IMPORTANT ACTION TO TAKE>>> PLEASE TAKE HEED AND ACT!!!

[bobbolink]

Friday, February 8, 1:00-2:00 PM Eastern time







Why Join in? The Bush Administration released its last budget on February 4. Participate in this timely, expert online presentation to learn:

What's in it,
Why advocates for low-income people have to pay attention, and
What opportunities exist for advocates to defend and expand human needs services as Congress takes up its version.


Who should sign up? Anyone who wishes to be a voice for the needs of low- and moderate-income people in the federal budget, especially those living outside the Metropolitan Washington, DC area, should sign-up. We welcome service providers, policy experts, low-income people and others directly affected, state and county officials, representatives of religious groups and congregations, labor, and other advocates.

Register at: http://www.bostonconferencing.com/chn/1

Since I can't get anyone to HEAR me, and nobody will take action when I ask, I'm going to turn this over to all of you.

I know you are WAAAAY TOOO BIZZZZY, but ...

Let's see if you mean it when you say you really want to do something.

Post this everywhere you can think of.

Involve yourself, involve your family, involve your church, your gay activist group, your local Dem party.

Show me, this time, you mean it.

[smokey nj]

1. I registered, Bobbie.

[bobbolink]

2. Thank you.

could you please post this elsewhere on DU, also?

I must be on eveyone's ignore list, because when I post ANYTHING about taking action for poverty, it's...

IGNORED.

[smokey nj]

6. I just posted this in the Activist HQ I'm going to cross post this in the Poverty forum.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=106x31671

[saracat]

12. Done. And you are NOT ignored by us!

[Beaverhausen]

3. I registered too

[kelligesq]

4. You realize of course he released his 3.5 trillion budget when

everyone is consumed with elections. like slipping news announcements on Friday,
or Saturdays so no one will notice.

Probably the most important things in his budget for the moderate and low income is his cutting of medicare, medicaid, and food stamps.

The poster is mistaken in not addressing it to low, moderate, middle income and
Seniors. It would garner much more attention

Soon, all Americans will be low income :)

[bobbolink]

5. Thank you for your helpfulness. all of us poor folk appreciate your action on our behalf.

[Silver Gaia]

9. Yes, and don't forget that he's skimping GREATLY on health care for veterans, too.

I said a few days ago that it was time for me to turn my eyes and ears back to this gang of criminals again. They're up to their same old shit. This looks like a "take the money and run" thing to me. They are cutting services for the poor across the board and putting the money into war spending that, in the end, profits THEM. It stinks.

Thanks for the post and link, bobbolink.

[bobbolink]

10. yeah, all we have to do is complain about Georgie, and castigate the RW.

That'll do lots to put people back under roofs.

:crazy:

NOW.... could you please consent to just take some action, per the OP?

Thank you.

[Silver Gaia]

11. Huh? Why are you jumping all over me?

I thanked you for the post and link, which should imply intended action as you requested. And what is wrong with being concerned for the care veterans receive, especially poor and disabled ones? I just might be personally affected by that problem. I was reading this post as I was getting ready to shut off the computer and run out the door. Sorry if my brief reply didn't meet your expectations, bobbolink.

[bobbolink]

13. As usual, at DU, I asked for SPECIFIC ACTION, and what I got back

was the usual bash against King Georgie.

That does nada.

[Silver Gaia]

15. Bobbi, I have a feeling it doesn't matter what I answered.

I don't know why, but unfortunately, I think whatever I might have said, you wouldn't have liked it. :(

Since our previous exchange here, I've had time to look at the site. I'll be honest here. I don't give out my personal info to ANYONE online unless I know it's a secure site. They want my full name and full address to register. I won't do that. I fully support your cause, even if you think the issues that concern my life are bullshit. But I won't give them my personal info.

I also fail to see what good me signing up for another online thing like this is going to do for you. I'm no mover and shaker who can get something done for you. I'm a nobody.

We welcome service providers (nope, not one of those), policy experts (sure not one of those, either), low-income people and others directly affected (yeah, I'm one of those, but there are many factors affecting my situation not addressed here, and voices like yours can speak louder than mine on this issue), state and county officials (definitely not one of those!), representatives of religious groups and congregations (nope, not a member of any organized religious groups), labor (not one of those), and other advocates(kinda vague, but I suppose I could be seen as one of the "other advocates").

I'm sure there are others here who better fit into some of those categories and could be of much more help to you than I can. I care, and I care deeply. I do things in my community to help whenever and wherever I can. I do my best to help, whether I can afford it or not. Homelessness has touched my life, too. In more ways than one. Don't think I don't understand. I am not someone who walks on by and doesn't see.

What you need is feet on the ground, hands in action. You need immediate help for your personal situation, as well as collective efforts like this. I could give you one-on-one support if I lived near enough to you to make a difference for you. But I don't. And despite what you think, I have neither the money, the influence, nor the upfront skills (such as they are requesting) to do a damn thing from a distance that would help.

The only place I saw where I might fit in with what they said they need was as a voice of the working poor. Actually, I'm not working right now, but that's usually where I fit in when I am. As it is, we are living on a fixed income that barely makes it out here in California, the land of million-dollar homes.

It's up to me to whom I choose to tell my own story, and yelling at me isn't going to make me want to do that with this project.

I am frustrated, too. Hope your day is better tomorrow. Sincerely.

[bobbolink]

16. Go ahead and make me the villain now.

I was told how much people cared, how much people wanted to "help".

"Just tell us how we can help, and we'll be there".

"Just give us some direction on what we can do about these problems"

Was this just a setup?

It sure seems like it, and others see it, too.

I asked for one simple thing, but rather than do that, you post a rant about George.

When I call you on that, then you make me the villain.

Then you wonder why poor people don't trust you muddleclass, and the elitists!!

We've been fooled too many times.

Clearly, my pain doesn't mean anything to you, so I'm done with this.

Have your nice little private teaparty.

bye

[asdjrocky]

17. You know what Bobbie-

I am sick and tired of watching you brow beat these good people because they do not fall in line with what your current agenda happens to be.

I've had it!

You cruse this board like you're the only person who has know suffering in your life. By the way- I'VE BEEN HOMELESS! I've eaten out of garbage cans. I've stolen to eat, and I've sold things to eat that I never thought I'd sell. Get my meaning???

If you want help, if you want to build a coalition, you are going about it the wrong way. I haven't weighed in on this because I try to be a nice person, that is now over.

You have your problems, and I have mine. I have no car, I have no real life, and if I don't get this job in Missouri, I could very well be homeless too. Many times, again and again, I've seen people here reach out to you, doing what they can, and I see hands bitten off. Forget that shit.

These are good, decent people I see you attacking, and I'm the guy that is going to stand up for them. Seriously, how much help do you think this is going to get you? Being attacked, when I'm trying to live my own life, and also doing what I can to help, is going to get absolutely ZERO help from me. This is the real world.

Look at it this way, would you give me a dime, or any help at all, if I kicked you in the fucking teeth while I asked?

Look, I know you have problems, as do all these good people at DU, but I feel you're expecting a lot form virtual strangers who are on a discussion board.

And by the way, don't tell someone who doesn't have a dime in his pocket, came out of complete poverty, and still lives in it every single day, that he doesn't care about the poor. That is just a bunch of bullshit. Do you realize that? Do you realize you're not the only poor person here?

You're smart, you can write, and you are capable of critical thinking, so here's an idea; turn some of that critical thinking on yourself for a while. There is help for you, but you are looking in the wrong place. Quit bitching about the world and how hard it is for you, and do something about it.

If this sounds harsh, too bad. I'm sick and tired of seeing you attack my friends here -and yes at one time I counted you among those friends- and I'm not going to just shut up about it. Got it? If you want a fight with someone, fight me. Leave them alone.

You want some help? Help yourself first. And don't you dare to lecture me about the poor or homeless. I've been there, and I am there.

Now go ahead and attack me, but leave these good people, who try again and again to help, alone. Come, enjoy, have a dialog, but stop these stupid, unproductive attacks.

[bobbolink]

18. good people sometimes become enamored of their status

and forget what they're about.

I WILL say what I wish, and if that doesn't please you, for gawd's sake, put me on IGNORE!

You've dictated to me before, and I stood up to you.

ENOUGH!

[asdjrocky]

20. Say what you please Bobbie-

I've never put anyone on ignore, and I'm certainly not going to start with you. Dictated? That's a joke, I was calling you out.

If you want help, you can get it. If you want dialog, you can have it. If you want to give orders, and expect everyone to snap to, then you need to join the Army.

What bothers me, is when one poor person, tries to tell another poor person, that they don't care, simply because they don't agree with tactic's.

I help when I can, I do what I can, and I don't like being brow beaten when I'm not fast enough for you, or I don't agree.

Enough? Forget about it, I'm a grown man, and the last person to tell me ENOUGH was my mother. I was afraid of her, you, not so much.

If you want help, ask, do not demand. If you want compassion, try showing some.

[bobbolink]

22. "If you want help, you can get it"

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I posted a request that doesn't even take much from people, and the very same thing happened that always happens at DU with a request to call/email about issues, etc.

crickets...

crickets...

crickets..

All of you have said, "We're in your corner... just tell us what we can do, and we'll do it."

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

There were about 6 people, I think (if I've left anyone out, please excuse), who replied that they responded to the request. of course that hurts, after you've been told that you have people who want to take this issue on! Nothing different from what has been the case at DU since I've tried to post on poverty... not one dime's worth of difference. And, you've made it clear that you don't give a good goddamn how it affects me, you just dismiss it all. Not a dime's worth of difference. Just the same ego stuff as elsewhere at DU.

I was told, "Show us the way.. help us figure out what we need to do". So, I posted my story of being homeless and why, pouring out a lot of pain and anguish in the process of writing it, and got so few responses I felt like trash. I was told, by someone supposedly supporting me, that they were disappointed, too, and surprised, but wouldn't let it drop.

And, surprise surprise, that was the end of that. It dropped with not a further word from that person, either on the thread, or to me personally. So, what was my suffering for in writign all that? For the entertainment value?

People came together on DU to take issue with the country for the disaster of 2000. People have been speaking up more and more about the deficiencies and sad state of the party. *I'm* speaking up of the hypocrisy of "progressives" who take poor people as pets when it's to their advantage, then abandon them.

And, just as the people who spoke up abuot the country, about the party, if you don't like me confronting the silly hypocrisy, then you can put me on ignore.

That's how it is.

You have much more power and support than I have, but that doesn't mean you're right on everything.

[dajoki]

21. I've had it also...

with people like you who call themselves "progressive" or "liberal". I understand that you've been there, well so have I and still am. We should COMMEND Bobbie, for keeping this issue in our minds, Bobbie is at least trying to come up with a way to solve this huge problem facing MILLIONS of Americans. I, personally will try to follow her lead on this.

I don't see it as "attacking", to me Bobbie is taking a stand FOR ALL OF US and we are facing an uphill fight just to get started, we NEED as many on board as we can get. So if you feel that way, just do what Bobbie told you, use the "ignore" option. BTW, you might as well use it for me also because I will be with Bobbie all the way, through thick and thin, even if it means that we are the last two remaining.

Finally, this post is not intended to offend ANYONE, its purpos is the issue of poverty FRONT AND CENTER!! So take it however you wish.

[bobbolink]

23. Thank you, dajoki

:hug:

It's so sad that the rancor comes to this.

This split has been coming for a long time, and has been covered over with all manner of politeness.

But, it comes down to the same old class divisions, and I don't see that changing. This has been the case at DU for a long time, I thought maybe at least here it could change, but obviously that was a mirage.

We either try to put up with the slights and the ignoring of reasonable courses of action, and the hypocrisy, or we speak out and watch the split happen.

:cry:

I know that conflict has to surface and be made clear before any REAL resolution and growth can happen, but it still hurts and makes me very sad.

As I said to someone else, one night last week I woke about 3 or 4am (yes, in my cold car in the snow), and realized that that day I had, again, run from conflict and let someone step on my boundaries and cause me hurt, because I'm just so tired and worn out from conflict. I saw how I'm just as conflict avoidant as anyone else, and it made me sad, and I cried for quite a while about it.

NONE of us likes this kind of conflict. Yet, the option is to let it all continue, keep swallowing the junk, and watch it build more and more.

It caused conflict because a group of Dems were very unhappy over 2000. It still causes conflict become some Dems are worried about the constitution and the DINOs who allow it to be shredded.

It is and will continue to cause conflict because some Dems cannot and will not take seriously what we are dealing with.

I hate seeing it happen, but I cannot continue to swallow the hypocrisy. When someone tells me they care and want to take on the issue, I have a right to be able to trust and believe they will DO that.

We're a small and weak group, dajoki, but we have heart.

We have compassion.

I hope that's still worth something.

:hug: :loveya: :hug:

[RestoreGore]

7. I will definitely pass this this on

[OneGrassRoot]

8. Thank you, Bobbolink...will do now. K&R

[bobbolink]

14. Nobody else willing to participate in this?

Why am I not surprised...

:cry:

[dajoki]

19. Thanks Bobbie, I'm registered. K&R n/t