Man, I don’t know what is going on with my state of mind the past couple of days, but I’m feeling like a loaded gun with a hair trigger. NO, I am not PMSing, mmmkay?
After a wonderful vacation with wonderful friends, I’ve been trying to get caught up on various things, getting back into my workouts, working towards my goal of reading 52 books this year (I’m at 44!), and gearing up for the holidays. I’ve also gotten back into my routine of keeping up with politics, and I think that’s the culprit here. In fact, I’m sure of it.
As I watch the shuffling parade of incompetence that is the Republican primary field, I find myself getting more and more stabby. As I observe people actually thinking that someone like Herb Cain or Newt Gingrich would make a good president, I want to take them by the shoulders and shake some sense into them. As I follow the super-committee’s latest proposals (quickly followed by the other side saying “That’s laughable!” and an immediate refusal) and continued unsuccessful negotiations, I just want to throttle the whole lot of them. There’s a reason Congress is less popular than not only Paris Hilton, but also the United States of America turning Communist, and it’s because they’re all behaving like petulant children with more than a little touch of brain damage.
And as I see the Occupy Wall Street protesters and those of us who support them categorized as lazy bums who want a handout and spend our days smoking weed and shitting on cop cars, I get very, very angry. Are there bad apples involved with the movement? Undoubtedly. You encounter douches in every walk of life. But the majority are people who see the vast and ever-increasing gap between the haves and have-nots and would like to see that change. Do we want to see the highest wage earners give away all their money? Do we want them to NOT make money? Of course not! However, it strikes me as fundamentally wrong to see CEOs making millions in salaries and bonuses, not creating any jobs, and slowly squeezing the life out of the American middle class.
Those who criticize the Occupy movement and see them as nothing more than unwashed hippies apparently missed the fact that the “American Dream” is on life support, and with the way we’re going, I’m not sure it can be revived. It is no longer enough to work hard and pull yourself up and get an education. I know plenty of college graduates who have been down-sized and downtrodden; when there are four people vying for every job available, there are no guarantees that you’ll find a job anytime soon. Our manufacturing jobs are being sent overseas, and I doubt they’re coming back. Our populace is under-educated and unqualified for many of the jobs that are out there. Yet the Republicans talk about cutting funds for Pell grants, and job training programs, and we just keep going deeper into the rabbit hole. So yes. I’m angry, and I’m on edge. Washington would be wise to get it through their heads that I’m not alone in my anger.
it makes no sense. many of the folks that are all up in a bunch about the occupy movement are most definitely not in the 1% either.
ReplyDeletexxalainaxx
It is all about self-interest at the most fundamental level... why don't people understand that..?
ReplyDeleteI don't know where the number of 4 people for every job came from, but when I was laid off 3 years ago every job I applied for had roughly 200-300 resumes of people applying for it. So I was told by HR on my follow-ups anyway. Perhaps things have gotten better in the last 3 years? I don't think so. I ended up going on social security early to keep from being homeless. I think things are only going to get worse and jobs will only return when Americans are willing to work for the same wages and under the same conditions as the Chinese and Mexicans. I'm reading "Tijuana Straits" right now and see the Tijuana he describes in the book as where America is headed. So very sad!
ReplyDeleteRJ, here is an article about that. This article actually puts it at 5-to-1. There will be more applicants for jobs, because people apply for multiple jobs, but when it comes to applicants and job availability, there are 4-5 unemployed people for every job opening.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/3gvdrs9
Australia bound. I have no expectations so I can't be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteI read something about a week ago that truly explained the Occupy Movement. We're not mad that people are rich. We're mad because of how they got rich.
ReplyDeleteThen almost ten years I have been telling folks that the idea of a meritocracy in the US is nothing but a myth to placate the masses. People used to laugh at me. I don't think they're laughing anymore.
And that stabby feeling? That's how I felt during the two terms we had with Bush. I felt like people thought I was Chicken Little or something. Except the sky was really falling.
Ginger, I have been wanting to find a new country since the Bush days. Let me know how Australia is. I may be joining you.
Beth, the reason they act like petulant children is because they are. It takes a lot of living in the real world to prevent one from becoming a pampered hypocrite, something of which they have been deprived.
ReplyDeleteAnd the reason there are so many erroneous criticisms of the Occupiers is because the critics either don't understand them or are afraid of them. They haven't made the connection between their own misery and the squandering of money into the deep pockets of the super rich. The Occupiers speak a language the ignorant can't understand
As I have said elsewhere this country doesn't have an elite ruling class, it only has one that thinks it is.
I think I may write a piece about the Congressional War on the
American People.
DB
Methinks a spanking or 500 is in order.
ReplyDeleteI,too like Rubye Jack was laid off a few years back and forced me into early retirement which was not my plan but I had no choice.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter living in another state was out of work for close to two years. She recently landed a job. A job she is not happy with but nonetheless "a job". I feel bad. I want her to fullfill her dreams with the job she truly wants.
Deep breaths, Beth! DEEP breaths!
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