How am I abandoning principles? I've been fairly mercenary working for the
US Government for many, many years. I'm just more honest about it than
most. Surely you don't think I do this for any other reason? Hey and it
came with a retirement program too!

I say the principle is go with the highest paying employer and take all you
can get for the job you do. That's a union job with a federal level wage.
Don't forget, it wasn't Mr. Bush's party that inflated the union wages and
guaranteed our income. He's just using a program left in place from a
previous administration.

If I was working for those other principles . . . .I'd still be a $78 a
month soldier who thought the corn fields of Iowa were worth my life. Or
that it was an honor to be drafted. Hey! I earned the right to all of
this. Why would I not take it? After all it was members of this discussion
group that encouraged me to get a union job!

But look on the bright side. In less than two years I will have dropped
well over $60,000 into the local boating business community. Not great but
certainly above average. What you call trickle down! You pay taxes, the
gov't takes its handling fee; they pay me (minus more taxes); I don't
charge a fee because they pay for my room, board, and medical except maybe
union dues and that's tax deductible as well. Then I spend most of it on
buying and refitting my boat. That's good for the economy of Port
Townsend, Washington . . . . and even better for me.

By the way, statements like "Jobless Claims On The Rise" is meaningless.
Unless you know the parameters of the definition. The same with
unemployment figures. It used to be after six months those who were
unemployed dropped of the roles no matter if employed or not. Is that still
true? I don't really know. It used to be employment was based on 95% of the
available work force. What does that mean. Then in '93 It became 90% of
the available work force and for every two jobs created a third was
inferred. What did that mean? I don't know either. No base line is ever
given much less a usable definition. Sure made Bubba's figures look good
though.

As traffic flagger I and the majority of those in the state earned an
average $8.50 an hour. But if I could have got in Local 440 the Laborers
Union and on a 'restricted to union's only federally funded project, it
would have been $22.83 an hour. What was amusingly dubbed "prevailing
wage." They represent about 10% of the flaggers in the State at best with
the gov't employees union representing another 10% with an average wage of
$16.00 an hour.

Nope you guys were right. Principles don't put sails on the boat. Now I'm
a strong union supporter and shop steward making the big bucks for the
highest paying employer in the country!!!! But I still vote Libertarian.

And all of that isn't counting my permanent retirement. In effect you all
are not only buying and outfitting my boat you will pay for my cruising
until I die!

Gotta love you all!

Sweeet!

THANKS!

Michael










"DSK" wrote in message
...
Michael wrote:

Since Bush became President I've made more money than any time in my
life.

That's great.... but not surprising, since you are basically in the
military
contracting business. You have a good reason for voting for Bush &
Cheney...
although it would mean abondoning some of the principles you have stated.

The rest of us have very good reasons to vote against them.

DSK