I've been enjoying reading some of the diaries here about this whole motivational gap here recently. I've just finished watching an excellent movie, "Lord, save us from your followers!" which was all about communication and decided I would try to explain why I feel the way I do regarding the upcoming election. Hopefully, I can receive some positive feedback and we can all have a conversation - actually listening to each other. So please, lets talk to each other and consider each others opinions thoughtfully.
My particular frustration with this administration comes from two of the bedrocks of life: jobs and shelter. We all know that the job situation is horrendous. We also know that the housing situation is catastrophic. Lastly, while the stimulus has helped, and yes things would be worse without the stimulus, that still does not make it any less of an anemic response.
This year, I am gainfully employed, but in 2008 and half of 2009, I was woefully underemployed. I made $6,700 during that period and took on almost $10,000 in credit card debt just to survive. My entire life savings was spent just trying to finish college. I was fired from my job the day after thanksgiving, I had my car repossessed. I moved from friends house to friends house. If I hadn't met my wife back then, I would have been living on the streets. Now, I have a job as a nurse and make a decent paycheck, of which virtually the entire thing disappears to credit card and student loan payments.
During this time period, my parents almost lost their house - they were so ashamed that the couldn't ask for help. My mother is very ill and thanks to the insurance companies playing games with her health in the name of money, they were and remained incredibly strapped financially. My sister told me that when my dad went in to the office to have his home foreclosed - the first home he has ever owned, he broke out into tears. The only reason why he didn't lose the house was because the wife of the man who was processing the foreclosure came into the office to surprise her husband for lunch and saw him filling out the paperwork in tears while her husband ignored my dad's distress.
I have never seen my father cry once in my life.
My neighbors have just had their home foreclosed on. The bankers refused to work with them so they could stay in their home. So they, with their three kids and the wife's mother, lost their house they have lived in for 15 years.
6 of my friends at work are losing their houses.
12 of my coworker's husbands have been out of a job for a year now.
A couple that are close friends with my wife and I have both been unemployed for over a year. They are filing for bankruptcy and it looks like they are going to lose the house they have been in for 10 years.
My wife lost her job as a nurse in July. The only upside is that I get to now give to her the same compassion she showed me when we first met.
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This all happened on the Democrats watch. It doesn't matter that the Republicans always opposed, what matters is that the Democrats never broke out the cots.
Jobs matter. Homes matter. I don't think it is reasonable to expect people to vote for the party in charge who has shown little compassion for people losing it all. If you ask me, this was a prime time for Democrats to stand for the middle class, the poor, and the people who have no voice as opposed to the financial overlords of society.
I'm not looking for sympathy. I am looking for action from our political leaders to staunch the loses people are experiencing every day. The fact that we have had such a tepid response from Democrats, who control the House, Senate, and White House, frankly blows my mind.
I would like to hear from those who opinions and experiences differ from mine. I would like to hear suggestions for helping to convince people to vote for Democrats. I just hope I don't hear "The Republicans are worse!"