Disconnect
What in the hell I am doing up at 3:44 AM on a day that I am not working is beyond me. Still, here I am.
I overheard an interesting argument the other day. A couple of my, now, ex-coworkers were talking about health care reform. The pinked faced, optimistic every thing is rosy man child was decrying the proposed health care reform. His argument was pretty canned. It was the usual "Why should my tax dollars go to pay for the health care of lazy, shiftless poor person who won't get off his ass and work?" That is the typical Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck reasoning.
I don't argue politics with children. The world of tomorrow is their world. I embrace that fact. It is what they want it to be. If they want to listen to the Rush Beck pablum so be it. What I found amusing, however, about this young man's argument is that he is (or was) working for the meat movers at the Toymaker's shop and working on a degree in Fire Sciences. His goal in life is to become a professional firefighter and draw from the government well for his sustenance. Am I the only one who sees this disconnect? He decries paying taxes for the benefit of others, yet wants the tax payers to pay for his lifestyle.
Don't get me wrong. As the late Bob Collins, of WGN - Chicago, put it so often, "Firemen have big brass ones." They deserve what they are paid for what they do. However, anyone who engages in support of the Corporate America economy is equally serving the nation and is also entitled to quality benefits. We all build this nation together. The idea that some subset of the population is disposable is utter nonsense -- and I am putting that nicely.
Yesterday, through no fault of his own based on the socioeconomic whim of the Toymaker and its elves, my young conservative friend was also handed his walking papers. I am wondering if he is feeling like he is disposable since he is now unemployed. One can only wonder.
I overheard an interesting argument the other day. A couple of my, now, ex-coworkers were talking about health care reform. The pinked faced, optimistic every thing is rosy man child was decrying the proposed health care reform. His argument was pretty canned. It was the usual "Why should my tax dollars go to pay for the health care of lazy, shiftless poor person who won't get off his ass and work?" That is the typical Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck reasoning.
I don't argue politics with children. The world of tomorrow is their world. I embrace that fact. It is what they want it to be. If they want to listen to the Rush Beck pablum so be it. What I found amusing, however, about this young man's argument is that he is (or was) working for the meat movers at the Toymaker's shop and working on a degree in Fire Sciences. His goal in life is to become a professional firefighter and draw from the government well for his sustenance. Am I the only one who sees this disconnect? He decries paying taxes for the benefit of others, yet wants the tax payers to pay for his lifestyle.
Don't get me wrong. As the late Bob Collins, of WGN - Chicago, put it so often, "Firemen have big brass ones." They deserve what they are paid for what they do. However, anyone who engages in support of the Corporate America economy is equally serving the nation and is also entitled to quality benefits. We all build this nation together. The idea that some subset of the population is disposable is utter nonsense -- and I am putting that nicely.
Yesterday, through no fault of his own based on the socioeconomic whim of the Toymaker and its elves, my young conservative friend was also handed his walking papers. I am wondering if he is feeling like he is disposable since he is now unemployed. One can only wonder.
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