So. Stupak.

I’ve been putting off writing this blog because I was so disheartened by Representative Bart Stupak’s choices in the Health Care debate.

As I’ve said before, I disagree with Stupak on several issues. I, however, have always respected him, always trusted him. It’s hard for me to explain, and you may roll your eyes and call me naive–that’s okay–but Stupak is from Menominee. He’s a Yooper. The atmosphere, the culture, the issues of the Upper Peninsula tend to cultivate character. I don’t mean that we are inherently better. But it’s Smalltown, U.S.A.! People in Upper Michigan leave their doors unlocked at night. They greet each other on the street. They are related to half of their company at any given time. There is no benefit to dishonesty in a place where everyone knows everyone else’s business. We hunt, we fish, we brake for deer. We stop and pull each other’s cars out of snowbanks in winter. Our dogs run unleashed, and if they bite us, we shoot them.

It’s so hard for me to accept that Menominee Stupak is the same as Washington Stupak. I can’t even digest it. Every time I try, my stomach lurches. I feel totally disillusioned and betrayed by his recent actions regarding the Health Care bill.

Don’t misunderstand me. Stupak has been in favor of this bill from the start. I didn’t expect him to vote against his conscience.

But what a sham! This idea that Stupak was going to vote “no” because of the abortion issue was nothing but a game. He told us last year (October, I think?) that his intent was to see Health Care reform, and the abortion matter would not keep him from voting “yes.” So…what did he gain in all of this drama about abortion?

Money for our district airports.

Far worse than the actual “yes” or “no” vote, Stupak has broken faith with so many constituents. This was all a puppet show. I’m not sure yet who was pulling the strings, but Stupak sure put on a show.

So I ask you…

If we cannot trust a Congressman from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan…who can we trust?

Stupak Suddenly ‘Optimistic’?

Allow me to start with a word of praise. I like Bart Stupak. I see all of the nonsense in the news, and I fall on my face and thank God that Stupak is my Congressman. I’m not a Democrat, and I certainly disagree with Stupak on many issues; but my opinion of him is a positive one. He is the kind of Democrat I would keep voting for, to be honest. Maybe I’m naive that way.

But I’m unnerved about the news today that Stupak is ‘more optimistic’ about resolving the enormous “to fund or not to fund” abortion issue in this Health Care bill. Seriously? A week ago, the headlines were raving about Stupak “nixing” the bill. What has changed?

Really. I know the chances of Mr. Stupak stumbling upon my meager ramblings are slim, but I am far too skeptical of Washington and all therein (this includes you, Mr. Stupak) to believe that in the course of a couple of days, the issue he (and all of America) thought might prevent the passage of the Health Care bill is suddenly resolvable with a few handshakes and carefully chosen words. Honestly. What has changed?

Maybe I’m paranoid. But something about this isn’t sitting well with me. I need answers. I need answers because…maybe I’m paranoid and naive…but Stupak is my final straw. If I lose faith in him, there will be no one left in Washington that I can trust.

Anyone care to connect the dots for me?

Health Care Reform

Let’s imagine for one second…

You and your spouse plan a nice get-away for your anniversary, which happens to fall on the same weekend as a major high school sporting event. You made your reservation at a nice hotel, the hotel required you to make an advanced non-refundable deposit on the room, you were given a confirmation number, and you paid extra to have the staff order flowers and champagne to be in your room when you arrived. Yet, when you arrive, the staff tells you that the high school team needed an additional room. Because the hotel is booked solid, they gave the team your room. Oh, and sorry about that non-refundable deposit. Yeah, and there are no rooms at any other hotels because of this sporting event. Better luck next time!

It wouldn’t fly. First of all, a hotel doesn’t do that. If it did, it wouldn’t be competitive in the market. Not only would you give major grief to the General Manager of that hotel, and probably a corporate office, and demand your money back…but you would never choose that hotel (or possibly that chain of hotels) again! Further, you would tell your story to your friends, and they would probably not stay there either.

But somehow, health insurance is different. Somehow, we have allowed them to bully their way into our pocketbooks, and we don’t haven’t had the nerve to tell them off.

And now we want to depend on Washington to fix it for us.

Really?

If only Washington would write something into Health Care Reform about Americans growing a pair and finding a better answer.

You just…we wouldn’t act this way in any other market. Why do we act this way with Health Care?

Crazy, Religious, Anti-Choice Commercials

Okay…seriously?

*Sigh.*

I understand that the Focus on the Family commercial during last night’s Superbowl could be seen as a “political” commercial, and thus, may be inappropriate for the Superbowl.

However…(and this is an enormous “however”)…

I really take issue with the fact that so many are spitting fire over a family-centered commercial, but nobody cares that there were at least two commercials last night that featured men and women in their underwear.

I, frankly, am weary of this idea that the only “culture” we’re allowed to have is the kind where women must be hot and controlling, men must be dumb and spineless, and everyone must run around in their underwear and drink beer. It’s about time someone stood up and promoted a way of life that challenges the “culture” of America.

Disclosure: I’ve no problem with nakedness, attractiveness, underwear, or beer. But then…I’ve no problem with a woman choosing to have her baby, either.

Job Hunt Peeves

So I have a few peeves about the job hunt that I’d like to share here just to get them out of my brain.

1. Email rejections. They’re just so unprofessional. I suppose there’s a time and a place for these, but I still loathe them. Email applications strike me as unprofessional, so why would I feel any differently about email rejection letters?
2. Email rejections, part B. Okay, if your application process happens electronically, then an email rejection letter is okay. I suppose. But if I’ve printed a resume, filled out an application, mailed it or dropped it off to you, driven into town for an interview, and then sent you a thank-you note, an email rejection is more like a slap-in-the-face than a professional correspondence.
3. Typos. Honestly. If I submitted an application, resume, or cover letter with grammatical or spelling errors, I would not even be considered for the position. Don’t send me a rejection letter that wouldn’t pass a high school English course.
4. References. If you are going to base your hiring decision on what a past employer might say about me, then I think it’s only fair that you offer me a heads-up and say, “Is there anything about your past employers that you want to talk about before I call them?” Let’s be fair. Not all former employers are going to give glowing reviews, and it’s not always the former employee’s fault.
5. Incompetence. I recently went into an establishment where I’ve applied several times and have never even been interviewed; and my cashier gave me wrong change. At the end of the day, we learned that she had given wrong change not only to me, but to at least one other person. I wanted to look the store manager in the eye and say, “You’ll hire her but not me?”

So there you have it. There are more peeves, but these are the ones on my mind today. Maybe I’m being nit-picky; but I think sometimes employers forget that they are being interviewed, too. Just remember, you get what you get.

How about you? Do you have any peeves about job hunting?