It is over, I'm done - I'm no longer proud to be an American.

[susanwy]

My fingernails are bleeding trying to hang on to the Middle class rung of the ladder. At least the republicans could send me a dozen roses after fucking me a thousand different ways this last month.

My retirement savings - tanking, my two kids college money - tanking. It will take years to recover, and I don't have years. I moved some retirement $$ into interest only accounts (50/50) before the "compromise" bill passed. I saw it coming, those fucking Neanderthal knuckle dragging republicans wouldn't compromise and I knew at least one CONSERVATIVE rating agency would down grade anyway. I'm 47, so any changes to Medicare and SS will directly affect me and there isn't enough time or wage gains in my future to overcome the gap that will be created.

My debt - yea, shoot me I have credit card debt. Some of it because once in a while we break down and take, you know, a family vacation. Then when we got ahead a couple of years ago I paid for a vacation for my DYING sister-in-law and her family, because no matter how much I get discouraged, my life does not suck near as bad as my poor nephews, their dying mother and their struggling father. But then my husband got sick - two months no work at all, and slow going to get back to full time. But after only four months in the new job, he had no sick leave, no disability pay. Thankfully his boss is a good human and held the job for him. He is back to work, but we used our credit cards a bit and paid a little less on the balances to pay the medical bills (thank God we had decent insurance). Now because of the stupid TEA BAGGING insane fucks, my credit card rates will go up...so some bank executive doesn't have to give up the Bentley.

My job - hate it, but I worked really hard and I am one month away from earning my graduate degree - all at night - all while taking care of my parents and raising teenage boys and working full time. What is it going to get me? An economy where getting a job will be tough, and where leaving a job will be equally as hard without a darn good reason. OH, and I am an evil government employee who is sucking this country dry. :sarcasm: I know I'm lucky to have a job, but I'm also sure the Republican dominated legislator in this state will use this manufactured crisis to cut my pension. So I will probably stay, with my controlling boss and no upward mobility opportunities ever (they cut my supervisor's job to save $$ and now I do the old supervisors job, plus my own).

My Mother - suffering today in the hospital because everything but her heart and her brain is falling apart, but mention dying with dignity, and you get labeled a harbinger of death. Yet, HER MONEY for assisted living and nursing home care she saved responsibly like the fucking republicans told her to, will run out in about a year and Medicaid payments for assisted living and nursing home care will be slashed. My sister will have take her, but her heartless republican husband won't pay for home health care. And my sister, 56, can't retire because her stupid fucking republican husband won't pay for her health insurance until she is Medicare eligible. The man has a cool 1.5 million in the bank, and OIL revenues coming in hand over fist, but he can't let my sister retire, even though he has been retired for 15 years. My sister worked for the last 15 years so they could have heath care for the family including my beautiful niece.

My Father - being cared for by a hack doctor because others won't accept Medicare patients anymore. Going blind from glaucoma, but God forbid he be allowed to use a plant that could relive his suffering and slow the progress of his blindness. My sister cares for Mom, I care for Dad.

My Husband - votes republican, buys the lame stream media rhetoric that the "Government is evil" and both parties are to blame. He never pays attention, never gets angry about it and says things like "I don't want my money paying for some guy down the street who is too lazy to get insurance". Our marriage is bucking under the stress of finances, health care and the future of our children.

Finally, my kids - my beautiful children. All grown up....products of no child left behind. Unsure of what they want to do in life because they never got an opportunity to learn how to learn, to explore careers and interests, always taking the required courses and have to take the tests - never inspired. One did well in HS, bombed out of college, the other did poorly in HS, nailed his ACT/SAT with high scores, but does not have a high enough GPA to get into a four year school. I try to kick them out, get a job I tell them...but what jobs??? My older son is finally working but worried about the safety violations his TEA BEGGAR boss has in the company warehouse. I'm worried about his safety...but do I tell him to quit after months of trying to find a job? We have left our children a worse country then we were given. We ought to be ashamed, I know I am....

Fuck it - I need a beer - I need to turn off the TV and stop watching my retirement vaporize, pay what I can on the mountain of bills and finish writing my graduate paper. Then, when my parents go to their great reward, cash in what is left and leave this fucking country to the right wing. They win, I lost.

:rant:

*edit sp/grammar errors*

[HockeyMom]

1. I ended that when Reagan was elected

It took 30 years, but I think I was right.

[Davis_X_Machina]

6. No, it *really* ended when Al Smith couldn't beat Hoover.

[sudopod]

8. Your level-headed defense of the status quo fills me with confidence! nt

[susanwy]

15. Don't get me started

The 30 years of the death spiral started (arguably championed and continued) by Regan has been my life - I watched it go by with optimism and hope and sometimes fear and loathing. Believe it or not, Raygun was my first vote....I was young and stupid. Then I tuned out and didn't vote for the next two elections. Only in my late twenties did I realize what Raygun had done, to my parents middle class dream, to AIDS sufferers and what he had given away to the rich at the expense of the poor. Never again have I voted for a Republican for president.

Now, just despair...how are we ever going to get out of this mess? I've donated, worked and fraught most of my life for mostly democratic principals and liberal ideas. And, the argument I was having with my husband today, it is ludicrousness to blame both parties equally. Any objective review of the facts is proof. But yet people buy the BS or don't vote. The other thing that has me down today is I just don't think this is what those 30 marines died for yesterday in Afghanistan....not this, not this fucked up country. What has happened to the American dream?

Susan

[Taverner]

2. I hear you

:hug:

[dtexdem]

3. I'm wondering about pride in being a human.

Not much seems to be going for that, either.

[susanwy]

12. Yup

Being a Human Being does not account for much anymore. The idea of doing what is best for your fellow man is dead. - Glad you caught that!

Susan

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. All I can do is give you a hug

[jwhitesj]

5. Your story is heartbreaking

[Tatiana]

7. I'm with you, sister. I truly feel you and what you're going through.

:hug:

[BeHereNow]

9. I think you speak for most of us; eloquently and from your heart.

Thanks- your post reminds all of us-we are not alone.
The despair is over whelming for so many people right now.
Sounds like you are doing everything you can to make your life,
and the ones you love and are loved by, as good as possible.

You deserve that beer and I'll join you.
BHN
:beer: :thumbsup: :hi:

[dissidentboomer]

10. I understand. My situation isn't as bad as is your situation but it could get there in a heart beat.

I know many folks who are in situations similar to or worse than your situation. They all used to be very stable middle or upper middle class people who DID NOT overspend or bury themselves with debt. Through the years, mostly stagnant income and creeping inflation, as well as large expected expenses that, try as they may, they couldn't totally prepare for (college for kids) and/or unexpected expenses like serious health problems for a parent or themselves or a lay off for several months to a year, sank them. They are now either at the edge of desperation or are desperate. All that I can tell you is to hang in there, as best you can, and, if necessary, call on family and/or close friends.

[femrap]

11. Maybe you and your sister should

leave the 2 repugnants and move in together. Kids don't necessarily have to go to college...depends on what they want to do with their lives.

Your sister should definitely sue for divorce and hopefully take him to the cleaners.

[susanwy]

13. Trust me we've considered it....

She is afraid - signed a prenup. She could be left with nothing - another old woman hung out to dry in this country - we are getting good at ignoring that demographic. Her first husband passed away 17 years ago and she has less retirement savings than I do! I want to leave my husband, after I finish my degree. Not because my husband is a republican, but because we have nothing in common anymore. I would never leave someone over politics alone, despite how badly I think republican's have fucked up the country (look at Mary and James Carville). Politics alone shouldn't break up a marriage, generally there is always something deeper going on. I've always believed it takes two to fuck up most relationships. The thought of a struggling retirement with someone I can't relate too anymore scares me....but right now not as much as being alone. Again, old, single women are not much valued in this society.

My sister and I have a plan right now - hold on for the current ride, treat our parents with as much dignity as we can before they die, love our children and try to support them in what ever decisions they make (as our parents did for us)...then buy a small camping trailer and take small trips together as often as we can save the money.

Susan

[femrap]

19. I'm single

and old. Lots of times, I tell people I'm a widow...gives me a bit respect, otherwise I have to say, 'No, I'm not a lesbian, but don't think there haven't been days that I didn't wish I were.'

Hope your sister hides money from hubby.

I've saved money my entire working life....The Consumer Lifestyle made me sick. I like money in the bank over a fancy car.

[Goldstein1984]

14. Welcome!

Take it from a corporate cog in the military industrial complex who only keeps his job, and his relationship with his family, by not saying anything he's really thinking--when you finish that MS degree you'll still hate your job. I've finished two of them, and they made no difference. I just know more than the average person about a couple more things within my areas of expertise.

And I used to work for government, too. I just moved to the private sector because it pays more than twice as much for the same work in my field. So I know that "underworked and overpaid government employee" thing is crap.

Worse, I can only occasionally act on conscience because I'm surrounded by family members who either don't have a clue what's going on, or they have a clue and are themselves surrounded by extended family who buy into the American Myth. I was able to convince a granddaughter who wanted to go to IHOP for her birthday that a locally-owned, non-corporate restaurant was a much better choice, but she's only 5, and her consumer-culture programming is still only soft-wired.

About the only thing that has gone well is that I pulled completely out of stocks in early 2008 and moved (about half) into gold, clueless about what gold was going to do. Ironically, now everyone thinks I really have the American system of success figured out because the gold thing worked so well. Only one of them realizes by move to gold was a bet against the American system.

The sad truth is that ALL Americans are so vested in a corrupt system that we can't hurt it, or even criticize it, without being hurt or condemned ourselves. The Few crack the whip, and the Many respond with, "Thank you, sir. May I have another."

I give up, too. Whatever happens happens.

[dana_b]

16. I have nothing but

empathy for you. Enjoy the beer and give your kids some great big hugs.
:beer: :grouphug:

[Billy Burnett]

17. My 32+ year marriage broke over these same issues.

Been divorced since Jan.

I'm pretty broke, but I haven't felt this good in years. Republican partners can extract the life out of you.

My 2 cents.

Good luck.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mimosa]

20. Susan, I'm proud of you. And many DUers with warm hearts and minds at work

You're not alone in this struggle. It's not over yet. I hope your husband can learn from you. I suppose he's scared to lose the financial game. He may not realise many people are now too poor to afford health insurance. The rates for people over 50, over 55, are extremely high, usually as much as their mortgage payments.

Blow off some steam here. We care, we understand.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LWolf]

22. I can't remember ever being proud to be and American.

My nationality isn't something I chose, and I have little to no influence on my nation as a whole.

It's not a matter of pride, one way or another.

I can say that I have often been ashamed of my nation, since I'm stuck with the identification.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bluestate10]

23. Try getting your kids into organizations like the Peace Corps or City Year.

The pay likely sucks, but they learn life skills, and more importantly, mature. They can return in a few years, get a college or trade school education, then move on with their lives. Keep your chin up, keep fighting, you only lose when you give up.

[susanwy]

27. I'm trying....

especially with my older son...he has no clue what he wants to do is just drifting. He has always been great with children and attended Leadership America twice.

Susan

[Curmudgeoness]

25. I am sorry that you are in such dire straits. I was getting ready to rant

myself, because I feel all your pain. Your rant is my rant.

[indepat]

26. Your heart-wrenching story is a microcosm of the almost complete fruition of the right-wings'

wet dream of destroying the New Deal and the Great Society, put on final death watch by a president with a D by his name who chose to open the door for the evisceration of social security, Medicare, and Medicaid on the heels of having extended egregious tax breaks for the uber-wealthy who have been on a sucking frenzy at the public welfare teat for over 30 years. Look for our national downward spiral to accelerate with alarming alacrity. Good luck. :patriot: