# Timeshare tycoon: If Obama re-elected, "I'll have no choice but to reduce the size of this company." **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270 "2012-10-10T00:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/21 "2012-10-10T04:31:18Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So Dan Siegel might attempt to secede and then declare war on the United States? > > Best. War. Ever. The problem is choosing which week to fight it. And what if some other country has already made reservations? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/22 "2012-10-10T04:34:42Z")
Dear Mr. Seigel: Thank you so much for your recent letter that you copied and pasted to your employees. I have been in the market for a timeshare, but had not realized that your company was in such a precarious financial state. I appreciate the candor with which you shared your inability to weather such an ordinary state of affairs as the re-election of a president who has presided over some of the lowest tax rates in recent history. Since your company (by your own admission) seems to be teetering on the point of collapse, I will certainly not consider investing in anything you own or promote. I will also be telling everyone I can about your announcement of your inability to proceed successfully in business. Good luck in whatever career you try next after your company fails. I’d suggest you don’t try anything that calls for original thought or writing though. Yours sincerely, A formerly interested customer ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/23 "2012-10-10T06:35:07Z")
“Well, I was thinking about voting for Obama but I got the boss’s letter and that’s really given me a new outlook.” “So you’re not going to vote Democrat?” “Yeah, I’ve decided to become a Maoist.” ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/24 "2012-10-10T07:51:12Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > He admitted to [Gawker](http://gawker.com/5950189/the-ceo-who-built-himself-americas-largest-house-just-threatened-to-fire-his-employees-if-obamas-elected) that he copied the chain letter. He said, “I did use the letter that had circulated before as a guideline, but I changed it [to fit my circumstances].” > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The original wasn’t assholey enough? For some people, more = better. And there’s always room for more assholery. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/25 "2012-10-10T10:14:21Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So Dan Siegel might attempt to secede and then declare war on the United States? > > Best. War. Ever. Problem now is do we spend in the special forces or just hit him with a drone strike and hope to get the rest of his family as well? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/26 "2012-10-10T11:04:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Guy’s business is roping people into buying TIMESHARES. Yep. In short, the neighbors he whines about presumably do honest work for a living and deserve to live the good life; he scams people for a living and deserves to be in L’Hotel Crossbarre. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/27 "2012-10-10T11:54:51Z")
> [@Siegel](#): > > They want you to believe that we live in a class system where the rich get richer, the poor get poorer. They label us the “1%” and imply that we are somehow immune to the challenges that face our country. > [@Siegel](#): > > If that happens, you can find me in the Caribbean sitting on the beach, under a palm tree, retired, and with no employees to worry about. There’s the thing though, isn’t it? You see, we have an economy which isn’t zero sum - Bricker is convinced as much. [CEOs](http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/oct/02/ryanair-michael-oleary-pay-average-employee) contribute 50 times as much value as the average employee with pitiful remuneration for their effort. Employee’s wages are too high and taxes are too onerous, which hampers the productivity of CEOs. Once management disengages to the Caribbean or the Utopia hidden in Colorado’s mountains in order to escape a country rapidly descending into socialism, we’ll quickly learn not to call for class warfare by threatening to strike or leave the country due to cuts in petty entitlements like healthcare and food. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/28 "2012-10-10T12:48:49Z")
The letter would be more effective had he attached a photo: [link.](http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/10/09/david-siegel-and-the-billionaires-sad-lament/) ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/29 "2012-10-10T12:49:30Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The problem is choosing which week to fight it. And what if some other country has already made reservations? Well, for a fee, he can always trade weeks, and maybe even upgrade to a better war. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/30 "2012-10-10T13:19:18Z")
90,000 square feet? I guess we know where to find the hypothetical mansion for Skald. The real question is which doper is the long lost nephew/niece. I guess we’re going to have to go for the drone strike to wipe them all out so it can be the no longer hypothetical. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/31 "2012-10-10T13:36:39Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Problem now is do we spend in the special forces or just hit him with a drone strike and hope to get the rest of his family as well? Shit. Couldn’t we just send over a couple of MP’s to take care of business before their shift guarding the PX starts? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/32 "2012-10-10T13:49:59Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Problem now is do we spend in the special forces or just hit him with a drone strike and hope to get the rest of his family as well? Or we could just lure them into a trap with promises of free Disney World tickets and restaurant gift certificates. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/33 "2012-10-10T13:50:12Z")
Surely the peiople who work for this guy know about his circumstances and his outrageous house, and can factor that in when deciding how much value to attach to this letter. Or are we collectively too stupid for that sort of reasoning? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/34 "2012-10-10T13:58:45Z")
Now I wish I remember the name of the timeshare company I interviewed with a few years ago. The owner had put up pictures of W all over the lobby, and my interviewer asked me what I’d do differently if I were like Al Gore and invented the Internet, at which point I , in the spirit of bipartisanship, immediately corrected “you mean _Internets_”. Thankfully he didn’t immediately end the interview. I’m glad I didn’t get the job, though, because timeshares. But anyway, if this is the same guy, he’s been biased for a pretty long time. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/35 "2012-10-10T14:01:59Z")
Was it a place that sold its own timeshares or other developers’? There are a few of the latter, but only really one of the former around here (Westgate). > [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Yep. In short, the neighbors he whines about presumably do honest work for a living and deserve to live the good life; he scams people for a living and deserves to be in L’Hotel Crossbarre. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > Surely the peiople who work for this guy know about his circumstances and his outrageous house, and can factor that in when deciding how much value to attach to this letter. > Or are we collectively too stupid for that sort of reasoning? I doubt the people who work for him know [he made his first fortune renting $10 TVs for $5 a week](http://blogs.orlandoweekly.com/index.php/2012/10/westgate-hocho-david-siegel-obama-email-to-employees/). Anyway, it’s a company with thousands of employees. I don’t know all that much about my boss’ finances and he’s fourteen feet away. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/36 "2012-10-10T14:03:11Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Now I wish I remember the name of the timeshare company I interviewed with a few years ago. The owner had put up pictures of W all over the lobby, and my interviewer asked me what I’d do differently if I were like Al Gore and invented the Internet, at which point I , in the spirit of bipartisanship, immediately corrected “you mean _Internets_”. Thankfully he didn’t immediately end the interview. I’m glad I didn’t get the job, though, because timeshares. > > But anyway, if this is the same guy, he’s been biased for a pretty long time. Might be. As I said in the OP I got suckered into one of his company’s timeshare presentations years ago. When they were taking us around the resort, they pointed out a wall covered with pictures of this guy standing next to various celebrities, including a bunch of conservative politicians, like George H.W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Colin Powell. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/37 "2012-10-10T14:07:52Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Was it a place that sold its own timeshares or other developers’? There are a few of the latter, but only really one of the former around here (Westgate). > I doubt the people who work for him know [he made his first fortune renting $10 TVs for $5 a week](http://blogs.orlandoweekly.com/index.php/2012/10/westgate-hocho-david-siegel-obama-email-to-employees/). Anyway, it’s a company with thousands of employees. I don’t know all that much about my boss’ finances and he’s fourteen feet away. Your boss probably wasn’t locally famous for trying to build the largest private residence in the US, either. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/38 "2012-10-10T14:20:20Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I doubt the people who work for him know [he made his first fortune renting $10 TVs for $5 a week](http://blogs.orlandoweekly.com/index.php/2012/10/westgate-hocho-david-siegel-obama-email-to-employees/). All they know is that they don’t get coffee. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/39 "2012-10-10T14:20:53Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Your boss probably wasn’t locally famous for trying to build the largest private residence in the US, either. A just God would teleport the building onto one of the worthless and inaccessible swamp lots this crook sold to investors. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270/40 "2012-10-10T14:27:28Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Your boss probably wasn’t locally famous for trying to build the largest private residence in the US, either. True, but I’d never heard of him before yesterday, for what it’s worth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timeshare-tycoon-if-obama-re-elected-ill-have-no-choice-but-to-reduce-the-size-of-this-company/637270.md?page=3)