These days we are struggling through will not be forgotten. As unstable and emotionally distressed as people are, we must try to understand our circumstances. When the budget impasse finally comes to an end, we will feel relieved. What must be recognized and not forgotten is the effects of the impasse. It will take some months and others years to recover from the stress that has been caused.
A speedy recovery will be dependent on people's awareness. Many have already realized that this situation affects all those around them. Unfortunately, during challenging times, those the closest to us suffer the most. The best way to reduce the breadth of our hardship is to talk with those closest to us. DO NOT try to deal with it yourself.
According to the American Psychological Association's article "Tools for Tough Times:"
"It's really important for people to get educated on the effects because these things can really sneak up on you," he says. "Your economic situation is bad, you're having these problems in your marriage, and a lot of people don't realize these things are related to one another. If people can come to understand what can happen as a result of these problems, they'll be better equipped to cope with them."
So once we recognize our personal situations and deal as best we can with that, we must also remember how we got to this point. We all know that changes must be made, but are not quite sure WHAT needs changed. We must stay calm and level-headed. Emotions are dangerous. Many of the regrets we have in our lives came when we made emotionally-based decisions.
Firstly, WE must make a change. Ignoring politics has gotten us to the point where multi-BILLION dollar bailouts can be approved for banks in minutes. While the people, who are now involuntarily committed to paying for these bailouts, are told there is NO HELP. And it has now moved from 'no help' to withholding what the people have earned. We are paid for OUR TIME; not for the product produced. That is another change we must make. Let's put ourselves FIRST!
It takes a very "special" person to run for elected office. Like many of us, politicians gravitate towards a profession that brings out the best in them. Unfortunately for us, our current political climate rewards lying, corruption, greed, and "scratching backs." We have the power to stop this. Like anything, we must continue to pay attention and exercise our rights as taxpayers and citizens.
For example, we should take away from this budget crisis that ALL of Pennsylvania's elected officials disregarded state workers. NO ONE took a big enough stance to get workers paid and avoid violating federal law.
I'm also very interested in how the US Dept of Labor is going to handle the situation. The most recent information I've heard is that they've requested pay stubs up thru 7/3(7/17 paycheck). Glass half-full: they got enough evidence from these pay stubs to file suit. Glass half-empty: they're waiting to see WHEN a budget is signed (in a very "brush under the rug" sort of way.)
According to papers, 1500 complaints prompted the USDOL to stop accepting additional complaints and add a specific message to Commonwealth employees on their phone system. I hope that does not work against us. 1500 complaints out of 77,000 employees does not look good for our cause. We should continue to contact the USDOL to have our formal complaints filed.
Just understand that filing your formal complaint is the goal of the call. Be calm and rational. We now just want to show our numbers. The same way we did on July 28th.
"In politics people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing." ~ Mark Twain
No comments:
Post a Comment