In spite of what I have been posting lately, and even in light of the fact that I do see little hope for this country to not only not achieve what is possible but to not even do what is rational or moral, I have not stopped trying in my personal life.
I was talking to a doctor once and I mentioned that I was more than open to suggestions about what I could do to work or improve so I could get back to work in some way. The doctor asked me, if I was disabled and couldn’t work, why would I even ask such a thing?
After a moment or two of shock, during which I wondered what the heck this person was thinking, I said that I had to try. I ask for advice all the time. I know that I have physical limitations that make it impossible for me to do even part-time work. I can’t even manage a couple of hours a day. That doesn’t mean I don’t want that to change and that I won’t look for any way I can to get around it.
I have to try.
I don’t know if the doctor believed me, of course they were working for an insurance company so who knows. They didn’t believe you could think about more than one thing at a time, either. That came up when I explained that I couldn’t multi-task anymore. Whatever.
I have to try. I have to keep trying even when I fail and even when experience shows me that I can not do what I want to do. The alternative is to give up. I’m not going to give up. I don’t know a single disabled person who would.
Yes, I have limitations and deficits, I am disabled, I am depressed, I struggle to do things that were not even worth a thought before, I get through some days by sheer stubbornness and then I collapse for days after. So what?
I still keep working on ways to get around the limitations, or to find other things that I might be able to do – which is why I ask about things to try – and I still look for ways to be more than what I am right now. Moving is hard, thinking is hard, heck, even sitting in a chair is hard and the pain doesn’t care if I’m moving or not, but that’s the point. It doesn’t go away if I do nothing – and I don’t get better if I do nothing. So why would I do nothing?
Sure, I have to be careful not to make things worse and I do have problems with recovering from any level exertion. If I push too hard I could injure myself, maybe even kill myself by trying too hard, but I’m not talking about being unreasonable. Well, maybe except for the parts where I’m stubborn. And I do need to talk to my cardiologist about a few things but that’s a different story.
My point is that I can’t do things right now, but I want to be able to do something in the future and in order to get there I have to try. I may not make it. I’ll deal with that later. (Yes, this could indicate an irrational denial of reality. I don’t care.)
The world sucks, the country sucks and most of the time life sucks. I may have no hope of ever achieving what I want to achieve or even accomplishing anything at all. My own limitations or outside forces may get in the way. That does not mean that I will give up and not try.
Who was it who said that if you don’t try you’ve already failed? Well in this situation they were right.
Keep on truckin’.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Double dipping
I can’t get that worked up about the chances of a double-dip recession. It’s not that I think it can’t happen. I’m just not sure what the consequences will be or how bad it would be.
Let me explain.
We had a recession in which millions of people lost their jobs, their homes and their savings. At the same time Wall Street and many banks tanked, a few investment companies even went out of business or were swallowed by larger companies.
In the recovery – the time when the technical definition of a recession ending was met – Wall Street recovered, the investment companies recovered and the banks recovered, largely because of enormous bailouts paid for with tax dollars. In most cases, the employees responsible for the crisis did not suffer at all.
At the same time employment crept up marginally, but most of the jobs were low paying and the good jobs that had been lost are still not there. People haven’t gotten their houses back and their life savings are still gone.
So, to recap: the recession hurt the banks and millions of Americans, the recovery helped the banks and very few Americans.
If there is another dip into a new recession, Wall Street will be hurt. Will more average Americans be hurt? This recovery has helped people who already had money, if they lose money that their only sticking in their pockets and not spending anyway, why should I care?
So, I’m really not sure a double-dip recession will cause more pain for most people. We’re already hurting and no one in power seems to care, so why should I care about them?
Let me add that since the bill just passed that will supposedly help the economy actually costs jobs and reduces spending that could help people and the economy I really can’t believe anything that Washington says about what I should worry about, what needs to be done or even what color the sky is.
Let me explain.
We had a recession in which millions of people lost their jobs, their homes and their savings. At the same time Wall Street and many banks tanked, a few investment companies even went out of business or were swallowed by larger companies.
In the recovery – the time when the technical definition of a recession ending was met – Wall Street recovered, the investment companies recovered and the banks recovered, largely because of enormous bailouts paid for with tax dollars. In most cases, the employees responsible for the crisis did not suffer at all.
At the same time employment crept up marginally, but most of the jobs were low paying and the good jobs that had been lost are still not there. People haven’t gotten their houses back and their life savings are still gone.
So, to recap: the recession hurt the banks and millions of Americans, the recovery helped the banks and very few Americans.
If there is another dip into a new recession, Wall Street will be hurt. Will more average Americans be hurt? This recovery has helped people who already had money, if they lose money that their only sticking in their pockets and not spending anyway, why should I care?
So, I’m really not sure a double-dip recession will cause more pain for most people. We’re already hurting and no one in power seems to care, so why should I care about them?
Let me add that since the bill just passed that will supposedly help the economy actually costs jobs and reduces spending that could help people and the economy I really can’t believe anything that Washington says about what I should worry about, what needs to be done or even what color the sky is.
Monday, August 1, 2011
The future
I’ve been ranting, though I would say in a very reasonable manner with understandable motivation.
What has been happening in this country, and what specifically just happened over the debt ceiling deal, was not a loss for a political party. This was a loss for the people of this country.
If you’re not old enough to remember, go look up what air and water quality were like before the EPA. Or food safety back when there was money and the will to do inspections. We already know what happens to the economy when Wall Street isn’t regulated.
Go back further and look at what happened under FDR to see how we could have gotten out of this mess – and check out Hoover, the failed policies will look familiar.
Or just think of your own commute and how many potholes there are in the street, how few trains there are and how dirty the streets are.
With negative changes probably coming to many government agencies, with no help for unemployment and with no stimulus, no revenue and only cuts I can’t see anything good coming from this. The immediate future may be reminiscent of the 1920s and ‘30s, and since I think this country lacks the will to force the necessary changes, the Great Depression may look like a Golden Age in comparison.
Less than 20 years ago we had a strong economy and a strong nation, but after 30 years of deliberate assault our democracy is all but dead. No, it’s not a crazy conspiracy theory, it’s just that most people don’t realize it happened or why or how. A handful of people control enough politicians to rule the country. Elected representatives of less than 20% of the population dictate policy to the rest.
Manufactured budget crises are being used as excuses to hurt people so that the rich can be given more. Many states and the country as a whole are not being governed for the good of the people but for the benefit of wealthy political donors.
I have always cared about how this country treated people in need, or even just people who needed a little help. I cared even when these things did not touch me, even when my wife and I were both healthy and employed in secure, well paying jobs. I used to have hope for my future and the future of the nation.
I really don’t have much hope anymore. Not for the country or for myself. I am dependent on others for everything I need to live. I’m trying to change that, but the way things look I won’t get the chance. I’m honestly not sure I’ll be around in five years. Hell, I’m not sure I’ll make it to next year.
What has been happening in this country, and what specifically just happened over the debt ceiling deal, was not a loss for a political party. This was a loss for the people of this country.
If you’re not old enough to remember, go look up what air and water quality were like before the EPA. Or food safety back when there was money and the will to do inspections. We already know what happens to the economy when Wall Street isn’t regulated.
Go back further and look at what happened under FDR to see how we could have gotten out of this mess – and check out Hoover, the failed policies will look familiar.
Or just think of your own commute and how many potholes there are in the street, how few trains there are and how dirty the streets are.
With negative changes probably coming to many government agencies, with no help for unemployment and with no stimulus, no revenue and only cuts I can’t see anything good coming from this. The immediate future may be reminiscent of the 1920s and ‘30s, and since I think this country lacks the will to force the necessary changes, the Great Depression may look like a Golden Age in comparison.
Less than 20 years ago we had a strong economy and a strong nation, but after 30 years of deliberate assault our democracy is all but dead. No, it’s not a crazy conspiracy theory, it’s just that most people don’t realize it happened or why or how. A handful of people control enough politicians to rule the country. Elected representatives of less than 20% of the population dictate policy to the rest.
Manufactured budget crises are being used as excuses to hurt people so that the rich can be given more. Many states and the country as a whole are not being governed for the good of the people but for the benefit of wealthy political donors.
I have always cared about how this country treated people in need, or even just people who needed a little help. I cared even when these things did not touch me, even when my wife and I were both healthy and employed in secure, well paying jobs. I used to have hope for my future and the future of the nation.
I really don’t have much hope anymore. Not for the country or for myself. I am dependent on others for everything I need to live. I’m trying to change that, but the way things look I won’t get the chance. I’m honestly not sure I’ll be around in five years. Hell, I’m not sure I’ll make it to next year.
Taxes
Republicans are celebrating that there are no tax hikes in the debt deal. I can only take that to mean that they want increased consolidation of power in the hands of a minority wealthy elite and that the wealthy should not have to contribute fairly to the country that makes it possible for them to be wealthy in the first place.
Not raising taxes and cutting spending in this type of economy is the wrong thing to do. We may all survive this, but it could have been so much easier.
Not raising taxes and cutting spending in this type of economy is the wrong thing to do. We may all survive this, but it could have been so much easier.
Social Security
And isn’t it nice that they say they won’t touch Social Security to balance the budget. Which is really nice because it almost make me think they aren’t complete idiots since, repeat after me,
SOCIAL SECURITY DOES NOT, NEVER HAS AND NEVER WILL ADD TO THE DEFICIT.
SOCIAL SECURITY DOES NOT, NEVER HAS AND NEVER WILL ADD TO THE DEFICIT.
Medicare
Oh, look, they promise to only cut Medicare to providers and they claim that it isn’t a cut to recipients’ benefits. Apparently limiting where sick people can get their health care isn’t a cut. I remember the same people that support this screaming about death panels that didn’t exist. I guess it’s OK if it only hurts people and not insurance companies.
Maybe they think this will force people to use private insurance but there isn’t a private insurer in the country who will cover you if you’re eligible for Medicare. And not cutting Medicaid might not help much because in some places it’s used to pay Medicare premiums so people can get health care through that.
Well, it only hurts poor people, seniors and the disabled so I guess it’s OK.
Maybe they think this will force people to use private insurance but there isn’t a private insurer in the country who will cover you if you’re eligible for Medicare. And not cutting Medicaid might not help much because in some places it’s used to pay Medicare premiums so people can get health care through that.
Well, it only hurts poor people, seniors and the disabled so I guess it’s OK.
Disgusted
I don’t imagine that many people are surprised that this entire debt ceiling fiasco has been nothing more than political theater that benefits the rich and at best does nothing for 98% of the American people.
Of course at worst this accelerates the downward economic spiral and destroys peoples’ lives.
No, now that I think of it, that’s what it does by design. To be worse it would actually have to cut all discretionary spending immediately, triple taxes on the middle class and cut all taxes on the rich.
This has all been staging for everyone’s next campaign. Remember, the people who promise to take away your pain next election are the ones who caused it in the first place. They don’t care who they hurt as long as they have their power.*
We can take it away from them, you know. No matter how many millions they get in contributions it doesn’t count unless they get the votes.**
Mitch McConnell said it himself when he said that since elections didn’t get him what he wanted he’d find another way to do it. Well, we just saw it happen. The nation’s economy was just held hostage – basically, the American people were threatened with harm if a few politicians weren’t allowed to harm them. Kind of like saying if you don’t let me shoot this hostage I’ll shoot this hostage.
They just shot the hostage.
Expect this to happen again, and in ways that will further hurt the country.
This is broken democracy.
* A few thought they were doing the only thing they could do under the circumstances. I think most of them were wrong.
** Though we do need to make sure the elections aren’t stolen because the stage is already set for that.
Of course at worst this accelerates the downward economic spiral and destroys peoples’ lives.
No, now that I think of it, that’s what it does by design. To be worse it would actually have to cut all discretionary spending immediately, triple taxes on the middle class and cut all taxes on the rich.
This has all been staging for everyone’s next campaign. Remember, the people who promise to take away your pain next election are the ones who caused it in the first place. They don’t care who they hurt as long as they have their power.*
We can take it away from them, you know. No matter how many millions they get in contributions it doesn’t count unless they get the votes.**
Mitch McConnell said it himself when he said that since elections didn’t get him what he wanted he’d find another way to do it. Well, we just saw it happen. The nation’s economy was just held hostage – basically, the American people were threatened with harm if a few politicians weren’t allowed to harm them. Kind of like saying if you don’t let me shoot this hostage I’ll shoot this hostage.
They just shot the hostage.
Expect this to happen again, and in ways that will further hurt the country.
This is broken democracy.
* A few thought they were doing the only thing they could do under the circumstances. I think most of them were wrong.
** Though we do need to make sure the elections aren’t stolen because the stage is already set for that.
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