I'm 55 Yrs Old, Middle-Class White Male, Retired Military...and I'm pi$$ed as hell

[maxrandb]

I’ve heard and read a lot about the “angry middle class white male” voter lately. Well, let me tell you that I fit that description.

I’m so “blanking” pissed I can’t see straight!

I’m angry that white middle class males support a Republican Party that has done nothing but shatter their lives, send their kids off to endless war, wrecked their labor rights, screwed their wages and told their mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and granddaughters that “they aren’t smart enough and emotionally secure enough” to control their own health care.

- I’m pissed that they put Ronald Reagan into office twice, believing that it was “their” social safety net and economic protections, and NOT the profits of the 1% that had become bloated and ineffective.

- I’m pissed that they have declared their enemy to be the fire-fighter who lives down the street, the teacher who teaches their kids, or the government Financial Management Analyst that coaches their kids little league baseball team, simply because those “Americans” have a decent pension and benefits package. I’m extremely ticked-off that they don’t ask instead…WHY DO MY BENEFITS AND RETIREMENT PLANS SUCK SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

- I’m perturbed that they don’t realize that 400 years of slavery, followed by 150 years of “State-Sanctioned” racism and discrimination…in housing…in employment…in education…in law enforcement…in voting…in mobility…might, JUST MIGHT, have something to do with some folks being mired in abject poverty.

- I’m fucking apocalyptic that the White Middle Class watched 5 and 6 year old kids get their fucking brains blown out and their torsos blown in half by military grade weapons and ammunition magazines, and allowed some LaPierre asshat to convince them that we couldn’t do ONE reasonable fucking thing to make this mass-murder shit a little harder to carry out. That’s all we were asking…let’s just make killing massive amounts of people just a little bit harder. Instead they listened to this ass-pickle from the NRA, who they KNOW in their heart of hearts, would be the first prick to turn tail and run in a barfight.

- I’m pissed that they’ve given away just about all the labor rights and social justice progress that their forefathers fought and died for, without so much as a whimper.

- I’m beyond angry that they believed a guy with five Vietnam Era deferments and a guy that spent the war defending the Floribama Bar, were better suited to defend this country, or understand the sacrifices asked of our military, than the guy that did “back-to-back” Riverine tours in Nam with the Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars to prove it.

But what pisses me off the most is that they’ve become frightened little pissants…either brainwashed by incessant horseshit on talk radio or constantly told by Faux News that, “others” and NOT their own “effing” votes and support for the asshat party, are the reason they’ve been held back. It’s never the fact that they’ve bought into the “trickle-down” bullshit that has caused their wages to stagnate, their social safety net to be destroyed, or their employment right to be diminished…NO…it’s always the fault of some “other”.

-Some mythical Welfare Queen
-Some immigrant picking lettuce for $20 a day
-Some LGBT person who just wants to be left the “eff” alone to love who they love and prosper in freedom
-Some Union Member that patrols their streets, teaches their spoiled ass kids, or protects their home from fire.

Hell NO! Admitting that they’ve been played like fools for the past 30 years would require them to blame themselves, and they are way too cowardly to do that.

So what will they do? They’ll continue to vote for pricks like Donald Trump, or Chuck Grassley, or John Kasich, or Sam Brownback, in the hopes that maybe if we just pump more wealth to the top, it’ll all start trickling down eventually. Bet hey, when it doesn’t, they’ll just blame the liberals, the hippies, the dope smokers and the queers.

These asshats, most making between $42-$47K a year with a shitty 401K and bare-bones health benefits, identify their enemy as their fellow American making between $46-$51K a year with a decent pension and benefits…and that pisses me off to no end.

[narnian60]

1. Well said.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Excellent rant!

[hamsterjill]

3. Great post.

As a middle aged white female, I'm pissed, as well. My particular piss is women who vote for Republicans that want to take females back to the dark ages.

Thanks for your insight.

[3catwoman3]

4. A righteous, pithy, and eloquent rant.

Well said, sir. You summarized their bullshit perfectly.

[The Polack MSgt]

5. Here Here

We should start a club...

Says another pissed off retired military middle aged middle class white man.

The reflexive hatred - based on fear - makes me cringe.

[Arkansas Granny]

6. K & R. Great post!

[LiberalArkie]

7. They think that once the people at the top get all they can hold on to, it will start spilling

from the overflow at the top of the pile. They forget the the 1% have the overflow going to the islands, so it will never overflow the ones under them.

[OneGrassRoot]

8. Bravo, thank you, and K&R! n/t

[thereismore]

9. Righteous! Respect. nt

[Hayduke Bomgarte]

10. I'm 52 and also pissed to the max

Not only about all the things you speak of, but the fact that THOSE you speak of have willingly allowed themselves to be dumbed down, systematically, to where they buy into the horseshit they THINK they're enraged at.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Outstanding, Max!

I'm 4 years older than you and no less enraged. Nice work.

[Populist_Prole]

12. Could't have said it better myself

I wish I could make every idiot I know that barks up the wrong tree read this.

[lumberjack_jeff]

13. I'm pissed that when those white working class men see the light...

... and express support for a democrat, and the only progressive running, Clinton supporters try to run them off.

"Bernie Bros" my ass. It is long past time that the democratic party articulate a credible sense of empathy for the wellbeing of working class people.

[Blue Dalek]

14. Nailed it!

Thank you!!

[jwirr]

15. Thank you and I am sure there are many more like you.

[brer cat]

16. Thank you for stating that so well!

K&R

[felix_numinous]

17. K&R!

I can't count how many people I know who talk just like you, you're definitely not alone

[Duval]

18. Great rant! K&R

[vkkv]

19. Thank you! Great post! Missed a couple though..

I'm so friggin' pissed that the GOP is making harder for people to vote.

I'm so friggin' pissed that only about one-thrid of the populous DOES VOTE!


vkkv is GETTING UPSET !!!!!!

[WilliamPitt]

20. THIS is the DU I remember

Very well done, sir.

[FailureToCommunicate]

59. +1

[druidity33]

83. +2, well said and concisely. nt.

[840high]

109. +3 and a zillion

[blm]

93. EXACTLY!!!!!

.

[bjo59]

21. What an incredibly great piece of writing.

Do you write for the public in other venues? You should! Articulate, passionate, convincing and impossible to stop reading once one starts! So right in everything you said.

[renate]

69. I'll second that n/t

[TryLogic]

22. I wish the people who need to read this would read it.

[Hayduke Bomgarte]

48. Me too, but

They probably wouldn't have the capacity to grasp any real meaning from it.

[mudstump]

23. Standing ovation....yes, you nailed it!

[SocialLibFiscalCon]

24. Kudos and Thank You

Excellent diatribe! Thank you for your service to our country and for having the courage to speak your mind.

[Hortensis]

25. America needs more people pissed off Maxrandb-style.

Don't calm down a bit, please! Maybe reinforce your braincase with some duct tape, though (yet another use for one of the world's great inventions).

[daleanime]

26. Give me the seat next to you....

well said.

[bbgrunt]

27. Righteous!

[4Q2u2]

28. I am the same wickets as you

See and hear all the BS about handouts, give-aways. Never a mention of Corporate Welfare.
It is also a mind set of "I got mine, shut the door."
Forgetting how awful our Grandparents and all working people were treated for so long.

[maxrandb]

51. It's hard to understand at times

Maybe too many of the older generation have shuffled off the mortal coil, but, it's as if people think that we did Social Security for example, just for the hell of it.

They have no idea that at one time our elderly were dying in the streets, or being shipped off to Poor Farms when their usefulness to their employer had run out.

I guess America at that time said that watching poor old people die in the streets would not stand.

Now we feel "fortunate" if one of the leading candidates for one of the major political parties says; "well, we wouldn't let people just die in the street"

Thanks a lot!

[blm]

92. Hey, old pal, can this be shared on the 'internets'?

Like Facebook?

[maxrandb]

98. I don't really do Facebook

But it's not like I have copywrite rights or anything. My military language may be too much for Facebook though.

If someone wants to share what I wrote, I have no objection.

Flattering, but I just wrote what I was feeling

[blm]

104. I know you did - but, what you feel is too real to be ignored.

And those of us who feel the same and are too awkward to express it, thank you. Thank you.

[malthaussen]

124. I agree, it is confusing...

... a great example of this: South Philly is a neighborhood that has long been historically identified with Italian immigrants. It's like the quintessential Little Italy. There are two famous tourist-trap sandwich shops right across from each other in this neighborhood, and one of them was owned by the quintessential RW bigot -- he even had a sign in his window saying that all orders must be placed in English. This, in the heart of a neighborhood where only a generation or so ago, everyone spoke Italian. It boggles the mind.

-- Mal

[irisblue]

29. 59 yr old woman here agrees with you

Well written.

[tularetom]

30. Good job!!

It deserves a permanent place on the "greatest" page!

[FighttheFuture]

31. K&R!!!! thanks!

[cap]

32. This crowd doesn't realize that

Unionized well paid teachers go hand in hand with a good school district. Houses in a good school district sell for a premium. The sale of those same houses are the underpinnings of a retirement without a pension. Without that house they are living in a Medicare/Medicaid old age home. Or their wives will be breaking their back and sacrificing their mental and physical health to take care of them. After they finish taking care of them their wives will be dependent on their kids. Or living in destitution themselves. Social security widows of $45,000 salary men get peanuts for retirement.

Fools.

[4Q2u2]

130. What they also do not realize

That unless you graduated high school in 1899, you had a very good chance of being educated by a Union Teacher.
This is nothing new, they act like Unionized Teachers is only a couple of decades old.
They fail to realize that they were Educated by a Union Teacher and as the old saying goes. "They turned out alright". Somewhat.

[Hortensis]

131. Smart people make the good teachers. Good pay

correlates strongly with smart people who correlate with good educators.

Unfortunately, I am afraid unions have been protecting bad teachers and in so doing have been ineffectual at keeping salaries and prestige high enough to attract more intelligent, energetic people to teaching. Those summers off when salaries were still comfortable enough that they could afford them were once a nice draw too.

[tblue37]

33. KnR for visibility. Brilliant rant! nt

[2naSalit]

34. Yup!

[LiberalLovinLug]

35. Right on!

Its tough to watch the Idiocracy take the country down.

[Wounded Bear]

36. When you're rant, you're rant...

thanks for sharing. I'm a little older than you, but I agree on just about all of that.

[MisterP]

37. they grew fat on the goernment cow's milk--and then decided they wanted burgers

though ironically Trump's a government-spending autarkist who's exposing the GOP trick of feeding their home states Fed dollars while screaming about gubmint spending
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-trump-big-government-20160301-story.html

[Doremus]

38. Hear hear!! nt

[Paper Roses]

39. This 73 year old widow living (barely) on SS only agrees with you.

Thanks for posting, great rant. We need more. Good points, well said!

[noiretextatique]

40. Right on, Brother!

I am a 57yo black female who shares your righteous anger

[1939]

41. Funny

I "paid any price and bore any burden" and then went "all the way for LBJ". Never knew JFK and LBJ were GOP. 1961-1989.

[barbtries]

42. brilliant rant

do you have a blog? the fb link doesn't work for me, and i would like to see this spread around.

[Funtatlaguy]

43. Good Lord! You are awesome.

I'm ready to run out of the tunnel and whip some republcan arse....lol

Seriously, I wish you would run for office.
We need people wth your passion and ability to write and speak well as a candidate for something, even if it's just your local city council.
You are great!

[beltanefauve]

63. I was thinking

the same thing.
May I have permission to spread this around?

[Surya Gayatri]

44. Rant worthy of Howard Beale. Especially this:

But what pisses me off the most is that they’ve become frightened little pissants…either brainwashed by incessant horseshit on talk radio or constantly told by Faux News that, “others” and NOT their own “effing” votes and support for the asshat party, are the reason they’ve been held back.

[B Calm]

45. K&R So true!

[mnhtnbb]

46. What a great rant.

[Z_California]

47. Standing Ovation! Drop the f'n mic!

[Locrian]

49. awesome.... also

I'm pissed that the white middle class believes that the biggest financial fuckup in history was caused, not by a bunch of arrogant self serving pricks - but that it was the fault of poor people taking out loans. That the market is the only force that is guaranteed to bring prosperity to them, and we should trust the same wallstreet geniuses with our life savings.

[zentrum]

50. Righteous!

[democrank]

52. I`m on my feet....cheering!

Well said

[LittleGirl]

53. Mic DROP!

That was rightous! Brilliant, Bravo!

[Buzz Clik]

54. +1

[riverbendviewgal]

55. You described my blue state bubba brother to a T

He loves Trump. He hates unions, although he early retired from a job he was a union member. He says he had to retire because too many lazy minorities and immigrants were becomibg members.

We are like night and day. People like him are the reason I chose to be Canadian.

[deathrind]

56. By far...

The best post I have read on DU for quite some time.

Thank you for an excellent post!

[silvershadow]

57. K&R

[Tsiyu]

58. A Most Righteous Rant

You say what I'm thinking. Anyone who thinks Trump, Cruz, et al. speak for them is blinded by someone else's agenda.

But you can't get people to see this.

You know all the the derision rightwingers have for the "everybody-gets-a-trophy" kids activities? That's how moderates treat politics:

"Now, now. Democrats and Republicans are just the same."

No. No they're not the same at all. They don't both get a trophy.

Or you have the dysfunctional 30% who hate everyone (frequent toxic denizens of news comment sections) and are probably just: evil-hearted because they get off on being evil/sick and in pain so they lash out/from horribly abusive backgrounds/addicted to Anger Porn aka FOX News or GodComplex Porn aka cultish church doctrine/living alone because no one can stand them.

Some people hate to realize they've been played for fools, and others care very, very deeply what their "tribe" thinks, so they will not say or do anything to not fit in, even if they're fitting in with misguided and uneducated rubes.

So we get apathetic or misled voters.

And the foxes guard the henhouse while pitting the beleaguered chickens against each other.

[Katashi_itto]

60. I am also pissed that some Dems think voting for the "Hydra" Candidate Clinton

think that will also improve what is being done to us.

[maxrandb]

62. I like Bernie

but I also like Hillary Clinton, and I know that either one of them would be 100 times better than any ReTrumplican.

We need to stop this stuff. Right now, FDR would be considered too Conservative from some on DU, and that's a damn shame. It's also what the right depends on. Divide and conquer. Drum up outrage within the left about Hillary's vote for the Iraq War (BTW - that is mischaracterized. It was a vote authorizing the President to use force, NOT a declaration of War)

Anyway, while the left is distracted by this "outrage", we'll come in and pick the pockets of the Middle Class and poor once again.

Please answer me this, or answer yourself this question; "do you really believe that if Hillary Clinton, or John Kerry were President at the time instead of "Dubya", they would have fucked up the Iraq issue like Dubya, or would they have been more rational and cautious?"

I guarantee you one thing...neither of them would have been getting advice from Dick Cheney!

Just do us old farts a favor. Support and work for Bernie if you like. Support and work for Hillary in you like. But, when a nominee is selected, work to defeat the "real" enemy to our country...the T-bagging ReTrumplicans!

[Surya Gayatri]

77. Max, you are a true Mensch--your integrity and honor shine through your words.

We need to stop this stuff. Right now, FDR would be considered too Conservative from some on DU, and that's a damn shame. It's also what the right depends on. Divide and conquer. Drum up outrage within the left about Hillary's vote for the Iraq War (BTW - that is mischaracterized. It was a vote authorizing the President to use force, NOT a declaration of War)
.../...

...Support and work for Bernie if you like. Support and work for Hillary in you like. But, when a nominee is selected, work to defeat the "real" enemy to our country...the T-bagging ReTrumplicans!

[maddiemom]

128. YES! I agree completely.

[ReRe]

61. K&R

You need to run for office.

[bigbadR]

64. Agree 100%, but not just cowardice

Not only are these guys cowards they are ignorant. Their continued support of people and policies that create more and more suffering, theirs included is why public education is so crucial to our democracy. Since the Reagan era our public eduction has suffered on all levels. In current so called red states elected representatives have cut huge amounts millions upon millions for higher education. At the same time college has become prohibitively expensive for many of us. As a result IGNORANCE is becoming the status quo. Ignorance supported by and leading to extreme philosophies, ignorance supported by the notion that everybody must agree with my point of view or suffer hate, harassment and persecution. This is patently absurd and is 100% antithetical to any and all democratic practices and principals. The behind the scenes powers that be and big monied interest know that ignorant people are much easier to brainwash, manipulate and control. This is why "higher education" is becoming out of bounds for most Americans. It is also why we need to run progressive, educated, ethical and non-religious extremists for local school boards. All of us need to work our hearts out for the destruction of ignorance.

[malaise]

65. Great post

Rec

[onecaliberal]

66. Hear, hear!

K&R.... Will you please run for office?

[alarimer]

67. A righteous rant.

I'm also pissed at all that AND at the military bloat. All those millions (billions) pissed away on weapons we don't need, that don't work and that only exist to keep contractors fat and happy.

[porkified]

68. right on brother---EX AF

I cant agree with you more---get ready to rock!

[oldandhappy]

70. Well said. Thank you lots. Stay pissed!

[brush]

71. WooHoo! Maxrandb for VP. What a rightgeous rant.

[NikolaC]

72. Absolutely! K&R

Well said!

[Sunlei]

73. A Gazillion Thumbs UP!!

........
............

[scottie55]

74. Join The Club

EOM

[StarzGuy]

75. I am also mad a hell. I am one of those teachers who now am disabled and...

...I can't make ends meet with my SSDI benefit and a small pension. I feel I was sold a bill of goods not worth a plug nickle. I worked hard as a teacher for over 30 years. I was always discounted, I didn't matter, little if any respect from administrators, parents, kids and the state legislature. It took me nearly 30 years to attain a mid $50K salary with benefits. I have many degrees all the way up to a PhD. but it makes little difference. How is it that a professional sports player can be worth $150,000,000 and I, a teacher can not even afford to live anymore given the meager disability benefit? What kind of F**ked up world is this?

Trickle down (Pi** down in actuality) BS started long before Reagan, but in fairness the meanest pile of poop began with his administration. Dems made few inroads and were also part of the demise of the middle class. Once in office, their salaries and back door deals makes them rich and part of the 1%.

I'm really not all that political but I do know when I've been sold that sorry bill of goods AKA you can make it into the middle class and have a good life.

[RKP5637]

76. I'm with you!!! n/t

[WDIM]

78. Can't disagree with any of that

well said.

[annabanana]

79. In addition to being 55, middle class, white,male,retired military, and pissed as hell; YOU sir, ,

can WRITE!

kudos you, you, author you!

[haikugal]

80. Righteous rant sir! Well said.

[wolfie001]

81. Every Repuke you named in your rant is a....

...PIECE OF SHIT!!!!!!!! And Thank you for your service!

[Stinky The Clown]

82. Love a good rant. Even better when its righteous!

[footinmouth]

84. Post of the day for me

[TipTok]

85. Plus you appear to be a Brown's fan...

That's rough...

[emmadoggy]

86. A-MEN!!!!

Righteous and dead-on rant!!!

[Punkingal]

87. Fabulous rant!

Thank you!

[Third Doctor]

88. Damned right!

[Thespian2]

89. Have to give that Rant an A+...

Well-done

[Pakid]

90. you are100% right

Now how do we change these people for the better?

[blm]

91. POST OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!

15 years and…..you're still a treasure.

[Rabrrrrrr]

94. Totally agree with you! I'm angry in the same way, too!

[Skittles]

95. PREACH IT maxrandb

[MerryBlooms]

96. Rec & Kick.

[DrewFlorida]

97. I'm also a middle aged white male who's pissed as hell....well said maxrandb

[Scruffy Rumbler]

99. Hear, here!

Last edited Wed Apr 13, 2016, 08:22 PM - Edit history (2)

If I may be so bold as to add,
I am not having a conversation about racism with a racist.
I am not having a conversation about LGBT rights with a homophobic christian.
I am not having a conversation why your religious freedom should allow you to make another person's life horrible.
I am not having a conversation with anyone about limiting a woman's healthcare choices.

These conversations have been had by the adult, caring, compassionate and loving members of the human SPECIES, not race, SPECIES and we decide along time ago that this hatred and division is not to be allowed in our PUBLIC COMMUNAL SPACES.

Keep your home as you see fit. Keep your sacred spaces as you see fit. And how others do or do not keep theirs, is of NO CONCERN to anyone else!

I do not want to see a man being tortured to death every time I leave my home, yet on EVERY road I travel, I am subjected to that triggering image. On businesses, in front yards, on cars and as litter on the side of the road where people died. I have compassion for your loss and that is why we have cemeteries. Forcing your grief on others is not right. And because we are a polite society, we allow these intrusions into our lives so you may live your life.

I do not want to see any flag from the traitorous confederacy. They lost that battle though they still fight the war. How can you be proud of a heritage that required humans to be in bondage to exist? How can you say you are an American and worship those that sought to tear this country apart? You should be embarrassed!

Do not pass racist memes that hold our veterans up as a false comparison to some minority group, to show how undeserving that minority group is. If $15.00 an hour is too much to pay a single working mother because our active duty soldiers make less, then get pissed at the people in power that think asking a young poor person to put their lives on the line for our safety for poverty wages is fair. Not the people that have to work for a living. GET PISSED AT THE RICH FUCKERS STEELING OUR WEALTH, PRODUCTIVITY AND LIVES!

There was a time when people fought for literacy and education. Now people are proud of their stupidity and display it as if it was a badge of honor!

[maddiemom]

127. Excellent addition tothe original rant!

[mrsadm]

100. This has been SO TRUE for SO LONG

I cannot believe any of these people will ever wake up, and it frustrates me NO END that not one of them is capable of a tiny, minute bit of critical thinking about this situation. Remember the book written seemingly many years ago, "What's the matter with Kansas?" How do they never, never see?

(Utterly depressed...........)

[smirkymonkey]

101. Bravo!

Brilliant rant!

[Stellar]

102. You've said it all!!!

[MaeScott]

103. say that! kicked

[joanbarnes]

105. Well said, maxrandb: You are 100% correct.

[Raster]

106. Tell it, Brother! T-E-L-L I-T!

[rwsanders]

107. Not just an excellent rant, but I think an excellent start on a campaign platform. Ever think about

running yourself?
It is a big commitment, but if you life would allow it, you should go for it.
Where I live at the state level many right wingers run unopposed, but financially, I couldn't make the switch.

[hfojvt]

108. ah, I love the smell of hate in the morning

oh wait, no I don't.

All your anger and hatred towards your fellow Americans might make you and the choir feel good, and also feel superior, but it doesn't really help us win elections.

"Hey you cowardly a$$hats, vote for us, because liberals really care about you."

[mdbl]

117. Sometimes, there's nowhere else to go.

After banging your head against a wall of lunacy, you just have to say WTF!! I applaud your ability to stay calm in the face of a continuing disaster.

[A HERETIC I AM]

110. Happy to be rec #330

What an astoundingly well written post.

[demigoddess]

111. yes

[Uncle Joe]

112. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, maxrandb.

[cheapdate]

113. Right on!

[Iwillnevergiveup]

114. Oh my, maxrandb

You've been doing some serious soul-searching. Lucky for us, your thoughts got transcribed. You've expressed what's in my heart, and I thank you.

[w4rma]

115. They do it because they get mixed signals from the 'New' Democrats.

They're confused and the neoliberals running the Democratic Party, currently, are trying to keep them confused.

[mdbl]

116. Well said!

[secondwind]

118. K&R!!! wonderful, wonderful post!

[archiemo]

119. MIC DROP!!!

[Loki]

120. Thank you for putting into words exactly what I feel.

[yuiyoshida]

121. K&R

TWEETED.

[ProfessorPlum]

122. You had me at "ass-pickle"

[malthaussen]

123. Righteous rant.

Walt Kelly may have the floor for me.

-- Mal

[raouldukelives]

125. And as our future becomes warmer and less hospitable to lifeforms.

Thanks in large part to efforts of shareholders investing against us all hearing the truth. They would like to make sure we have as few benefits as possible because they know fully well they will be needed more than ever.

[cynzke]

126. Yesterday on a post about Obamacare....

a man was complaining about taxpayers having to pay for the subsidies. The kicker was this guy works for VDOT. And who pays for HIS salary and benefits? At the VDOT website under employment, the VDOT boasts that an employee earning $40,000 ACTUALLY receives $71,000 in COMPENSATION. The employee only pays tax on $40,000 salary, and gets a tax free subsidy of $31,000.

[JEB]

129. K&R&bookmark nt

[Efilroft Sul]

132. I signed in for the first time in weeks just to rec your post.

Good job.

[Octafish]

133. Historic post, maxrandb.

On the money.