One of the cruelest things you can do to another person is pretend you care about them more than you really do. –Douglas Coupland
or: Ask For A Free Lunch From The Waterstreet Café and Bar
Today is a turning point for the Chrome Documents. Soon it will be a turning point for those at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources who will receive layoff notices this month. Emails will be sent from the top expressing concern for your future, yet those at the top most likely don’t even know your name. After he sends his heartfelt emails, show up to one of Lenny Young’s restaurants (Acqua Via or Waterstreet Café and Bar) and ask him to pick up the tab for your meal. After all, his financial situation has improved during this financial crisis and a meal is a minuscule sacrifice in comparison to the chaos of a family trying to figure out how their mortgage is going to get paid.
Yet I know Lenny isn’t to blame. He’s a cog in the wheel of a dysfunctional system. However, a cog moves with the system, not against it.
For those of you with impending unemployment ahead, this is what it looks like. We’ll use my girlfriend’s income as an example. While employed at the DNR she made around $1700/mth. She currently receives about $840/mth. Rent in Whatcom County looks something like this…
She pays half of her income to rent, leaving around $440 for food, gas, car insurance, car payment, electric, phone, cable, and whatever else life throws her way. She can no longer afford health insurance even with COBRA.
There’s more good news. According to an October 13 report from the Labor Market and Economic Analysis, our state now has 331,000 collecting unemployment insurance. This figure is what is known as the U3 number. The U6 number is now up to 580,000 and that includes those no longer eligible for benefits, part-time employees, and those who have given up looking for work in Washington state. The WorkSource website is showing a little under 13,000 jobs to go around.
Layoffs have created an employer’s market where $8.55/hr can buy you an employee with a bachelors degree and 5 years experience who will work as a part time bell ringer. 
The cogs are responsible for systemic failure. We have them to thank not only for adding to unemployment and more Americans who are unable to afford health care, but in particular for the creation of a society of working poor.
They can take away our jobs but not our vote!
This remains the strongest course of action for the displaced worker. What Commissioner Goldmark fears more than Peter Goldman pulling the plug on his campaign contributions is a landslide loss in an election. His ability to garner campaign support is tied directly to his chances of winning. This is true for the governor, state representatives, and senators. When they fail the people, they should also fail to receive our support.
I don’t believe it’s too late to change things but it takes getting involved. All you have to do is vote!
This is the last entry about the Department of Natural Resources. I hope no one will be disappointed and I’m sure some cogs will be relieved. More entries will come but geared towards technology. In 2012, I hope to see an end to Goldmark’s career as Commissioner of Public Lands. I’ve written several politicians about changing the state’s constitution so the commissioner of public lands is no longer an elected position. I hope at some point in the future this idea will gain momentum. My biggest hope though is 2012 will be a turnaround, where those on top receive their layoff notices from those of us on the bottom.
