I admit it has been a while since I have read or contributed to Kos.
Usually a daily visitor, too much shit has gone on for me to have time
to blog or read blogs.
I know I am just one person with one small/tiny/microscopic company in
a backwards state (Alabama) but I see suffering all around me. Talk
of hitting bottom gives me serious doubts. I would wish it true of
course, but I fear it is not the facts.
I don't think we have hit bottom yet. The stock market numbers mean
nothing to most everyday people and their lives. We get up, go to
work, or not. pay the bills, or not, eat, or not. I mean the choices
are becoming more narrow. It comes down to survival in the end. That
I know how to do. It is in my blood, comes down from generations of
survivors, for that I am most grateful. Now begins the ranting.
You are warned in advance the f bomb is one of my favorites, so
read on at your own peril.
1. WHERE THE FUCK IS MY BAILOUT?
Ok, I just turned in all my records for the tax year 2009. OMFG,
it was truly truly bad. Beyond bad to wretched, awful, terrible,
want to slit my wrists so bad. I am not kidding, that bad.
The payroll was half of the year before. The gross was down another 40%,
it was so embarrassing to turn in these poor numbers. I felt
like a failure. Thirty years, with most being really good and
productive. Not just profits, but new equipment,a new building,
new trucks. Thank god we worked hard and paid off all the debts.
If not I would be fucked. I would be without a business.
So I have a novel idea. How about a grant program for small businesses,
something similar to the Pell Grant for college kids. I am investing
about $50.000 of my savings to do a conversion to make a theater/banquet
facility in my warehouse. Wouldn't it be great to have a place to
get a little help. I am hiring construction, plumber, painter, electrician,
and others to make my dream come true. It seems like a great
investment in the future not just for my business, but the area.
Which I can honestly say is cultural challenged to put it kindly.
BUT NOOOOOO, ALL THAT FUCKING MONEY HAD TO GO TO SOME SCUM SUCKING
MOTHERFUCKERS ON WALL STREET. GEE FUCKING THANKS FOR NOTHING.
2. WHERE THE FUCK ARE ALL THE JOBS?
I can tell you were they are not, here in the United States. Here
in Birmingham they just announced the closing of US Pipe. A business
which was over a 100 years old. Gone, Kaput as of March. Union and
other wise without a job as of March. And they were a good customer
of mine, along with all the car dealerships, and US Steel, who
just closed a plant last fall. Alabama has gained several Auto
Plants, but even they are laying off. I did hear they were adding
on or something, and of course the State of Alabama can always come
up with big bucks to give to these corporations, and yes our tax
dollars are paying for all of these incentives. But then there are
those jobs we are supposed to see. But millions for 300 jobs, wouldn't
it be more economical to encourage companies to expand, you know
the SMALL BUSINESSES. BUT NOOOOOOOO, FUCK THE SMALL BUSINESSMAN,
UNLESS YOU ARE GOOGLE. Remember the CEO of Google was at the President's
first small business summit or whatever, I spit coffee on myself when
I saw that, what a fucking crock. I sure didn't get an invite, even
though I get every fucking mailer about being a special partner to the
President, just not where it counts. You know the drill, you are so special,
now could you please send us a $1050 dollars. FUCK NO!
3.THIS ISN'T A RECESSION IT IS A FUCKING DEPRESSION
Lets see, hmmmmmmm, mass unemployment, rising homelessness, businesses
shuttering left and right,banks failing every other Friday. yeah,
have you noticed it is always on a Friday? People moving into poverty
everyday. You know I think we may be turning into a third world country. We certainly have enough homeless and sick and poor and hungry around.
Think about it, every city has rising homeless populations. Yet,
somewhere like Sweden had virtually no homeless. Prosperity is a word
I wouldn't use right now. We have slipped back, or backslide to about
what 1930. We have lost most of our manufacturing jobs. I noticed
they were showing a factory in Haiti starting back up, it was the
Russell Brand, which used to be made in Alexander City, Alabama.
The whole town worked for Russell, they even had an outlet store
across the road from the plant. All shuttered, because we know it
is cheaper to open plants in Haiti, or Mexico or anywhere other than USA.
Remember the movie Norma Rae with Sally Field (she won an Oscar for
that role, you like me you really like me speech for it) well,
all those factories are gone, every one. We no longer make
clothing in the South. Just big empty buildings. And poor people,
or dead towns, or dying towns.
4.WHY ARE THE FUCKING REPUBLICANS RUNNING THE SHOW
I heard a news person say something like: Why is the majority not
being represented. Why the fuck is that, why are a few seeming to decide
what the rest of us want to happen. From gay rights to the health
care debate. WHAT THE FUCK. Jeez, get a fucking backbone or something.
Oh noooo, we must not step on anyones' toes. Fuck that, give me a
sledge hammer and turn me loose, I WILL CRUSH SOME TOES, FUCKING
GET THE JOB DONE. From wanting to waterboard the underpants
bomber to the bullshit death panel hype, what a bunch of fucking
garbage/cesspool/septic/lying/greedy windbag asshole repug Republicans.
How can anyone believe a single thing these fuckers say, they are evil,
pure evil, and won't be happy until they destroy this country. Some
fucking Patriots my ass. One question, if they are The Tea Party, why
don't any of them drink tea? Just wondered, seemed stupid, oh yeah,
they are STUPID! Remember, stupid is the inability
to learn. Nailed it!!!
5.DON'T TELL ME ABOUT IT, JUST GET IT DONE!!
Once again, President Obama is in campaign mode. He is promising
to get on the whole "job problem". I am still waiting, though
I am having serious doubts anything will happen to help the common
man. But miracles can happen, but I hope it doesn't have to depend
on miracles. Show me the money, talk is cheap, let's see some action.
How about those grants I mentioned earlier in this post, instead of
loans through the SBA. What bullshit, have you ever tried to borrow
from the SBA. The paperwork is beyond daunting. I want it to be like
how Hank Paulson got that $700 billion in about 5 minutes with a
3 page memo, and you didn't even have to show where the money was
going or to whom or for what, yeah give me that deal, I don't even
want much, just a measly 50 grand, would a note on a napkin be enough,
after all Paulson got $700 billion on a 3 page note. No, Mr. President,
oh, you weren't aware that Alabama even existed, or that there might
be small businesses there, or even people who voted for you.
What ever happened to that line, "We are not blue states or red
states but The United States," I guess that is only true if you live
in Ohio, or Florida, or New York, Or Washington D.C. or Colorado. You
know or maybe a "Swing State." But if you are in a "Red" state, then
It feels something like, "Go fuck yourself, you don't exist." And
we don't for all intents and purposes.
6.MSM SUCKS ASS AND SHOULD STFU OR REPORT THE NEWS
Seriously, the main stream media have turned into total showboats
for drug companies, and noxious fumes of gas, surrounding a total
stack of bullshit. Fox News should be forced to call themselves
Fox Noise, because it is not news but gossip and outright lies.
MSNBC is not much better, and CNN is unwatchable with all that
techary, and other shit that gives me a migraine. I do have to
give kudos to NPR and PBS, which have actual news. And of course
Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, who have turned out to be our
most loyal and amusing news jesters. Thank god comedy is still
legal. Well at least I finished on a positive note.
End of rant.