I don't talk about politics at work. For the summer, I am holding down a temporary gig as a office assistant at a local law firm (atleast that is what i put on my resume- "office assistant" seems a little glorious for the work that I am doing). The firm specializes in construction law. We handle disputes between various contractors, developers, subcontractors, and pretty much everyone in North Carolina named Billy, Clint, Buddy, and Jimmy.
So talking about politics doesn't make much sense here. Folks at this firm are generally in a different tax bracket than me, and their wealth is directly tied to development; the more that people build, the more disputes arise, and the more work the firm has. I always learned that development was something with which to proceed cautiously- because of its toll on water resources, quality of life, environmental concerns, and traffic. These people build mini malls, apartment complexes, highway extensions and parking lots like they were made of legos. So we're not all on the same page.
Yesterday, for the first time, I got a glimpse of what I had suspected was hidden beneath the dirt-caked surface. I was speaking with one of the secretaries about a recent disappointment regarding her old DUI arrest. A year had passed since she swerved through town in her old green pickup truck, and she expected to have her car's breathalyzer machine removed (For those of you unaware, this is a machine that you have to breathe sober breath into to be able to start your car- they pretty much come standard with all cars sold in NC). Of course, due to some discrepancy between the DMV and the company that manufactures the breathalyzer (and is the only one capable of removing it), she will have to keep the machine on an extra two months.
I made some comment about the how annoying the politics of this can be- partly because it is true and partly because I didn't want to say "well, you probably should have thought of this before you drank and drove". She replied: "Yea. The government always does this."
"But, like my husband says, its not as bad as them takin' over healthcare. I'd go into the doctor with a note to get a wart removed off my neck and they'd cut off my toe!"
...Took me a second to even realize what she was getting at. [Really? You would go into the doctors office with a note to remove a wart from your neck? You have warts on your neck?] But after it hit me, I realized she was coughing up the same talking points that you might hear on Limbaugh, Fox, or the right side of the aisle in Washington: Any government intervention in healthcare will make doctors retarded. And you will lose a toe.
What kind of nonsense is that? There are so many questions to ask someone who actually believes that. Forget political affiliations and educational background- we are talking about basic competence. Certainly, the healthcare issue in insanely complex. But there is a point at which verbal clutter like that does nothing to advance the discussion and reflects a dangerously low level of understanding. I wont try to tackle the healthcare issue here, but maybe a brief overview is in order...
We are sick. We are fat. We are getting sicker and fatter. We spend a lot of money on healthcare and don't get a lot out of it. Some people don't get anything out of it. We need to make sure everyone has access to healthcare, and that we can pay for it. Doctors and hospitals need a lot of money. The government should probably provide some funding. Don't worry, they already do. They offer Medicare and Medicaid- and those are two of the highest-rated healthcare programs we have. But Barack Obama doesn't want to be your doctor. He doesn't even want to choose your doctor for you- that's what insurance companies have been doing. We have to make sure that doctors can see more patients- and that more patients can see doctors. To pay for this, we need less waste in the system. And that means changing a few things. But it doesn't mean losing coverage or access to your doctor. And it certainly doesn't mean losing quality of care.
...Obviously, there is a lot more to it than that. But regardless of how you cut it, what we have isn't working. And what we are saying about what we have and what we need really isn't working. Whatever "news" programs and email alerts have been trumpeting the message of a socialist, pro-toe removal government that wants to takeover healthcare needs to stop. They are probably not being written by the 47 million Americans that are worse off than the rest of us. Or by the Americans who are actually making suggestions and bringing substance to the discussion. So as our country trudges through this one, let's atleast speak about these things intelligently.
I don't talk about politics at work.
-Dave
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Dear President Obama... (I actually sent this)
July 28th, 2009
President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama,
I hope you are doing well. Its hard to believe its been nearly nine months since you were elected! I can remember my excitement that night last November watching your acceptance speech from a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado- a testament to the power of passion and perseverance.
In fact, I spent quite a bit of time working to bring your dream to life. During the three months leading up to the election, I traveled to swing states around the country carrying your message of hope and promise to voters. In Iowa, I registered college students to vote. In Ohio, I organized meetings and events to get young people out to the polls. And in New Hampshire and Colorado, I knocked on doors and called voters to make sure they were ready to check the box next to your name. I voted absentee in North Carolina and called every friend I had in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, and Virginia.
Those were three of the most challenging months of my life. In Iowa City, I slept on the floor in an apartment building that had been vacated after significant flood damage. In Columbus, I stayed in an apartment that permanently reeked of rotten squid after a prolonged power outage thawed the contents of the abandoned freezer. And in Concord, I was sandwiched in to a three-bedroom apartment with 11 other people. I drank more cups of coffee than I can remember, and slept fewer hours than ever before. But those months were also the most exciting that I can remember, and I was lucky to have taken part in such a historical event.
In the time since the election and inauguration, I have been struggling to find a job. The current economic situation has proven difficult and many would-be employers are barely able to stay afloat. I have applied to jobs with private companies, non profits, and government agencies (boy the USAJobs website has some difficult applications!). Most organizations, if they have responded to my cover letters and resumes at all, have replied with a “no”. I suspect that the few companies that are hiring are getting tired of seeing my experiences summarized in 10.5 font on a single page.
As my anxiety over employment has grown, so too has my desire to overcome the challenges that currently face this nation. I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Human Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a keen interest in environmental policy. I am eager to do whatever it takes to help you make good on the promises you laid out during your campaign. I am writing to see if you are able to help me out- with a job, a letter of recommendation, or even a well-placed phone call on my behalf. I understand that you are busy, but I would be extremely grateful for any help you can provide. Thank you for your time, and I wish you continued success navigating through these difficult times.
Your friend,
David K. Christopher
President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama,
I hope you are doing well. Its hard to believe its been nearly nine months since you were elected! I can remember my excitement that night last November watching your acceptance speech from a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado- a testament to the power of passion and perseverance.
In fact, I spent quite a bit of time working to bring your dream to life. During the three months leading up to the election, I traveled to swing states around the country carrying your message of hope and promise to voters. In Iowa, I registered college students to vote. In Ohio, I organized meetings and events to get young people out to the polls. And in New Hampshire and Colorado, I knocked on doors and called voters to make sure they were ready to check the box next to your name. I voted absentee in North Carolina and called every friend I had in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, and Virginia.
Those were three of the most challenging months of my life. In Iowa City, I slept on the floor in an apartment building that had been vacated after significant flood damage. In Columbus, I stayed in an apartment that permanently reeked of rotten squid after a prolonged power outage thawed the contents of the abandoned freezer. And in Concord, I was sandwiched in to a three-bedroom apartment with 11 other people. I drank more cups of coffee than I can remember, and slept fewer hours than ever before. But those months were also the most exciting that I can remember, and I was lucky to have taken part in such a historical event.
In the time since the election and inauguration, I have been struggling to find a job. The current economic situation has proven difficult and many would-be employers are barely able to stay afloat. I have applied to jobs with private companies, non profits, and government agencies (boy the USAJobs website has some difficult applications!). Most organizations, if they have responded to my cover letters and resumes at all, have replied with a “no”. I suspect that the few companies that are hiring are getting tired of seeing my experiences summarized in 10.5 font on a single page.
As my anxiety over employment has grown, so too has my desire to overcome the challenges that currently face this nation. I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Human Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a keen interest in environmental policy. I am eager to do whatever it takes to help you make good on the promises you laid out during your campaign. I am writing to see if you are able to help me out- with a job, a letter of recommendation, or even a well-placed phone call on my behalf. I understand that you are busy, but I would be extremely grateful for any help you can provide. Thank you for your time, and I wish you continued success navigating through these difficult times.
Your friend,
David K. Christopher
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Journalism gone awry...
Politico.com's front page story today poses "10 Questions for President Obama."
Some of these questions are reasonable, though most have a accusatory and skeptical air about them. They do, however, generally address issues that are important and deserve explanation.
Well, most of them atleast... For their last questions, the authors do ask "Do you still plan on joining a Washington-area church and attending services?"...
Thank goodness they asked that one... Whew. Talk about hard hitting journalism about important issues.
-Dave
Some of these questions are reasonable, though most have a accusatory and skeptical air about them. They do, however, generally address issues that are important and deserve explanation.
Well, most of them atleast... For their last questions, the authors do ask "Do you still plan on joining a Washington-area church and attending services?"...
Thank goodness they asked that one... Whew. Talk about hard hitting journalism about important issues.
-Dave
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Cheeeeeese
...Okay, well it wasn't a 95-mph fastball, but atleast it got there and didn't require that he then got hooked up to an oxygen mask.
-Dave
-Dave
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Strike One
It is funny watching someone do something that they suck at.
In the world of baseball's ceremonial first pitches, this happens a lot. Americans have witnessed countless famous people step up to the mound and disappoint the entire nation with a pathetic effort to hurl a 5-ounce ball 60 feet to the plate. We have repeatedly been willing to couch our expectations and applaud their efforts, trying desperately to picture the hurler as the star we once knew and not the pathetic sack of bones on the TV screen before us. We are tremendously gracious.
But, just as there are some drawings that a young child brings home that simply do not belong on the fridge, there have been many ceremonial first pitches that test the limits of our graciousness and tolerance:
And, providing that the President throws the ball in the general direction of home plate, you can expect the Washington Nationals to extend a contract offer to the hometown lefty. Their team ERA is currently right up there with Obama's approval ratings...
-Dave
In the world of baseball's ceremonial first pitches, this happens a lot. Americans have witnessed countless famous people step up to the mound and disappoint the entire nation with a pathetic effort to hurl a 5-ounce ball 60 feet to the plate. We have repeatedly been willing to couch our expectations and applaud their efforts, trying desperately to picture the hurler as the star we once knew and not the pathetic sack of bones on the TV screen before us. We are tremendously gracious.
But, just as there are some drawings that a young child brings home that simply do not belong on the fridge, there have been many ceremonial first pitches that test the limits of our graciousness and tolerance:
- Mariah Carey: The ball barely cleared her toes before falling to the ground about 55 feet shy of home plate in her 2008 toss in San Fransisco.
- Mark Mallory: For his 2007 home-opener for the Reds, the mayor of Cincinnati threw the ball into Cleveland
- Adam Carolla: I'm not sure he could hit water from a boat. Also, the Man Show sucked.
- Dick Cheney: For his ceremonial first pitch, Mr. Cheney came up a little short. He should probably stick to hunting.
And, providing that the President throws the ball in the general direction of home plate, you can expect the Washington Nationals to extend a contract offer to the hometown lefty. Their team ERA is currently right up there with Obama's approval ratings...
-Dave
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