Vote for the person not the party.

I don't normally like writing two blogs so close together,  mainly because I've learned I'm only allowed two a month but I've had an epiphany today.

So often I criticize Republicans for putting party above principle. I think it's an apt criticism with so many Republicans in Congress particularly the Senate refusing to be impartial and supporting Donald trump even though the evidence against him is overwhelming. I was about to commit a similar transgression. 

I've blogged previously about my plans to vote in Greenville county's Republican primary for sherriff despite being a pretty solid Democrat. I voted absentee on Thursday for Darrius Hall, the only Republican African American in the race. Democratic candidate Paul Guy spoke today at the North Greenville Democrats meeting and I was going to vote for him in the March 10th election simply because he is a Democrat. 

I found Paul Guy to be inarticulate. He made a joke about former sheriff Steve Loftis,  who's son was just wonderful to me when I first started working at Publix. His wife was a frequent customer,  I often helped her to her car with her groceries. 

Paul Guy also repeated the popular misconception that Marijuana (along with cigarettes and alcohol) are "gateway drugs". I smoked cigarettes for 10 years, I've smoked marijuana a handful of times and while I've never been a heavy drinker,  I've had my share of alcohol. And I never once even thought about trying anything else. It's true I've never really put my self in a position to be faced with such temptation, but I disagree strongly with this characterization of drug use.

I looked up Darrius Hall's Facebook page and within hours he accepted my friend request. There will most likely be a runoff in the Republican primary. I'm hoping if it comes to that, I can vote for Darrius again.  A.T. " Tommy" Smith is likely to be the eventual nominee. Even though I think there some dirty doings going on with other candidates signs and acting sherriff Johnny Mack Brown, Tommy graduated from Wade Hampton High School and USC. (That's the real USC--South Carolina if anyone in other parts of the country are reading this.)

I hope people will heed my advice. Don't just vote for someone,  especially a local candidate,  on whether they have (R) or (D) beside their name. Do your research on candidates you are considering voting for. Go to local events if you can, I know it's hard for us working folks but when you have a chance, go. I hadn't been to a NGCD meeting in a long time but I went to hear Paul Guy speak and yes, I was disappointed but I learned. I'm making a more informed decision now.

Why $15/hour is not "burger flippers owning yachts".

So with my "Santa" money I was able to get my oil changed today but that's about all. I had to stop them from the almost $900 in recommended maintenance. I was given a laundry list of maintenance I need to have done on my car. Here's the thing..

I'm certain that if i were able to afford to have more regular maintenance done on my car, not as much would have to be done the next time.

I saw a meme i really liked on Facebook recently.  It's  about the difference between a poor man and a wealthy man buying boots. A wealthy person can buy one expensive pair of shoes and it will be the best and last a long time. A poor person, however, has to save up to buy a new pair of shoes and has to buy a cheaper pair, which wears out sooner so they have to buy new shoes more often.

I've even heard coworkers of mine in political conversations use the "burger flippers owning yachts" analogy when discussing a proposed $15/hour minimum wage saying it's too much. That's not the case at all. It's about things like my current situation,  not being able to have regular maintenance on my car leads to more costs down the road. Being low income is expensive. My tax refund is most likely all going to go to maintenance on my car. 

And when did we decide in America that some occupations are more "worthy" of a living wage than others? There was a time in this country when a fast food job was just a job after school to earn extra money but that's not the case anymore. Those jobs are now how people earn their living. This idea that somehow,  for example,  the fact that I'm "just a cashier" means I'm lazy or did something in my life to deserve to have to struggle to make ends meet is ridiculous. It took me a long time to find my calling in life but I believe I have found it. I like my job as a cashier. I don't see myself doing anything else for a living. Does that mean I should have to struggle to pay my bills? Does that mean someone sitting at a desk is more worthy of a good life than me? I don't think so. 

The cost of living has skyrocketed since the 1970s but our wages have remained stagnant. I used to drink the Libertarian Kool-aid on minimum wage laws but not anymore. Our minimum wage needs to be raised not so "burger flippers can own yachts" but so that people can live a decent life, can afford basic necessities and not "just get by" but thrive.