Being "uniquely American"

Remember when, in one of his infamous "town hall meetings" about Social Security, a woman mentioned working three jobs to keep her family afloat, and Bush blithely came back with, "You work three jobs? That's uniquely American!" We all heard that and thought, "What a jackass!"

At present, I am only working two jobs, so I haven't reached the stress and energy depletion level of Uniquely American just yet. Thankfully, this is not the situation all the time. I am also mindful that at least neither of my jobs are physically exhausting, dangerous, or gradually leading to physical disability due to working under unsafe conditions. But I can tell you this much--I'm tired. My brain is tired. In my free time, I don't want to read anything too complex, and, for heaven's sake, PLEASE don't tell me about another problem I need to try to do something about.

Running out of time here, but I did want to at least open this discussion--put it out as "food for thought" at least. *Please* know I'm not complaining--everyone has been fantastic about picking up on the posting around here when I am not able. But feeling like this reminded me of how many people out there have schedules like mine, only for the long term, and under poorer conditions. If they don't already know about how messed up the political situation is right now, they probably don't *want* to know, because that would be one more thing to worry about, be responsible for, and try to deal with.

Yet we need their help. And, more likely than not, the Bush economy did this to them, and it is in their best interest to change the larger situation that leads to this level of overwork. It's a conundrum that deserves some thought.

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