By Manifesto Joe
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay embodies a chapter of Texas history that I wish could be forgotten. But, he keeps resurfacing in all sorts of repulsive ways, including his embarrassing turn on Dancing With the Stars. Then on Sunday, he goes on CNN's State of the Union and basically says that people are unemployed because they want to be.
Here's the Huffington Post report on this, including a brief transcript.
DeLay, while he was out and about making an ass of himself, also voiced admiration for senile Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning for tying up the Senate and screwing around hundreds of thousands of people, federal employees as well as the jobless, for days before finally backing down.
Mr. DeLay obviously needs to be enlightened about a few things. Let's just start with my own situation.
If I were to lose my job tomorrow, catastrophe would soon follow. Unemployment benefits generally run about $300 a week. That's not exactly an incentive to stay jobless. With the mortgage payments I've got to make, and the debt I have to service because of past illnesses in my family, and my own chronic health condition stemming from severe allergies, that wouldn't go far at all. Job loss for me, now, would likely mean bankruptcy, and probably having to sell my home for much less than it's worth.
Mr. DeLay also has obviously never known any common person who has endured a prolonged period of unemployment. I know a man who went through this ordeal, and he's a Type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic, too. He went through months of sleepless anxiety over his situation. And, ever since rebounding from this job loss, he's been scraping by on part-time jobs. He's never had money to retrain for something else -- not on the bare subsistence that unemployment benefits provide.
Leaving office in a cloud of scandal apparently wasn't enough to shame Mr. DeLay into private life. He seems to feel a compulsion to make a fool of himself again and again, years after his initial disgrace.
Texas has already had plenty of people, including one of the worst U.S. presidents ever, to make us look bad. Put a sock in it, Mr. DeLay.
Manifesto Joe Is An Underground Writer Living In Texas.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Mr. DeLay is a stupid and mean putz.
That the media gives his ravings any media attention at all is the real crime.
Like this morning, on the TODAY show, Matt Lauer interviewing Karl Rove, why the legitimization of a liar and apologist for George Bush and his failed policies and administration?
Why the fear of the republican?
DeLay is the King of Arrogant Jerks! Nobody in their right mind would ever suggest that those on unemployment want to be there, with wages haived and benefits including health insurance nonexistent. It's always those with full bellies and wallets who think those doing without aren't hungry or really in need. Guys like DeLay, who lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want, don't care about anybody but themselves. And tyhey think wverybody has the same corrupt and unethical value system they have. But the rest of us know otherwise...
Just wanted to add my 2 cents on jobless benefits.
In fact, I think a lot of people wrongly assume that they're going to quality for jobless benefits if they ever need them.
In reality, there are a lot of "Catch 22" restrictions on jobless benefits. A lot of people apply for them, but aren't eligible, for one reason or another.
I know, I applied and I was turned down. (This, despite the fact I've never collected a dime of jobless benefits, plus the fact that I've paid into the system all my working life). As a (formerly) working mom with two kids to raise, this was harsh news indeed.
Millions of Americans simply don't quality for jobless benefits because of various restrictions placed up on the system (mostly by the GOP).
Yes, I know this is gloomy and depressing to think about. But it's best to at least be aware of this now, before one loses one's job and is assuming that they'll automatically be eligible.
America's social safety net is actually much, much threadbare than most Americans assume.
This is why there are millions of Americans who are homeless and living on the streets. I personally know three Gulf War veterans who served their country and who now live on the street, scrounging for their next meal.
To those Rush Ditto-Heads who complain about America's "too generous" social safety net---I just hope someday you find yourself jobless and hungry. You'll find out real quick how "generous" America's social safety net is.
Thanks, Anon.
Where I work, there were rounds of layoffs that I was fortunate enough to survive. But buyouts were also offered. A scattering of people took them, but one of the reasons most people didn't is because if you take a buyout, the unemployment comp laws in this state regard that as having quit the job, so you're disqualified for benefits. So, most people just waited for the ax to fall. At least then they could claim those meager checks.
Post a Comment