The 53%

When I wrote my last post about the 53% I ended up reading a number of posts that irritated me.  A bunch of Republican assholes writing their own summaries of how their hard work and determination saved them and why they are the 53%.  Of course we don't get to see the posts from those who worked hard and failed, or maybe they couldn't afford health care and died.

But anyway, here's my contribution.  My statement.  No I'm not going to write it on paper and photograph it, you can just read it here:

I didn't come from a rich family.

I can still remember walking to the laundrette (laundrymat) with my parents as a kid.  They lived within their means and didn't want to take out a loan for a washing machine.

My first school was in low income neighborhood, in the middle of welfare housing.  I walked two miles to and from school every day in the sun, rain and snow for six years.

My parents didn't own a car until I was eight, and the car they bought was worth less than $1,000.

My parents sacrificed a lot to scrape together the money for my secondary education at a cheap private school. 

I was later educated in a community college, but thanks to the political system in England, I didn't have to pay.  Just like I didn't have to pay for health care directly.

I took my first job at 13; a paper round which I did until I turned 16, and took a job working weekends at a Home Depot type of store.  I stayed there four years.

I purchased my first car with my life savings of $1,000 at the age of 19.  It was crap.  But got me to college and my first real job.

Thanks to saving and paying my bills, I was able to buy my first home at 23, with not a dime in assistance from the government, my friends or my family.  I did it with my own hard work and good credit.

I built a highly successful career in the health care industry, and have never borrowed money from friends or family.  

My wife and I have worked hard for everything we have, but we do not begrudge the government using our tax dollars to ensure that the poor get a fair chance at life.

We are liberals because we are smart enough to understand that just because two Mensa members from ordinary middle class families did okay, doesn't mean that everyone who works hard can achieve what we did.

I do not believe that every CEO, actor, rapper, reality show star, or sports person got where they got because of nothing but skill and hard work, the vast majority were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time when they hit their career lotteries.

It is a Repubican fallacy that the poor are stupid and/or lazy.  The poor are just like you or me, but they didn't catch the breaks we did.

They are not there to pour scorn on.  Rather than spending trillions on 'defense' and tax breaks for billionaires, I believe we should spend it on our own society.  Create jobs, rebuild our infrastructure, and make America great for everyone, not just the 1%.

When we invest in America, and hold out a helping hand to those in need we are enriching the whole of society.


I am the 99%.  I work hard.  I have a job.

I am proud to be a liberal.