I heard the phrase ‘running hot’ used for business the first time in 1998. We had started an internet ASP, had a great name and had acquired a large number of eye balls - visitors. Uniquely we were charging and receiving money for our solution. A Board Member suggested it was time to run hot, that is to bring in more investment dollars and increase the spend on marketing and sales.

Venture money was available but required a detailed plan on how exactly the money would be spent and how we would increase revenue with a specific date to become profitable. With the plan in place we were successful at ‘running hot’ we took the company International. At times, borrowing dollars to fuel growth works.

Our government is borrowing and investing large amounts of money intended to drive and rebound our economy - ‘running hot’. Our deficit is rapidly rising and unlike the Venture inestment that is written off due to failure, the dollars the government borrows must be repaid. And so they may, at least we all hope so. The elephant in the room is the question, exactly how do we pay the debt back? What is the specific plan? As business leaders we must ask the question just as we would for our own businesses. And if the answer is not complete or if it doesn’t make common sense we should react accordingly and fire those who put us in this situation.

“I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.”

“Delay is preferable to error.”

“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”

“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”

“To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”

“The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.”

“When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”

“Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.”

Thomas Jefferson