Democrats versus Republicans

[camaraderie]

The Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA)

News Release

WASHINGTON , DC 11/07/07 -

Congress is considering sweeping legislation which will provide new benefits for many Americans. The Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA) is being hailed as a major legislative goal by advocates of the millions of Americans who lack any real skills or ambition.

"Roughly 50 percent of Americans do not possess the competence and drive necessary to carve out a meaningful role for themselves in society," said California Senator Barbara Boxer. "We can no longer stand by and allow People of Inability to be ridiculed and passed over. With this legislation, employers will no longer be able to grant special favors to a small group of workers simply because they have some idea of what they are doing."

In a Capitol Hill press conference, House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pointed to the success of the U. S. Postal Service, which has a long-standing policy of providing opportunity without regard to performance. Approximately 74 percent of postal employees lack any job skills, making this agency the single largest U. S. employer of Persons of Inability.

Private-sector industries with good records of nondiscrimination against the Inept include retail sales (72%), the fast food industry (68%), and home improvement "warehouse" stores (65%). At the state government level, the Department of Motor Vehicles also has a great record of hiring Persons of Inability (63%).

Under the Americans With No Abilities Act, more than 25 million "middle man" positions will be created, with important-sounding titles but little real responsibility, thus providing an illusory sense of purpose and performance.

Mandatory non-performance based raises and promotions will be given, to guarantee upward mobility for even the most unremarkable employees.

The legislation provides substantial tax breaks to corporations that promote a significant number of Persons of Inability into middle management positions, and gives a tax credit to small and medium-sized businesses that agree to hire one clueless worker for every two talented hires.

Finally, the AWNA Act contains tough new measures to make it more difficult to discriminate against the Non-Abled -- banning, for example, discriminatory interview questions such as "Do you have any skills or experience which relate to this job?"
"As a Non-Abled person, I can't be expected to keep up with people who actually have something going for them," said Mary Lou Gertz, who lost her position as a lugnut twister at a GM plant in Flint, Michigan , due to her lack of any other discernible job skills. "This new law should really help people like me."
With the passage of this bill, Gertz and millions of other untalented citizens will finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. Said Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy: "As a Senator With No Abilities, I believe the same privileges that elected officials enjoy ought to be extended to every American with No Abilities. It is our duty as lawmakers to provide each and every American citizen, regardless of his or her inadequacy, with some sort of space to take up in this great nation."

[PBzeer]

All too plausible, unfortunately.

[gonesailin40]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

[B]The Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA)

This is one of the finest post I have ever read on this board!

[cardiacpaul]

I'm not your "bro", I'm pretty sure my parents never met either of yours.

The points I made are valid, the situations real. You offer no solution other than "the swiss model" or to simplify, "save yourself".
You're right, I'm not assured of another day on this earth, you can take it for what its worth, but I've been dead on the table more than once. I know of what I speak.

I rue the day that you or yours is forced to make the decision "The treatment is $76,500.00,(the current cost for a pacemaker) your insurance doesn't cover it, we take visa or american express"

Discount it if you will but unless you've lived it man, you got no idea of what you speak.

It's cold here today, it must be the gov'ts fault. Wait... that is global warming, care to rant on that too? Go ahead, I won't be listening.

[RAGNAR]

nnn

[cardiacpaul]

ragnar = ignore.

[RAGNAR]

hhh

[sailaway21]

I was up watching the Clinton News Network (CNN) late last evening, for reasons that are obscure, even to me, and they were commenting on how "stunned" Bill Clinton looked that Hillary lost the Iowa caucus.

This I find interesting. In fact the whole Clinton canidacy is "interesting". Most presidents leave the White House and enjoy a reasonably nice retirement. Mr. Clinton seems to be as well fixed as any, although he has never held a real job in his life. Most of their wives are content with that scenario as well. Jimmy and Rosaline Carter are perhaps a good example. In terms of public service they have done far more out of the White House than they did living within it. If we could just get Jimmy to keep his mouth shut, we could pronounce him a paragon of American virtue and go home. But I suppose I also understand Hillary's desire to do something on her own. Afterall, every previous job sher's had was due to her husband's political influence. And, by all lights, she's been a competent Senator for the citizens of New York, if not the nation.

But now the rub. We're getting that old two for one deal again. Hillary wants to claim her experience as first spouse to be valid and end it there. Bill, on the other hand, and perhaps the campaign staff, want us to think about how good we had it in the Clinton years. Well, the Clinton years were a long eight years ago and it's safe to say that times have changed, to say the least. And, when we do think about the Clinton years, what do we remember? Well, we remember the fat girl and her blue dress. Clinton, for his eight years in office, was singularly uninterested or inept at getting any programs or legislation of import through the congress and codified into law. His most significant accomplishements, such as NAFTA, were Republican ideas that were going to be passed anyway and he hitched his wagon to them.

So now Iowa. Bill Clinton is stunned because apparently a good portion of America does not want the Clinton's back. His feelings are hurt. And worse, his 8 year quest to establish a legacy in the public eye now seems it might be doomed. The shocker, to him, is that we really are able to consider Hillary on her own. We're not really sure why she's not out with Bill and Jimmy, and Rosalind building houses for H for H. We kinda know she needs the validation and the power of high office. But we see that as just her. Bill doesn't see it quite that way, I suspect. I get the impression he views this as part of a Clinton dynasty and legacy, and not one that has the name Rodham to prominantly displayed either. Currently, he has the opposite look from Sally Field's at the Oscars, "you don't want me, you really don't want me". Sorry Bill, we tried that flavor, it was fun for awhile but then so was skateboarding.

Hillary may yet get the nomination. And I expect things are going to get real ugly. People forget that Willie Horton began in the Dem's primaries. But I also expect that Bill Clinton is about to become very much less visible. When the voters of Iowa saw Bill and Hill together they didn't automatically think to break out singing, "Happy days are here again" much less "don't stop thinkin' about tomorrow". Guess what? The average voter doesn't have any reason to even know who or what Fleetwood Mac was. It was that long ago.

This is about to get very interesting because neither of these two individuals is naturaslly inclined to go quietly into that good, dark night. These are two lifelong professional attention getters. They have never had the slightest doubt that when the "best and the brightest" were being discussed as part of Kennedy years that that was them in the future. Growing up so confident that they, and maybe they alone, could change the future and finding that they could not is difficult to take. The notion that they had their shot and now it's over is, well, it ain't pretty. Baby boomers weren't raised to deal with rejection. Get ready for a tantrum. And could you please pass the popcorn salt?

[wind_magic]

It's all a lot of fun to watch so far.

This week promises to be even more entertaining.

[camaraderie]

The funniest line I heard last night was Chris Wallace commenting on Hillary's attempt to link herself to "change" like Obama.
He looked at Hillary's speech last night will Bill and Chelsea and Madeline Albright on the podium with her and said...this doesn't look like change to me...it looks like Mme. Toussauts Wax Museum! (g)