This afternoon I had a very long chat with a local police officer from our heavily-repuke county.

[Dappleganger]

Our son was involved in a fender bender, but afterwards the police woman and I had a long chat. We got to talking about risks officers face ever day on the job, and how the public here in FL is always complaining about how early they retire (you try being a cop for 30 years out on the beat, it takes a real toll on the body even after 20 years). She said this (and it's paraphrased but hopefully is correct), "XX County is one of the most conservative counties in this state. Pretty much most all of our buddies and coworkers vote republican in each election, and they did in the last election. But you can't say the name of Rick Scott in our office without someone spitting swearwords at the same time. We have one of the healthiest pension plans in the US, yet he has decided to target us just because it is easier to take from us because we have nowhere left to go, then he turns around and gives that money which we earned and risked our lives for to the rich corporations who just leave this state when they have sucked us dry."

I empathized with her and urged to her to remember that next time at the polls, but also warned her that she should keep speaking out. I said it was obvious from day 1 that Rick Scott had our working class people on his shit list and didn't care about the real people of Florida who are the backbone of the communities. She agreed and said that there was a real change of view with regard to how the sheriff's dept. and even FHP will probably vote next election.

These teabagging jerks have screwed over the wrong people and they will NOT forget come 2012!

[pnwmom]

1. I hope you're right. Thanks for taking the time to connect with her. n/t

[csziggy]

2. My worry is that with the support of the corporations the Repugs

Will basically buy elections from now on.

That is why we need to make sure the truth gets out.

[bobbolink]

4. Then they are going to learn about that, too, aren't they?

Keeping one's head in the sand for 30 years exacts an unpleasant awakening toll.

[ingac70]

3. Screwing over the working class is what Republicans do.....

and what they have always done. The only reason these cops give a damn now is because it affects THEM. They don't recognize shit until they are standing in it.

[demosincebirth]

9. You took the words right out of my mouth. Cops have traditionally

vote for repugs and usually received their good benefits from democrats. If you don't care about other working people, you can fend for yourself.

[Hissyspit]

5. So they vote for Republicans who screw over all kinds of people

but only get upset when they start to get screwed over?

[murielm99]

6. This is human nature. It is not right, but it is.

[Hardrada]

11. Someone asked me once to define human nature.

I was unable to do so satisfactorily.

[Jackpine Radical]

18. I don't think this is "human nature" in any absolutist or genetic sense.

Humans are very malleable, very much influenced by the values espoused by their culture, etc. Ours just seems to be well on the way to becoming a pretty horseshit culture.

There have been many societies in which sharing is the norm. This is especially true of cultures that live on the edge, making a precarious living out of a difficult environment. Think of Inuits, or traditional Ojibwa. In a tough winter, everyone has to throw their stuff into the common pot so all may survive. If you hoard food this winter, you may survive with a little more body fat, but next winter someone else may have the slight surplus of food and if they play by hoarders rules, you're the one who's going down. Cooperation and sharing have strong evolutionary advantages under conditions like these. And furthermore, our immediate ancestors, not having the benefit of reading Ayn Rand, were quite sharing people. That's how they made it on those hardscrabble farms. Shared labor, shared resources.

[BlueCaliDem]

12. I could never wrap my head around that. Cops voting...Republican?? Here in SoCal

it's the same thing! The majority vote Republican. It's as if they believe their union and their salaries are above those of other union workers who are fighting for fair salaries and job security.

If anything, the fire dept., the police dept., the military...all civil servants with the best pay, pensions, fringe benefits, and deals, should vote Democratic. After Reagan, it's been clear to everyone and anyone who cared to pay attention, that the repukes have ONE goal only: to serve their corporate masters and to force the rest of us into servitude.

I just don't get it. But now they see the light? They see Republicans for what they really are since they're feeling the heat of corporatism breathing down their necks, now their benefits are under threat, and NOW they get pissed??

Un-freaking-believable.

[Jackpine Radical]

19. Lemme throw a plug in here for the WI cops & firefighters.

Those folks stood with us even though Walker tried to split them off by exempting them from the union-busting.

I love it when Republicans try to make points by appealing to people's baser natures, and get their asses handed to them when their intended dupes turn out to be better people than the Republicans are. They project their own evil nature onto others. It never occurs to these psychopathic shitheads that there are actually people in the world with compassion, empathy, and a broader vision, and that dirty tricks that depend on the larceny in the souls of the common person may fail.

[opihimoimoi]

7. Scott needs to be in JAIL

[pacalo]

8. Someone pointed out that Scott was sitting at Trump's table at the WH correspondents

dinner, so when I watched the video again, there he was to Trump's left, two chairs away. After every joke, Scott's head bobbed & weaved to either catch Trump's reaction or to get his attention. It was very annoying & weird to watch.

It's a shame Florida citizens are not able to recall him. All states should allow that avenue of recourse for their citizens.

[demosincebirth]

10. Public safety cost my city , almost, 80% of its budget. Cops are very well

paid here and working 30 years is no big deal. the majority of us working stiff have to work close to fifty years to be able to retire. My heart feels no pain for them. My pain goes to the guy/gal making 15+ bucks and hour and trying to support their family.

[MrScorpio]

13. "The Worst Democrat is always better than the best Republican"

Next time, remind them of that.

It should help keep them straight when they're wondering who to vote for from now on.

[mountainlion55]

14. They vote re-thug

They feel its all right to human beings in cages over our evil drug laws. They love private prison's ect. I say what goes around comes around. In my county in central Cali a simple jailers job pays almost seventy grand a year. :smoke:

[Dappleganger]

15. Well, as a liberal that is not my take on it.

Although I don't agree with many of their stances, they are still public servants with an active union who deserve to have and keep their collective bargaining representation just like any other group of workers. FL is a Right to Work state, so collective bargaining is weak enough as it is.

If we stand by and let even unions who represent people we don't like, does that make us for the working people? Certainly not. If their union gets hurt, if their benefits are taken away, it hurts ALL unions!

[mountainlion55]

16. I'm in a

building trades union in the private sector and public employee unions are not the same animals. I support their right to collectively bargain but their needs to be a distinction made between the two. The no.1 difference is in their ability to strike. Its weak and if you can't strike then you are union in name only.Having said that I hope they become more militant about their working conditions and stop voting re-thug! :smoke:

[theaocp]

17. This might apply

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

[steve2470]

20. I think Rick Scott is the best thing for the Florida Democratic Party in a long time.

It's painful to watch and endure right now, but I think Dems will be strengthened long term.