AARRGGHH! Right-Wing Nut-Job Boss Talks About Convention

[GiovanniC]

Where I work, I have a couple of bosses that I report directly to. One is a sane, reasonable guy... the other is a Republican.

I watched Bill Clinton's speech last night at the Democratic Convention. I missed everyone else because I had been out (kinda disappointed about that, too). But Clinton, I thought, was phenomenal. I recognized piece of his earlier "Send Me" speech, and was excited when he was pointing out the differences between the parties, especially when he spoke about the harmful Bush tax cuts.

Every morning, my Republican boss corners me in my office, where he blathers on about God-knows-what for about 45 minutes to an hour, on average. Often, politics come up, and I always end up with painful bite-marks on my tongue.

Today marks the first time I almost unleashed on the guy.

He started talking about Bill Clinton's convention speech. "Yeah, Bill Clinton was up there talking about how everybody wants to give up their tax cuts... but not me. I'll keep mine. He was telling everyone that he was going to pick their pockets and steal all their money and they were cheering because they're a bunch of idiots. He says, I'm gonna steal all your money, and they all say YAAAY!"

He was saying this very loudly. Then he continues, "Yeah, they don't get that the problem isn't the tax cut, the problem is that the Democrats want to redistribute the wealth and take my money away so they can give it to poor people who don't pay taxes. Not me, I want to keep my money. You just cut the size of the government in half and then keep looking for ways to save money -- leave my money alone. You can start by getting rid of that worthless Department of Education and leave it up to local communities to be responsible for schools like it should be."

He stops and is grinning broadly, very pleased with himself. Then he looks at me, and although I normally can hide my disgust with his political rants, this time I'm setting him on fire with my eyes. He says, "You agree, right?"

I leaned back and pretended to contemplate. "Do I agree with what? A single word of anything you just said? No."

He says, "I know you don't. But these Democrats are so stupid with their wealth redistribution... they just want to take money from people like me and give it to people who only file taxes so they can cash in and get all the credits and I'm the one paying for them. The Democrats say that I'm rich but I didn't know I had a mansion. And they're all cheering Bill Clinton who was telling them that he was going to rob them blind and they're all saying YAAAY!"

Some things my boss doesn't know:

#1 - He makes decent money, and certainly more than I do, but he is not in the top 1% category with Bill Clinton. Nobody would probably call him rich, but he is comfortably middle-class.

#2 - Bill Clinton isn't going to do anything, because Bill Clinton isn't running for office.

#3 - If he continues to bring up politics at work, one of these days I'm not going to be able to restrain myself and I'm going to knock him upside the head with every single plank of the Democratic Party. (Out of fear of retribution, I have not done this yet. I need my job, I can't afford to be unemployed in Bush's economy.)

[zbdent]

1. Start taking a tape recorder (or better yet, a camcorder)

to work.

Set it up in an inconspicuous location.

Keep the tapes of this.

When you've finally had it, take the tapes with you when you are "fired" for insubordination.

Sue his ass off for making the workplace a living hell. Then tell him to go "Cheney" himself.

[Upfront]

2. Your Thinking Good

You need your job, and it would not change a thing. Every time you must listen to that guy, donate to a Democrat who is running for something. Make sure you vote, and I know you will. Keep that job and live to fight another day. I have walked in your shoes, and did what I am saying. It worked out.

[nini]

3. you're being harrassed.

call him on it and go to HR if you have to.

you don't have to be subjected to his BS.

[info being]

4. Tell him that he pays more taxes than the top 1%

in terms of percentage. Kerry's plan wouldn't change anything about his taxes, but would take a little more from the elite in order to ensure we have a more balanced budget.

[JohnnyRingo]

10. That's right...Geo Soros says he pays 3%

He says that seems "kinda light"

How does that measure up to the "boss".

[sadiesworld]

5. Does he make over 200K per year?

If not, he won't see any changes in his taxes under a Kerry administration (and it won't be much of a change if he makes a bit more) but he will have a chance at collecting SS when he retires. Who is the stupid one?

[sandnsea]

6. Does he provide health insurance?

Kerry wants to give him tax cuts for his employee's health coverage and his own. Why would he vote against more tax cuts?

[GiovanniC]

7. I Work For a Corporation

He's my boss but he's not *THE* boss.

[JohnnyRingo]

8. It's good that you have a forum in which to vent

I don't think I have the will power to remain silent.

I did 30 years in a union job in which the term "boss" was unused.
They were "supervisers"...Still demeaning, but I could tell him (or her) they were full of it.

I feel for you and the painful position you're in. I don't think I would do as well in your situation.

[KharmaTrain]

9. Try This On Him...

From one who is in the 1% or close to it...and took my tax rebate check and donated it to several charities...

Ask him if he wants schools funded on the local level would he then be willing to pay double the property tax on his house? How about if he didn't have a kid in school, should he be responsible to pay as much in local taxes as when he didn't? Bets are you'll have him tangled in no time.

If your state is like many others it is easy to show how the straights your state is in is tied to the tax cut. Two things happened...first, since most state taxes come off the bottom line of the Federal, the less paid to the federal meant less paid to the states...and less in federal coffers also meant additional losses to state programs. Clinton tried to paint this with his $5,000 remark that already has been perverted.

Now I'd be curious how this "patriot" would have us pay for service? I'm sure there are things he does that requires government services that he takes for granted and doesn't realize someone has to pay for it. These types are so typical. It's the selfish side of the GOOP in full regalia.

[sadiesworld]

11. The more I think about your post, the angrier I get!

What an abusive bully. He knows he can rant, rave and cause you distress, and you (maybe) have to stand there and take it!

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Would it be feasible for you to simply tell him that you don't feel comfortable discussing politics at work?

Is asking the more reasonable boss to intervene an option?

I don't envy you your situation.

[GiovanniC]

12. The Thing That Really Bothers Me

Is that I know I could take him down in a debate if he was just some guy on the street.

This guy knows that I disagree with him, because when he starts in on his rants I immediately clam up and won't say anything. But I don't argue with him.

He knows I'm not a Republican. I'm not sure if he realizes how strong of a Democrat I am, but I'm thinking that my office might get a little Kerry makeover soon. That'll either shut him up or make him worse. We'll see.

[TrogL]

13. Go to his supervisor

and ask where listening to his hour-long rants fits either your job description or his.

[Mountainman]

14. My shrink once told me, "don't try to find a rational answer for an

irrational situation.

The guy is just spouting the dogma kool aid drinking conservative BS. It isn't even worth your getting upset about. He's not being reasonable or rational.

My shrink also to me that when I was in those kind of situations to disengage. I use to say to myself, "disengage, don't try logic."

I still use that when ever I'm in those situations which happens quite a bit.