HuffPo: Unemployed Republican who votes libertarian cries when GOPers block unemployment aid

[Cali_Democrat]

This is why you don't vote Republican/Libertarian:

WASHINGTON -- When Senate Democrats fell just one vote short of advancing a bill to restore long-term unemployment insurance last Thursday, Russ Holton wept.

"Imagine that, a 44-year-old man crying while watching TV," he said. He had watched the vote on C-SPAN 2. A day later, his cable provider cut him off because he hadn't paid the bill.

Holton is one of the 1.7 million long-term unemployed people missing out on federal benefits because Congress stopped providing them in December. Six years ago, he was making $85,000 per year at his job in tech sales. Today, the seams of his life are fraying.

<..>

A registered Republican who says he votes "libertarian," Holton has found the experience "maddening." After being laid off in June 2013, Holton, who lives in Mason, Ohio, exhausted his six months' worth of state unemployment benefits, and only received a few weeks of federal insurance before it expired on Dec. 28.

<...>

"I just want someone to have a freaking heart," he said, referring to members of Congress. "They are going home to a house where all the utilities are paid for, and we are here struggling."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/12/unemployment-benefits_n_4769558.html

[Arugula Latte]

1. I wonder if he'll learn his lesson.

I won't be holding my breath.

[Cali_Democrat]

10. He probably won't learn his lesson

He'll just find some way to blame Dems/Obama and continue to vote libertarian.

[freshwest]

19. You nailed it. And he didn't know the Libertarian Party platform well, did he?

The Libertarian Party Platform on Welfare:

http://www.lp.org/issues/poverty-and-welfare

The Libertarian Party Platform on Health care:

http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Libertarian_Party_Health_Care.htm

More Libertarian, Ron Paul, Tea Bagger ideas that Democrats do not believe in:

Libertarians believe that taxes should be abolished along with all the programs and departments that taxes fund. Libertarians don’t believe in Medicare. Libertarians don’t believe in Social Security. Libertarians don’t believe that there should be fire departments, police departments, public transportation, grants for education, unemployment, disability, food stamps, and every other type of government system and assistance that you can think of.

Libertarians wish to eliminate taxes in order to eliminate all of the above programs and more. Libertarians believe that without these taxes, individuals will have more money in their pockets and will be able to afford all of these things. If someone is unable to provide themselves or their family with school, health care, or food, people need to rely on family members, church, or a private charity.

Libertarians believe that government’s role in the market should be to protect property owner’s rights. There should be no FDA, equal employment opportunities, unions, minimum wage, payroll taxes, safe food handling requirements, consumer protections, regulations that protect against financial conflicts of interest and fraud, and business licenses.

Libertarians believe that business owners should have the right to deny entry to minorities and/or women and/or people with disabilities, if that is how business owners wish to run their businesses.

http://deni-edwards.hubpages.com/hub/Defining-a-Libertarian-Ron-Pauls-Political-Platform

Democrats are and will continue to help many more people than private groups ever will. The GOP who are Libertarians, plan to end all government so no votes are needed, just be connected to the biggest boss you can find.

Russell voted to screw everyone else, and now finds he is just like everyone else. Will he grow up at last?

I doubt it. He was old enough to know better when he voted.

Here is something that he needs to read. FA shreds the libertarian mindset better than I ever could in review of the NJ Libertarian Party Platform:

Ignorance of history, politics, economics and the real world is necessary to be a libertarian

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017125549#post14

[Orrex]

13. He won't. Libertarians are masters of exactly two things:

1. Taking undeserved credit for their own successes.
2. Denying all responsibility for their own failures.

[butterfly77]

18. He won't ..

and I'll bet he thinks he's different or special in some type of way.

[Berlum]

2. Hypocrisy is THE core Republicon "value"

as they prove over and over and over.

[FSogol]

3. It is hard to feel compassion for him. He was happy with screwing the poor until HE became poor.

[Cali_Democrat]

12. Yep. I doubt he'll even learn his lesson. nt

[bluesbassman]

4. But, but safety nets are so... LIBERAL!

Welcome to the reality you endorsed Holton.

[Agnosticsherbet]

5. Unemployment Insuarance and Libertarianism are most often mutually exclusive.

If you think the unemployed are lazy freeloaders stealing your hard earned, god given, paycheck then you should say "Righteous!" when they take your only visible means of support.

[C_U_L8R]

6. Yet another self-absorbed republican jerk

He just doesn't get it until something bad happens to him, personally.
Hey pal, wake the F up and put on your community spirit hat.
Stop voting in your own greedy short-term self-interest like the rest of the GOP
and contribute to the goddamn common good.

[TheMastersNemesis]

7. You Can't Fix Stupid - It's Obama's Fault

[Tarheel_Dem]

8. Liberterian = "Just a Republican who wants to smoke dope & get laid". Ignorant lot, they are. n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

14. Libertarians are also Republicans who are ashamed to admit they voted for Bush...TWICE. nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

39. DING! DING! DING!

[CTyankee]

46. I am ALWAYS skeptical of those who call themselves Independents, also.

They don't fool me one bit. But I try to be polite...eventually, however, it spills out that they are really republicans only they don't want to say it. But I just love to watch them squirm around saying "I vote for the man, not the party" or something like that, as if they are more discerning a voter than a Democrat. Aren't they special...

[aquart]

60. You're skeptical, I'm derisive.

They also like to say the two parties are identical. That's the point at which I never speak to them again.

[CTyankee]

67. I must say I am rapidly coming to your position on this. It's gotten so OLD it creaks.

Altho I must say I don't have many of those conversations recently. Maybe some of the focus on income inequality have shaken folks, who normally aren't as interested in politics as those on this board are. I certainly hope that is the case...

[NYC Liberal]

68. Yes, I love all those "independents" who vote straight-ticket GOP every single time.

And there are the Repubs who now claim they never actually liked Bush. (Yet they still support all of his policies...)

[CTyankee]

69. It would probably be different if you and I lived in one of the solid red states. But here in the NE

such "independents" feel a little hesitant about being so much in the minority. So rather than that, they take the "independent" position...a kind of compromise...

[kysrsoze]

26. Yeah, I think it should read, "Unemployed ("Independent") Republican Who Votes Republican..."

I'm surprised he didn't identify himself as "independent." Buncha suckers.

[Tarheel_Dem]

40. Exactly.

[Downwinder]

9. "It is probably an inevitability that I will have to file for bankruptcy

just to get out of it all," he said.

He dose not realize that he can't afford to file for bankruptcy. That will cost him $1,000.00 that he does not have.

[nobodyspecial]

17. And wouldn't that him make him a freeloader?

He also is relying on the government to protect his rights to do so.

[WinkyDink]

28. He's a TAKER!!!!!!!!!!

[durablend]

58. Wonder if he's heard of "PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY"?

Sounds like a moocher

[raven mad]

51. And his "libertarian republican" lawyer -

will want every dime up front!

[napkinz]

11. stop voting against your own interests ... wake up!

[Armstead]

29. Those are all brilliant....should be an OP

[calimary]

37. +1000000!

[calimary]

15. "I just want someone to have a freaking heart"? Well then, dear Mr. Holton, WHY

are you a registered republi-CON? They have nothing but a void where the human heart is supposed to be. They laugh and sneer at the ideas of compassion and empathy. They're all IGMFU and nothing else. What on earth are you doing on their side?

[freshwest]

20. +1,000

[calimary]

36. That's almost all I think about anymore. It's become a kind of automatic default position for me.

It's not JUST the politicians and heartless, willfully-uninformed SOBs that get voted into power. IT'S THE PEOPLE BACK HOME WHO VOTE THEM IN. Straight to the source is where the real problem, and blame, lies. THEY are the ones primarily at fault. Heartless nickel-and-diming, selfish, shit-for-priorities assholes in office - like this guy's representative evidently is - only get that far if the idiots back home are just plain gullible swallowers of Pox Noise poison or aren't paying attention (or, even worse - OUR idiots stay home in some perceived huff and refuse to vote for the opponent so as to keep the idiots' choice from gaining a majority of whatever votes there might be). It routes directly back to one basic question: WHO THE HELL SAW FIT TO SEND THEM INTO POWER POSITIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHO THE HELL THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD THING?

I find myself being similarly judgmental and impatient when seeing rudeness, thoughtlessness, unkindness, smugness, selfishness, haughtiness, in-yer-face, mean-spiritedness, and other assorted examples of bad behavior on display. Whether it's somebody who's driving recklessly and cutting people off on the freeway, or some smart-ass snark-head interrupting on TV and spewing insults or rudely pointing a finger in somebody's face (that'd be YOU, chris christie and jan brewer), or some sniveling brat throwing a temper tantrum in the store while Mom's only concern is not daring to rain on their stupid fucking self-esteem parade: WHO THE HELL BROUGHT YOU UP?

People can only manifest what they've been taught, or what they're surrounded by, or what they hear all the time or see on TV all the time, or what they imprint by seeing and believing. They only do what they've learned to do by repeated exposure and reinforcement. The "kind of catapult the propaganda" shit elevated to a high art by rove/bush/cheney in the last dreary decade we all just barely lived through.

[CTyankee]

47. It was my theory that they thought they would be rich one day, so if they voted like rich people

they would be magically made rich themselves. It's a fantasy, of course, but they believe it nonetheless...I remember I had a young guy, a mechanic, who worked on my car. He essentially believed that and said that is why he voted Republican. Very soon after he became a young father of his girlfriend's baby and needed health care for her. He had no qualms signing her up for the state's HUSKY Plan, covering children. As he explained it to me "everybody needs health care." It was a teachable moment I didn't let pass by...

[calimary]

50. That's no theory. That's a fact!

I firmly believe it! If you listen to some of these operatives talk, it's pretty clear, subliminally anyway. "WE are the prosperity people! Prosperity! Prosperity! Vote for us and Prosperity! Prosperity!" It's like "Freedom-freedom!" You say it enough and people start to believe it.

Furthermore, I still clearly remember something that damn reagan said - I think it was during a news conference - when he was asked about how republi-CON policies weren't helping the Average Joe, but mainly the rich. And I remember how he answered - that adhering to, and furthering, republi-CON policies was the best way for the Average Joe "to GET rich." I remember that… how it'd make it easier "to GET rich."

So the message was sent and delivered and RE-delivered and reinforced by thousands of faithful minions from coast-to-coast. Just keep on voting for us, and YOU TOO will get rich like us someday! Yeah, in a pig's eye. With lots of lipstick on it.

Damn! I swear, every time I think about that monster, I hate him just a little bit more. He freakin' BRAINWASHED the country! And they still celebrate him today because he was the best and slickest snake-oil salesman they EVER found.

He makes me feel sick to my stomach. I still maintain: the only good thing about ronald reagan is that he's dead. Reminds me of a quote from the late great actress and Oscar-winner Bette Davis. She said "my mother told me never to speak ill of the dead. Joan Crawford is dead. Good." Take out the "Joan Crawford" and replace it with "ronald reagan" and you have my view in three short sentences.

[Bohunk68]

66. I do believe that that was

Moms Mabley who made that remark in her skits about the dead, Good.

[calimary]

72. I bet there are several people of note who've uttered versions of it.

I do know Bette Davis said it, although I may not have quoted it accurately. The good lines often get stolen and passed around quite a bit.

“You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good . . . Joan Crawford is dead. Good.”

Actually, Bohunk68, your post put me into a curious mood so I went looking - and this little bit of verbal astringent is not the ONLY cheeky thing she said:

Meow! Bette Davis discusses her dear colleague Joan Crawford
16 Sep 2011 | Film Tags: bette davis · hollywood history · joan crawford
by debra levine
Quotations from Chairman Bette:

“I wouldn’t piss on her [Joan Crawford] if she was on fire.”

“She [Joan Crawford] has slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie.”

“Why am I so good at playing bitches? I think it’s because I’m not a bitch. Maybe that’s why [Joan Crawford] always plays ladies.”

“[Joan Crawford] and I have never been warm friends. We are not simpatico. I admire her, and yet I feel uncomfortable with her. To me, she is the personification of the Movie Star. I have always felt her greatest performance is Crawford being Crawford.”

“You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good . . . Joan Crawford is dead. Good.”

Not a Joan Crawford dig, but I do like this next one:

“There was more good acting at Hollywood parties than ever appeared on the screen.”

http://artsmeme.com/2011/09/16/meow-bette-davis-discusses-her-dear-colleague-joan-crawford/

[Bohunk68]

74. Thanks for those great lines.

Loved Bette. I don't often do searches because the one month I did, omg, my usage skyrocketed and whoops, so did the bill from Verizon. Being on a SS doesn't allow a whole lot of things. But, better than nothing at all. And, why C-CPI talk really bugs me.

[calimary]

77. Aren't they just delicious?

I LOVE this stuff. Always knew La Davis and La Crawford did not get along but when you start collecting quotes is when you really join a PAR-TEEEEE!!!

[Ecumenist]

53. YEP, that MAGICAL THINKING THING fucks them up EVERY SINGLE TIME

I don't know what to say... They think that they'll become rich via osmosis, apparently.

[Javaman]

49. That jumped out at me as well.

like most repukes or libertarians, it's only AFTER they lose their money, home or job that they suddenly care.

they are all lead to believe that it "can never happen to them".

It really boggles the mind.

[ellie]

16. Awww, but he hates gays and abortion

and that is why he votes the way he does. He needs to pull himself up by his bootstraps and go get born to a rich family.

insert sarcasm tag here

What the hell did he think was going to happen? Dummy.

[Cha]

21. Then don't vote for the fucking heartless ones.

[Jamaal510]

22. This, kids,

is why it is always important to read the fine print (i.e. doing research) before voting.

[mikeysnot]

23. Libertarians?

Smart enough to know they are embarrassed to call themselves Republicans(even though most vote that way, secretly), but ignorant enough to not realize nothing they believe will work in reality.

[Brickbat]

24. Get a job, slacker!

Get ANOTHER job!

[Armstead]

25. Poetic Justice?

[WinkyDink]

27. $85 K. My MA+ teacher husband, after 30+ yrs, never made $70K, nor did I. Let this bastard CRY HARD.

[CTyankee]

30. wait a minute...this guy is crying because his cable got cut off????

what about the hungry kids who had no lunches at school because they got cut off?

Really, if I were faced with a cut off of UE I would cut the cable FIRST. It's called priorities. This guy is screwed up, but let him live what he hath wrought.

Don't people work with household budgets any more?

[Shrike47]

34. We don't have cable NOW, fella. He needs to get a clue about Republicans.

[frylock]

45. probably has a microwave, refrigerator, mobile device, and a big screen TV as well..

how long have taxpayers been footing the bill for those luxuries?!

[CTyankee]

54. we have a cheap shit big screen TV (smallest they offer), and old microwave and refrigerator...what?

I have the world's most basic cellphone and it costs $18.50 a month. BIG POINT: I am already retired!

I don't need all that stuff really. I retired 10 years ago. I'm happy. I love what I have. I create a household budget every year (ever hear of that?), I know what I spend and what I have in investment income (not a lot) and SS.

Geez, it's simple math.

[frylock]

55. ummmmmm... i was just throwing Libertarian/Compassionate Conservative logic..

back in this idiot's face.

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/07/what-is-poverty

[CTyankee]

56. Oh, yeah. What are you going to do?

It's so stupid...

[freebrew]

31. Be true to your convictions...

Get a JOB!

Idiot!

[steve2470]

32. This guy is the classic Low Information Voter

If he was as informed as we on DU are, he would NOT be a Libertarian/Repug voter.

[City Lights]

33. Pssst, Holton, the ones you vote for think you're lazy and unmotivated. nt

[Shrike47]

35. How I wish these people would see that.

[DFW]

38. He "just wants someone to have a freaking heart?"

He VOTED for people that ran for office proudly claiming that they don't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now he's crying because he got his wish?

There ARE people who have a heart. There ARE people who would help him. They are called Democrats.

He voted against them. Let him go panhandle on the street and get cussed out---by his fellow Repubicans.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

43. At least the repigs sometimes pay lip service to having a heart.

Libertarians just want you to crawl out to the gutter and die and they make no bones about it.

[JHB]

41. If you want congressmen with heart, pal, vote for the "bleeding" ones.

The others have very deliberately removed theirs.

[geek tragedy]

42. boo hoo. he was and is cool with government being heartless to everyone else.

And of course he will still vote Republican.

[frylock]

44. somebody get him a bootstrap, poste-haste!

[ReRe]

48. All hot air...

... he'll go to the polls in November and in the general elction in 2016 and vote the same way he always did. And that is so sad. All he has to do is look at the vote count to see who was responsible for his loss of benefits. If he made $85,000/yr six years ago, you know he has a brain in his head.

[Dawson Leery]

52. The "Libertarian" movement is comprised of Republicans who want no government

except the government which helps then and no one else.

"Libertarian Party": The Tea Party that wants to legalize drugs.

[Ikonoklast]

57. Why is Holton crying? He got exactly what he voted for.

When he was gainfully employed and didn't need any financial assistance from governmental agencies, he voted for politicians that did their best to dismantle the safety net for working people.

Is he crying tears of joy now that he has witnessed first-hand the results of his votes?

[durablend]

59. Lazy MOOCHER

If he has time to lie on his ass on the couch watching TV he's not paying for, he has time to go GET A JOB.

Hey, Russ...might want to learn how to say "WANT FRIES WITH THAT?"

[W T F]

61. I'm done giving a shit about these self centered crybabies…Get a job you lazy bum!!!!!

[blkmusclmachine]

62. Live by the GOP sword, die by the GOP sword. No pity for the willingly blind.

[nikto]

63. Let Republican working people CRY CRY CRY

Then, after they dry their tears, they can join with Progressives.



If not, give 'em more hankies and tell 'em to come back when they're homeless.


For the obstinate,
SUFFERING IS THE BEST TEACHER.

[nikto]

64. He doesn't need money for utilities...

Just let Conservatism warm his heart.

Lazy taker.

[hue]

65. Reality bites! Welcome to the real world. Vote for those who are on the workers' side!

[ladyVet]

70. Mr. Holton, meet Karma.

Ain't she something? Now, grab those fucking bootstraps, get off your lazy ass and get a job.

[hatrack]

71. Oh, but when it's ME, that's different!!!

Mr. Holton, meet the Clue-By-Four.

[TheTimmer]

73. Karma sucks

Last edited Fri Feb 14, 2014, 04:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Mason, OH is in the Ohio 2nd Congressional District, which brought us now-Senator Rob Portman, the oh so lovely "Mean" Jean Schmidt, and, when she wasn't batcrap crazy enough, Tea Partier Brad Wenstrup. No doubt Mr. Holton voted for all three of them, so he's getting exactly what he voted for.

I hate that anyone has to deal with this situation, but the Bible the RW likes to use to justify everything they do says "As ye sow, so shall ye reap." Reap away, Russ, while the "Demon-rats" you doubtless hate with a white hot passion try to restore to you some of the dignity you wish to deny others.

[napkinz]

75. kick

nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

76. I hope the journalist doing these kind of stories ...

i.e., reporting on talking to distraught registered Republicans who vote libertarian and independents that vote republican or libertarian, will loop back to these folks and ask them how the voted in 2014/2016.

[raven mad]

78. Thought everyone might enjoy this -

from the Teabonics Facebook page: