thunderbolt85
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 1:16:09 PM
Well Romney lost, but only barely with the popular vote at an even split of 49% to 49%. Now today the stock market is way down, and a lot of market "professionals" are saying with the country divided, congress divided, and obama in the WH that are approaching a "fiscal" cliff sometime in January.

The "cliff" is tax increases on the working class, and the rich, a debt ceiling, and major automatic cuts across the board to federal spending. All stated that failures with these issues could result in another recession or worse a depression.

Now the recession has actually helped our business some by keeping folks at home which means higher attendance at a lot of spots. But it's also hurt with high fuel, higher rent and dings, high costs for stock/etc and so fourth.

I just wanted to get the thoughts of everyone about where we may be next year in this business, some change, massive change, no change, and your thoughts on the election (if you would like to share that, if not thats fine).

Personally, I was hoping Romney would win, I think it would have been better for our economy and country. Our country is divided right now and that will help no one.
Bgotthar
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 3:15:54 PM
With Obama reelected I see three things in the future:

Small business will go away because of "Obamacare"

Energy products will cost more,he already wants to do away with Coal(our largest producer of Electric Power)

Higher unemployment and lack of jobs because companies can not afford to hire.
I sure hope I am wrong but look at Wall Street's reaction today.
I worked for Pugh Shows from 1974-2000. Married Michelle Gazella of Gazella's Finer Foods
DOGMAN
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 3:17:22 PM
With him staying, Obama Care will stay, affecting everything. As I prepare taxes I am hit with new fees
and by 2014 a form will have to be included with each return with a health ID number assigned to your social
security number, and this is for the $ 2,500 fee for not having health insurance.
Look for more. There is also going to be an issue on 1099's. Have to take a course on this prior to Dec 31.
Bowler Roller
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 4:11:45 PM
I guess I can take 4 more years of poverty. Not that I have much of a choice. Soon I'll be dead, and it won't mater anymore.
Every crowd has a silver lining - PT Barnum
done with it
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 4:17:32 PM
The world as we know it,is over,you will start too see
A 50% increase in welfare applications,to a point where the net revenue will not cover welfare alone,yet again this has been the plan for 10 years or longer,Obama care will kill the amuesment biz,and the 25% corporate tax hike will end the biz,and the raise of individual tax will do more damage then anything,less of my money,means less I can spend,
The less people spend,says demand will drop,when no demand,time to layoff workers,common sense
Economics,no demand,no supply!!!!!!
Matt C.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 4:42:37 PM
How could we have been certain that if Romney was elected that things WILL be better? Truth is, we cant... and we dont know for sure if things will absolutely be worse or better with another four years from Obama. Anyone can make predictions for one party or the other, but nobody knows for certain.

As Americans, we all need to stick together and let the next four years play out. Remember, investing in that new ride, concessions trailer, or even a truck or car puts people to work and money back into the economy.
Matt Cook
Matt's Carnival Warehouse / Matt's Web Design
http://www.carnivalwarehouse.com 
http://www.mwdwebdesign.com 
Bowler Roller
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 5:01:03 PM
I don't believe Romney would have been better, but Obama has a proven track record of screwing businesses and workers alike. Personally, I'm not going to donate millions to his party to be one of the few he helps.

If people want to invest their own money in this political climate, more power to them, and I hope they succeed, but I think it's foolish. Everyone in this business knows what happens to a fool and their money.

It's risk vs reward, and right now the risks are large and the after tax rewards are looking to get smaller and smaller.
Every crowd has a silver lining - PT Barnum
WestCoastPat
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 6:42:37 PM
Gloom and Doom. What are we gonna do? Who will buy the product were trying to sell? We might just as well just park all of it.

While the election did not go as I wish it would have, I also don't think it is quite time to let it all sit in a field and rust. It might very well end up being as bad as some of you think, but on the way down the business will change. It has changed a bunch in the last 5 or 10 or 25 or 50 years and it will change again as it finds its place in the pecking order for every-ones money.

What goes up will go back down and what is down will go back up. Always has and always will. The business may not look at all like it does now years down the road, but there will still be a show that will be around once in a while to suck up the spare money.

And if it is that bad now or in the immediate future then think of the deals to be had on equipment and stuff. I have read enough stories on Matt's about the owners that need that new Prevost so that they can get out there and make that money. If they can not make any money then they don't need to be out there in a $250,000.00 mobile office I guess. Some will lose while others will win.

Maybe the days of the rag bag shows will be back. Not enough money to be made to have it nice, but enough that a good hard worker can put together a small show of older equipment and be able to move it and make a dollar. Sure not the American dream but also not the end of one of the most resilient business models that has been around in one form or another for more years then any of us has been out here to enjoy it.

Just my 2 cents. WCP
WestCoastPat-Proud Mark of all things Carnival. STILL a "FAN BOY"-and proud of it.
done with it
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 11:50:42 PM
Originally Posted by: DOGMAN 

With him staying, Obama Care will stay, affecting everything. As I prepare taxes I am hit with new fees
and by 2014 a form will have to be included with each return with a health ID number assigned to your social
security number, and this is for the $ 2,500 fee for not having health insurance.
Look for more. There is also going to be an issue on 1099's. Have to take a course on this prior to Dec 31.




U can bet when the government reforms the tax code,
1099 will be gone,government whats all income taxed
And its coming,all loop holes will be closed,which will include preduim,the future does not look good for the
Amuesment biz,I think only small shows,that have a low overhead might survive,Sure hope so! Either way,what ever the government shall choose to do,it will be
Devastating to the world,think o've it this way are debt
Is 16,000,000,000,000, thats a lot of zero's,now we know government will not stop spending,its not there money,so they dont care,so they only have 2 choices,which both have the same affect,1,raise taxes on individual's,which is less money being put back in the
Economy,2 tax the rich more,yeah the people who creates the jobs will not work,the bottom line is we will
Be taxed more, for the out of control spending by government,today are government, or shall I say the tax payers employe's over 14,000,000 people in the government.

Always remember without us the hard working,backbreaking individual's there would be no government,but with no government there would still be backbreaking hard working individual's

GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE ANSWER!!!!!!!!!
punkboysa18
Thursday, November 8, 2012 12:49:57 AM
Serious question. Could this be an evolution into smaller independent operations? Could independent ride providers be forced into a competitive market of independent ride operation? Either way the change looks like a tough one in order for small business to survive.

It may be the right time for fairs to begin thinking about hours of operation vs. gross and could (hopefully) force the fairs themselves into a competitive market of providing a good environment percentage/hours for everyone on the midway.

I probably don't know what Im talking about, but what do yall think.
thunderbolt85
Thursday, November 8, 2012 7:38:55 AM
I think "done with it" was on to something. There are those of us who work hard to make it in this life (and this business).

However, how long can those of us that work hard keep up those that don't? I hope not, but one day those that are working hard, might turn around and say "why am I working so hard, only to have it taken away and given to those that don't", then we are really in trouble.
Pizzagod
Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:44:55 AM
Geez. What do you guys do when a truck blows up or it rains?

Carnivals have been around for a long time, we've survived every president in office, and will continue to do so.

You're all doing this for a living because it's easy, right?

Man up.

Where will we be in a year? Pretty much the same place we were a year ago.

We'll all go on, just like we did when gas was under a buck and it isn't, just like we did when you could buy a truck for $4,000 and you can't anymore, just like when you didn't need insurance and now you're looking at $2 Million in most places. So now us foodies are Serve-Safe certified, we either comply with D.O.T. or duck scales, most of our spots used to cost $200 now they're closer to $2,000, etc. etc.

It was just an election. There will be another one in four years.

You want something to worry about? How about we're all going to die?

Sheesh.
For one dollar I'll guess your weight, your height, or your sex.
Bowler Roller
Thursday, November 8, 2012 11:49:00 AM
Originally Posted by: punkboysa18 

Serious question. Could this be an evolution into smaller independent operations? Could independent ride providers be forced into a competitive market of independent ride operation? Either way the change looks like a tough one in order for small business to survive.

It may be the right time for fairs to begin thinking about hours of operation vs. gross and could (hopefully) force the fairs themselves into a competitive market of providing a good environment percentage/hours for everyone on the midway.

I probably don't know what Im talking about, but what do yall think.



Regulations generally help the biggest businesses, because they can weather it better than their smaller competition. That's why Big businesses lobby for them. They lose money adhering to them, but they make even more money by having a bigger market share.



Every crowd has a silver lining - PT Barnum
FriedPhil
Thursday, November 8, 2012 11:58:28 AM
I think we will more likely see a consolidation of carnivals as the small sell out to the larger. Only when carnivals are large publicly-traded corporations will they be able to effectively fight more regulation. In other words, the carnival industry needs large publicly-traded operators with a political lobby.

I also think the Independent midway is the coming thing. Every fair board putting the midway show out for bid each year instead of year after year giving the midway to the same carnival operator.
Please do not exit the ride until it comes to a complete stop.
flamo
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  • Operations Foreman
Thursday, November 8, 2012 7:17:27 PM
Originally Posted by: FriedPhil 

Your interpretation of Wall Street's "reaction" is incorrect.

Wall Street markets went down based on European economic forecasts, and the fact the Europeans markets are worried about the "fiscal cliff" the United States faces. Many articles I have researched indicated that Obama's re-election was "factored into" the stock market before he actually won re-election.



Wall street is reacting to Europe but word on the street is if you have stock where you will have to pay capital gains sell before the new rates kick in and invest overseas then keep that money off shore. Those on govt dependence (many not by choice) now outnumber the generators of revenue. States that legalize drugs have a real problem. Almost every job requires drug testing. Even though a drug may be legal it can still keep you from getting or keeping a job. Thus legalization of drugs only adds to the problem. There is no jobs program on the horizon, Romney had one but the media said he didn't, they lied. I posted here a while back. It was based on energy, fuel costs would have dropped. We had better wake up, when the media lies and puts abortion above jobs we have it wrong


I'm there, Old, Tired, Broke and Henpecked
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