Big Bird

My father was in the accounting education business that helped companies increase the skills of their employees in the area of accounting methods and procedures.  Many of his business associates were big business and banking.  He firmly believed that fiscal conservatism was the way to go and that big business educated men could take the country to great heights.  My father was a Republican.   After I was five, I travelled with my parents and spent hours at great restaurants listening to the men talking business.  Get the resources into the hands of the “smart” people., etc.  When I was in fifth grade, I came home from school on election day and announced to my parents that during the straw vote, I was one of a very few that voted for the other guy.  I felt he was concerned about my friends – the bellmen, the waitress, the man with the jackhammer, the folks I saw in the park.  My father thought I had been captured by aliens and was delighted I could not really vote. 

 It was much later that I thought I was supposed to do something about it, but I wanted the political guy that cared about the under served, the have not’s, those that could not contribute but wanted to do so.  For twelve years of my professional life, my clients depended upon their only route to care, Planned Parenthood.  For another eight years of my professional life, my clients depended upon their only route to medical care for the poor elderly.  For another five years of my professional life, my clients depended upon early childhood intervention for support services. For another seven years of my professional life, most of my students depended upon government grants to pay tuition.  

After I was into my career, my dad came home from voting and said… I voted for the “other guy” for I am afraid if my guy gets in, you will be out of work.  Ok, I am disappointed in the last four years but I don’t want to be without Planned Parenthood and Big Bird.