Making head or tails

It’s hard to fathom the way people think when it is so far off target from one’s own.  I refer to yesterday’s blog and the philosophy that our government appears to have in forcing the workers in this country to work longer and harder.  I clearly recall being taught in my grade 8 class that when I was going to join the work force the odds were that I would be working a 4 day week because of “progress”.  Through my working career promises have been made by our politicians that we could expect a rosy retirement if we paid into the “system”.  As an employer as well as an employee I have paid double dues to the government “systems”.

       I’ve paid my taxes since I was 18 years old, including health care dues for most of my working career.  Thank goodness I have been a very healthy person and have rarely even had to go to the doctor until after 50 when I thought it was time to start doing annual checkups. 

       I bitterly resent the way government officials, our elected politicians speak about people who have been on employment insurance, as though the majority choose to lose their jobs.  Their holy stance is particularly offensive when it is revealed that these noble individuals get a royal handshake in the way of “packages” should they not be elected again, should they choose to retire, should they “move on”.  Not a mere pittance, either, oh no, they get a year or two in salary; they get pensions we can only fantasize about; and oh yes, they get handed another job, perhaps a senatorship, perhaps a seat on a super board of health care, or some such thing.  These loud mouthed, obnoxious scoundrels have the audacity to tell us that we need to have a stiff upper lip and keep on toiling, take a job as a Walmart greeter no doubt, or go to the Okanagan as a cherry picker even as we totter on our arthritic legs.

       I am beyond outraged.