"Uncle" I say. The undermining of the middle class, skewed tax

[texpatriot2004]

laws, inflation, lower wages, higher gas prices, unemployment, the hostile take-over of this government, the complete disregard for the environment, the human suffering caused by the policies of this evil regime, and more, so much more.

I remember before 2000 my life was so much better. My world was so much better. The minute the "Supreme Court" got political and selected that lying lunatic * I had such a horrible feeling inside, a foreshadowing of events to come.

"Uncle" I say. I have had it. I am barely breathing. I am so financially stressed. I haven't been able to find a job in over two years. I used to be the middle class. Now I am being attacked by my own people...supposedly my government but they are only in favor of big business and corporate greed now; they are not my government. Plus, to make matters worse, I am so terrified by this government, by this evil regime, that I can't concentrate on anything now. I can't sleep anymore. After Katrina, which was the last straw for me, I don't trust this government to look after me or my family.

"Uncle" dammit "Uncle."

[tx_dem41]

1. Respectfully....

get a grip and step away from the board if this is truly how you feel. As much as we are obsessed with politics on this board, we too easily forget about all the personal, enriching things that we could and should be doing with our lives. Being obsessed with politics ultimately is only going to destroy you. Seek balance.

[texpatriot2004]

2. Thanks for sharing.n.t

[texpatriot2004]

3. Kick it for those who feel like I do. n.t

[electropop]

4. I am similarly stressed, but I have optimism now.

The prosecutors, investigators, and the media are finally piling on the fascists. Between Traitorgate, Abramoff, and Katrina, they will soon find themselves on the street or behind bars. I predict this regime will be impeached and out by August 2006.

[texpatriot2004]

7. Yes, Thank God for all the negative attention they are getting and

for Fitzgerald and Earle and for all those working with them too. I am grateful for so much of this action.

[amitten]

5. Uncle, my ass.

Don't you dare let this government, this economy, this forum or anything else for that matter get you so down. Times are rough. They've been even rougher. And things always change eventually. This too shall pass, as they say...get up early tomorrow and watch the sun rise. Then sit down and evaluate what steps need to be taken to change your life. Not the whole world--just your life. Make a list. I promise, it won't be as bad as you think.

[texpatriot2004]

6. Well, I AM NOT GIVING UP but I am feeling the twist. n.t

[amitten]

8. You need to feel a different kind of twist.

Like, a nice cold vodka tonic with a twist.:o

[texpatriot2004]

9. Well, the thing is, I don't drink. I am going thru this whole 5 + yrs

stone cold sober.

[amitten]

10. Well now, whose fault is THAT?!

Nothing wrong with a little occasional, responsible self-medication.
:party:

[texpatriot2004]

11. LOL thanks for the laugh n/t

[lonestarnot]

12. I know exactly how you feel texpatriot2004!

My anger keeps me going. You need to concentrate on getting some where that you can become employed. That will help you keep from dwelling on the screwing that we are getting. Then when you get off work, go freeway blogging, paint signs, educate the neighborhood, join a protest to blow off some steam. You'll find yourself accomplishing who knows what and feeling better too!

[Arugula Latte]

25. Wow. I don't know how I could have coped for the last five years

w/out my glass/es of wine in the evening!

[tnlefty]

26. Yep. My spouse and children were shocked when I made the

announcement that I intend to drink my way through the 2nd term of bush**. I wasn't much of a drinker, but I have a beer or 2 or wine everyday.

[texpatriot2004]

27. It gets harder and harder. I am really sickened by the state of

the "Union" these days.

[SammyWinstonJack]

30. Okay that sucks!

Not sure I could handle these past 5+ years 'stone cold sober'. Pinhead** certainly hasn't, of that much, I am sure. Brain damaged drunk has ruined nearly everything.

[PowerToThePeople]

13. I understand exactly.

This whole country is so fooked up at the moment. WE are basically used as slave labor. We have no rights, accept to work away at whatever pittance they will let us have.

My life was worlds better before * was wrongfully given this country as well. Been in a subtle state of depression ever since 2000, with a major state of depression after 9/11 and during the buildup/lies that lead to the illegal war in Iraq. That deep depression took me until this year to break.

My life is still not even close to as well off as the pre-* years, and truthfully I see no hope of if ever attaining the stability/hopefulness that I would have had at this point if things had continued on the "getting better" years of the democrats reign in government.

If not for extreme self-medicating when I need to step away from this situation, I am sure I would have ended my own life by this point. Thank God for weekends, booze, and lose women.

[ninkasi]

14. I know, it's horrible...

It's like the universe changed when the Bush thing was foisted on us. Life has become grim, hateful, hopeless, and ugly. What kind of work are you looking for? I think that not being able to find a job is bad enough, not only economically, but for self esteem, and that just leads to more hopelessness.

Do you have a strong support system in your family, where you can find emotional help, if not financial? I truly feel bad for you. I'm a native Texan, and have never lived anywhere else. It's hard sometimes, because I hate being disgusted with my state and my country, but Bush has caused me to feel that way about them both.

Texpatriot, I hope that this regime will be swept out of power, that their own arrogance and corruption will lead to their downfall, and that the pendulum will swing back to the left, and sanity, and a chance to right some of the truly criminal social injustices which have occurred during the last 5 years. Don't give up.

[texpatriot2004]

15. Thank you for your thoughtful reply. It is a doubly wammy with

the state and federal issues, I agree.

I know many good things are going on right now. At least they are investigating and it's being talked about. I hope that they will be forced out too.

Do I have a support system? I guess, probably better than most. Thanks for asking.

As far as work goes, my background is office managment/administrative work I am looking for a change, or I was, now I would probably take whatever was decent. I am doing some career training...paralegal, not done yet. I think after Enron the market for people doing what I did was flooded. Then the economy only got worse and now it's looking like Barnes & Noble would be great...anything.

Oh well, thanks again for your kind remarks.

[1932]

16. barbara ehrenreich is trying to orgainze the un- and under-employed

through her web site.

http://www.barbaraehrenreich.com/forum/toast.asp

It doesn't look terribly active right now...

[Skidmore]

17. How many un- and under-employed can afford computers

or internet access when shelter and food are hard to come by? I respect Barbara greatly, but the only way she will accomplish this is to pound the pavement, just like she did for her book.

[1932]

18. It's something she's doing as part of "Bait and Switch" which is a book

about white collar unemployment.

All her previous books have been about the poor and the working class. But this one is about white collar unempployment. So, there are parts about doing the daily, depressing internet job search.

I guess she figured if white collar under and unemployed people had their computers on and were depressing themselves looking for jobs, it wouldn't be a big leap to try to get them organized by computer.

She certainly didn't try to organize the sorts of people she wrote about in Nickel and Dimed by computer.

[texpatriot2004]

19. Hey thanks for the link above I didn't know about that. I saw her

yesterday on Democracy Now re: Bait and Switch. She said 44% of the unemployed are like me. It's part of the undoing of the middle class. The interview was very interesting.

[1932]

22. I have a friend who works at a huge international company that

manufactures very expensive items that are in the garage of probably one out of seven American homes. She says that the people who work in the plants have it made compared to all the white collar workers because they have unions.

She works on a floor of a building across the street from international corporate headquarters with dozens of lawyers and accountants who are ALL temporary/contract workers. Not a single one of them is a direct employee of the company. They have very little job security and no benefits, but they're all people with undergraduate and graduate degrees who, in a previous era, would have been solidly middle class and would have had job security and futures and secure retirements.

So, not only are the unemployed increasingly coming from sectors of the economy that are well-educated and experiensed, many people from that same demographic who are lucky to be employed aren't really in a much better position except that they are, for now, getting a pay check.

We used to have one america, then we had three, and now our government is taking the America in the middle out so that there are only two Americas left.

[bluedawg12]

23. Yup, shurbco is devastating the middle class and wealth is now

either some obscene number in the millions or you are at the bottom of the pyramid.

All that go-go greed of the 90's, then the bubble burst- and you know I still see 30 something buying 600,000 dollar and up, homes, driving Escalads- something is screwy. Either they are in heavy debt - or I have missed something about where the good paying jobs are.

Seriously, who are these new yuppies? Can't all be lawyers, stock brokers...

We refinanced the old house and that saved something, bought a 3 year old car when the 10 year old kicked off...in another words trying to avoid accumulating debt.

[pitohui]

29. libraries have free internet access

i'm surprised in 2005 so many americans still don't know this

use yr public library

i've had active correspondences even w. homeless ppl & even met one of them as a result of the internet, those from a middle class background who lost everything as a result of the economy rather than because of mental illness can still look damned presentable & be allowed in the library & you'd never guess

did you think everyone using those public terminals was just afraid to knock their 10 yr old off the home computer? :-)

[Deja Q]

20. At least you know you have a family.

I fear this is the downfall of America.

But there is nothing we can do.

Focus on what can make you smile.

We've all got to.

And we all need that reminder at times. And I need it often enough, myself.

[texpatriot2004]

21. What do you fear will be the downfall? The economic collapse?

Just curious.

[texpatriot2004]

24. Today I heard more of the attack on the middle class is coming

I am so sick of this evil regime. You know, when do people see that this is an assault on the middle class? This is not incompetence or happenstance...it's a purposeful dismantling of our way of life.

[Delphinus]

37. You're absolutely correct, texpatriot.

It is a "purposeful dismantling of our way of life."

I've been saying this for years to anyone who would listen. Some look at me askance, and run away fast. Others will, at least, listen with an open head.

[Kurovski]

28. I spend half of my day reading, thinking and writing about Bushco.

I have suffered economically along with many other Americans.

I hold BushCo completely responsible for an electric bill that went from $40.00 a month to $90.00. One word: Enron.

I've let things I need to do go by the wayside in order to keep an eye out on the actions of BushCo.

The only bright spot is that I'm working on a project that will hopefully bring in a few bucks for all the time I've spent watching the criminals in our WH. It will definitely be satisfying.

I'm amazed at how many people I see around me who still believe that ignorance is still somehow bliss. Their numbers however, are dwindling.

I sleep well, and always have unless I'm ill. I'm sorry to hear that is a problem for you, texpatriot2004. You need to rest or your health will suffer. I'd try some non-drug techniques. we need you operating under full-steam at DU! :-)

[texpatriot2004]

31. Thanks for your kind words. Good luck with the project, hope it

is fruitful.

[Kurovski]

34. Thank you. I hope that you can get work soon.

Maybe someone on DU will have a lead. I noticed a few tips as I perused the posts.

The best thing we can do is change those in power. All of our lives will improve.

You are working to do good in the world. When you feel down, remember that.

Nothing changes when we don't pay attention. Unfortunately paying attention is very painful these days.

Be sure to pull yourself away when stress reaches to high a level. Personally, I toss in a tape of the Simpsons or take time out to listen to music.

You'll know what to do, just remind yourself to do it! :hug:

[ComerPerro]

32. Fascinating to watch, though.

The upper class Republicans are able to pass tax cut after tax cut that only benefits the rich because of the system they have put in place.

They make things harder on the middle class by shifting the tax burden to them, and then whip them into a frenzy against big government, wasteful spending, and high taxes, all so they can rally the masses to lower taxes for the rich again.

[texpatriot2004]

33. I am so sick of looking for work these days. You NEVER get to

talk to real people. It sucks. I am now trying to find work with a person or organization working for this cause because I am consumed and that would be the only way to feel better about these circumstances I find myself in thanks to BushCo. Unfortunately, I don't get to talk directly with people who are hiring, or they are not hiring at this time, blah blah blah

Don't call us, we'll call you. Nobody calls. I hate this and it only adds to my frustration level.

[skids]

35. You aren't missing much.

I do get occasional interviews, though most places just seem to blackhole your resume without so much of a "yep we got it" email. With the exception of one particular institution I won't name where there were real people, the rest of the folks I've been interviewed by I wouldn't have hired myself.

The inmates are truly in charge of the asylum. It seems like those who knew they didn't deserve their jobs won out and held onto them. You can tell they're boobs just from the mistakes they make in the hiring process. (For example, they think they are HR experts or something, because they never call your references but they seem to be so great at interviewing that they can tell a man's worth from two hours in a room.)

Be prepared for an entire world run solely by yes men and lackies. Not the sort of thing we need on top of pending economic doom.

[texpatriot2004]

36. I am missing a salary with benefits. I wish you could speak with

real people in a job search these days. It's always a fax # or an email and like you say, you don't even know if they got your resume or not.

I have only had a few interviews in all this time. It sucks. The economy sucks.