George W. Bush

D

djmonsta200883

New member
In 48 hours, this man, along with The Governator, has both directly and indirectly cost my family roughly $40,000/year, and we were already barely scraping by. At this rate, in a month or two I'll be homeless.

My mom got laid off this week. She worked at a college, where she helped people with criminal records get jobs, as well as helping people with physical and mental disabilities get through college to get jobs that they can support themselves on. George Bush's and Arnold's budget cuts have made that program a thing of the past. This was only one of my mom's three jobs, but it was her highest paying and also the only one with benefits. So long $30,000/year and health, dental, and life insurance for all our family.

My sister won't be able to get financial aid or Pell Grants next year because the requirements are so much higher. Also, budget cuts for the arts (she's an Opera major) have taken away all her scholarships. Now we're basically going to have to foot her $30,000/year tuition alone (goodbye to the $6,000+ that these provided for her).

So that was my Tuesday. On Wednesday night, my family got a letter from our Landlord. He's raising our rent. He said he "wants to retire soon, and since Social Security is now private", he wants more cushion. We can barely afford to live her anyways. Now what are we going to do?

Today's Thursday and I got no sleep last night. I spent all night tossing and turning, and doing serious thinking.

I have become very angry. I'd get so angry that I would have adrenaline coursing through my veins. With no other way to let it out I did push ups and pull ups periodically. At one point I did 50 pull ups without touching the ground, and I didn't even bother counting push ups. Overnight I have undergone a change.

I am no longer Agnostic. I have become resolutely Atheist and the idea of God is laughable to me. I have no stomach for The Smashing Pumpkins (who have been my favorite band since I was about six). My favorite band is Rage Against the Machine. And I've been destructive. Today at school I tagged on benches and desks and equipment in the Science Laboratory. I stole several sodas and I feel a constant urge to grab ahold of somebody and beat the shit out of them. My friend mock-jabbed at me (intending just to rough house) and I didn't even think, I just slugged him in the stomach as hard as I could. I don't like this part of me but it's who I am right now.

But those are just superficial changes. Deep down, I feel something different than I've ever felt before. Before I felt flesh and blood and I felt like I was alive. Now when I feel in the center of my chest the only thing that's there is something as hard as diamond and as cold as blue steel. I constantly clench my fists and I have an urge to scream at the top of my lungs and the pit of my throat and to see somebody else's blood.

But I won't let them do this to me. I won't ruin myself and I won't let anyone ruin me because it's happened once before. I had just begun to climb back to normalcy and reality and my life was perfect. Now I have this. I won't succumb to the vicious cycle and I won't become just another statistic.

The time is now. I am only more determined than ever to make my body and my mind strong enough to take on any challenge. I am possessed with a thirst for knowledge. Today in my first period, I viciously read my textbook with unbreakable concentration. When I got home I did calisthenics for two hours, and then completed twice my daily quota for my online Math course. I will rise up and I will be heard. I won't ever be dragged down again because nobody will be able to touch me. America and the world will know my name. And I'll do it without hurting anyone because that's what they're trying to do to me. I am young but I will be a great man and I will change the world.

I'm going to take the power back.
 
lmao :thumbsup:

take the power back is a great song.

dude, you need to tell SOMEONE that this is happening. send a letter to congress, go on a talk show, Start a petition (cause chances are you aren't the only case) do SOMETHING. slugging your friends in the stomach doesn't help.
 
the angst of youth! may it serve you well and not become a downfall, yours or anyone else's. like you said icky, anger is powerful but it can become all consuming if left festering. someday, you will look back at this time in your life and it will not be anywhere near as a drag on you as it is today. what is my point? life is stressful now, you will overcome. there is no doubt that excess in any form is undesirable, and you have to remember too icky, sometimes there is nothing you can do to change the hand you've been dealt.

if you are half as enlightened as you seemingly are, one day you will be as wise too but as for right now, your mind is not rightfully seeing the realities of your circumstance. things happen which are not under your control nor are they a testament as to who you are. they aren't judgemental, they are to be dealt w/. you cannot control everything by convincing yourself, "if i do this then that will happen", b/c you will be sorridly mistaken.

alas, i wish you the best in your endevours. :( you will be missed, do all you do w/ love and not hate.
 
I'm viewing this, not as a crushing blow, but as fuel for my fire. I will overcome and I will be stronger. I will get the best education I can and I will help educate others. I will change the world and I will rise above and rise against and I will free the people. I will transform myself into something so untouchable that nothing else like this can happen to me again, and I will do my best to make sure nobody else has to face hardship.
 
Well, if you're going to hit something, find a punching bag. Hitting friends is usually not a good way to keep them around.

But while your mood sucks (not bashing it, being where you are just sucks man) your motivation rocks. Get back at them by making yourself better. Don't let them keep you down.

Like someone said, fight back now too. Make some noise. Let them KNOW they're fucking your family over. Push their buttons, stand up and make them notice what they're doing. Make them realize that the people they fuck over aren't just numbers.

Damnit boy. Now I gotta go hit something cuz I'm pissed for you. I'd rep you but I don't think you want that.
 
I have a newfound sense of respect for you. Out of the millions of Americans alive today, you're one of the unlucky group to see the real truth. You know first hand what all these bands (Rage Against The Machine, notably) are talking about. And now it's time for you to do your part. You look like you're off to a good start too.
 
Oh, Icky, I wish I made more than 40 gs a year so I could help you guys out. I understand where you are coming from. I am on disability for a month and we are trying to figure out how to eat and pay rent, and welfare wont help us because we make too much money. They would rather wait until we are on the streets and kids bellies are distended from starvation.

You are a smart kid. You will change the world someday.
 
Welfare, as a program to either supplement the poor along with any part or full time jobs they may hold, or as a temporary substitute for joblessness while the poor seek employment, is essentially dead. I believe now, that the limit that one can be on welfare is 5 years.

If interested, check out this book Nickle and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenriech (or some various spelling of her name). It's quite interesting, and it details the life of a "minimum wage" worker.

The definitions of "poor" are outdated. They were constructed decades ago and was determined by "the cost of food" and simply multiplied it by 3. If your annual wages fall below this line, you are considered to be in poverty.

Now a days, while the cost of food has stayed relatively in line with inflation, the cost of living has risen dramatically, to the point where families are spending more than 60% of their checks on rent. That's just absurd.

I fear greatly what will become of this country, as this is just one of the countless number of crisises or soon-to-be crisises (sp?) we are/will be facing.

[/being serious for once]
 
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