A Letter To The 'Occupy' D'bags............

asphaltgambler · 12-09-2011, 07:22 AM

Just saw one of your fine representitives on TV this morning shouting out how "Someone needs to help our people in need of jobs and housing" / "We have a list of demands that must be met!!"

.......................see I was watching you on my local news channel at 5:30am......I was getting up at that hour to go to my *****y job as a Euro Technician. Where I am little more than a glorified labor subcontractor, I make about $35K less per year than I did in 2008 and.............get this......... no one pays me just to show up and put in time. According to my current pay stub I will gross even 'better' (sic) than last year; hitting an all new low.

There are many days lately where I am on-the-job for 9-10 hrs and am lucky to bill 4-5 hrs. For the past 3 months I have had to dip into my savings just to meet expenses. The industry I have trained for and dedicated my lifes work to is crumbling all around me and I have no where to "run". I am a trained, highly skilled blue-collar tradesman whose skills barely warrant average money these days.

I lost my new custom bulit house to foreclosure last year when after cutting every expense, almost exhausting all my savings, my wife working two jobs (both part time) I could no longer stop the bleeding. Even though I worked hard, saved for 7 years, put a chunk of $$ down, sound budget planning, got a fixed interest loan at a great rate and qualified with my income only, we could no longer survive. Think of a water faucet being turned off.........................except someone else is doing the turning.

This year I have spent countless hours and money; including hiring a consultant to advise me both professionally and personaly to re-train to improve my skill set to better market myself in this economy. Since the first of this year almost every off hour of my time is dedicated to job searching, honing my interview skills, studying, reading and researching what the next best move for me is. It is so consuming that it is virtually another full time job for me.

But don't fret protestors................ I have actually scored three face-to-face interviews with "Those 1%-ers".................but ultimately was not selected. I now live in a *****y house in a sht*y neighborhood and have sold on donated to charity a lot of things I used to consider important to me all in an effort to adjust to how things are now for my family.

You see ..............I am the son of parents who were from the Greatest Generation. They taught me early on the real meaning of "Responsibilty" When my parents grew up during the Depression......... there was no "They" .............there was no "1%"

It was you and your family and day-to-day survival was soley on you and your skills..............you had no choice BUT to try every day Through-out this whole deal, I have been angry, sad, tired, frustrated, pissed at what seems to be dwindling opportunity for me just to 'make' it. But just as my father did.......I'll continue to get up at 5:30 every day and do all that I can to provide for my family and plan for the future in these uncertain times.

What I WILL NOT DO is; Take 3 months off and camp out in DC, drink Starbucks coffee, wear clothes that someone else gave me, accept hand-outs from people, hang out all day in local government offices trying to disrupt people that ARE actually doing work. I won't blame everyone else on the planet for my failures, I won't help build a structure to
stay warm on DC's park/mall.

Tomorrow...........................When I'm up at 5:30 again..............I think I'll watch cartoons instead of the local news...........................I've 'earned' it

VINMAN · 12-09-2011, 07:33 AM

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

This will no doubt be in PARF in.... 3...2...1.

But, you have an interesting perspective. I don't share it.
I'm busy running my business and can't be out there with them, but I agree with the OWS that the system sucks and I'm glad they're out there saying so. If you're poor or wealthy, our government has your back. You've got nothing to lose. It's the middle class guys like you and me who have everything to lose and get no respect. If you're rich and you fuch up your business through greed, arrogance, and stupidity the government bails you out so you don't miss your bonus check. If you're poor the government gives you welfare and food stamps. If you're in the middle you get to go to work and pay taxes and watch the rich and poor get the cheese. I don't want the cheese. I want the rich to face the risk failing the same way I have to face it and I want the poor to work harder, but I'm too busy working to do much about it. OWS is at least out there making noise, expressing anger and frustration that in some ways reflects my own anger and frustration. They are the only ones that even come close to speaking for me.

Laneco · 12-09-2011, 07:49 AM

I hope this thread doesn't "parf-out" because I avoid that area like an open sewer. It smells bad and I don't want anything icky on me.

Asphaltgambler brings up good points that alot of us are feeling. In our house, in spite of all the careful decisions regarding home and so-called 'income' property, we've been absolutely pounded by the economy. Layoffs for my husband, followed by diminished wages, decimation of property values which makes selling the "income" property or the residence literally impossible. But we keep grinding away. Steve went and worked in Afghanistan for a year to pay bills down and get us caught back up.

It upsets me when I see people sitting on their fannies at an "occupy" protest when people like Asphaltgambler and my husband, Steve, are working their fingers to the bone just to slow the bleeding loss down.

We don't have the luxury of protesting. There are alot of us in this same boat - somewhere way between those who are supported by the government and the elusive 1%.

angela

asphaltgambler · 12-09-2011, 08:03 AM

If I went down to DC, hung out and 'protested' for a few weeks.....................I would consider it a vacation from my daily grind

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

If I can find some time off I'll go stand around for a while. They have an unfocused message, but I support bringing attention to the abuses of citizens and taxpayers by the likes of Maurice Greenberg and the other bailout crybabies, so I'm on their side for that part of the message.

speeder · speeder's Garage

There was no 1% during the great depression? Wow. Learn something new everyday.

asphaltgambler · 12-09-2011, 08:59 AM

My 'outrage' is.......................in this great country of ours people need to look inward at themselves for the answer. NOT 'help and assistance' from the 'Rich' or for God's sake.....the government

And I agree here there are lots of injustice to the middle-class working man, he can only control what is in his power to do. It's not what happens to you or done to you by others, it's what what YOU do about it and the extent you allow it to affect you.

Protest all you want. I have yet to see or hear a clear, Readers-Digest of specifically what "they" want. But what I understand is "someone else needs to pay"

You know, the perception of'rich' people varies widley. But know that as a household's income rise, so does the investing of that income. Ergo .....the greater someone's EARNED income is the greater the percentile on investment back into the economy.

Wanna see a real current day Depression ??? Remove all incentives for (small and large)investors to funnel their earned income back into the economy..............................

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Correct me if Im wrong, but didn't you just buy a rather expensive jeep? Tell me about sound financial planning....

I, like wdfifteen agree that in principal they have a good idea. They just need to organize better, and they will.

I'm sorry, my generation is tired of being fuched by yours....

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by asphaltgambler

Wanna see a real current day Depression ??? Remove all incentives for (small and large)investors to funnel their earned income back into the economy..............................

That would be taking the ability to consume away from consumers. The concentration of wealth and income in the hands of a few is doing just that. Consumers have been consuming through debt for too long. The bubble had to burst sometime.

BlueSkyJaunte · 12-09-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche4life

I'm sorry, my generation is tired of being fuched by yours....

Maybe we should institute the draft again, so you can learn what it's REALLY like to be fuched.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

I'd move to Canada before I fought in a war with no real purpose other than to make halliburton rich.

pwd72s · 12-09-2011, 09:47 AM

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Yup, and of there was a war worth fighting, many of my generation would gladly join. I certainly would.

island911 · 12-09-2011, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche4life

..
I'm sorry, my generation is tired of being fuched by yours....

I'm guessing that you think that YOUR generation is responsible for the easy access to food, water, shelter, security, schooling, easy access about the country, and around the world. You likely are also thinking that YOUR generation is responsible for the iphone tech in your pocket and the internet.

...just think about that while. Have that perspective for when the sht really hits the fan.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwd72s

This was your generation? I thought you were much younger, part of the baby-boomer "ME" generation. Thank you for your service!

speeder · speeder's Garage

I'm sorry to hear that the American dream isn't working out so well for you but this is the worst case of misplaced anger and confused emotions I've ever seen here. And that's saying a lot. You blame the OWS movement for your predicament??

pwd72s · 12-09-2011, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by island911

I'm guessing that you think that YOUR generation is responsible for the easy access to food, water, shelter, security, schooling, easy access about the country, and around the world. You likely are also thinking that YOUR generation is responsible for the iphone tech in your pocket and the internet.

...just think about that while. Have that perspective for when the sht really hits the fan.

No need to try to educate lil' Sid...he already knows everything.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Quote:

Quote de porsche4life

..

I'm sorry, my generation is tired of being fuched by yours....

I'm guessing that you think that YOUR generation is responsible for the easy access to food, water, shelter, security, schooling, easy access about the country, and around the world. You likely are also thinking that YOUR generation is responsible for the iphone tech in your pocket and the internet.

...just think about that while. Have that perspective for when the sht really hits the fan.

Don't give me that ****, your parents are responsible for the infrastructure food, water shelter, etc. Granted, it was your generation that brought us all the tech, and I guarantee as my generation ages we will continue to push the limits of what is possible.

pwd72s · 12-09-2011, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speeder

This was your generation? I thought you were much younger, part of the baby-boomer "ME" generation. Thank you for your service!

Nope...I was born in '43...But In my opinion those who support the "occupy" philosophy aren't qualified to wash the underwear of the guy on the left here..

The "me" generation thing? Well, may of us simply worked...not all of us were limousine liberals.