The most we can ask from life is that it takes a day off from kicking us in the ass Bartender.
I worked for years on the unions negotiating committee. Was an officer and active in local politics. Was able to get benefits for my brothers and sisters we never had. Guaranteed work week. Job and benefit protections. Pay parity between male and female workers. Allowed to use accrued sick time to take care of family members.
In one ten minute meeting, the negotiating committee that replaced mine gave it all back. When I asked them what the hell was going on the big union chief said "They can do this. I can't hear you."
I expect and even respect the opposition trying to stick it to us. That's their job. Why my side thought they needed help is beyond me.
One more for the road Bartender.
What is it with Americans? In Europe and I suppose most of the world working people at least recognize their class enemies. Here, in the "classless" society, where everyone is “middle class,” from Donald Trump on down to his janitors, any recognition of one class (with all the power and money) screwing another class (with little money and only the power to organize) is seen as Bolshevik. As Communist.
ReplyDeleteWe are even willing not to have decent healthcare coverage for all in this country because many of us see universal care or single payer as "Communist." So we have to protect the best interests of the insurance companies, which have, of course, our best interests first. (Oh yeah?) Just like management. And by protecting the insurance industry, and Big Pharma, we pay more, get less, and when we get sick many of us worry about the bills instead of getting better.
But by looking out for OUR self interest first we become Socialistic, un-American, maybe even French. (Which, by the way, is ranked by the WHO as the best healthcare system in the world. The US? Were way down there, in twentieth or thirtieth place. But you know all this.... )
What union was that? Not the SEIU, I hope, my former union. Unfortunately, retirees can not belong to SEIU.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I asked a girl to a prom. She said she'd ask at home and let me know.
ReplyDeleteWhen my dad got home from work, he asked if I knew anyone with the last name that he told me. I said yeah, that I had asked the daughter to a dance.
He replied that our bank had called him at work. It seems their bank had called our bank to inquire about our accounts.
The girl turned me down for the prom. I learned about class in spades right then. I've never been the same.
Not SEIU Quinty. Machinists.
ReplyDeleteYou're better off without the prom queen Jazzolog. If you can't afford the date, no way you could afford the wedding and subsequent divorce either.
Well, there was that memorable party I went to age 18 or 19 and confronted three well scrubbed, plump identical Smithies who first off, without asking anything else, said "What college do you go to?" "Bates," I replied. And with that they turned around and walked away.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the divorce. The inevitable divorce. What a nightmare. You're lucky you didn't have that date, Jazzo, unless the girl was blooming into a rebel. And hated daddy's materialistic ways.
There's a nice back and forth in Grapes of Wrath. One Oakie asks another, "Who are these reds I'm always hearing about? Who are these reds?" "Why, they're people who want to be paid twenty five cents an hour instead of twenty." "Well, then, I'm a red!"
Speaking of Smith, I love Conan O'Brian's Harvard commencement speech. Starts out~~~
ReplyDelete"I'd like to thank the Class Marshals for inviting me here today. The last time I was invited to Harvard it cost me $110,000, so you'll forgive me if I'm a bit suspicious."
Later he advises the graduates NEVER to tell anyone you went to Harvard~~~
"You see, you're in for a lifetime of 'And you went to Harvard?' Accidentally give the wrong amount of change in a transaction and it's, 'And you went to Harvard?' Ask the guy at the hardware store how these jumper cables work and hear, 'And you went to Harvard?' Forget just once that your underwear goes inside your pants and it's 'and you went to Harvard.' Get your head stuck in your niece's dollhouse because you wanted to see what it was like to be a giant and it's 'Uncle Conan, you went to Harvard!?'"
I'll drink to that! Another round for my buddies here, please Bartender.
That sounds as if it echos personal experience, Jazzo.
ReplyDeleteAn advantage of having gone to Berkeley is that everyone thinks there are so many freaks and fruitcakes there that if a Cal student gets his head caught in a dollhouse everyone would think that's normal. In fact, wearing a tie, suit, one's hair short and trim in a respectable manner, not so long ago would have elicited that" "And you went to UC Berkeley?"
I realize this is drifting off class warfare a bit. But anyone interested in the annual "How Berkeley can you be" parade may peruse this site....
http://zombietime.com/how_berkeley_can_you_be/
which, if easily offended, includes some nudity. So be sure to keep your prurient dogs away.....
(I deleted the above because I found a better link to the annual parade in Berkeley._
And returning now to the class wars sweeping our North American continent, and all their discontents....
ReplyDeleteHere's Gore Vidal, in his latest interview.....
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200910u/gore-vidal#at
Vidal thinks Hillary would have made a better president. I don't know. She's certainly more of a fighter, dirty, to be sure. But if she had wanted universal healthcare (and I think she does) she probably would not have hesitated to get down into the gutter to fight those Republicans. And the Blue Dogs.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting interview, which has already raised some howls over at Huffington Post...... though I must admit I found Vidal's frankness refreshing, even if some of it seemed over the top. The reaction to Polansky. But what if what he says is true? After all, Vidal was there, and has a grasp on what it was like. The thinking, etc.