Stop badmouthing rich businesspeople 

 It’s really starting to bug me how often I seem to hear the wealthy and successful demonized for being … well, wealthy and successful.  These comments astonish me because I think most of us aspire to such things.

 Successful (wealthy) businesspeople and those who aspire to be successful (wealthy) businesspeople represent the engine of our economy—not the government, as many people seem to believe. The folks who had the ideas, the courage and the will to be founders of such companies as Jamba Juice, REC, and Rossi Enterprises deserve our enduring praise and encouragement. It’s these folks who created jobs for hundreds, if not thousands, of our fellow citizens from nothing more than thin air. These are jobs that offer extra cash to students as well as careers supporting entire families.

 I don’t think one needs an advanced degree from Cal Poly to understand that the way out of today’s challenged economy is through the creation of more private sector jobs. So how about a little appreciation and support for the wealthy entrepreneurs among us who are the ones with the will and determination to lead our economy back to health. Or am I just too simple to understand?

-- Gary Wechter - Arroyo Grande