I want to share a conversation I had today at work

[mediawatch]

I work in building that has 3 shifts all getting payed minimum wage. There is a small group of us in the technology dept, but we are way back in the building and our door is locked. I only see the other folks when I go outside for a smoke. yes I smoke.

Now I am trying to set the scene and I hope I do it properly and politically correct. In any event, I go out an smoke and one of the proofer's is out there smoking also. We chat and she goes off on bush and iraq and the illegals. Her english is as about as good as my grammer. She was went on about gas prices and how she can't afford to fill her tank, and how much food cost.......you can imagine the rest.

She is poor and uneducated but far from stupid. I make 90k a year, but not for long. My job is going to India. What I want to share with you, what really shook me up and made me scared was her last comment to me. AS I paraphrase: She said I don't care about the illegals they can have their crop pic-ken jobs. I don't want to do that, but damn now we are running neck and neck with the middle class and that is not good.

I froze, she was right. I am her. For the first time in my life the poor have put me on an equal level and now she sees me as competition. To what? walmart, waitressing you name it.

[bluerum]

1. Errrr. Yeah. Welcome aboard. We are all just "the workforce" now.

There is no middle class. On paper maybe. But they are just there to provide accounting mechanisms for the ongoing transfer of wealth.

[mediawatch]

3. wow excuse me if I am late to the game

but reality sucks. For the first time in my life and I have been thru a lot. I am scared. Too old for a new career and to young to retire.

what do we do? I don't want to lose everything I have built in my life.

[bluerum]

4. Vote my friend. And get active. Cause it is happening right under our noses. eom

[mediawatch]

6. vote for who?

I don't mean to sound angry, well I am. Who shall I vote for? Has Hillary said she will stop outsources? Has Obama? shit has mitt said he will stop outsourcing?

Corporations run this country and unless DK gets in, no one will help us

Please tell me who should I vote for, what should I get active in. I type this in distress so take no offense

[magellan]

8. Kucinich opposes outsourcing

He's one of the only Dem candidates (if not THE only Dem candidate) who has clearly stated he wants to put a stop to the assault on our middle class. More at the link:

The exodus of jobs from our shores and the "race to the bottom" for workers around the world is an 
obvious result of NAFTA and the WTO, both of which make it impossible to place taxes or tariffs on 
outsourced work. The search for countries where workers are unrepresented and environmental rules are 
lax must end. NAFTA, WTO, "Fast Track" legislation, and the Free Trade Area of the Americas must be 
rejected and replaced with Fair Trade policies in which bilateral trade agreements are negotiated to 
provide for living wages for workers and environmental safeguards. Canceling NAFTA and the WTO will 
enable the U.S. to protect high-tech jobs from outsourcing. This, plus careful monitoring of H-1B visa 
practices, will slow the tide of outsourcing.

http://kucinich.us/issues/outsourcing.php

Welcome to DU, though I'm sorry it's under such circumstances. Please rant away, but also try to put your anger to constructive use! Me, I'm voting Kucinich.

[bluerum]

10. Follow your heart. eom

[DKRC]

9. You're not too old

I'm 45, single Mom, and I started my own business this year because I'm sick of having to start over when my jobs get "downsized". Been there a coupla times over the last decade. It's not easy, but it is doable.
You've come to the right place.
Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Horse with no Name]

2. I think it is something that we should all take a hard look at

That unless we are sitting up in the higher tax brackets who can take advantage of Bush's tax breaks...our life, our livelihoods...none of it is secure.

[cally]

5. Our middle class is unraveling

The last ten years have been devastating to America. I know it's not reported but we are losing our middle class. We are going back to a rich and poor society with no middle class. I don't want to go there but's there we are headed.

[Iris]

7. Are you married?

If not, maybe you should find a wife so you can have a second income.

I know that sounds trite, but ...

[Hekate]

11. Mom used to say: "In the Depression there were men with Master's degrees pumping gas...

...and there were gas station owners who would only hire men with that level of education." Her implication was that the hiring decision was not out of some charitable impulse, but to bring someone down low, if you see what I mean. But it also meant that a qualified grease monkey didn't get the job. Talk about stoking class friction.

I think your co-worker intuitively knows this. And I got the same chill you did, reading her words.

Welcome to DU -- you will find a lot of company here. You'll discover that a lot of us like Lou Dobbs for at least one thing: his drumbeat on the "Outsourcing of America" and the destruction of the middle class thereby.

You currently have a fortunate salary, but since you can see the writing on the wall I suggest that you downscale your standard of living as much as possible and start socking away nearly everything you earn. If you have a mortgage on an affordable home or condo, see how much you can pay ahead on the principle and if you can pay it off years sooner; if you have overstretched yourself on real estate, consider selling it to get out from under the mortgage.

Yeah, these are scary times. The economists who blather on about how good the economy is are obviously not checking in with the average citizen. I can't tell you who to vote for, but just get involved with a Democrat. Call/write your congresscritters. Read DU ;-)

Hekate