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In reply to the discussion: Confession of a former Rush Limbaugh fan [View all]CrispyQ
(36,478 posts)141. Joe Conservative Gets His Way
Joe Conservative Gets His Way
Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He turns on the faucet and sees the brownish water, again. Sometimes clear, sometimes not. He fills his water filter and waits for it to filter through because the republicans have weakened the basic minimum water standards.
He gets his daily medication as the coffee brews. He hopes his medications are safe to take because the republicans have gutted the FDA in their quest to cut government spending. He puts the pill in the pill cutter because he has to pay for most of his medication and it has to last. Without government oversight, his employers medical plan barely pays for anything, but hes still paying into a health insurance system that doesnt pay back. He spent hours on the phone getting what little he has.
Joe pulls the bacon from the refrigerator for his morning breakfast and is shocked at how discolored it is after only being purchased a couple of days ago. The republicans gutted the budget for the USDA and loosened regulations the meat packing industry. They dont have to label inspection and expiration dates anymore. He throws the rotted meat into the garbage bag and drinks the rest of the coffee.
Joe takes his morning shower and reaches for the shampoo. The shampoo contains benzene, formaldehyde, and other carcinogens as filler, but Joe cant know this. The republicans have loosened labeling laws and have left it to the industry to police itself. They put some of the ingredients on the label, but conveniently left off the dangerous ones. The FTC, too, has been gutted in the quest to cut government spending.
Joe begins his work day; hoping that this wont be his last day, last week, or last month on the job that can be moved overseas at any given moment. Before the republicans took over, he had a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation, but the republicans have cut oversight in the interest of the free market. Joes employer pays the minimum they can. The employees pay most of their medical and retirement. They get the major holidays off, but other days off arent paid. The employees cant bargain for better conditions because theres no union. Theres no federal Department of Laboranother casualty of republican budget cuts.
If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he wont get a worker compensation or unemployment check because the republicans dont want to make big business pay more than they have to. Its up to the goodwill of the business to pay workers compensation or severance, they arent required. Joe is on his own and SOL.
Its noon time, Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. He has multiple accounts at different banks so that if one should fail, all of his money isnt lost. Joes deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC, but to a decreased $25,000 because the banking lobby convinced the republicans that they could be trusted. While hes there, Joe has to pay his home mortgage and his student loan at above market rate because his family wasnt well-off enough to get a lower rate.
Joe is home from work, dragging in after another 10 hour day, for which hell get only an added 10%--no time-and-a-half overtime. He wants to stay employed, so he doesnt complain--no Department of Labor. He tries to find the energy to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads house. He hopes that he doesnt die in a crash due to unsafe and cheap materials, as he has seen on various news reports. There are few auto safety laws; the auto lobby convinced the republicans that they need to be able to compete with foreign automakers. Too many regulations would hamper them, so they were removed.
He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didnt want to make rural loans. The house didnt, and still doesnt, have electric power because the regional electric company decided that it was too expensive to run power lines, and the electric company isnt required. If farmers and rural people want electric power, they have to pay for the privilege. He walks into the old house lit only by the fading sun, a fireplace, and camp lanterns.
He isnt happy to see his dad, who is now retired, because he is worried about him. His dad lives on church and charity handouts because his company pension was gutted by greedy executives a few years ago. There's no Social Security, it was a casualty of the republican budget cuts, too. He gets a fraction of whats left in the fund, so he doesnt live well. Joe gives him what he can spare, but it isnt much. Joe cant afford to take him because he cant get a loan to renovate his house because he doesnt make enough money. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the teary ride back home.
He turns on a radio talk show, the host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. Joe agrees, After all, Im a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have! Id hate to see life in the US if those damned liberals were in charge!
Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He turns on the faucet and sees the brownish water, again. Sometimes clear, sometimes not. He fills his water filter and waits for it to filter through because the republicans have weakened the basic minimum water standards.
He gets his daily medication as the coffee brews. He hopes his medications are safe to take because the republicans have gutted the FDA in their quest to cut government spending. He puts the pill in the pill cutter because he has to pay for most of his medication and it has to last. Without government oversight, his employers medical plan barely pays for anything, but hes still paying into a health insurance system that doesnt pay back. He spent hours on the phone getting what little he has.
Joe pulls the bacon from the refrigerator for his morning breakfast and is shocked at how discolored it is after only being purchased a couple of days ago. The republicans gutted the budget for the USDA and loosened regulations the meat packing industry. They dont have to label inspection and expiration dates anymore. He throws the rotted meat into the garbage bag and drinks the rest of the coffee.
Joe takes his morning shower and reaches for the shampoo. The shampoo contains benzene, formaldehyde, and other carcinogens as filler, but Joe cant know this. The republicans have loosened labeling laws and have left it to the industry to police itself. They put some of the ingredients on the label, but conveniently left off the dangerous ones. The FTC, too, has been gutted in the quest to cut government spending.
Joe begins his work day; hoping that this wont be his last day, last week, or last month on the job that can be moved overseas at any given moment. Before the republicans took over, he had a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation, but the republicans have cut oversight in the interest of the free market. Joes employer pays the minimum they can. The employees pay most of their medical and retirement. They get the major holidays off, but other days off arent paid. The employees cant bargain for better conditions because theres no union. Theres no federal Department of Laboranother casualty of republican budget cuts.
If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he wont get a worker compensation or unemployment check because the republicans dont want to make big business pay more than they have to. Its up to the goodwill of the business to pay workers compensation or severance, they arent required. Joe is on his own and SOL.
Its noon time, Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. He has multiple accounts at different banks so that if one should fail, all of his money isnt lost. Joes deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC, but to a decreased $25,000 because the banking lobby convinced the republicans that they could be trusted. While hes there, Joe has to pay his home mortgage and his student loan at above market rate because his family wasnt well-off enough to get a lower rate.
Joe is home from work, dragging in after another 10 hour day, for which hell get only an added 10%--no time-and-a-half overtime. He wants to stay employed, so he doesnt complain--no Department of Labor. He tries to find the energy to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads house. He hopes that he doesnt die in a crash due to unsafe and cheap materials, as he has seen on various news reports. There are few auto safety laws; the auto lobby convinced the republicans that they need to be able to compete with foreign automakers. Too many regulations would hamper them, so they were removed.
He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didnt want to make rural loans. The house didnt, and still doesnt, have electric power because the regional electric company decided that it was too expensive to run power lines, and the electric company isnt required. If farmers and rural people want electric power, they have to pay for the privilege. He walks into the old house lit only by the fading sun, a fireplace, and camp lanterns.
He isnt happy to see his dad, who is now retired, because he is worried about him. His dad lives on church and charity handouts because his company pension was gutted by greedy executives a few years ago. There's no Social Security, it was a casualty of the republican budget cuts, too. He gets a fraction of whats left in the fund, so he doesnt live well. Joe gives him what he can spare, but it isnt much. Joe cant afford to take him because he cant get a loan to renovate his house because he doesnt make enough money. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the teary ride back home.
He turns on a radio talk show, the host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. Joe agrees, After all, Im a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have! Id hate to see life in the US if those damned liberals were in charge!
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Yeah, as much as I hate to admit it right wing radio/internet and Fox news
SomethingFishy
Jan 2014
#20
The problem is that he had to go through so much pain to get to the point of having
bluestate10
Jan 2014
#36
I absolutely agree with these posts. Where is these people's empathy when they were riding high.
olegramps
Jan 2014
#128
go through so much pain to get to the point of having empathy for unfortunate people
AlbertCat
Jan 2014
#153
Personally, I wish you all the luck in the world and your future is much better than your recent
world wide wally
Jan 2014
#17
You would be doing a greater service to all of us if you posted this on right wing websites
Maynar
Jan 2014
#23
The poster would be attacked unmercifully if he posted that on Free Republic.
Enthusiast
Jan 2014
#100
You are one of many who has voted against their best interest. Sorry for your
Thinkingabout
Jan 2014
#22
Good. So what would have opened the window into your mind, or otherwise helped you
jtuck004
Jan 2014
#40
Best wishes and don't forget to 'pay it forward.' Let compassion flow through you now. n/t
freshwest
Jan 2014
#41
The fact is that unless the OP inherits a lot of money or wins a big lottery prize, he is of
bluestate10
Jan 2014
#66
And I also note that the OP lacks any confessions, any apologies, and any sign of contrition.
Egalitarian Thug
Jan 2014
#88
Completely agreed. Want to make any bet on the likelihood of this one doing anything
Egalitarian Thug
Jan 2014
#111
Actually, he said that he now realizes that he was wrong to have believed that
StevieM
Jan 2014
#158
Yes. He should wear a sack cloth and ashes, and a large "R" on his clothing!
Tommy_Carcetti
Jan 2014
#112
What is it about this country where people constantly demand repudiation and recompense?
Tommy_Carcetti
Jan 2014
#117
welcome honey. I am sorry for the hardship but love your company. You are most welcome here.
roguevalley
Jan 2014
#48
Most people can't or don't empathize with another until shit happens to them. nt
kelliekat44
Jan 2014
#54
Unfortunately you've experienced the full impact of living in a right-wing-soused society, as have
indepat
Jan 2014
#53
What's truely disturbing is the negativity and meaness that comes from the right wing.
mountain grammy
Jan 2014
#60
Gerogie, what are your thoughts on changing the minds of those who haven't been through what you hav
reformist2
Jan 2014
#68
America's new Middle Class: "One paycheck or health crisis away from living in the gutter."
philly_bob
Jan 2014
#133
some tree-hugging liberal fought for water-quality standardS, wasnt that nixon who signed the clean
leftyohiolib
Jan 2014
#152
welcome to DU--looking forward to your responses to the serious questions posed to you.
niyad
Jan 2014
#150