Californian needs your help, DU!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

I just got this email from a friend of mine and it has my blood boiling! :mad: A call or fax to Arnie's office on his behalf -- and other Californians just like him -- would be greatly appreciated!



Dear friends and family,

Most, if not all, of you know that the care I receive each day is paid for by a state funded program called In-home Support Services (IHSS). Those of you who have met Louie, Richard and Tom know how dedicated and sincere the people are who provide my care. 10 to 12 hours a day, seven days of the week, 365 days of the year my caregivers perform the duties that have enabled me to go to school and to engage in all the activities that I have shared with you over these past six years. The independence and stability I enjoy will end if the cuts to the IHSS program are passed as part of the State's 2004 budget.

The governor has proposed cutting the hourly wage of IHSS workers from $9.25 an hour to $6.25 an hour. Take my word for it: you may not think this is a significant cutback (after all it is only three dollars an hour), but I can guarantee to you that this kind of reduction will have drastic consequences on life here at ---- Haskell Street. Louie, Richard and Tom cannot afford to do the work that they perform (and it is tough work, believe me) for less than what they receive now. Replacing them with people who will work for minimal wages means one of two things. I could choose to eliminate meals, bathing, and toileting in order to cutback the number of hours I use; this would allow me to pay more per hour. Or, I could offer to pay the reduced wage and see what kind of people show up to fill the job; my experience over the past six years tells me this is a terrible, stressful option. I need your help.

The IHSS program reductions are currently in conference committee at the State capitol. According to a staff member who works for Senator Don Perata has told me that legislators are under significant pressure by governor to pass this budget by June 15. I need you to e-mail, or preferably, to send a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger telling him you oppose any reductions to the IHSS program. I need you to do this by Wednesday. And I need you to forward this message to at least two people (preferably five) who you can reliably depend on to do the same. It is a lot to ask at such short notice. I can only apologize and offer the explanation that I did not find out what the status of the conference committee negotiations were until today. Please do this for me.

E-mail the governor at: [e-mail]

Send the governor a postcard or letter to:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

State Capitol Bldg.
Sacramento, CA 95814

Or call the governor's office:
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

With love, and gratitude,

Joshua



And all because Arnie didn't want to continue the fucking car tax...

Asshole.

[Senior citizen]

1. I went to a rally and wrote Gov. Ah-nold, pointing out

that it really didn't fit the image of a body-builder in Terminator garb to massacre people in wheelchairs.

But I knew it was coming, didn't vote for him, and believe that he is the reincarnation of Ray-gun. There will be a lot of misery before this is over.

The problem is that the people who voted for him are so dumb that when they lose their jobs they'll be thanking Ah-nold for improving California's economy. In wingnut land, any facist, preferably one with bona fide Nazi ties, is better than any liberal. (Those damn do-gooders want to spend money and raise taxes.)

I am grateful that the eulogies for Ray-gun illustrate how wingnuts will remember Ah-nold, no matter how much harm he does. In fact, the more harm done, the more people hurt, the more they'll love him. That's how fascists are.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. Doesn't collective...

selective memory recall suck???

Yup, all Arnie (and Ronnie and Georgie before him) have ever had to do is keep smilin' while he sticks the knife in Calfornia's back.

I think it borders on a mental illness, myself.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

3. Tangent here

Didn't AS sponser an 'after school' initiative a few years back... that supported 'latch-key' kids? (sorry if I'm fuzzy on the details and/or have gotten the wrong name associated with this initiative...)

If so, just curious, is this program being cutback also?

[Sugarbleus]

4. Welllllllllllll, as it turns out, I am an In home Support Service

Caregiver/employee. Our union: seiu only recently gained a huge raise for us to that 9.50 AND a healthcare benefits package to go with. That was a monumental task they achieved. IHSS paid 4.44 ph for yearrrrrrrrrsssssss with NO benefits at all.

In addition to lower wages for workers, there were plans on cutting out certain recipients of care altogether! Especially those in circumstnaces like mine. I am the care giver to my physically disabled ex husband and I Live in the same dwelling in my own room. I earn less because of it but the arrangement has worked out for both of us for a very long time. Also, the IHSS doesn't pay for certain miriad of services I have provided for my client everyday, week, month, year. No accounting services are paid for, no yard services, no reading services, no typing writing translating, no spring cleaning and painting, no payment for helping to move to another residence...none of this type of stuff...If I were working in the private sector doing this type of work--and it's hard and time consuming--I'd be making some BIG BUCKS!

Another item that just came to our attention yesterday is that the housing/section 8 voucher program that my client uses is trying it's damnedest to find a way to cut him off because I live here (or get me to move out). They want EXPLICIT details of "Why" I need to stay all night long. (??????) I've been with this man for 23 years! He falls down, he gets sick all the time and chokes in the night. He soils himself. He tried suicide once late at night; luckily I was awake and on sight to call 911. Puh lease.....already 'why do I need to spend the night'....geeez

So, begining in Washington, filtering down to the states, The Hammer is begining to slam down on the least of us, your bretheren............. Thanks Arnie, you prig.

PS: My client has made his phone call to Arnie.