence; I understand the OWSers will not LOOK for a job until Obama is gone.
CT commented:
Sure does bring attention to a SORE subject.
MarkJ commented:
Obama can’t get a break. Somebody just put up the same sign outside the DNC headquarters.
Path commented:
Congratulations Mr. Looman for letting everyone know why you cannot hire. I admire your honesty and courage in stating the truth.
anna commented:
The week before the 2008 election we met up with a small bus. owner (fiberwire installer) that my husband has worked for. He was actually sweating profusely thinking that odumbo might win and kill his business. Then my teenage daughter was working for a fairly successful upstart internet website co. that were saying to her the week before the 2008 sh*tstorm ‘pray that barry doesn’t win’. He won and she was let go the following Friday. I’m not kidding….This poseur should be the friggin devil because if he isn’t, he’s doing a damn good job…
Dale commented:
Celtic obviously doesn’t run a business.
DeeDee commented:
It is not just affecting new hires but it is also affecting investments. A friend was talking with the president of a company regarding investing in a company and the guy said that the deal sounded fantastic, but he is not going to make any kind of investment until after the elections. People are holding on to their cash and they are selling off their position in a lot of investments because they are afraid of what might come.
dunce commented:
His 20 to 1 tally indicates that 5% are morons.
retired military commented:
Well I am assuming that hte business owner will now be accused of racism and everything vile under the sun. I personally love the decision the business owner made. It is about time.
retired military commented:
The oil companies should start doing the same thing and list the oil drilling projects that Obama has shut down.
RedBeard commented:
Celtic, I own a small business. Two, in fact. And we are not hiring, due greatly to the Marxist clod in the White House.
I’m in regular contact with other small business owners, and the common thread is extreme caution in all things, until this administration is shown the door and some responsible adults take the reins.
It’s very difficult to contemplate major expansions at a time when a bitter enemy of business sits in the Oval Office, plotting a new way each day to strangle profits, raise taxes, and drown us in red tape and needless regulation.
Every customer of ours is in the same boat, and their businesses are also in a precarious position. Buying habits have become very cautious as a result, cutting into our bottom line.
I would dearly love to hire more people, but to do what? I work 60 hour weeks trying to boost sales, and will continue to do so, but the sad fact is that we can still handle our current level of business with the same sized staff we had 3-4 years ago. As long as the smothering effect of Obama’s fiscal train wreck is dominant, and business confidence remains low, we’re going to be hurting.
Retro commented:
http://youtu.be/mgTgenwl2aA
Micky Dennis commented:
News 11 (out of Atlanta- an NBC station) traveled to Savannah, GA, when Obama visited a couple of years ago. I was holding a large sign stating “Obamacare is Malpractice”- I made it myself, unlike the preprinted signs the pro-Healthcare, out of town hired hands with Northern accents standing around. News 11 wanted to interview me, but I caught really bad vibes from that news team- I knew the video would most likely be edited the way the liberal media likes to do-to make me look stupid, and to attempt to make me a social pariah, and to hurt my business, family, etc. Especially considering they are an NBC station. So I refused to be filmed or to talk to them. Thank goodness I hid behind my sign. This bunch is definitely producing proObama propaganda. The mission is to hunt anyone critical of their progressive messiah, claim that person is controversial and that others are aghast at that person’s opinion.
Yeper commented:
We too are not hiring for same reason – been saying that for months. I could use 4 CSR’s – not going to happen until Obama is gone
daryl commented:
OT
BETTER BREAK OUT THE PREVACID, BG ’cause:
RealClearPolitics – Gingrich May Have Inside Track on Palin’s Endorsement
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/11/23/gingrich_may_have_inside_track_on_palins_endorsement_112159.html
bwaaaahahahahahaha……you GO girl!!
Questionman commented:
No doubt in my mind those who hate Obama are racists to the core!
Yep, one man has managed to do that while in office for only 3 years. This of course would have nothing to do with the mad hatter in there the previous 8 would it? Wow, he is evil and talented to accomplish all this is 3 short years! Partisanship is a mental illness.
Maybe he is trying to kill the whole country” This guy who owns the crane company is who is trying to kill the country. Now he’s trying to back peddle and say, “that’s not what I meant”. He said what he meant. He’s going to sabotage the economy. Period. At least have the guts to stay with your story.
Likewise Obama, Pelosi and whoever else you try to paint with the “Marxist” brush are nothing of the kind. Stay away from conservative rhetoric, its false propaganda.
misterbill commented:
questionman–
You are a racist. If ever I read a racist, you are it!!!
You are selling communist — I don’t see where he is trying to back peddle (sic (pedal) is what you mean. If you don’t know how to spell it, how are you going to sell it??
You are peddling bull here.
mg4us commented:
This company is publicly stating what most major corporations have silently been doing. . Obama is a disaster. .no one will hire unless absolutely necessary . .rather they will keep cutting back. .and should Obamacare get fully implemented, watch out. The cutting will get even deeper. .
By the way. .anyone notice how high meat and food prices are this Thanksgiving. .it is because of policies from this WH. . they are destroying the dollar and the economy. .
JJ Peaco commented:
I will pray for this hero tonight, God bless you Bill Looman.
It’s time we get our children off our tit and teach them how to fish.
JJ Peaco commented:
“Questionman commented”
Are you serious, if you are you are one ignorant person. In the age of information you still hide under a rock,
Obama is evil, he reeks of evil and stupidly. Reid and queen Pelosi sold you a false prophet, get over it and join us in bettering this great nation under God.
gus commented:
CELTIC. Another reeeeetard heard from.
bigL commented:
I think the quality and attitude of the employees could improve,too. And to stop doing email on
company time and don’t look at porn or play “Angry Birds(c)”.
Nick commented:
@VetteRacer that is totally untrue and you know it. Obama did not release 17000 drug dealers. If you are confident in your comment then please post a valid/factual source. Obama has pardoned fewer people than any other president. He has pardoned and commuted some, but by far not 17000. And to call over half of Americans drug dealers and basically criminals shows how you care for Americans.
Unfortunately Conservatives can’t figure out economics. Its so difficult to understand isn’t it even though it is fairly simple in flow. Fact – There are less regulations under Obama than under Bush, Fact – Obama has added more private sector jobs during his administration (3 years) than Bush added in 8 years. The only reason that the unemployment rate has not decreased significantly is the lay offs of public sector workers. But I’ll stop with facts, I don’t want anyone’s head to explode on this message board. I know that most here cater to rumors and voices in your heads ignoring even the simplest facts. I have no problem calling out liberals and democrats either, but mine is based solely on factual data and historical fact. The answer to our problems is pretty obvious. I’m a hard working America that has never taken a hand out. I know there are abuses in the system we have, but to call all people using services lazy weak people is most certainly incorrect. There are many people that have worked all their lives and did the responsible thing that now are left with nothing and must rely on some help. As a American that thinks about America as United I do not mind helping these people. Heck there was an article today in my local area about people that have donated to food banks in previous years that are now needing help.
It will take a long time to correct all the problems we have and it can’t be done overnight especially with a dysfunctional Congress that refuses to compromise to get anything accomplished. History shows us the way forward in several aspect albeit we live in a different time and the traditional job structure of the US must be adjusted to fit this global world.
One great thing I saw recently was when 3.5-4.5 billion was moved from corporate large banks to credit unions. Credit unions have over 70% lending rate on deposits to truly small businesses. Corporate banks have a little over 30% lending rate to small businesses. Anything under 10 million is considered a small business to corporate banks. Very little is lent to mom and pop stores on the corner. So by moving this money into credit unions you will see more investment in small businesses by the banks. Although the amount is small, it will impact a few communities. Now think what would happen if everyone moved their money to credit unions and more money was flowing to help businesses operate. One business owner moved his 3million a year business account to a credit union because he was told by BOA that they would not give him a 50 thousand line of credit although he had perfect credit and a successful business. The credit union did give him the line of credit and he was able to continue his business activities.
I’m not a socialist and believe in controlled responsible Capitalism. The reason I say controlled is that the Markets and businesses on the large scale have shown that they can not responsibly run things without a complete destruction of our economy based on greed. I believe that tax rates as a percentage of income must be equal. There is no reason someone like myself that works a full time job physically working should be paying 33% of my income while someone playing with money on Wall Street pays 15%. And before its said…higher capital gains taxes will not hurt jobs and haven’t historically.
Now everyone attack…say what you like…these things I know to be true and expected a backlash from the conservatives here. Cause and effect.
RedBeard commented:
Questionman, your first sentence in post #50 proves you to be either a dishonest troll or a hopeless idiot, and renders irrelevant everything else you posted.
Nick, once again you are simply misinformed. The cold, hard fact is that those evil rich guys pay almost all of the federal income tax burden. The top 1% (you know, the really evil ones who must have cheated somehow to get so rich) paid in 39% of all federal income taxes.
More than that, a worse misconception, is your notion that the rich pay less of a percentage of their income. You must be getting that misinformation from media spin, pop culture, and Warren Buffett’s bizarre behavior. The fact is that the top 20% of earners pay in over 33% of their incomes in all taxes, not just income tax. The bottom 20% pay in about 13% of their incomes toward all taxes.
Your call for “controlled capitalism” (obviously a call for far more than the prevention of illegal acts) also rings hollow, with echoes of another era when such things ran rampant over Europe. It was called National Socialism.
Candy commented:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2nzkvf/www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2011/11/secret-service-visits-man-not-hiring.html
Nick commented:
@Redbeard
I notice that you didn’t address any of my other points. Could I possibly be correct and you didn’t want to debate those topics because they are the truth? Private sector job growth? Regulations? Credit Union lending rates to small business?
Please quit misrepresenting my position. The rich are not evil by any means. I never said anyone cheated to get wealthy, although some have. Some rich people worked very hard to earn their money, some inherited, …there are all different kinds of wealthy people just like there are all kinds of average people. In case you don’t get the theme…we are all different people. I am not advocating Socialism and it appears to me that you have misconceived the definition of socialism. It sounds like a record player as you have hurled Socialism at me several times. That is the typical attack these days. The fact is that their will always be haves and have nots. There will never be this utopia of perfection. But it is also historically correct not only in the US, but around the world that when income inequality becomes to great then economies collapse and unrest occurs. The two times in our history when income inequality was at its greatest was right before the Great Depression and in 2007. Do you see any correlation? Look into the Great Depression and the spending that FDR pushed then look at 1937 when they decided to reduce the deficit while the economy was weak. Draw your own conclusions.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
bg commented:
++
Nick #66 November 24, 2011 at 12:07 pm
not agreeing or disagreeing as i haven’t kept
up with the convo.. just wanted to respond..
re: [there are all different kinds of wealthy people]
tell US about it.. /s/
“shared sacrifice”
["You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, a lot of them -- like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they've gone through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. So it's not surprising then that they get bitter, and they cling to guns, or religion, or antipathy toward people who aren't like them, or anti-immigrant sentiment, or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." B Hussein O]
==
James commented:
lol. Why does the media cares about every weird person out there?