Thank you killermartinis

Thank you Linda (http://killermartinis.kinja.com/why-i-make-terrible-decisions-or-poverty-thoughts-1450123558)
Well OK here goes some more 'observations' about poverty and how it effects peoples lives - especially the lives of those living it.

So before we get started let me re-iterate some of Linda's points that are important.
1)I am only writing this from my point of view, I make no claims to be speaking for anyone but myself.
2)I don't feed trolls. If you leave a troll comment I will leave it for your posterity.


And now for some Plagiarism . You are absolutely right Linda about not being able to put everything (or anything for that matter) into a coherent structure. Especially when you try to dump your lifes story into a 1500 word essay.

I have a rough draft of most of my timeline started here - http://blogstew.blogspot.com/2013/11/living-in-poverty-american-slave.html and the best of my thoughts here http://williamhgross.blogspot.com/.

The sad fact of the matter is there is more money to be made by killing people than in keeping them alive - (Just look at the US Military budget for the last 30 years).  The conversation you have started is amazing and I am awesomely excited by the response you are getting.  Unfortunately once the holidays are gone and we hit Jan 2nd it will be back to business as usual.

The tons of stories I see rolling through the page are amazing - it's like rolling through memory lane.  Even though I do not speak for anyone but myself, I can definitely relate to all the horror on the page.

I watched the live piece on http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/why-poor-peoples-decisions-make-sense/529379d802a7600de5000276 and thought it was awesome.
To all the 'morons' that wouldn't give this woman a job because of her appearance - F*** you - your idiots.   But I digress, what the hell do I know. I'm just some dirty carpenter that probably built your house.

I made a simiar attemp several years ago to write about my life's misadventures but alas - eviction and homelesness put an end to that - maybe I will try to do it again (once more with feeling)

Thank you Linda (http://killermartinis.kinja.com/why-i-make-terrible-decisions-or-poverty-thoughts-1450123558)


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Join the bitcoin revolution - http://www.bitbillions.com/?refid=1PaCWzbDeHkfd1deXLKFEDgBjVmWwprxWK

Living in Poverty - An American Slave - Memoirs of a Carpenter (rough draft)

Living in Poverty - An American Slave - Memoirs of a Carpenter

I found a really cool post with a great story (http://killermartinis.kinja.com/why-i-make-terrible-decisions-or-poverty-thoughts-1450123558) Thank you for writing and puiblishing that, and thank you to everyone who reads it and shows any sign of 'empathy'
I have found several other stories on the web lately as well and thought I would throw mine out with the rest of them.

So this is a roough draft of my life so far - Belive me, there is tons more but I had to start somewhere.

The Florida Years 74 - 94
Occupation - carpenter/pipefitter - wages $5/hr - $10/hr
First ticket - driving without 'license' - 17 years old (1986)
driving the motorcycle that I worked for and paid for (i.e earned it)
first license - $260 after fines/fees
ticket - driving with no headlights(atlantic blvd, jax bch FL - 4 lane bouelvard lit up like it was daytime) - no insurance = $250/$500

First lost(stolen) vehicle - dec24th (raining) - car broke down(station wagon), wife called for help - car 'towed'

Laid off from pipefitting job - (Atlantic Marine - Mayport NAS - SRA - Uss Saratoga - Aircraft Carrier)
$400/mo winter electric bills leads to first eviction process
First born contracted RSV - almost died (medicaid in the south , county hospital turned us away twice - the third time they finally admitted us and little Jake quit breathing in my arms)
Court house issues a stay of eviction (10 extra days due to hospitalized child)- secretary doesnt make phone call to sheriff
Found most possesions in the street (Landlord kept all the childrens x-mas presents to give to her grandson)- Police told us they would arrest us for trespass/disturbing the peace if I tried to salvage what was left of our possesions sitting on the side of the street.


Quick Omaha stay
Left for Omaha Ne -by train - Feb 11th
Arrived Omaha Ne Feb 14th 1am (got 18inches of snow that night)
Built several houses - best one - 14,000 sq ft (roughly 1 acre floor space)
Achieved my GED
Bought red conversion van - $650-$750
Left for seattle wa - july


Seattle Years 94 - 2000
Apartment (quad-plex)
Carpenter - piece work - monthly pay
Employer goes bankrupt - doesnt tell anyone till payday - lost a months wages $2000-$2400

Borrowed money from family to move
Mobile Home/Trailer Park
First episode of 'reactionary migraine' while wife is 6 moths pregnant with 2nd child
Life-Flighted to Harbor View Medical - seattle wa


Ticket - 45mph in 40mph - pay for rent/food/necessities or ticket ? - license suspended
Red van dies - unable to repair
Took the bus to work
Second lost(stolen) vehicle - green car($500 - wouldnt pass emissions test) - invalid temporary tags/no insurance - towed
Got lucky and found a cheap station wagon for $500
Mobile Home Park gets new owners - refusal to accept late payments leads to 65 family evictions
my first true homeless experience
Wife finds seattle shelter on my birthday (6/25) - great present ;)
First temporary shelter in house (30 days)
Followed by downtown shelter
wife took community college classes - medical reception
I took a bus to first computer classes - A+certification
Followed by subsidized housing
computer repair (actually printer repair) - min wage
fired for missing two days to care for a sick child
License reinstated - $1000+ - seattle
Left seattle june 27th 2000


Omaha Years  2000-2004
Arrive July 4th
Worked as temp for HP/Compaq ($10/hr) during HP takeover (hiring freeze).
Constantly changing schedule - erratic hours - going to comunity college
back surgery - disc ectomy L4-L5

re-educated - achieved associates degree
Ne - white aerostar - just cashed tax refund, had 2k cash in my pocket to get insurace - cop was an asshole and still gave no insurance ticket - leads to suspended license
Third lost(stolen) vehicle - red conversion van($1200) - invalid tags - towed
Also got assaulted and arrested and jailed on this one too. I would have done better with a public defender, my shitty $500 lawyer only got 1 charge dropped.

License reinstated - $1000+ fees/fines omaha ne

Oregon Years 2004-2008
Pulled over for bad running light - no insurance ticket - leads to suspended license
No computer work leads to carpentry work again - worked for ~6 months till my back went out again
(This is where the fight for disability begins)
Pulled over in front of my house - driving w/suspended license - expired tags
Fourth lost(stolen) vehicle - red conversion van($2000) - oregon
No vehicle and no income leads to eviction
lived in a hotel for 2 weeks
wife found a subsidized apt at the last second - kept us from being %100 homeless
License reinstated -  Nov 2008 - $1200 - oregon


Seattle Years  2008 - 2010
The one true regret I have in life.
I will write about this brief period of my life later.

Omaha Years Aug 2010 - 2013
Temp job manufacturing / installing vinyl windows ~3 months
I can't believe I lasted that long doing contruction again. It felt good to use my talents but damn it was painful.

Door to door sales - pulled over by over-zealous police with a miltary attidue at least once a week. There were a few days that we wre pulled over several times.
police followed me for hours until pulling me over for 'failure to complete stop at stop sign' - it was late (after 10pm) and no other traffic for miles.
license suspended - ticket ($135)
Iowa stop - speeding / driving w/suspend license - unable to get to court - $500


Now
Having back problems/pain/depression.
Living in my Aunts basement - with not a damn thing to show for my life.

Make Your Vote Count - (and revolt too)

Everyday I sit and wait for my court date to get my disability while being told told by DHS(Department of Human Services) that I can't get any help unless I 'get a job'. I just don't fuckin get it. Im filing for disability because I can't work after 15 years of banging nails and some pompass asshole is telling me to get a job.

For christ sake - stop feeding the machine(Corporations). Stop shopping at any corporate monster that imports their product from another country using slave labor.

I want a better life, without having to beg and without being told that welfare(Well Money or Money to be Well, the original purpose) makes me scum of the earth.

Whatever you do - VOTE FOR DENNIS KUCINICH in 2008.

If you want a chance for universal health care, or to kill these corporate machines that are killing our civilization (by putting an end to NAFTA) - MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT.

If your one of those that 'dont vote' and your going to throw away your vote - FUCK IT - throw it away for me, because I want a better life for my family, and families to come.

NAFTA - North American Free Trade Agreement = North American corporate whores that buy all their products from foreign slave labor companies , how in the hell is an American worker supposed to compete with slave labor for christ sake.

And these corporate scumbag health care companies that take your money and then tell you your insurance 'doesnt cover that'. FUCK THAT !!! - It's your money - NEVER TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.

I've been broke for all my life, not that it really matters - I was perfectly happy being a carpenter and building houses - But I am so far in debt now that I don't even care anymore, as a matter of fact; I have vowed to die with as much debt as a person can possibly rack up.

Because let's face it - When is the last time a bank or collection agent scumbag ever gave you a break LOL _ NEVER!!!!

So I say - FUCK EM...... Enjoy knowing that when you die you'll be sticking it right back at them - they can't call you after your dead.

With any luck at all - we'll actually get a President who understands more than war, and death , and poverty , and famine - Someone who actually cares about other people and his wallet.

If you want to have a better life for you and yours - VOTE KUCINICH

p.s. - I need money - donate via paypal - send it to rxhector2k5@yahoo.com

Burned Again

Well, here we go again with another typical day in my life. As a disabled carpenter, there isn't a lot of jobs I can actually do considering I am in pain most of the day because of my blown disc.

So, while I wait for my court date and fight my own govt. for the "Insurance" they took from me for 15 years I have been learning how to build web-sites and trying to work from home.

Let me tell you, it's not easy to retrain yourself and find work, but I managed to pull off a few jobs here and there.

I wound up working on more than one project for this particular person, and it was always hell getting paid because they are so damn picky.

After finishing several projects for a person you would think there would be some sort of rapport, even on a small level.

As luck would have it; while working on not one- but two projects for this particular person, I asked for a small payment on the small project that was originally "just a favor" and the Facist Nazi Bitch had the gall to tell me she wasnt going to pay me until it was finished , and I should be concentrating on the other project and wait another two to three weeks to get any money.

I dont know who burned this little bitch in the past, but when someone who has worked on several projects for you asks for money - THEY PROBABLY NEED IT.

Not only is my phone and internet as risk for being lost again - but so is my power. And I had to tell my kid I need to postpone his birthday because the Nazi Plantation Owner slave worker bitch wouldnt pay the hired help.

If anyone reads this - give Tracey Williams at ProWebAvenue a call (319-247-0869) and tell her she needs to get rid of her "everybody is out to screw me" mentality, and learn to be a friggin human being and give a crap about other people.

Help the Broke Carpenter

OK people - here's the story, we accumulated an RV for free but it needs some work.

And as always my disabled a** is still fighting to keep the power and phone on LOL, another day in the life of me.

The worst part is I can still walk(limp) and talk, just not long enough for a real job let alone a career.

SO, here's my proposal --

If anyone can help donate to the cause - we are willing to be corporate whore's.

Any and all businesses that want the world to know they believe in America or the American dream, here's your chance - you help us reach our dream and we'll gladly put your company logo's on our RV.


Well, there it is - that's our plan.

Just because were disabled doesn't mean we shouldn't have the chance to see the world.

Any and all people willing to help us out - send your donations via pay-pal to rxhector2k5@yahoo.com , and corporations feel free to contact The Broke Carpenter for corporate advertising.

Futile Complaints

I read several articles today, mostly about the state of affairs in different countries and it made me think of how trivial my problems are compared to the rest of the world.

In several parts of Africa populations are experiencing genocide, the lowest level of the caste people in India are under extreme sanctions and not allowed to change their religion to escape being part of the caste system. The Mexican "guest workers" are continually ripped off by so called "job recruiters". It's not bad enough that they are so much worse off than I am, that they want to come to this country just to try to survive because they can't in their country.

And I wonder - Should I really be complaining about how bad I have it, that I have to fight my own corrupt government for my disability. Should I be complaining about how crappy my subsidized apartment is and how I have to fight the utility companies.

Some of these people in other countries are lucky if they can make it through the day without being slaughtered, or beat or robbed blind for some of the opportunities that I have had.

You know what, I deserve the right to bitch about any damn thing I want, any time I want. Because I live in America - the "so called" greatest country in the world.

The US is just as good at ignoring their own citizens as any other country. As long as the "corporate" elite keep raking in huge profits at the expense of the lives of the pathetic slaves that keep them going - who gives a shit?

Finance the Broke Carpenter (slash Geek)

OK, well I am already in debt over my head for a degree that I can't get a job with because NAFTA sent all the countries work over seas.

But that doesn't mean I still don't want to do something with my life LOL (What's left for a disabled carpenter anyway?)

So until I actually have my day in court and get my disability I need some help.

I need help with my phone/internet and power bills - and I really really need help getting new computer parts, my hard drive is on its last legs I think.

If anybody happens to have a couple extra bucks - send it via pay-pal to rxhector2k5@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Joe the Broke Carpenter

God Save the Queen
(or - the old bat doesnt need to be)

Aww how sweet, the Queen of England gets to eat off the fancy china at the White House with our corrupt government officials while soldiers die and our own citizens have to sue their own country to get their disability.

Will somebody please tell those fat elitist fucking pricks (and bitches) that shoveling their face full of food isnt going to solve any of this countries (let alone the worlds) problems.

Why do we even give a crap about that old bag anyway - isnt she just another powerless figurehead (I guess her and bush have something in common after all)

I hope they fucking choke to death on their fancy fucking dinner while the rest of the poverty stricken US and world has to suffer.

That just about covers me for today.

Peace Out...

This Corrupt Government can Kiss My "American" ASS

I guess I can't blame them for being corrupt really though, I mean think about this for a minute.

If you had a bunch of people putting an almost endless supply of money in your pocket who's side would you be on?

When it comes right down to it, we're all to blame - Hell, we're the ones that voted for the corrupt sons-a-bitches.

But when it comes down to it, do they ever really give a crap about the people that are responsible for them being where they are?

Hell NO !!!! I personally can't put millions of dollars in their greedy hands because I am only a stupid carpenter. I busted my ass for 17 years of my miserable life in slavery to the "ILLEGAL" federal reserve and only made $117k ($8k/yr). I never made enough money to compete with the gigantic corporations lining the pockets of our corrupt elected officials.

Now we have the most disgusting display of disregard for the constitution ever as a president. After "two" rigged elections(with convictions in OHIO) and enough evidence on the internet pointing to the current (Bush/Cheney) administration as having direct involvement with 9/11 and a president who continually shows absolute contempt for everything our Constitution is for.

What is going to take to have these people brought to justice?

Who is responsible for the arrest and imprisonment of our highest elected officials for crimes of high treason against the people of the United States of America?


The American people, "We The People" have been speaking out and protesting and we even sent a message during the last round of Senate and Representative elections and our highest elected officials continue to ignore the demands of the people who they are supposed to "Serve".

George W Bush and Dick Cheney are "NOT" above the law. (Not to mention everyone else appointed in the Illegal Cabinet)

These foul people continue to scheme and blatantly disregard the law by having secret meetings and signing documents with other countries that "We The People" are not informed of.

Why do you think they call it a "secret"? People usually tell secrets or with-hold secrets because they are "BAD".

Our "Secret" (remember - "Secrets" are bad) Government has been forcing us into a facist slave state since the "Secret" establishment of the "Illegal" Federal Reserve since 1916.

With that being said...

I am on "permanent holiday" until the following events occur...
1) George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are arrested for the crimes of high treason against the people of the United States of America
(As well as every member of their corrupt appointed cabinet members)
2) The Federal Reserve is dismantled and the "Power" to print currency is restored to the Government of the United States.

More Political Rhetoric

More Political Rhetoric

As the politicians vie for votes they continue on the same path as previous Regimes.

It's all bullshit. While they continue to throw their money at the largest Corporations in America.

IF ANY OF YOU CORRUPT BASTARDS WANT MY VOTE - YOUR GOING TO HAVE TO THROW ME SOME MONEY DAMMIT.

The only candidate that even comes close to saying anything I want to hear is Ron Paul.

Yes we all the war to end, and while national health care for all sounds good; until we actually end the war against our pocket books we will continue be slaves to the Federal Reserve.

While all the politicians except one have repeated the same shit we have heard for years, there is only one who really stands out.

Think about it, it's nice to know that you will be healthy - of course you will. If you stay healthy you can continue your slavery for the Federal Reserve.

SO PISSED OFF!!!!

OK, well it's another day that I set here in my apathy and think about how pissed off I am at the current regime in office, and how every day of my adult life has been spent in slavery for the rich fuckers that perpetuate their wealth by screwing the already poor even more.

The more I think about the state of affairs in this fucked up country and the filthy bastards in office cheated to get there - there is documented PROOF that these lying thieving fuckers cheated to get where they are and nobody has the power or resources to put an end to this shit.

If I thought for a second that I could march my crippled, disabled ass to Washington and kick those fuckers in the ass - I would do it myself. It's not bad enough that we're already slaves to the corporations and these corrupt bastards, but now we have to be slaves to the military industrial complex too?

I say screw that - If I wasn't married with a family, I would take advantage of my 2ND amendment right to bear arms and take care of business.

But what can one poor, almost homeless, living on welfare and fighting for disability person do?

I can at least write about how I feel... Putting it into words is not as effective as actually doing it - but I am trying to be more involved lately.

At least I can say I have written to my representatives and senators and congressmen - at least they know how offended I am at the current administration and I am one of hundreds, and thousands, and hundreds of thousands that want a change.

I have heard this proverb/saying more than once and it made me think about how most of my life has been.

We are all created equal (from the Declaration of Independence)

– just some more equal than others (Orwell/ Vonnegut, maybe even others earlier.)

During the course of trying to find the origin of that quote, I find more than one article or discussion regarding the impossibility of “all” people being created equal, and that it would be a “horror” story if we were.

I was absolutely amazed at the sheer “idiocy” of those morons. They totally missed the point of the “philosophical” meaning of this statement put forth by our forefathers when they wrote the Declaration of Independence. Yes, even our forefathers I am sure; thought of the sheer stupidity of everyone being “identical” in appearance.

This brings me to why I tell my story. I have lived my adult life in poverty. My childhood wasn’t too bad I suppose – as far as I know we were “middle class”. OK, so it was just barely over the poverty level. Yeah we had a house, and a car, and food and… Now that I think about it; that’s all we really had. I wasn’t the best dressed kid my school, and mommy and daddy sure as hell didn’t buy my first car or my first crappy trailer home for me. Hmmm, maybe we lived in poverty then too.

I have had to live my life in this country; from my birth until now I am a citizen of the United States of America. And I can honestly tell you that “We” are not equal, we aren’t even close to being equal.

I have tried to be equal. I have worked long and hard. I have tried on more than one occasion to improve my life – be it through buying a house, be it through continuing education; be it through changing careers.

And every step of the way through my life I have tried to be a good, “productive” citizen. But there have been several hardships along the way. There have been hardships along the way that no human being anywhere should EVER have face, especially not a citizen of the greatest nation on earth (Which has been effectively eroded away to nothing during the current Regime of our “so called” elected leaders) The United States of Greed.

For the seventeen years of my life that I was actually able to work, I managed to earn a massive $117,000 (according to my social security records, that’s an accurate assessment). That looks like a pretty good number doesn’t it? Let’s do a little math and see just how much money I really make.

$117,000 divided by 17 years = $6882.35 per year. WOW, what a great life I’ve had. (My wife still loves me and only 1 of our 4 children has abandoned us – I guess that’s not too bad).

It never ceases to amaze me how there are people out there that can make my yearly average salary in one month. And even more amazing that some people make my entire life’s earnings in one month.

Why is it, that some of this nations most skilled workers (I “used” to be a carpenter) are paid the least amounts of money? I’m not by any means trying to imply in any way that I am any better than anyone else – quite the contrary. I am saying that I should be considered an equal. Yet, my yearly income does not reflect equality in any way, and some of the hardships I have had to endure during the last 17 years would suggest that not only am I “less than equal” to many of my peers – I have from time to time thought that my only purpose for being a citizen of this “so called” great country, was so that my “more equals” could have a laugh at my futile attempts to survive.

When the carpenters of this country cannot afford to live in the houses they build, and the janitors cannot afford to use the services of the hospitals they clean, and the teachers of this country cannot afford to pay for car insurance to get to our schools and teach our young – this country is failing miserably to achieve the dreams set forth by our founding fathers.

The last three years of my life have absolutely been the worst three years of my life. Not only have I had to endure being homeless (with my family) but I have received the absolute worst treatment ever from our countries own division of human services. As if it’s not bad enough that the division of human services has been a part of my life on and off for the last 15 years in three different states, but the state of Oregon in particular has the absolute worst case policies and the worst case workers I have ever had to deal with.

If it were not for the amazing help from my church, and the amazing luck of blindly stumbling into a subsidized apartment, my family and I would be homeless. Imagine that, the luckiest thing to happen to me in my life has been to get a subsidized apartment.

I am currently in the process of fighting my government to get my disability. I worked for 17 years as a carpenter. For 17 years I have spent countless thousands of dollars trying to maintain unaffordable car insurance, I have spent countless thousands of dollars to re-instate my driving privileges, I have spent countless thousands of dollars replacing vehicles that were “taken” from me by the very system that I spent so many years building houses for.

Now, after 17 years of pain and servitude and for my country, after 17 years of being FORCED to sacrifice a percentage of my income whether I wanted to or not, I have to “SUE” my own government for money that is rightfully mine. Money that was taken from each and every paycheck I ever received.

I didn’t vote for mandatory insurance, yet I have suffered through the indignity imposed on me more than once of being forced into the “legalized racketeering”. Our own government is nothing more than a façade hiding the “mobsters” with the most votes.

I have suffered through 17 years of honest hard work through poverty and homelessness and I as a citizen of the United States of America DEMAND to be treated with dignity and respect and I DEMAND that this country that I have faithfully served through poverty and homelessness GIVE me my disability.

State of the Union - for the poor anyway

State of the Union (for the Poor)

My early years before I entered the world of adulthood were filled with stories of the American dream. But alas, that’s exactly what they were; Stories, Tall Tales, Fictions to soon be discovered.

I always knew we weren’t ‘Rich’. But my parents managed to keep me fed and a roof over my head. They did O.K. We lived in a middle class neighborhood for 8 to 10 years, so everything wasn’t too bad. Little did I know just exactly how far in debt my parents really were? At any given moment the smallest catastrophe could have sent them reeling into bankruptcy.

I did OK in school – I was a ‘C’ student, not because I had any learning problems, I was actually in some advanced art and math classes. I was a ‘C’ student because my parents were hammered with the day-to-day stress of trying to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. I was a ‘C’ student because nobody had any idea that the world or at least the US was going to be driven by unforgiving corporate greed and some of the most corrupt government officials and policies ever imagined.

I quit school in my senior year. Yeah stupid move – there were some issues with the Dean being a moron, he could have very well found some other way to resolve an issue other than failing me at the end of the first semester – So my battle with absolute idiots began before I even left high school.

While I continued to work on my ‘Rock Star’ future, I took up carpentry as a means of being a productive citizen.

This is where the so called ‘American Dream’ has been dismantled and torn asunder.

You hear stories of ‘Work Hard’ and you will be rewarded – BULLSH**. I stuck with carpentry for 15 years. I “WAS” very skilled in my chosen trade, I even managed to work my way up “lead carpenter” and “foreman” a couple times. But amazingly enough, I was never able to make enough money to keep up with the bare necessities needed for survival. All my years of hard work and perseverance my family always relied on public assistance and charities.

I dealt with employers that offered me a raise if I signed insurance waivers and moved to 1099s (the worst thing ever). I dealt with employers going bankrupt and not paying me. I dealt with spending entire tax refunds to re-instate my drivers’ license and pay exorbitant insurance fines (nothing more than legalized racketeering in my book).

I tried to get an SBA loan once to start my own business – That was a joke, the bank said I had one of the best proposals they had ever seen (my advanced high school math skills paid off) – but the bank wouldn’t even submit my proposal to the SBA because not only are carpenters the highest rated “credit Risk”, but I didn’t have any collateral.

So I continued to spend every dollar I could muster to pay for my almost unaffordable car insurance while working for employers who would outright rig paychecks - refuse to honor verbal agreements and just about every other abhorrent behavior that contractors use to screw their workforce. It’s no different from corporate theft really, and when poor broke carpenters have to rely on public assistance programs to pay the bills, there no way we could even imagine the luxury of hiring a lawyer to fight the battle. So we just move on to the next ‘dirty’ contractor who was lucky enough somehow to get his business started.

Look, I know the simple fact that we can’t all be doctors and lawyers and such – but there has to be more to the ‘American Dream’ than wishing we had born with a ‘Silver Spoon’ in our mouths, or even worse yet – waiting diligently for some older family member to ‘DIE’ so we can reap the rewards of some small fortune that they may have.

I have re-educated myself. I have a G.E.D, I even have an Associates degree, I even have several ‘Certifications’ proving that I can at least pass a test.

Once again I got screwed believing in the ‘American Dream’. During my families’ first battle with being Homeless, I took advantage of every re-education and re-training program I could. I thought that I could ‘Work’ my way up a more respectable ladder. After all, carpenters – the people that put roofs over our heads are considered scourge of the earth – so my being in technology has got to be a better career choice right?

WRONG! It seems that the ‘so called’ shortage of technology workers in this country is another farce created by the countries financial institutions in an effort to generate even more debt for the poor people on this country that just want to make their lives better. After all, If I owned a corporation and my government gave me a tax break for sending all my work to another country – I suppose I could the allure of not having to pay an American a decent wage while getting rewarded for it.

After all my efforts and hard work and thinking I even had a snowballs chance in hell, I couldn’t even get a Job in the Technology industry because I am just a stupid carpenter who doesn’t have any experience (even though I graduated with a 3.9 GPA and have industry certifications and generated another $20,000 in debt for myself – WHOOPEE)

I had to resort back to carpentry to try to survive (after having a back surgery) and now I have even more problems. After resorting back to the career that caused me so many years of pain and a surgery, it seems that wasn’t the wisest of choices either – now I have brought myself even more pain and suffering. Not only did trying once again to provide for my family cause me to work for yet another ‘Less than Desirable’ employer, but now I have had to file for disability.

How’s that for the ‘American Dream’? I thought that since I had done such a great service to my country (OK, so I wasn’t a soldier in the sense of being in the military, but I spent the better part of my life being a soldier of the workforce – building and repairing the structures that keep roofs over our nations heads) that I could at least be rewarded in some small way by at least getting disability. Yes, that was my ‘American Dream’, to grow up and file for disability.

It seems that even our countries social programs are under attack – I have received some of the most berating and abhorrent treatment from the Division of Health and Human Services – I received some of the worst treatment ever from our countries social services.

Not only do I have to fight for my right to be considered disabled and receive some form of help from my government – but I have all but given up on even considering using the Division of Health for help because their treatment of people needing help is so abhorrent (probably due to the fact that the current administration is more concerned with ‘Liberating” Iraqi oil fields than with caring for it’s own citizens).

I have a wife, I have children. My entire life has been spent chasing the ‘So Called American Dream’. I can see no way that we call ourselves the most ‘Powerful Nation’ on earth. If we as a country cannot even liberate our own poor and homeless, how can we ever expect to do the same for others.

Our nation is driven by corporate greed and a corrupt government – we need HELP.

When the American people are ‘enslaved’ into debt by the countries financial institutions and our government is run by the corporations who pay for the laws they want or need – we are the ‘Weakest Nation’ on the planet.

Brutal Honesty

Well people, it's that time of year again when the bills are catching up with us. I've had an OK year so far, hell I even managed to score some odd jobs here and there - I guess thats not bad for a crippled carpenter.

But my good fortune (and I use that term lightly) is not enough. If any body has a spare couple bucks(LOL - like there's a possibility of that in this day and age). Make a donation to the broke carpenter.

With any luck I can find another odd job to hold on to the phone - but the electric co., those guys are real a-holes to deal with.

One Small Step

Hey Everybody(LOL),
I don't know if I've actually had more than 2 readers but sometimes I just like to type - so here goes.

The last two years of my life have been absolute crap. I went from being a really good carpenter in the middle of a career change at 30 something, to having a really screwed up back and fighting for my disability.

To be politicaly correct; the last "holiday season" was OK, we managed to get just enough help to keep the kids belief in the "spirit".

This year however, we had some of the best luck we have had since my health started to decline. We recieved a phone call from one of our boys' teacher asking us if we would like to be "adopted" by a local outlet mall.

We were able to get our kids exactly what they wanted (ok, well almost - they didnt get the laptop or the 50" plasma TV but they did get the other things on the list)

It has been a long two years fighting for my disability, and might be longer till I actually get my day in court - I may have to fight the utilities after the new year - but at least the kids will be OK till then.

Reflections Two

O.K., where was I?  Oh yeah, I had just left high-school because some insensitive asshole of a dean didn’t get his willy wet that morning or some shit.

Well, my parents weren’t exactly thrilled about it, but they were both really understanding about how pissed off I was and they were actually on my side.  My mother made some phone calls and later the next day we received a call from the school superintendent with an apology and he said if I went back to school they would excuse the absence and there would be no further punishment for my offense, even the superintendent was not happy about the Deans actions and told me that the Dean should have been more understanding and just waited the extra week and a half or two weeks to suspend me.

Like all teen-agers, I knew everything and figured I would just get my GED later down the road anyway so I decided to not go back to school (I hear the Dean got a real ass-chewing from the superintendent too).  

I had another friend who had quit school as well, and he was working at this day-labor place.  Hey, I was young enough and having my own money sounded nice so I would go to work with my buddy everyday and do stupid labor pools work.  It wasn’t too bad, mostly just cleaning up warehouses and construction sites.  Minimum wage wasn’t too bad.  I was making like $25 a day so I had some spending money.  I was even giving some money to my parents to help pay the bills.

My friend was going to see the world and he wanted to know if I wanted to buy his motorcycle.  Great timing, I had been saving a couple bucks here and there so I took him up on the offer.  Now I had a job, my own transportation and even some money in my pockets.

Well here I am 20 years later, a carpenter with a fucked up back fighting to get my disability.  I wish I could say “I would do all the same again”, but I wouldn’t.  Not for my own sake, but for my kids.

It hasn’t been all bad. There were a few rare times when we actually got to enjoy life for some short periods of time.  But there was way more stress than there should have been.  And it has taken it’s toll.

Our oldest, at seventeen told us what shitty parents we were when he moved out to live with his girlfriend – at least he is going to finish school.  He even found a couple decent job opportunities and found a good path to follow.  I hope he makes it to be a lawyer, I really do.  He was always good at arguing.  I just hope he doesn’t end to be one of those shyster lawyers that works for the wrong people.

Our next oldest the fifteen year old, left us last year.  My wife’s sister came to visit and told him raise as much hell as he could so we would let him go “stay” with her.  Well it worked, that happened right around the time my back had went out again and we were having real money troubles.  So we decided to let him go “stay” with my wife’s sister.

Not to long after he left my wife would try to call and talk to him, but her sister was always in the background running her mouth and telling our boy what to say.  What a bunch of shit that was.  So our fifteen year old gets the life of a spoiled only child.  Not that it’s a bad thing, but my wife’s sister has nothing to do with us anymore now that she has one of our kids.  It’s like she doesn’t give a shit about anybody else in the family.

That really does a lot of good for the other three brothers.  They all hate my wife’s sister and the other brother now, what a great fucking family we have.  The fifteen year old was always really hot-headed though, but it got to the point that he would walk through the house and hit his younger brothers for no reason and then get pissed off at us when we ask him what was he thinking.

Just another perfect example of all the years of poverty kicking our ass.  If I would have done things differently and had more money and less stress we might still be a family.  A real family that actually cares about each other, but I can’t blame it all on myself.  That fucking bitch of a sister-in-law is the bigger part of our own son not so much as even sending his own mother or brothers a fucking birthday card once in a while.  She always looked down at me from day one anyway, like I was less than her – and that was before she had any idea about who I really am as a person.

We really got lucky stumbling into this subsidized housing, otherwise our children would have been taken away and we would be homeless.  But we are still living a really fixed income.

Chalk it up as another year that we pray for the charities to come through for us and hope the kids understand.


Well, if you made it this far and have a buck or two to spare – send it to Joe the broke carpenter via pay-pal – rxhector2k5@yahoo.com.

Thanks,
Joe

Reflections of Poverty

Reflections of Poverty

I was thinking about some things the other day, mostly about how a lot of uncontrollable events in my life have forced me and my family to remain in a state of poverty.

My last rant about some people with the notion that it is just as easy for me to “Get off my Ass” and do something about it really stirred me up.

Yes, it is true I made the choice to be a carpenter. When I was growing up, like most of us; I never thought about what I really wanted to do when I became older. As a result, when I left high-school in my senior year I more or less just kind of fell into the trade.

Maybe I should start there, with one of the first major events in my life that I really had no control over. I had started smoking at around 13 or 14 I think, and all through my junior and high-school years I had never been caught smoking on school grounds. Well, my luck ran out, and I finally got caught.

It was the first semester of my senior year and as luck would have it, the school system had changed the “maximum” number of allowable absences from 9 (one day a week), to 7. This really sucked for all of us who were able to take a sick day once a week and still keep our grades up. I had missed 6 days for the semester, and only had a two more weeks left for my sick days to replenish.

The Dean caught me having a smoke break behind the Gym, that’s where we all went after lunch to have a smoke. He said finish that up and come to my office. So I went to his office and he said he was going to suspend me for two days. Well, that was going to give me an F in six fucking classes that I had pretty good grades in (Including trig – not bad for a long-hair at my school – full of surfin beach rats and stoners)

I explained to the Dean that this event was going to cost me several failing grades and that If he could wait till the next semester – only a couple short weeks away I would gladly accept the punishment (woohoo – two days out of school).

Well, even though I had never had any problems with this particular Dean, he was an absolute asshole and told me “Well, Buddy – I guess your pretty screwed – I hope that smoke was worth it”.

That pissed me off so bad I went off on this guy and told him what a shit fucking prick he was for not waiting till the next semester to screw me out of sick days. I went and removed all my books from my locker and returned them to his office – I threw my books on his desk and shoved them in his lap – with all the papers on his desk – and told him he sucked as a person and he could take his fucking school and shove it up his ass.

That was the demise of my Senior Year and my diploma. I am not so sure that I would have really been anything other than a carpenter if I would have graduated (I know have a GED and a Degree anyway) But my point is, this was just one of many hardships in my life, that if someone else would have any compassion or understanding for another fucking human being on this planet – that my life might have been just a little better.

Now that we have the beginning out of the way, I can tell you how the rest of a carpenters life goes.

My Basic Philosophy on Humanity (in the USA)

My Basic Philosophy on Humanity (in the USA)

I read a Blog the other day, and I am vaguely aware of the person past.  While reading through the Blog, said “person” mentioned the fact that they were going to change their voting party from Republican to Independent.  Is it because of their disgust with the current Bush/New World Order administration?

That we can only assume, however; During the beginning of the Blog this person mentioned the fact that there needs to be change.  They recognized the need for Healthcare Reform and better Education.  There may have been a few references to some other issues that are pertinent to Independents and Democrats.

You might think that someone gets what is really going on until you reach the end of the Blog.  The last few lines went on to mention the fact that said “person” doesn’t feel they should be “penalized” by paying higher taxes simply because he/she happens to make more money than most.  (Which is bullshit anyway because the asshole still owes my wife roughly $5,000 from unpaid child support in the last year – you would think this fucker wouldn’t be so far behind if he is so fucking well off)  OK, back on track – said “person” went on to mention welfare reform and how these people need to be taught how to fish so they can provide for themselves.

Now that sounds good, however; Every time I hear that line from a Republican it means force some poor single mother into some shitty minimum wage job cleaning toilets or being a waitress and rip any welfare “assistance” he/she may have away and force them to survive.  That’s not teaching a person to fish in my eyes – that’s taking their ass out in a boat and throwing them overboard to the sharks for chum.

And said “person’s” comment before that – “I shouldn’t be penalized because I’m better than everybody else”.  BULLSHIT.  It’s that fucked up mentality right there that makes the Good Ole USA the  shit-hole that it is.  Instead of thinking about how lucky they are to be in a such a better position they are than everybody else, and how they might actually be able to make a difference – they have to WHINE and BITCH about how much money they AREN’T going to take the grave with themselves.

It really pisses me off when the people in this world think that poor people are just here to fuck them in some way or another.  And I really get pissed when here some rich fuck say people are poor by choice.  NO! ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT! People are not poor by choice. I damn sure didn’t choose to be poor.

If some if these mightier than though rich fucking republican bastards would come to realize that some of us (90 percent of the population) actually can’t stand being poor, they might actually get off their high fucking horse.

I was a carpenter for 15 years, and for the 15 years that I was in the workforce busting my ass to stay alive; I was constantly getting screwed.  From the contractor that went bankrupt and screwed me out of a months pay, to the trailer park that I lived in being sold to these California assholes that evicted 60 families in one month all because they wanted “nice new trailers” in their park, to being constantly fined for either not having insurance or legal tags.

Everything that every poor person does in their life usually costs twice to three times as much as everybody else.  Have you ever seen somebody in a Mercedes get a “no insurance” ticket?  I sure as hell haven’t.  

I used to spend about $1,500 every year to re-instate my drivers license and another $600 - $1000 just to pay for insurance.  Why? Because I’m a criminal?  NO!!! Because I’m a poor fucking carpenter working for a living and constantly paying late fees and extra money for my SR-22 insurance.


Well, I actually gave up on that shit.  After having my 3rd vehicle LEGALLY stolen from me by the courts because I can’t fucking afford to pay any bills because I’m a poor fucked up carpenter I gave up.  I don’t have a car and I don’t drive anymore because I am too poor to afford it, and I got sick and tired of spending every last dime I make just to keep up with the insurance and the fins and the BULLSHIT.


Now after 15 years of shit servitude as a carpenter and another two years of re-education (Yes, you rich bastards – I went to college and actually PAID money to learn how to “FISH” as you republican assholes put it) and another two years of endless interviews and job searching – WAIT, my two years of re-educations is for a degree in a job that is OUTSOURCED over seas because you stupid fucking republican assholes can’t stand the thought of paying an American a decent fucking living wage. SO AFTER ALL THIS SHIT I STILL CAN”T GET A FUCKING JOB.

SO I did the only thing I know how to do.  I went back to being a carpenter (after having one back surgery already).  And guess what?  Yup, now my back is really screwed up and I get to fight for the disability that I paid for out of every paycheck I ever had for the last 17 years.  And you think I’m here because I choose to be here – FUCK YOU.

The last three years of my life, constantly begging from charities and fighting the power company is not the path I chose in life, and it damn sure isn’t enjoyable by any standards, so if any of you rich fucks that think poor people are here by choice – FUCKING THINK AGAIN.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel !!!

Well it finally happened. It only took six years too long but it happened. The people of this country finally sent the message that they are sick-and-tired of the disgusting Bush administration. THANK GOD !!!!

Now that the Democrats have control of our country again I might have a snowballs chance in hell of actually getting my disability, or at least living a little better life than I have recently.

It's no secret that I can't stand republicans. Every republican agenda since my birth has focused on abolishing any and all forms of public assistance or any form of help for those in poverty. They constantly bash the poor by giving themselves huge tax cuts. It's no wonder they need to get rid of welfare. The greedy bastards are stuck on the size of their wallets and how much money they can take with them to the grave.

I don't want to sound like I think I deserve a free ride, thats not my point at all.

There was a point in time when I was a go getter. I used to get up everyday and go to work just like everybody else. No, Wait. Not like everybody else. Since I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth I had to actually earn my money. Don't get me wrong, I really used to enjoy beaing a carpenter and building houses. It was good to see a result for my efforts at the end of the day.

But after 15 years of contantly never being able to keep up with my bills, and shady contractors screwing me; I never had the credit to start my own company. I never had the time to sit and breathe for a minute, I never had the luxury of a family vacation. I never had the opportunity to do anything with my life. Why? Because I was born into poverty.

I thought that maybe I could change my life, I went and got a degree after my first back surgery. It's only an AA, but it's a step up from being a dropout. Funny thing is, I never came close to making as much money as I did as a stupid carpenter. Believe me, their isn't a ton of money in the Information Technology sector unless you actually own the company.

After toughing it out for a while and not being able to keep up with the world I had to fall back on carpentry - which led to screwing my back up again - only for good this time.

I don't want another surgery, and I have been beat down for the last 17 years of my life - I just don't give a crap about much of anything anymore. And that really sucks because I used to care.

The last two years of my life since I have been fighting for my disability claim have been the worst two years of my life. The constant poverty has led to the loss of out two oldest children - no they didnt die. Our oldest two children just got sick of living like paupers and decided they wawnted a better life, so one of them packed up to go live with an aunt (The bitch from hell did some really shitty things behind our back to get him there) and the oldest, in his senior year went to go live with his spoiled princess girlfriend (after she was living us and couldn't handle a dose of the real world)

Maybe between now and the next two years something will go right in this country now that the democrats - the people who actually care about other people, especially those of us who are less fortunate - have control of this countries political structure again.

Well, if any of you made it this far - thank you for paying attention. As for myself, I don't really know how I am going to pay the next round of bills - so if you can spare a buck or two - send it via PayPal to rxhector2k5@yahoo.com.

thanks -
Joe the broke carpenter

When will it ever end?

Well, everything has pretty much gone full circle again. After we got moved there was a rough patch but we recovered from that barely. Then we had a good run without too many problems until recently.

My wife and I both are having a hell of a time with our health. We are a great match. Between her fibromyalgia and my bad back neither one of us can hold a job without getting fired.

We have both resorted to selling the few things that we had worth any value. I finally sold all my carpenter tools. What the hell, it's not like I was ever going to build a house again.

The really screwed up part about all of this is, having to wait up to two years before even getting a hearing for my disability. I mean, what do these people expect happens to those of us who can't provide for ourselves anymore. If we wouldnt have stumbled into this subsidized apartment we would be homeless.

And the rest of society just doesn't give a rats ass whether we live or die. We tried going to DHS (division of human services) for help, OH MY GOD. Those are the most ruthless, heartless people I have ever had to deal with. The fact that I had one back surgery already and live on morphine to kill the pain didn't matter to them at all. Short of out-right accusing me of being a drug addict and a bum they told me to get off my lazy ass and get a damn job. Hell, even if I was physically able to what they want, I still wouldn't get any monetary help for 45 days.

What a great country we live in (the USA). It is so much more important we liberate the IRAQis from their oil so some fucking beurocrat can stuff a shitload of cash in his pocket. IT would just be a shame to make sure that our own people are cared for.

Well, if you made it this far and you can spare a buck or two - send it via paypal to rxhector2k5@yahoo.com.

thx - the broke ass carpenter waiting for disability