2022-10-24 - 2:14 p.m.

Onboarding almost completed for my new client!

Peeps
Just a little gripe.

the W9 form from the IRS is a fillable form which was designed to only allow changes to certain fields when making electronic updates.

I have run into this issue countless times. ( I have completed MANY W9 forms for various companies.)

Today my task was to complete one for MY own company.

The Darn IRS form has a date field
BUT it is a LOCKED field

Meaning if using an electronic signature you are GOOD if it is one with a time/date stamp associated with it.
BUT if you have one that does not have such

Swear the only way is to print the form and hand write the date

and honestly it looks a bit wonky to have a handwritten date but then an electronically signed doc

BUT the form does not allow CHANGES after signature

OK so technically I should just redo the whole darn thing

I did just hand write the signature then had to email to myself to SAVE in the secure file server I have for my company work and then email it via my company email back.

I think no one else nitpicks as much as me. I mean I don't think the incongruence of a wet signed date and the electronic signed signature will freak anyone else out.

Truth be told that is the kind of stuff that if I were on the RECEIVING END
I might nit pick over

But I would curb my perfectionism and take it anyway, I mean WTF is the actual risk.

ZERO

Honestly

No one would create a FAKE W9
I mean
that would serve NO ONE
EVER

No reason , utility-

I mean unless it was with a corresponding FAKE SS #

I mean really-

So I got it done.

ON my to do ONCE PAID and PAY OFF DEBT/Initial investment
is to get a secure signature.

I decided against rushing to do this as I CAN sign docs wet signature or with Adobe.

I check the culture of the space supporting.

YOu might be surprised at how many have moved to fully electronic

OR equally suprised by how many CEOS still sign things themselves ( without delegation) and still rely only on wet signature to ensure it is clear when they have agreed to and entered into a contract.

*Prudent-

honestly either way
both work.

This makes me think of a quote I saw which I swear is the smartest thing I ever read by George W Bush

It made it onto a calendar of quotes from Presidents.

something such as:

" I have opionions of my own; strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."

To some that perhaps is the STUPIDEST thing he ever said.

To me it is in fact one of the smartest he ever uttered. It leds me to believe he really was a servant leader who considered the wisdom and input of others.
EVEN if he did not agree with every decision he was able to discern WHEN to let go of EGO and HIS View and go with the collective

The challenge is to know WHEN to stand your ground because your collective is just not being smart or not being ethical and then as a leader to LEAD them to see a wiser choice.

So yeah he may have been a bad president. He may have not been enough of a leader to be a strong enough influencer to guide with a moral compass.

BUT I think the WORST leaders are the ones who are ego driven and insist everyone follow their view.
That leads to fascism.

Maybe collective combined powere that is so centralized and does not include a true interscection of a community/country etc.. that has marginalized voices that the center is fearful of hearing
ALSO can lead to fascism.
That is the thing perhaps not all were aware POSSIBLE in a democracy.

That even when trying to follow democratic principals; there is still a risk of centralized power that ends up being opressive to majority more than helpful in uplifting the whole community.

It is possible...
and I think we saw the risk of that.

Which is why I feel like everyone should just get your ass out there and vote.

Hell So be it who we collectively all vote for- just so it is truly representative of what folks REALLY would like ( majority that is).

I mean I just feel like collective good in the end will be of more interest than interests of concentrated few then. And I think PARTICIPATION is what will preserve Democracy.

What scares me most of all is seeing some people who have lost faith in Democracy and therefore don't think there one vote matters. There are those who don't have faith in the fairness of our elections. Those who feel so disenfrachised the mistake participateion as being complicit in what is broken in our systems.

That to me is the biggest risk to democracy.
Lack of participation and then making it easier for a self centered actor or a few with concentrated power to subvert and move toward what would undermine freedoms of us all.

Freedom does not mean we each will always like every decision, every law in place But It does require respect of law even when we don't agree.

SO that is the wisdom of the quote.

I don't think the quote's intent is to encouage anyone to give up on their opinions. NO
I think it is intent to try to look at the collective good.
I do take it as altrusitic on first glance.

I would love to find the historical context so will look it up. As it makes me a bit curious.

Part of belieiving in democtracy is being willing to be responsible to follow even the really awaful laws and working in the process to try to craft and change and influence and create ones that are better.

I still believe that is possible.

And it starts by voting in those with whom YOU ARE aligned with their vision of fairness and laws which serve us best, collectively.

�

�