"dreaded
serious cutbacks
dire predictions
job killing
reduce the size of the military sharply
real pain
jobs lost
people going hungry
or uninsured
or both
odious cuts made with a chainsaw
long delays at airports
the country left open to terrorists
tens of thousands of children kicked out of preschool
tens of thousands more left unvaccinated
contaminated meat left uninspected
sharp cuts to unemployment benefits
doomsday scenarios"
Get the point? To Hell in many handbaskets.
Here's a little of my story:
After the Navy I got hired into health care as one of seven directors reporting to an HR VP.
Each year, every year of my 10 years there, we were asked to do more with less. If someone left, we had to justify back filling their position. There was never an automatic replacement authorized. Economize and cut were all we really knew. By the time I left I was one of 3 directors where there used to be seven.
My next job started swimmingly. I was resourced to the hilt in truth. I got to build. Within a couple of years the build had to be disassembled, valuable resources had to go. People were laid off. No more were hired. Do more with less. My budget at the end was probably a quarter of what it was when I started. But we never understood that we could stop doing what we were doing when we were resourced.
Then I got laid off. A generous severence package to be sure, but after four months my former employer breeched the contract and found a way to stiff me to the tune of $85-100K. Try as I might legally they beat me because they were willing to fight me in the sewer where I could not go. They beat me.
Unemployed for a year. Obama's deal on COBRA payments for healthcare were some help. Unemployment insurance paid me $330 per week. Due to family circumstances I would not leave the area for a job. My choice, my family. I was a father and that was that. I needed to be a father to my son.
We robbed Peter to pay Paul. We lived off money taken from my retirement account. We maxed out a credit card paying for health insurance and other expenses.
When I did finally secure employment after a year I made 43% less in salary than my previous position. I was welcomed to that position with the notice that I would have to take 8 days off in the next 4 months without pay. (A State "furlough" policy in effect.) I made 27% less than my starting salary at my previous employer seven years earlier.
Do you think my family and I were required to make do with less over the past 4 years?
So when I see this:
2 comments:
Yup...you hit the nail on the head, buddy.
This post and your Amazon rant are the best thing I have ever read from you. Honest,funny,heartfelt. I am heading off to Rinydinkville with my government cheese in one hand and my Kindle in the other.
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