Had a PB&J sandwich yesterday. That was it for the peanut butter. My wife and son had something to eat earlier...I said I wasn't hungry, I'd find something later. Of course, as the title suggests, I'm fucking starving, but I figured they needed it more than I do, you know how it is.
But this diary isn't about me.
I've been checking the balance on my pre-paid Visa® about every 30 seconds since I claimed my 2 weeks of unemployment this morning. Yeah, I know it won't be in there until tomorrow at the earliest, but I just can't seem to stop myself. The thing is, I think the water's getting shut off in the morning...possibly the electric as well...so I keep checking.
But this diary isn't about me.
We used up all this month's food stamps about a week ago. That $230/month helps, but it sure does go quick between me, my wife and our son. Considering the fact that my unemployment is equal to about 40% of what I was making at my last job and about 20% of what I was making until 2007, I'm glad for even that much.
But this diary isn't about me.
I currently have two broken teeth. Sheared off near the gum line about 3 weeks ago. The exposed nerves hurt like a motherfucker, but I can't get them fixed because I can't afford it and don't have dental insurance. Also got a case of bullous emhysema that I was diagnosed with 10 years ago that hasn't been treated or checked out for the same 10 years, because I can't afford it and haven't had health insurance.
But this diary isn't about me.
Now...I'm not one of those who thinks that if only we elect more Democrats, it will be an endless stretch of super happy fun time, we'll all get a shiny new pony and income inequality will be no more than a vague, quaint memory. Hell...I despise most of the Democrats in Congress about as much as I despise the Republicans. Between the fucking catfood commission, the continued existence of DADT and DOMA, the watered down Health and Financial Reform bills, the refusal to "look backward" and punish the criminals that looted our economy, the desperation for faux bi-partisanship for faux bi-partisanship's sake, failure to even attempt legislation to protect the environment, the abandonment of ACORN and a whole litany of other reasons, I'm about as sour on the administration and the Democratic leadership as anyone. I get it...really, I do. I'm as sick to death of the Blue Dogs, the Conservadems, the DINOS, the liberal-only-at-election-time shitbirds as anyone else.
But here's the thing...this diary is not about them either.
It's about November's election and what it means to the millions of people in this country who are in the same, or an even leakier, boat than I am. It's about the 1 out of every 6 Americans that rely on public assistance, the 15 million unemployed and the millions more who are under-employed.
It's about what will happen to many of us should the polls, pundits and prognosticators turn out to be right and the Republicans take control of one or both houses of Congress
Believe me...I could care less if Ben Nelson, Max Baucus or Kent Conrad get another chance to feather their nests and set up an even cushier lobbyist job after their constituents get as sick of them as I already am. I have less than no interest in what future opportunities may or may not be available to Mary Landrieu or Blanche Lincoln or Evan Bayh.
This diary isn't about them.
It's about all of those who are suffering and dying NOW and how much worse it will get for them if Congress is controlled by a majority who consider those of us collecting the unemployment benefits due us to be nothing more than parasites...who will shut down government and ensure that those Americans who rely on food stamps for survival will just fucking die already and stop making the poor ruling class have to worry about their tax bill going up 3%...who decry the sloth of "welfare queens" while trying to figure out how to send more subsidies the Koch brothers' way.
Is my "voter enthusiasm" down this year? You fucking bet it is. But there's not a chance in hell that I'll let those scumbags continue their pillaging without doing anything to try to stop them. Although I'm unable to donate any money this year, I'll damn sure be voting in November and devoting every minute that I can to help DFA, OFA, MoveOn, NARAL, FairDistrictsFlorida and every other group that I belong to in every way that I possibly can to help GOTV.
Thank you for your time.