The Dirty 'RATS !
Posted on 05/13/2003 11:14:01 PM PDT by anymouse
While many Texas lawmakers didn't show up to work for the second day in a row, many other Texans were hard at work -- from waitresses to retirees.
"I just bought a new car, and if I don't show up and make my money every day, then I'm not gonna be able to make my car payments. So, I have to show up for work everyday -- sick or not," waitress Renee Minjarez said.
It's hard for Minjarez to understand why dozens of Democrats are a no-show.
"I think it's crazy, I mean, who gives them the right to just be able to walk out on their jobs, you know? We can't do it," Minjarez said.
Some of her customers agree.
"I understand why they're doing it. But, it's not the correct way to do it. These are the guys that pass laws and here they are gonna turn around, 'Hey, I'm better than a, hey, I'm the guy that voted you in.' You're not the government. We are," part-timer Al Alexander said.
But, not everyone at the Sunshine Cafe is frowning upon the Democrats.
"I think it's really, really smart and I'm really surprised that the Democratic Party can pull it together that well and do something that is possibly effective as this," attorney Mick Wilson said.
Down the street, carpenter Ralph Fulton said he's had employees disagree with the way things are done in his business.
"I give 'em a job, say, and I ask them to do a certain thing, then they start questioning the process, and I don't need that," Fulton said.
No matter what they do, or what they believe, most people agree that if the average Joe Worker didn't show up to work in order to take a stand, they wouldn't have a job to come back to.
"There's enough people in this town that we have enough people coming in, trying to put in applications to get a job, and we can just easily find someone else to do this job," Sidney Bourque, employee at Conley's Carwash, said.
"I would be living with somebody that could support me. I'd be out of a job. I'd be hungry," Fulton said.
Democrat Mick Wilson said the Democrats are doing their jobs.
"If I were their boss, well, you are. Well, I'd give 'em a bonus for this," Wilson said.
Many say they hired the representatives to work in the Capitol and they want them to get back to work or get off the payroll.
In the end, the absent Democrats could be costing taxpayers more money. This could force a special session and the taxpayer would foot the bill.
On the other hand, lawmakers in Oklahoma said they are not accepting their legislative stipends while out of state and they're paying their own expenses.
What was it Princess Leia said to Darth Vader?
GROW UP! Stop running away.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.