So it turns out that being seen hugging and lifting a Democratic president can be bad news for small business owners — particularly if they personally identify as Republicans.
Scott Van Duzer, the owner of Big Apple Pizza in Fort Pierce, Florida, exuberantly hugged (and lifted) President Barack Obama this weekend during a campaign visit, and became an internet sensation because of it.
Unfortunately for Van Duzer and Big Apple Pizza, he didn’t consider the backlash of angry Yelpers that accuse him of betraying his politics.
One Yelper wrote:
I will not eat from traitor’s hands and I’ll never take food from man who DIDN’T BUILD his business.
Calling a person a traitor to a political party by deciding to vote for the person whose policies he finds most acceptable just doesn’t work. It’s akin to calling someone a traitor because, though they generally prefer to wear shorts, they’ve chosen to wear pants because they’ve decided that wearing shorts on that particular occasion would be infantile and, depending how rainy it is, possibly get his socks wet.
He owns a business. He creates jobs. And, unfortunately, he may lose those jobs after the business bump he’s been getting, as it seems spiteful folks tend to have the longest memories.
This article appears in Sep 6-12, 2012.
Yikes! So the right wants a fight? Still can’t unite? Wants to be trite. Let’s vote Obama and make it right!
I think the poll break out we are now seeing is the start of something. That and the Bear hugs for Obama = Lift off for America?
It is so exciting to see the enthusiasm of Scott Van Duzer, the Pizza Restaurant owner in Miami, for Pres. Obama. Fantastic! I hope and believe many Americans will have Scott’s level of enthusiasm for Obama on election day.
Americans are now coming to realize it is time; indeed, it is high noon. Americans of all stripes; red, blue, black or white stripes, are best served to strongly unite behind Pres. Obama’s inclusive and progressive program for Americans. All aboard! Prepare for final lift off out of the Great Recession!
Much of the ground work is laid. The crushing fall that started 4 years ago was stopped out in 2009. America’s recovery has faltered some in 2011 and 2012, mostly from “right wing” turbulence, and rogue economic waves washing back to American shores from overseas. Yet she is still moving Forward.
It is in the interest of all Americans to re-elect Pres. Obama. It took courage to elect him in the first place, and it will take courage to re-elect him. Over the brew of visceral emotions and the noisy half truths and outright falsehoods. Yet, I believe he will be resoundingly re-elected. America needs him.
I believe the American people will give Obama a bear hug in the form of a strong mandate to lift America into a broad recovery and a renewed prosperity that will include you too!
Bear Hugs in full
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/12943543-bear-hugs-for-obama-lift-off-for-america-come-election-day
Footprints in the sand….
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/12889195-footprints-at-the-republican-national-convention-in-tampa-florida
Does Mitt believe in America?
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/12903382-michele-obama-and-bill-clinton-lay-out-at-the-rnc-just-how-much-obama-believes-in-america-does-mitt-romney-believe-in-america-or-something-else?clear_cache=true
Obama is still weak. Bill Clinton won’t debate Romney for him. And I tell pollsters I’m voting for Obama, but I’m not.
Politics or not, I’ve learned yelp comments have little value, mostly trolls and whiners…
The Divide America machine has been hard at work for years, ramped up since Clinton was in office and embodied by people like Palin and Brewer (where not a pleasant thing comes out of their mouths toward their opposition), and people like these angry yelpers are the result of that machine.
People need to brush up on the concept of “divide and conquer.”
Oh for God’s sake! Why do I have the feeling this is going to be an everyday exclamation in re: to this country I love so much…makes me sick to my stomach.
Obama’s “Joe The Plumber”…
Obviously the pizza maker hasn’t started paying his employees’ share of Obamacare.
As soon as those fees kick-in and he realizes he doesn’t have that cash to expand, hire, invest or just go on vacation, he’ll regret the bear hug.
Obama is BAD for small business and America
He was just copying Putin, didn’t he also give Obama a big hug?
Yelp sucks. Its a scam of epic proportions. As for Van Duzer….its his business who he votes for and if people are so small minded as to boycott him for his choice then so be it. Its all about racism anyway.
Topher, you might want to actually read what is in the law before making a complete fool of yourself.
This farcical partisan attempt to destroy a man’s livelihood has apparently backfired…just like Chik-Fil-A a few months back:
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/th…
I enjoy watching haters on both sides of the partisan divide hoist themselves with their own petards, but they don’t seem to learn anything about the necessity of altering their obviously flawed strategies in the process. Ah well, more entertainment for the rest of us.
The GOP is desperate.
I just love the pizza guy and his big bear hug for Obama. I’m sure his business will explode from this coverage.
When are we going to end this two party system once and for all, before it ends up with drive by’s like the bloods and crips?
The divide in our country is just becoming larger and more heated, the Rep./Dem. routine is ruining our democracy. This is ridiculous.