A lesson learned by a Republican co-worker

[proud2BlibKansan]

One of the Republican teachers I work with called me today to ask me to come and talk to her (It was "an emergency!") So I go running up to her classroom thinking a kid was sick or something. And she wants me to look at her paycheck! I am filling in as our school union rep for our rep who is out on sick leave. And she thinks her paycheck is wrong and wants me to drop everything to fix it for her.

So I look at her paycheck and it turns out that the raise we supposedly just got was left off of her check. (Really a problem but not an emergency) She had another pay stub from before we got our raise and her wages hadn't changed. Then she says "but what I can't figure out is why my take home pay is more"

So I show her that her federal taxes had been reduced. And she gives me this dumb look and then she kind of smiled and said "Now you are going to tell me that Obama did that for me?" And I said "Yes. Remember you don't make over $250,000 a year."

She seriously looked embarrassed. And I had a really hard time not laughing. But I was polite and told her who to call to get it fixed.

This is the same woman who told me she was voting for McCain because Obama's "lack of experience" scared her. And I said "And Sarah Palin doesn't scare you? McCain is 72 years old and has a history of cancer."

Are all Republicans this dumb?

I know. Dumb question.

[babylonsister]

1. At least she was smart enough to look embarrassed. Maybe that

will be a good lesson learned, especially when it impacted 'her' paycheck in the right direction.

Kind of puts the lie to all the r/w spew.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. She went running out the door on Wed

and I was dying to ask her if she was going to the local teabag party that started right at the end of our school day. :)

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. No, not all of them,

although the idea that that woman is a teacher makes the whole scenario rather disheartening.

I knew a smart Republican once. I can't remember his name. Maybe I just imagined him ...................

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Two of the teachers I work with are Republicans

I know. I don't get it either. :shrug:

[immoderate]

14. Me three.

I have worked with teachers that voted for Republicans. I could never understand it. Maybe they were married to somebody who owned a nuclear bomb plant.

--imm

[seabeyond]

15. i know many really smart ones.... that are this dumb cause they watch fox

and they believe the news isnt going to lie to them.

doesnt make them dumb all around, but politically yes...

i am around educated, degreed, smart people (all repugs) and they are truly this dumb. i have conversations with them on this shit too often.

then, there is my repug hubby, certainly not dumb. which was the reason i was going to originally post on your post. he voted kerry and obama. still repug, but so not dumb he didnt vote bush a second time and mccain

[Tangerine LaBamba]

17. There's hope,

and, of course there are smart Republicans. I was joking, we're all joking (aren't we?), but I must question the intelligence, no matter how well-educated someone may be, of a person who chooses to take Fox News as gospel. That's hardly a sign of intelligence - it's playing to something within those people that is not good, their baser selves, the ugliness that they really believe.

People watch Fox to reinforce what they already believe, and that is a whole lot of ugly stuff. Has nothing to do with intelligence.....

[geckosfeet]

3. I think she is one of the smart ones...

[customerserviceguy]

4. Interesting

Isn't that what you call a teachable moment? Check my signature line for my feelings about that!

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. LOL teachable moment indeed!

[Downtown Hound]

6. A lot of them aren't really dumb

God it's painful to admit that, but really it's the truth. They simply have this enormous disconnect from reality. They really are brainwashed, it's not an exaggeration to say that. They have this world view that they rigidly and fanatically cling to that has no bearing on how the world really is, and often the only thing that shakes them out of it is a real world event happening to them like the one you witnessed here.

[DesertFlower]

9. i agree with you.

i know many republicans who are educated and smart.

[emilyg]

13. So do I. Was married to one.

[Iris]

29. serious disconnect with reality = "dumb" to me.

Just like the girl interviewed at a teabag rally here in ATL. She said she was there "protesting what they're doing to us and stuff" and when asked what "they" were doing she said "you know, the new tax and all." The kicker? She doesn't even have a job because she's waiting to try out to be a Falcons cheerleader next year. SHE DOESN'T EVEN PAY TAXES MUCH LESS A 'NEW' TAX!!!!!!!

[TahitiNut]

30. They regard reality as a TEST OF FAITH. Really.

It's not just conservatives/GOPhers, but it's really a plague among them in the last 30 years. To far too many, political beliefs are akin to religious beliefs and FAITH is regarded as a virtue. Faith that "passeth all understanding." Faith that's unassailable. Steadfast. "Upon this rock" and all that.

It's the worst way of dealing with political orientation, imho. It gives rise to anti-intellectualism and abhorrence of factual reporting. It's worst among partisans, imho.

:shrug:

[sonias]

10. I'm proud of you, proud2BlibKansan!

You handled the situation calmly and intelligently. Hopefully she opened her eyes a bit and can see through some of that republican fog that was muddling her brain. Imagine what she will say when the raise really shows up in her paycheck!

Sonia

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Thank you Sonia.

[otohara]

11. But, But, The Teabaggers Said

Obama was coming after her money! Must have been quite a shock to find out otherwise.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. They suffer from cognitive dissonance. I wonder if she even processed the information you gave her.

These people just completely shut down when confronted with accurate information. It's like they have a difficult time processing facts.

[galloglas]

18. "Are all Republicans this dumb?" Most are !! n/t

[burning rain]

19. A Republican teacher?

That sounds like a special kind of dumb.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. There aren't a lot of them where I teach

Just enough to make you scratch your head and go "WTF?"

[dysfunctional press]

21. i think that it's only a two-year tax credit- not a complete tax 'cut'..

but i may be wrong...does anyone know for sure?

[salguine]

22. No, only most of them are that dumb. The rest are just malevolent.

[Iris]

31. good point.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

23. How much had her take home gone up?

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. $30

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

25. Interesting.

Can't say as I would notice. I might but my pay fluctuates so much I doubt it. I'll look for it though.

David

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. Our paychecks are always the same

The few times we get extra pay it is a separate check.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

27. Mine is all over the place.

Cycle pay every few months, on call pay every third week, FLSA exempt overtime, FLSA non-exempt overtime, Union dues come out every other check, etc. Good job filling in for the Union Rep.


David

[ColbertWatcher]

28. "But I was polite and told her who to call to get it fixed."

I am so angry that you didn't get yourself on the news.

You totally could have laughed at your co-worker, got on the news and linked to an article about this.

But, NO!

You have to flaunt your adult behavior around these forums!

Do me a favor, next time one of your co-workers calls for your help in another "emergency" regarding increased benefits, I want to see a link to the news coverage video on YouTube showing how the police had to break the two of you up because the GOPer became enraged because you couldn't stop laughing.

Is that asking too much?

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. Okay

:rofl:

[gratuitous]

32. Gave yourself away; this story is hokum

A teacher making less than $250,000 a year? That's just so much balloon juice, buddy! I'm calling Sean Hannity right now; he'll bust your lying ass.

[proud2BlibKansan]

33. Bring him on

I would love to tell Sean where he can put his ass.

[upi402]

34. Oh boy, balloon filler #1 is marching his lil jackboots your way now!

:hide:
Seriously, they got nothing and they get owned so often now it's sad. But then, I've lost all feeling for them by now so no worries.
Good work.
I really liked the clip KO showed of the man at the Teabag party asking the crowd to cheer if they didn't make over $250K, They cheered, until he told them Obama gave them a TAX BREAK, doh!

[REP]

36. Explain again why teachers shouldn't be tested willya?

She can't figure out her paycheck yet she's teaching children. I tremble for our future.

[proud2BlibKansan]

37. LOL You haven't seen our paystubs

The guy who does my taxes had trouble figuring out my paystub.

[SpiralHawk]

38. "D'oh" - Republicon Homelanders upon discovering reality

[lonestarnot]

39. Prollee one of the same teachers who refuses to pay union dues too right?

[Wednesdays]

41. Out here in Kansas-Oklahoma, etc., "union" is a dirty word

And the teachers' union with any sizable membership here is the AFT...I don't think the NEA has even a presence in this region.

[lonestarnot]

42. Why is it that people have opinions contrary to their own best interests? An interesting phenom.

[Wednesdays]

44. It's the Power of Propaganda

Nothing less.

[L0oniX]

40. What's it like to be a rocket scientist?

[Critters2]

43. This is like the third story like this that I've heard.

Maybe they're starting to get it.