You Should Be Grateful......

I have been following some of the reports of Occupy Wall Street. I am going to state right now, I am in support of their movement. Many will disagree with me, and that is their right and their privilege to do so. I do not find it UnAmerican when people disagree with me. I do not find it treasonous when people do not agree with the government. Differences in opinion are our constitutional right and dare I say duty as Americans.

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies;" Thomas Jefferson--The Declaration of Independence


Now, I am not saying we chuck our form of government and replace it with something radical. I am saying that definite abuses need to be addressed and those abusers need to be held accountable. Our government should not be for sale to the highest bidder. Those that have money should not have politicians in their pockets. When that happens then those who have money decide what is right and wrong. Normally, they decide this in their own favor. This is how our tax codes have been written, this is how deregulation of banks and wall street have occurred and brought our economy to a grinding halt. This is how the top 1% have seen their incomes rise by 275% over the last 30 years, while the rest of us have had to work much harder and longer hours and have seen our wages stagnate. 


I was at work a few weeks ago. It had been an awful day. We had recently gone through some major staff reductions and as such were short staffed, although perfectly staffed according to some one who probably hadn't stepped foot in a store in 50 years. I had been running, and I do mean running to try and keep up. Finally lunch came. I went to the break room and saw the company magazine. On the front was a guy in a suit looking all proud and powerful. The camera angle used was such that it really emphasized that he was looking down on those about to read the article about him. He had power, I did not. 


I opened the magazine to the article. I read it. I about puked my guts up. I was exhausted from running and apologizing to people because their prescriptions weren't ready over and over. I had been yelled at, and verbally abused because we couldn't keep up because of the recent cuts. "I am so so sorry," had come out of my mouth more times than I could swallow. These people had every right to be mad, we were way behind. 


I wanted to rip the magazine to shreds! Why? You might ask? The article was about Mr. Suit and his wonderful new approach to office  communication. Apparently, theses "higher ups" spend their time perusing the Internet and business magazines looking for "current event" articles to share with the class, oops I mean the rest of the staff. They get together and read their articles and then discuss them, because apparently they have nothing better to do with THEIR time. I was angry about this the rest of the day. I am still angry about it today. They are playing 6th grade classroom while we are running our asses off! And Mr. Suit thinks he has stumbled upon a great new innovation to increase productivity. If they have the time to do that, maybe they need to cut staff at that level and give the stores the staff to TAKE CARE OF THE CUSTOMERS! You know the ones PAYING THEIR FAT ASS SALARIES!


This is why I support Occupy Wall Street. Our Nation is broken. The ideals and the structure are still good. The Constitution is still excellent. The problem is in the way it has been usurped and abused by those that have the ability and the selfish priorities that have taken it over. The problem is with those that cannot see past their silver spoons to see what is going on beyond it. 


I DO NOT begrudge anyone who has worked hard for their money, earned it honestly and enjoys those benefits. I do not. I begrudge those that have lied, cheated and stolen their money from those that entrusted them with theirs. I begrudge those that think we, in the woking class, should pay more taxes than they do so they can have government bailouts and handouts and then reward themselves with bonuses and perks. I begrudge those that we elect, to protect our rights and our freedoms, being bought out by those same people who lied and cheated and stole from us. And I begrudge those who think we should produce more with less people, get paid less,  and be grateful we have a job at all.