I think we've gone soft. Back in the early 30's during the Great
Depression, Washington State's governor bragged about having
warehouses full of basic supplies like mattresses and basic foods.
Labor Unions called out the rank and file members, and opened the
warehouses and handed out the supplies. If my memory serves me, the
governor was Governor Martin.
Remember, the national government has always taken care of the Ruling
Class...usually at the expense of the Working Class. We are seeing
such protection today, with government bailouts to Wall Street Banks,
and the check is to be picked up by the common folks.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/15/20, Frank Ventura <frank.ventura@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl, the old need an excuse to take away the pension days are over. Here in
MA some of us have already lost our pensions from our current governor. An
excuse? Who needs it as he brags about the billion dollar budget surplus.
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, March 15, 2020 11:46 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: effects of Carona Virus on us, so far
Miriam,
What it tells me about the state of things is that you love Cinnamon Raisin
bread...toasted. It also tells me that we are creatures of habit.
I also have eaten the same breakfast for years. Two slices of toast, any
kind of bread will do, spread with either butter(heavy), or peanut butter,
or jam. I also have a banana every morning. And a cup of black coffee,
which I drink while sitting at my computer.
Over the years little has changed in the sort of meals I eat. What's
changed are my physical habits. Just a few short years ago I would make my
breakfast and sit at the dining room table, consume my food while listening
to NPR, and then rush out to do a bit of road maintenance or brush clearing,
then look at my email, call clients, set appointments, and if the generator
is running I'd toss in a load of laundry or run the vacuum. Today I grab my
breakfast, wobble to the office while trying not to slosh coffee on the
floor, sit at my computer and rest a bit before looking at the accumulation
of email and spam.
As for the road maintenance and the brush clearing? We hire a robust young
man to do it for us.
And if Donald Trump is reelected and has his way in the reduction of Social
Security and Medicare, and if the state of Washington declares it can no
longer pay retirement benefits to its former employees, Cathy and I will be
forced to attempt to sell our home and ten acres in a buyer's market. The
young man will be out a job, the propane company will be out a customer, the
local grocery stores will no longer have our support, the doctors we've seen
for years will have to get along without our visits, the internet will lose
our business, and the birds and small critters will no longer find fresh
food in the mornings. The Jarvis' will, like millions of oldsters, have
moved to a back bedroom in one of their children's or grand children's
homes, helping to pay for their own reduced income.
With our growing Senior population, the reduction or termination of the hard
won support network will ensure that we rush headlong into our worst
depression ever.
It will add a new wrinkle to the meaning of poverty. Gads! I seem to be
talking myself into voting for Uncle Joe, despite his Wall Street leanings.
I think that if I were younger, and could learn a new language, and could
embrace colder weather, I'd move to Norway, sing Home, Home on the Fjord and
learn to love Pickled Herring.
Carl Yarvis, singing Ya Sure Ya Betcha, I dun Tank I Do!"
On 3/15/20, miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
There are shortages in the stores. Everyone apparently rushed to the
stores on Thursday and Friday. In most of the stores where we buy
stuff, there was no bread, no toilet paper, a shortage of cleaning
products. We couldn't get the brands that we usually buy. Luckily,
Melanie found my Cinnamon Raisin bread this morning, in a store where
we never buy food. It's what I have for breakfast each day. What does
that tell you about the public's state of mind? People are terrified
and it's taking the form of hoarding.
Miriam