Ah, I can once again actually access JU. I don't think I'll continue posting here as the reply I tried to post last night at almost 2:00 a.m. seems stale. Here it is, however, unchanged. I'm going to continue Agenda and Malice someplace less wonky who doesn't have a highly verbal owner at it's helm. Though I'll keep an eye on JU whenever it actually shows up in my browser - I won't be posting here. Enjoy! And look for the new blog site Even More Agenda and Malice.
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Original reply:
Please don't limit your responsivity when you are providing honest, thoughtful and reasoned material. I honestly thought I would simply be kicked from JU the moment you read my rebuttal, which may still happen, but as you know, I would have simply blogged elsewhere - out of reach, still attacking whatever JU article that agitated me.
"If you strike me down now Vader, I will become more powerful then you can imagine."
Whatt'a sportsman - no sarcasm implied. Either I've struck a chord or you just feel the need to set the record straight, maybe the truth is neither the former or the latter. Fine. I'll set the Deference flippancy meter to 'nihl'.
I don't assume that most people are powerless. It has been my experience that people do have varying degrees of power available to them that empower them in specific sociopolitical and / or economic environments. There are some, however that are without power. The severely mentally handicapped, the hopeless drug addict, the Schiavo vegetable, the jailed, even, those serving in our various military branches (I was there). I find it very difficult to envision a realit wherein these individuals can somehow summon the strength to shape the world around them and make a niche to better themselves. To compare yourself, Brad, to someone like John - a guy who didn't win the gene lottery and who had no available innovation to write his own ticket is not just or appropriate. Something about apples and oranges.
John is an example of what is occuring in America, that no matter how much good attitude (read: work ethic) one brings to the table, his altitude will never be found soaring. His aptitude and thus, his lack of credentiels, is his failing. The standard of living in Jefferson City, Missouri is nearly smack dab at $7.00 (seven dollars) hourly, the housing market here has remained very stable and emmigration to the area has not spiked to such a point that local business have adopted and acquired to the stagnation of wages - though the expectation of standards of living has risen. Public bussing is available but it is still required that one own a car for reason of employment availability, cellular phones have become a hiring requisite for reason of immediate work availibility, owning a computer with internet access has become a standard for employees to receive work-related notices, personal insurance is a huge must simply to be present at most places of employment today (specifically the non-outsourced manufacturing jobs within J.C). When one adds these additional costs to housing and food, it becomes abundantly clear that blue-collar (and now many white collar jobs due to outsourcing via 'free trade' agreements such as NAFTA) will only find themselves with no recourse but debt - and that is another penalty against gainful employment today. John could not be a 'lead cashier' and 'customer service representative' if he had a credit score below the national average of 650. At seven bucks an hour, he must be very savvy. John could be stupid, but he has lived in Jefferson City all his life, he has an eight year old daughter and bills that prohibit him from moving or taking the chance for a higher paying job that doesn't exist in Jefferson City - he's forty and at the Autumn of his life, it would be highly implausible that he suddenly acquire a new skill set (via schooling) or 'find a new job' that paid him as more money - particularly considering how much he's invested in the current system he's ground in.
This brings up a problem I have with today's social darwinism. I always attack those that wear religion on their sleeve, but I adhere to many Christian principles - one of the vague fuzzy ones being that one should enable and support those that struggle. We'll never eliminate 'faith babies' from our midst - ever. And sometimes people are borne with limitations that do not aide them in contemporary society. That does not mean we should caste them aside for the hope that we will eventually eliminate them from our job market and eventual personal gain. It is partly the responsibility of those of us who are more able to support the less able - which is a puritannical by-product passed down from those that founded this country and nurtured it through it's infancy. Those that purposely shirk their duty should not be rewarded, but people such as John, should be enabled via such tools as new minimum wage legislation. Yes these people are a drag on our economy, but they are our people, it is our sacrosanct right and privilege to care for those in our community who our family members and selves will come into contact with on daily occassion. It is a good and righteous thing to see these people as happy and as well adjusted as possible.
John doesnt know, but soon, the District Manager will enact orders from higher up - they will be cutting most cashiers from the Eastland Gerbes store in favor of more self-service touch-screen checkout stations. John's job will soon be monitoring these stations and providing 'customer service'. What he may not realize, if he knew, is that the 17 year old girl not yet graduated from High School is as equally able to perform that job, and could be his replacement - because he simply earns 'too much' already in the eyes of management. Why? Increased revenues. So he may someday become an unemployed 50 year old with no dignity, no income, and dependency upon - you guessed it - the state. Which means he is owned by the tyrranical government, the men with guns whom you claim are not consistant of 'the people', and their whim.
I had brunch with Fey, the VP of operations of the three Scholastic Inc. facilities located in Jefferson City a few weekends ago. Fey recalled an instance where, at a birthday meeting with employees a gentleman stood up and ranted about pay and the revolving door of employement that is de rigeur at Scholastic. The gentleman wanted to know if pay would be ever be increased, and if Scholastic would consider stopping hiring so many virtual scabs that were constantly hired and fired - keeping the payout of benefits to a minimum and senior employees on their guard. Fey lamented the fact that employees seemingly point this out every month at the 'birthday meetings', but was quick to remind me that there simply wasn't any money within the budget but to continue the practice. I asked her if the distributor had seen a loss, she replied, "No", but to keep profit margins at projection, there was no other choice; with 'corporate' breathing down her neck from New York.
Brad, apparently you understand the value of making certain your employees are well - kept. Congratulations. I take your word at it, I will not research Stardock and it's operations or address you on the subject because, despite my sometimes unseeming conduct here at JU, I understand that it is not appropriate. My Father was a very successful commercial General Contractor, and to add comment on his way of conducting business or treatment of his employees (which I certainly took issue with), he took such word as a violation of his very personal relationship with a business he created out of thin air. Perhaps Stardock is a smart contrast to today's stark business practices, but the truth is that such places as Scholastic, Gerbes, and even our nearby local Pizza Hut chain regularly abuse it's employees for the sake of profitability. Profit that grows leaps and bounds each fiscal year - yet the employees simply suffer more and more. How does it hurt Bob if Jim has a private jet? Maybe that private jet came at the expense of Bob. Working longer harder, and at greater risk, but not seeing any of the added return. Do you understand what I'm driving at?
I'm not a tax and spend guy, I'm not a socialist, I'm not a Democrat, I simply feel like we're sliding down this slope to maltreatement of the lowest class - to the highest degree - of the majority of people around us. I don't think that where we're headed is going to be profitable or enjoyable in the end. I must disagree with your stance on the issue of minimum wage, and John will be happy to bag your groceries if you should ever make it down to the Eastland Jefferson City Gerbes, then you might realize how much he and others like him deserve a quarter more for performance and maintenence of duty - even if it comes at the wishful gun of the people working within our government - at the petition of the people that should govern the reigns of America.
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