At the Mercy of Politicians

It seems my fate rests in the hands of the politicians who only see the fiscal cliff as a partisan obstacle.  That should make for a few sleepless nights.

My morning was spent at the unemployment office where I had been summoned to what was deemed a “re-employment services” meeting.  They sure have a sense of humor.  The meeting was actually required by the state to inform me that unless Congress does something by the end of December, my unemployment benefits will end, in spite of my having a rather significant balance in my unemployment benefit package.  To fully understand the humor, you probably need a little background.

For 38 years, I worked for the same company.  Yes, 38 years.  I held three positions during that time, each one a little better than the last.  My income was more than adequate but I reached the point where this old baby boomer couldn’t play politics anymore, so I resigned.  I took another position and stayed there for two years before I was offered a more challenging and better paying job with another company.  I was laid off from that position 8 months ago.

What is it with companies today?  They don’t want to hire us old dogs with tons of experience; people you can count on to get the job done and, show up every day.  Wouldn’t you think they would see us an asset?  Well, they don’t.  We’re a liability because we are loyal and committed.  We don’t change jobs at the drop of a dime and they don’t want us to stay long enough to collect retirement or pay increases.

Today the job counselor advised me to revise my resume so that a prospective employer couldn’t tell how old I am.  Throw your honesty out the window, she said.  It won’t get you a job.  I guess I’m at the mercy of Congress and that’s about as comforting as sticking my finger in an electrical outlet.

My immediate future has a new definition since my meeting this morning.  When I’m not looking for work, I will be glued to CSPAN or CNN while emailing my “elected representatives” who still haven’t figured out how they got that job or who they work for.  Can anyone spell “term limits“?