And The Beat Goes On: .... wee... I Just Got Surplused...

[WillyT]

So, after getting laid off shortly after 9\11 and unable to find gainful employment for 14 months, after spending my entire savings, my 401K, and running out of unemployment insurance....

I get a job with the Employment Development Department of the State of California. Yay!!! A secure, long lasting job, with full benefits and a good retirement!!!

But, now we have this teeny budget problem and all us state employees are fearing for our jobs.

And today we were informed that any employees that have less than 30 months with the state (I have 5+ months) will be put on a surplus list. It is from that list that the first of any possible lay-offs will come. Those that aren't laid off, will probably be paid the minimum wage for working, and there are some doubts about getting the benefit package that I'm two weeks away from qualifying for.

So, as I wait for the next axe to fall, and before I go have a stiff belt at the neighborhood tavern, I'd just like to acknowledge those who've made the California economy, the economy of virtually every state in the union, and the national economy, ONE GIANT MESS!!!

I'd like to, but I'm so pissed I don't want to waste my time on them and their ilk.

Instead, I'd like to remind everybody that this movie is coming to a town near YOU. (If it ain't playin there already!) This is what the rightwingers want. David Stockman warned about this after the Reagan years. He said something to the effect that in order to shrink government, you had to blow up the deficit (bankrupt the country) so that leftwing politicians, hell any politicians, would have to let go of their favorite little bureaucracies. Like Welfare, the Department of Education, or Social Security to name a few.

It's the political and economic equivalent of the old Vietnam thinking, having to destroy a village in order to save it.

And it now looks like it's beginning to work.

And, this is what the fight is all about.

If we allow these treasonous assholes to retain power in the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of OUR government...

If we can't swing the media to OUR side...

And if we can't rally all the people in this country who've been ripped off, beaten down, and tyrannized by the Upper Class...

Then we don't deserve to be called Americans.

This IS Class Warfare. IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN! The rich have bought our country out from under us. We kicked one King George's ass a couple of hundred years or so ago, it's time to sharpen our fighting skills and DU it again!!!

:grr::nuke::mad:

Sorry for the 'stream of conscience' here, but I'm more than a little blown away. Travelin at 'Ludicrous Speed' today.

:shrug:

[blindersoff]

1. I'm a long term state employee too

and we got a message that if there is no budget by the end of August, California state law says that all state employees start getting paid minimum wage until there is a budget. Now the interesting thing is that I work for the University as support staff; does this law mean that faculty will be making minimum wage too? Somehow I doubt it... Sorry to hear about your "surplussing".

[cally]

2. I'm so sorry

I'm wishing you good karma that the it works out. ((((((hugs))))))

[enough]

3. Willy T,

Sorry about your shock. That's awful.

But thanks for the historical perspective. I'd forgotten how David Stockman explained this all to us so clearly back in the day. Funny how few people seem to believe it, then or now.

The destroy the villiage to save it image is great, except I don't think they give a fig about saving it.

You are right on -- nothing ludicrous there.

Best of luck to you.

[rock]

4. bushsucks*

I'm sending you Karma. Hang in there.

[northofdenali]

5. I think things will begin to turn our way, WillyT -

I actually GOT a job today after 2 years of looking and feeling absolutely desperate. Maybe it's a sign that good things will start happening for us - God knows, we work hard enough to see that good happens elsewhere.

I'm sending mucho karma and {{{{hugs}}}} and wishing you the best!

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

6. All I can say is.....

Hang in there. I am right where you are. Don't know if I can keep my place or if I'm gonna go under. Shit, I can't even find a part time freakin' job! But I sure feel safer now that Iraq is occupied and wealthy Americans got their taxes cut. NOT!!!!!!!!!

[LynneSin]

7. I remember Lincoln Chafee talked about this on MTP

and Chafee is republican.

Yep, we'll bloat our economy so we can gut our government even though if we just cut the military in half we can find the money we need to keep our social spending going.

Neo-cons have been trying to do this since FDR first inacted these programs.

[LWolf]

8. This feature is already playing here in my town.

I didn't get the ax this spring, although many did. I have lots of years in with the school district I've longed to leave for so long. I guess it's a good thing I didn't. And, I haven't had to spend my retirement yet, although the ol' 401K has been going steadily downhill. It's worth less now than I've invested in it. And...9 years ago I cashed in 12 years of state retirement to pay my bills for the 6 months I did student teaching. I had to quit my job to finish the teaching credential. I'll be working til I'm too old to remember my own name at the rate I'm going. And...I still owe about $5,000 in student loans for that same credential. Last year I had to buy everything in the classroom but the paper myself. Parents, bless them, donated cups and kleenex. This year I'll probably foot the paper and copy bills myself. How I'm going to do that with no paycheck, I'm not sure. They better pass a budget soon....

Hang in there, WillyT. There's hope on the horizon. Sending karma your way.

[WillyT]

9. Thank You Everybody !!!

Just a tad hard to plan for the future, when the future looks so dim, ya know???

Oh well, chin's still up. It's all good, LOL!!!

:hi: :loveya: :hi: