On Friday, August 29th, at the Victory Center in Dayton, Ohio, John McCain will be celebrating his birthday and announcing his VP pick to 10,000 supporters. It would, I think, be a great time to organize a large group of well-dressed, well-coiffed, unemployed (or, in the parlance of our day, under-employed) Buckeyes to greet Senator McCain with resumes and references in hand. It is time for the Senator to make good on his promise to pay workers $50/hour to pick lettuce in Yuma, Arizona.
Unfortunately, I just moved to Pennsylvania from Ohio, so I would be unable to either organize or attend this rally, but imagine what a powerful scene that would be. Hundreds (thousands?) of out-of-work Ohioans, dressed in slacks and a tie, holding resumes, waiting in a line to speak with Senator McCain, patiently standing outside the arena's doors for the chance to take him up on his offer of $50/hour.
I know that Ohio has been hit hard by the loss of manufacturing jobs. I know that there are unions willing to step up and hit McCain for his unwillingness to help the American worker. I know that McCain is out of touch - only an idiot would suggest that an American worker wouldn't want to put in a 10-hour day for a payout of FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Does Senator McCain know that at $50/hour, working a 40-hour week for 50 weeks would be $100,000? Does he know how few Americans actually make that amount of money? Does he know how few Americans make half that?
This is what I would love to see - I'd love to see those DHL workers who are worried about losing their jobs organize and attempt to meet Senator McCain at his rally in Dayton. You don't think they'd work the shittiest, toughest job McCain could imagine for $50/hour? I bet they would. And I bet you could get a lot workers from right there in Dayton, from Cincinnati, from Springfield, from Lima, from Toledo - and I bet they would be more than willing to stand outside in protest and ask for a moment of Senator McCain's time. Hell, it's a 7 hour drive for me and even I'd be willing to do it.
$50/hour is just too good to pass up.