Posted on 11/06/2008 5:43:50 AM PST by listenhillary
Indianapolis - Lines were long and tempers flared Wednesday not to vote but to get paid for canvassing for Barack Obama. Several hundred people are still waiting to get their pay for last-minute campaigning. Police were called to the Obama campaign office on North Meridian Street downtown to control the crowd.
The line was long and the crowd was angry at times.
"I want my money today! It's my money. I want it right now!" yelled one former campaign worker.
A former spokesman for the Obama campaign said 375 people were hired as part of the Vote Corps program and said people signed up to work three-hour shifts at a time. Three hours of canvassing got workers a $30 pre-paid Visa card.
The workers showed up to get their cards Wednesday morning at 10:00 am.
"There was a note on the door saying 1:00 pm and then at 1:20 pm everybody was like why is nobody here. They just got here and they're trying to get it organized," said Heather Richards, a former campaign worker.
The large gathering of around 375 people prompted police to call in extra officers and set up temporary barricades. The barricades helped keep the crowd from spilling out onto Meridian Street. Police say the several hundred people in line were for the most part orderly.
"No arrests. Some of the people were upset at first because the line wasn't moving as fast as they thought it should. But we really haven't had any problems," said Major Darryl Pierce, Metro Police.
Eventually people did start getting paid, but some said they were missing hours and told to fill in paperwork making their claim and that eventually they would get a check in the mail.
"Still that's not right. I'm disappointed. I'm glad for the president, but I'm disappointed in this system," said Diane Jefferson, temporary campaign worker.
"It should have been $480. It's $230," said Imani Sankofa.
"They gave us $10 an hour. So we added it. I added up all the hours so it was supposed to be at least $120. All I get is $90," said Charles Martin.
"I worked nine hours a day for 4 days and got paid half of what I should have earned," said Randall Waldon.
Some people weren't satisfied with filling out a claim form for money they felt was still due to them.
"They say that they gonna call you or they going to mail it to you, but I don't know. We'll see what happens," said Antron Grose.
"Talking about they'll mail it to us. I ain't worried about that, man. They're not going to mail nothin'," said Martin.
Such delicious irony...
Their wages were distributed to the non-tax paying public
Get used to it O-bots. Your messiah will not deliver on most of his promises. And do you recall him saying that when this country goes to war, we “all” are going? That means you, pal. God help us all.
Pay back is heck.
And Obama was said to be working on a plan to “lower expectations” after the election.
Wow, you got to give him credit. Nothing lowers expectations faster than not paying your own workers!!!
And he is teaching them “unity”. Their unified in their pissed off state.
Pre paid Visa cards? What about taxes, ss, medicare, etc/ How can he pay them and not take out taxes? I guess we better get used to it. Chicago politician, making the rules as he goes along.
My guess is that most of these people have no jobs, and were looking for a way to make money.
Welcome to the workd of taxes Randall. I work 50-60 hours per week and get half of what I earned. Heck Randall, you're not even paying taxes on those earnings like I am....you're just pissed because you got stiffed by the messiah instead of robbed outright.
Hired as independent contractors most likely. Up to them to report the earnings on their tax forms. Ha! Like that will happen.
Oh well, they better get used to it.
You have called for Socialism. Socialism has come. Get used to it.
The first of many unfulfilled promises.
"Tell 'em it's being spread around.
"Hey, Michelle! Order another batch of those lobster dainties!"
Yes. I remember standing in line in communist Hungary back in the 1960s.
Budapest was grim, dingy, and silent. People avoided eye contact.
I stood in line to buy some chocolate for my little boy. The line stretched around the block.
When I got into the bakery, I told them what I wanted. Then I stood in line to pay for the chocolate.
After I had paid for it, I stood in line to get the chocolate.
All in all, I must have stood in line for an hour.
When I finally got it, the "chocolate" was inedible. It tasted horrible. There was very little chocolate in it. I didn't give it to my son.
As I left Budapest for Vienna, the bus driver announced that there was a hole in the gas tank. He had to stop in almost every village to get more gas. The ride to Vienna took about 10 hours. Everybody on the bus was unnerved.
At the Hungary-Austria border, armed guards boarded the bus. Their faces were grim, their demeanor nasty and serious.
All along the border was a wide zone of emptiness, punctuated by scattered watch towers.
When we crossed over into Austria, a sigh of relief swept through the bus.
Vienna was bright and lively.
And the Leaders of the Revolution need LOTS OF MONEY--to keep up their morale, for one thing, so that they can look out for the needs of the downtrodden.
Oh man, this is TOO FUNNY!
F'n morons. Sad thing is, they'd line up and vote for him again.
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