SMOKE Break, please read and comment

[Mr Dixon]

SMOKE Break

In my place of employment I take periodic smoke breaks, the smokers in my building are comprised of all categories of people to include Republicans and Some Tea Party members. The standard conversation usually is about sports but every now and then someone brings up politics when this happen I usually remain silent, so as to not be labeled the angry Black liberal LOL.
Well today one of the most arrogant republicans who happened to be a contractor, I labeled him arrogant because he always talked about how well he was doing compared to the rest of us lowly workers. Anyone not making 6 figures we’re beneath him, he has a house in Tyson corner, infinity x whatever class car, 500.00 dollars watches and all the bells and whistles the rest of us can’t afford.
Well today he was laid-off (contractor) FY14 funds will not cover his pay, and now he is faced with the real possibility of losing everything. He complained the job was given to, two college kids that don’t know shit about the job and that the company was wrong for hiring them. He mentioned that both kids would only make half of what he was making. I held my comments because he truly believed that he was not replaceable, as if he had not noticed the economy over the lasted 8 years and that no one should take their jobs for grant it.
He needs to be out of the building by 1530hrs, I want so much to tell him that Karma is a bitch but I know that would be wrong, if I see him again I plan to wish him good luck, even if he says he is going to apply for unemployment.
Just wanted to share this story and ask if any of you would have handled this differently?

[JustAnotherGen]

1. You did the right thing

Wish him well and send him on his way. Life is going to get a lot less cozy for him.

[northoftheborder]

2. No, you handled it like a compassionate person should, even towards an arrogant blowhard.

Karma.

[fadedrose]

3. You did good, Mr Dixon...nt

[Ohio Joe]

4. I always avoid politics and religion talk at work

I will politely change the subject if it is brought up and out right tell a person I do not like to discuss those topic at work if they persist.

[Mr Dixon]

7. AGREED

I have to do that in my office space also, people get really heated namely me LOL

[Ohio Joe]

8. I think you handled this exactly right...

A rough situation and a very hard one to not say anything... You are doing the right thing

[LuvNewcastle]

5. I would have told him to get a good lawyer, hopefully a good liberal

who cares about worker's rights. He's been treated terribly, and I don't think now is the time to give him hell about his politics. He'll resent it, and I would understand if he did. If you want to turn this into a teaching moment, make your point while you find a way to help him. You want to make him think without putting him down.

[Mr Dixon]

6. AGREED

I have been down before, so would never stomp on a man that is down.

[haele]

9. Nope, seen it before -

And as a contractor myself, experianced it.
(Sounds like you are describing someone who worked for Booz-Hamilton.)

Prior to a layoff, I might have made some snark at republican puffery, but after he got laid off, I'd be nothing but compassionate. It's a sucky position to be in.

That being said - he's pretty much a fool if he thought his job was irreplacable, but then, all Republican and Liberatrian contractors for the government tend to be. Especially if he never paid attention to what it took to get his contract, or how businesses worked.
My normal comment when fellow contractors go on about the job or the workforce and how they are so special:
If he wasn't the CEO of the company he worked for, he should never take his job for granted. He'd be replaced in a heartbeat if the company thought they could get someone qualified for the same job he was doing - whether or not they could actually do it - for less money than they're paying him.
If the tasking changes, he could be out of a job the next week. Heck, even if the tasking doesn't change, and the company thinks they can get away with it, they'd let him go and get a subcontractor to his work, just to get rid of the overhead costs.

That's just the way contracting goes. You don't have a "job for life", you have a job for the current contract requirements. So you strutting around like you aren't going to get fired just makes you look even more ignorant about your job than you are.

Haele

[Mr Dixon]

12. Agreed

It happened to me in 2001, the whole contract was renewed minus my position, i was 1 day away from the unemployment line and i got on with another contract. After that i which to gov, less money but more security IMO best move i ever made.

[No Vested Interest]

28. No one is irreplaceable.

Death, illness, accidents happen.
Even presidents die, and they get replaced, and life goes on.
Changed, maybe, but goes on.

[SheilaT]

10. I'm not sure I could have resisted

being snarky, so kudos to you. You're a better person than I.

The other thing that stands out from your description of him is that he clearly has spent all of his income as it came in, and a few months from now he'll be in foreclosure or worse, and will seek to blame everyone else around him, rather than his own lack of planning ahead and saving some money.

Yeah, there are a lot of people who have been well and truly screwed by the system, but I never cease to be amazed at those who made six figures and never saved a penny.

[Mr Dixon]

14. IMO

Never understood not saving for a rainy day but alot of people seem to do it

[NM_Birder]

11. raid his office for all the good leftovers before the newbies arrive.

[Mr Dixon]

13. LOL

Be Nice

[Warpy]

15. There was a great ad on years ago

featuring Smilin' Bob, the Enzyte guy before Enzyte came on the market. S. Bob was riding his fancy lawn mower around his tiny yard, bragging about his European vacations, new cars, swimming pools, and so forth and ended up with "And how did I do it? I'm in debt up to my eyeballs! Please help me!"

I can never listen to a braggart describing his great life without thinking about that commercial. It's how most of them do it and they're one paycheck away from landing in deep doo doo.

You did the right thing. That guy's own character flaws will take better care of him than you ever could.

[Mr Dixon]

16. LOL

I remember that commercial, if you have not seen the movie Company men, please do the situation is the same IMO

[ejpoeta]

26. I think of that too.... every time they show the crap commercials

they have brought back about having more and more. It disgusts me. You would think folks would have learned. It's better not to kick a guy when he's down..... It shows a strength of character.

[Skittles]

17. you handled it correctly

never kick people when they are down - also, people remember kindness, even decades later

[Beaverhausen]

18. I think you were right not to say anything but why is he going to 'lose everything'?

If he wasn't smart enough to save money while also spending it on $500 watches and expensive cars, he has no one to blame but himself.

[Mr Dixon]

22. Agreed

But that is the thing alot of people don't save, not sure if he did or not but he mentioned drawing unemployment which still means nothing because he could have a big bank account. I just never want to be a contractor again to risky IMO.

[lumberjack_jeff]

23. It's not a $500 watch if no one will buy it from you for $500.

He had his brief opportunity to bank some cash, and he squandered it.

In this economy, you have to save all the money you'll need to live on for the rest of your life between ages 28 and 38. Younger than that you don't know enough - older than that you know too much.

[rug]

19. He prpbably smokes menthol.

[Mr Dixon]

20. Nope

He puffed on a pipe, smelled good IMO

[cry baby]

21. You're a class act, Mr Dixon. Karma has him in her grips. He'll be taken care of nicely! nt

[DrewFlorida]

24. The sad part of this story....he will probably continue to be an arrogant rightwinger....

I doubt this event will make him see things differently. He'll most likely believe that he deserves unemployment, unlike all of the other people who are users and takers. He'll most likely view the company's decision to dump him as an unfortunate mistake rather than the corporate capitalist system taking advantage of high wage workers in an effort to drive wages down and corporate profits up. In other words he won't see himself as a low-wage earner, because he sees them as being lazy, unmotivated, and not worth a shit. I suppose there is always hope for him to see the truth about capitalism, but I wouldn't count on it. My guess is, he'll keep putting down any ideas which might actually help him.

Good for you for taking the high road.

[Motown_Johnny]

25. I would have said something.. but I am a prick.

It sounds like you did the right thing. I would have had to make some comment, if only a minor one.
"To bad you are not in a Union" is my first reaction. If I really didn't like the guy I might have offered him twenty bucks for his watch.

[mrdmk]

27. People boost, 'I got mine, everyone else can go get theirs!' in their own personel way

Do you as a person act compassionate, remain indifferent, or kick them when they are down? Better yet, give them a taste of all three!

Depends on what they mean to you, acquittance, friend, foe, lover.

This guy whined and bitched about society. Now he was leveled.

You would not be who you are if you acted differently in this situation.

It is what it is...