I apologize for the length, but, to simply say "no" wasn't enough.
In a way, that's kind of a silly question. It did make me think about not only the last 4 years, but a little beyond.
I'm in the construction biz which is up and down as it is. Office furniture and conference tables. A feast and famine scenario. I was settled into my "career" at the end of the Reagan era. We had alot of business. Buildings were going up and needed to be filled with stuff. This was the beginning of the first G Bush term. People were trying to configure PCs into their desks. A trend was forming.
In late '90, the raid on Iraq began and the phones stopped ringing. Just like that. Staff and hours were cut back. After the Gulf War, it was a slow go but steady. I survived a few layoffs, bought a house, had some kids and went to Disneyland. In '92, my company was bought by a larger company. It was rocky at first but I can say at the end of those 4 years, I was better off.
Two years into the Clinton era things were going very well. More business, more work and more overtime. The "dot com" boom had begun and we were out in front. So far out that my company had the corner on modular furniture and the big boys were gunning for us. That was a good feeling. The business still went up and down but I still had a job. Was still paying bills and had decent health insurance for the family with a combination of my work and my wifes coverage. At the end of those 4 years, I was better off than the previous. Things were getting better, but, that was the peak.
With Clintons 2nd term, things began to slide. The boom busted. All those dot-com'ers went bankrupt and their furniture was going to auction for pennies. It was almost new. Why not? Manufacturers were in a scramble. It became a survival of the fittest. Who could produce the most on the least. I was supervising night shift and doing quite well at it. But when you have 2 shifts and need to start cutting back, the first to get hit is the extra shift. This was the beginning of my digression. When I took over the night shift, we had 80+ workers on the floor for both shifts. When I was brought back to days, we were down to 30+ on the floor and my wage was $2 less. With each month after that we lost a few more here, a few more there. The company began utilizing temps because they are expendible. Did I mention we were a union shop? Yeah. It didn't make any difference. If the work isn't coming in, then the people go. Union or not. The competition were dropping left and right, too. Somehow, we were hanging on. At the end of those 4 years, I don't think I was better off.
Enter Bush #2. There was a glimmer of hope. At least the stock market thought so. Business picked up a bit. we were coming up with new products and a new market, GSA. Government accounts. We were filling up military bases around the world! Well, the U.S. and Guam. Anyhow, we were busy and maintained between 25-35 people on the floor.
Then the towers came down. The phone stopped ringing again. We limped along for a few years. No lay offs but cut back on hours. At the end of those 4 years, we were hanging onto our house. I wasn't better off.
The era of hope and change. To put hope in a man, any man is ridiculous. But there was change. A big change. My company couldn't hang on any longer and shut down. For the first time in my working life, 27 yrs, I was jobless. I had to apply for unemployment, write a resume, fill out applications, online. Everyday, 5 times a day, for 10 months. Not one of them panned out.
I got a job when my former boss went to a company and he brought me in to help him. It's not what you know. It's who you know and what they know you know. Don't burn bridges.
Now, I have a job, I hate, making $3 less than I was 4 years ago with worse health coverage for more money. We still have our house and 2 cars that run. But, am I better off than 4 years ago? Economically, no.
What does this mean? I don't know. I simply answered the question. I do know I am not putting my faith in the government. Or a party or idealolgy. I'm not even putting faith in myself. The only one constant I could count on was God. He was always there. He always provided. When the money was coming up short, I would get some sort of side job that would cover expenses. We have a church family that was always praying, keeping an eye out for jobs or bring us groceries. Our true family supporting us through a variety of ways. All bundled in a faith in God. You say, "Well, you got unemployment." That ran out. I was hired my last month of UE. That's God. Not me. Not the government. Not a man.
Romans 8:18-28, 31-34
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
In a way, that's kind of a silly question. It did make me think about not only the last 4 years, but a little beyond.
I'm in the construction biz which is up and down as it is. Office furniture and conference tables. A feast and famine scenario. I was settled into my "career" at the end of the Reagan era. We had alot of business. Buildings were going up and needed to be filled with stuff. This was the beginning of the first G Bush term. People were trying to configure PCs into their desks. A trend was forming.
In late '90, the raid on Iraq began and the phones stopped ringing. Just like that. Staff and hours were cut back. After the Gulf War, it was a slow go but steady. I survived a few layoffs, bought a house, had some kids and went to Disneyland. In '92, my company was bought by a larger company. It was rocky at first but I can say at the end of those 4 years, I was better off.
Two years into the Clinton era things were going very well. More business, more work and more overtime. The "dot com" boom had begun and we were out in front. So far out that my company had the corner on modular furniture and the big boys were gunning for us. That was a good feeling. The business still went up and down but I still had a job. Was still paying bills and had decent health insurance for the family with a combination of my work and my wifes coverage. At the end of those 4 years, I was better off than the previous. Things were getting better, but, that was the peak.
With Clintons 2nd term, things began to slide. The boom busted. All those dot-com'ers went bankrupt and their furniture was going to auction for pennies. It was almost new. Why not? Manufacturers were in a scramble. It became a survival of the fittest. Who could produce the most on the least. I was supervising night shift and doing quite well at it. But when you have 2 shifts and need to start cutting back, the first to get hit is the extra shift. This was the beginning of my digression. When I took over the night shift, we had 80+ workers on the floor for both shifts. When I was brought back to days, we were down to 30+ on the floor and my wage was $2 less. With each month after that we lost a few more here, a few more there. The company began utilizing temps because they are expendible. Did I mention we were a union shop? Yeah. It didn't make any difference. If the work isn't coming in, then the people go. Union or not. The competition were dropping left and right, too. Somehow, we were hanging on. At the end of those 4 years, I don't think I was better off.
Enter Bush #2. There was a glimmer of hope. At least the stock market thought so. Business picked up a bit. we were coming up with new products and a new market, GSA. Government accounts. We were filling up military bases around the world! Well, the U.S. and Guam. Anyhow, we were busy and maintained between 25-35 people on the floor.
Then the towers came down. The phone stopped ringing again. We limped along for a few years. No lay offs but cut back on hours. At the end of those 4 years, we were hanging onto our house. I wasn't better off.
The era of hope and change. To put hope in a man, any man is ridiculous. But there was change. A big change. My company couldn't hang on any longer and shut down. For the first time in my working life, 27 yrs, I was jobless. I had to apply for unemployment, write a resume, fill out applications, online. Everyday, 5 times a day, for 10 months. Not one of them panned out.
I got a job when my former boss went to a company and he brought me in to help him. It's not what you know. It's who you know and what they know you know. Don't burn bridges.
Now, I have a job, I hate, making $3 less than I was 4 years ago with worse health coverage for more money. We still have our house and 2 cars that run. But, am I better off than 4 years ago? Economically, no.
What does this mean? I don't know. I simply answered the question. I do know I am not putting my faith in the government. Or a party or idealolgy. I'm not even putting faith in myself. The only one constant I could count on was God. He was always there. He always provided. When the money was coming up short, I would get some sort of side job that would cover expenses. We have a church family that was always praying, keeping an eye out for jobs or bring us groceries. Our true family supporting us through a variety of ways. All bundled in a faith in God. You say, "Well, you got unemployment." That ran out. I was hired my last month of UE. That's God. Not me. Not the government. Not a man.
Romans 8:18-28, 31-34
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
