There are some screw ups that fade in the next news cycle and there are some that hang around for a lot longer. This foot in mouth moment of Kevin McCarthy’s today is memorable. Simply memorable. Without even realizing what he was saying — or, maybe it was some epic Republican Freudian slip? — the Speaker declared that everybody on every government program needs to work. What’s that you say? Even if I’m 100 years old? Even if I’m blind, can’t walk, can’t stand — hey, not to worry. Uncle Kevin will find you a job. And if he doesn’t? Well, then maybe you just lose your benefit, you fat lazy lollygagging bum, you. The GOP never promised you a rose garden. No, Sir. They only promised you the thorns.
I am totally blind at the age of 51 currently and I don’t think anyone will hire me; should I go out and try to sell pencils or something? That sounds like Republicans want me to do
— David Conte (@Conte13V) May 16, 2023
True story: I was in Trader Joe’s a while back and one of the cashiers was a greyhaired lady such as myself. She was very stiff. We started chatting about arthritis, because it takes one to know one, and she told me that hers “wasn’t as bad as it had been” and bottom line, she needed to work because she couldn’t afford to take an early retirement. So, she juggled physical reality and financial reality, always a fun balancing act. Or, in other words, she found out how much pain she could endure in order to keep some money flowing through the bank account. “And,” she told me, “I can get discounts on food here, all the better.”
And I understood that. The lesson learned that day, and on many other days before and since, is that I’m blessed to be able to make some money from writing because my becoming disabled when I did wiped me out financially and I can’t go back to working in corporate America anymore. I don’t have the physical stamina. And at this point I don’t think I have the emotional stamina, either.
I can sit on my couch, however, and blog and thank God for that, on so many levels. But now, friends, Kevin McCarthy might want me to get a job or he’ll take away my Medicare and then I’m dead for sure.
I believe it was the classic Republican Freudian slip, I truly do. Have everybody working, up until the day they die, just like in the concentration camps.
Paraphrasing:
"Have they no refuge or resource?" cried McCarthy. "Are there no Prisons?" said the Dems, turning on him for the last time with his own words. "Are there no workhouses?"— Sasha Sinclair🎨✍️🎬 (@SashaSinclair11) May 16, 2023
No, they want the 85 year old receiving medicare to die and stop receiving medicare, forcing them to work speeds that up
— ꀭeͤ✞ꌚe͎n̆̈ 𝕊⊍תּḋᥑy҉҉ (@JetsenSunday) May 16, 2023
The Republicans want to destroy the social safety net in any way that they can. Everybody here on PZ, with the exception of Jason, who is still only a kid in his 50’s, is an older person with disability issues. Murf and I started talking years ago, long before PZ was even a gleam in her developer’s eye, about how we were so grateful to be able to write or we would go crazy. We were both disabled and very broke at that point. Murf has issues with glaucoma and I was malpracticed many years ago by a quack in Los Angeles and lost the last ten years or so of my career, not to mention what cash, credit, all of it that I had. We met up on Daily Kos, which is where Denis, Mopshell, Durrati and Black Max also were.
Max is no longer with us. Cancer took him last year. But the rest of us know exactly what it is to be disabled and pi$$ poor. And we’re all blessed to be able to make some money doing what we love to do, which is write. And not just write about anything, but write about politics, with which we are all passionately committed.
Tis happy I am to write. Honored, even. Blessed. But Kevin McCarthy would have me on my feet over at McDonald’s to hang onto my Medicare coverage. Of this I have no doubt.
Kevin McCarthy is the kind of guy Oliver Cromwell hired to be a landlord over the other Irish back in the day. Nuff said.
What a shame the late night comedy shows are dark nowadays because of the writer’s strike. I would love to get Colbert or Kimmel’s take on McCarthy’s gaffe.
Well, I’m set to retire in a few years. I’m going to get my 3 squares and a cot one way or another: either with the benefits I have EARNED over my entire life or taking out assholes like Kavin’ Kevie. Either way I will get my retirement. Of the two choices the second one has the advantages of not having to worry about bills and shit as well as getting rid of scum like Kavin’. Seems like a win-win to me.
Kev is such a clueless, heartless POS. I guess as long as he says what the MAGA cockroaches want to hear, he figures he’s doing his job. And he is. Selling his soul for that piece of silver. Hope it’s worth it.
Craven McCarthy doesn’t have to work.
His healthcare and pension are guaranteed.
Force these clowns into the system they expect us to endure and see how quickly it changes.
Yep, I’ve said that time and time again Michael. These F’n Republican politicians are heartless and ruthless, with Kevin being the ringleader. Don’t these people have family who are on Medicare/Medicaid… Moms and Dads, Sisters and Brothers, Aunts and Uncles? What do these people think of what Kevin is doing, won’t it hurt them also? Today is election day in some states, I refuse to NEVER vote again, it just doesn’t matter anymore. God help us all!
Ursula, like you, I’m broke and almost 70. I once owned land, a 3k square foot home, cars, and had retirement. After spending thousands of dollars, hours, and tears to get my two daughters through infertility and adoption over 6 years, my ex decided I wasn’t rich enough and cheated on me. I lost everything fighting to be part of my children’s lives. The bias of the courts trashed me financially. I now get by on social security and part time work. The upside is my children adore me and my youngest at age 27 can’t hardly stomach my ex. I wouldn’t trade my relationship with my children for all the hundreds of thousands stolen from me by the hypocrisy of the LAW. Watching the privileged rich flaunt the law and WALK while they make the rules for the rest of us makes me sick. This country is a sham. Always has been. There’s been more evil hidden behind the LAW and the CHURCH than can be discussed. The only two responses are: give up or FIGHT!!!! I will go down swinging.
When, in my latter 50s I was placed on medical leave by my employer which would turn into disability I did try to get another job. Tried hard. I didn’t want short-term disability to turn into long-term disability, much less forced early retirement on SSDI. So, after some months for my health (including the neuropathy) to stabilize and enough physical therapy that once again it was fairly safe for, using my cane to get around I spent all day and even evenings sometimes searching out and applying for jobs. In that first year after I’d passed a thousand (yep, I kept count for a while) jobs applied for which I learned usually required time spent filling out an often lenghty application online instead of just submitting a resume and cover letter I stopped counting but kept up the pace for the better part of two years. Out of all THAT, a grand total of THREE different possible employers got back to me wanting me to interview and/or test and one more just had me take an online test. (the in person test was for a position as a 9/11 operator and I also interviewed.) At my age and with a disability that was evident from the cane I knew either would make getting another job tough. But I did what the HR a-holes/consultants that were featured in news stories (as well as someone from MetLife who administered my disability and monitored my attempt to get a job as a condition of said long-term disability) and treated getting a job like a full-time job.
Given I had a mix of skills and experience I had some confidence for well over a year eventually something good would happen. Also, I while I of course applied for things that paid fairly decently as on the level of what I’d transferred to the Raleigh area for I applied for stuff that paid a whole lot less. Even after I eventually wound up in forced early retirement on SSDI I sometimes would spend part of each week researching and applying for jobs. But yes, eventually I pretty much gave up and taking a peek at opportunties and applying became a sporadic thing.
I said all that because once upon a time I took regular part in interacting with people I knew on FB. Just being past the age of 50 makes it goddam tough for any person to get any employer to give them a chance. At least without knowing someone with just the right connection. And in the one instance where that seemed to be the case, a friend with a LOT of juice who’d never before (or since) had a recommendation for her fairly good sized department at the university she worked for couldn’t get her boss to sign off on hiring me! He’d asked to meet me in person, and it was a particularly “good day” for me physically and I left my cane in my car. It was a warm, friendly meeting and I later learned he understood why she and the members of her team that took part in the formal interview process wanted me to come aboard. And that sumbithc STILL vetoed hiring me.
McCarthy and his conservative pals can kiss my a$$.
They just want us older folks, especially if we have some level of disability to go off somewhere and f**king die. Somewhere that if eventually found we’ll have decomposed and our bones will be scattered by animals that scavanged off us before that. Same with younger disabled people including veterans wounded in battle. They don’t want to have to even THINK about old, or disabled people. Or poor people fighting like hell to make it from day to day. Because we are not them, all preppy and “beautiful” like them we are not “worthy” and it doesn’t matter for those of us who spent a lifetime working/serving and paying into Social Security or private retirement stuff. As far as they are concerned if we weren’t born to or able to acquire sufficient wealth to live even modestly off investments we don’t count for sh!t and don’t deserve to live.
Hmmm…seems like I’ve heard that ‘work will set you free’ lie somewhere…oh yeah… over the gate to the concentration camp. We now know who we’re dealing with…the maniacal followers of a mass murderer. Do the world a favor kevin…go catch a random bullet that takes out a child as I type. We won’t miss your sorry nazi ass.
Does Qevin understand that very few businesses will hire people over 50? The older you are, the harder it gets. If you’re over 60, you might find a part-time job that doesn’t pay well.
Exactly how does forcing sick people to work “help them get work”? That makes no sense at all. And like those who’ve shared the stories above, it’s hard as hell to get a job no matter what your skill level if you’re older than 49 or have a medical condition.
I’m 72 and work part time to supplement my social security ( I lost most of my savings and investments in 2009 when the banks crashed our economy – and got bailed out for it). They still take Medi-care out of my checks but it does not reduce my share of cost that is taken directly from my social security checks. It goes into the pool and I see none of it.
I agree with Michael above. Force those elected officials to fund their own retirement and health care and see how loud they start whining. We pay for their easy ride and they want to screw us.
I am 85 and disabled. If I were to be required to work in order to keep my benefits, I have no idea what I could possibly do. I cannot stand for more than a few minutes without being in horrible pain from my problems with my back. I cannot walk even as much as 50 feet without the same problem. Sitting for long periods of time causes my legs to get badly swollen which is painful and makes walking even more of a problem. What kind of a job could I get? If they were to take away my benefits, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, I would have to live on the streets without any of my life saving medications. It would absolutely mean a death sentence for me. I have three daughters, three granddaughters, and eight greatgrandchildren, all of whom would be devastated if they were to lose me. I know, of course, that I won’t live forever, but partly for their sake I would like to be around still for another twenty years.
I am 73. I have major back and ankle issues. I tried to find a job every time we moved. Since 1986,I was,able to work for 18months. Most of the time I couldn’t even get an interview. My husband worked for Wal-Mart for 24months ages 64-5. He had to quit because of Covid. Reapplied, never got a call. A new regiinal.manager has caused everyone to quit after they doubled the amount of items in an online order,,then doubled the number of orders per hour. In other words,,quadrupled the work. No place else to work.here.
No bette in PA,where we,are moving. Landlord is selling the place. We got a VAloan,are buying a place,,had to do GoFundMe to pay closing and move costs. Our tax,refund paid earnest money, appraisal,,and inspection, then we were tapped out. We have just enough to pay closing costs and the move.
Yeah,,we know. Cavein needs to grasp that even colleges educated like me cannot get hired much after 50. Friend’s husband lost a $150K job when a new guy came in.He is making half that with a third child in college.