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The mantra of the GOP.
Remember when the good guy was about to die and he grabbed the bad guy at the last second, and the both fell into the bottomless chasm?
You don’t?
Well my point is that while that’s a good thing in that case, it’s usually the design of the petulant self-observed shit who decides that life is not worth living because of X, so he’s gonna take out as many others as possible when he goes.
I fervently request that he just go alone. You know the type. Suicidal nut kills family and then self. Just kill self please. Seriously if you must end life, just end your own.
Well the GOP seems engaged in that kind of thing these days. In the waning days of lame duckers everywhere, there seems a concerted effort on the part of departing or reduced number GOP’ers to pass all types of shitty legislation in some last gasp of “so F**K you!”
Everyone is no doubt aware that the Governor of Michigan rushed through “right to work” legislation and signed it immediately because frankly they didn’t think they could get away with it in the new-elected yet not seated legislature. I think they also added some appropriation to it which apparently makes it not subject to a referendum. Ya see, Republicans know they act against the wishes of the majority, so they try to insulate their nefarious acts so they are not easily undone.
Similarly Ricky, “I suck as a candidate” Perry just pushed through some Fetal Pain legislation as another of the ongoing ways of trying to trump Roe v. Wade, and make abortions unavailable to women. I should say he has it on his agenda for the last gasp meeting of the state legislature in January.
And plenty of the Congressional GOP caucus is still stubbornly digging in their heels that they will not vote for ANY tax increase, no no not ever.
You see, we are long past representing “the people” in this country. We are now into representing “some portion of the people, especially if they are paying me to do it” in this country.
Now call me jaded by of course who was most prominent in the Michigan right-to-work legislation? Oh Freedom Works? Yes, them. And who is them? Why the Koch brothers who write legislation that is favorable to their massive holdings and of course flood the bank accounts of those people who are willing to push their agenda in their various states. Having taking a drubbing in the national elections, the Koch’s are busy getting’ ‘er done in plenty of states.
Explain to me why anybody would want to work in a right-to-work state? Why would employers push it? Think! Because they don’t want to pay wages that are fair and they don’t want to pay for benefits and they don’t care about shop safety unless it seriously impinges on their ability to make a buck.
The GOP claims that Michigan has lost jobs because companies won’t come to Michigan because it’s unionized. They take their business to RTW states. Duh. Why? Because they can and it’s CHEAPER and it allows them to make more MONEY for THEMSELVES.
Now some say, well a job is a job. Well yes that’s like saying a cardboard box is a house because people live in them.
Shall we succumb to the lowest common denominator?
Now the uniformed say, well heck it’s not fair to MAKE me pay union dues if I don’t agree with union political policies. True enough, but my friend, you still want to take advantage of the contract that they negotiate on behalf of both union members and YOU. You take the benefit package too. Now if you want to forego that, perhaps we can talk.
Because of you take the benefits without paying for them, then you are a FREELOADER, a MOOCHER, a GIFTED ONE, a TAKER, you know, all the things you say are so awful in our country. You would be one of THEM, and nothing is worse to you than being one of THEM is there?
Before there were unions, there were slave wages, company towns where every dime you made went right back to the company in rent and food. Before unions there were unsafe working conditions, long hours, child labor. Before unions there was no such thing as benefits. You paid your own insurance for health care and dental care, and guess what? You couldn’t afford them so you didn’t have them. Before unions you lived a mere subsistence life and there was little or no likelihood that your kids would do any better.
Do unions have problems? Sure they do, just like any organization. There are abuses and fraud and there is theft. There was probably a time when unions had too much power and companies just caved on demands and passed the costs on to the consumer. But that is not the case today.
There are benevolent employers. The stories of how they run their companies and how they treat their employees is legendary. They don’t just do all that is required. When the going gets awful, they go without themselves trying to hold the line and not lay off anyone. They provide day care by choice. They provide health clubs inside the company, walking trails and meditation rooms. They invest in how to provide the best environment for their workers and they get the best out of them. The loyalty and productivity are also legendary.
But they are the exception. A goodly number of CEO’s are sociopathic individuals. They don’t care about your needs or concerns because they can’t feel anything much at all. They cannot empathize. They are little Mitt Romneys. Business is mostly a game and games have winners and losers and they want to be winners and that is defined by MONEY. So they acquire, and they post profits, at any cost. Any cost THEY THING THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH.
They have always done this. They will continue to do this until we have bred into our business teaching a model that reflects the benevolent employer.
Until they do, unions are the only thing that stands between the worker and the Goliath corporation which will suck her dry and cast her aside when she is no longer physically able to do the job at the same efficiency level. Then, as they say, “she’s your mother, you take care of her. It’s not the government’s business to become her caretaker.” Except you have nothing much yourself. Oops, I guess you forgot. You’re a worker too.
And retire? No, they will carry you out and throw you in a box. And your family will figure out some way.
Don’t think that will happen?
Read your history.
It did.
And you want to return us to the same state of affairs where that happened.
Think!
Wake up dude. You are being taken for a ride by those who have no interest in your success, only in your compliance with their agenda.
You aren’t going to take me with you. I promise you that.
Existential Ennui 