Rep. Tipton's Staffer Tells Unemployed Constituents They're Lazy and Milking The System
Rep. Tipton came and spoke with us for a few minutes in the lobby. When we asked him if he would vote to extend unemployment insurance, what I heard is that he is “pondering” it. I don’t understand how there is even a question about it!One of his aides met with us in the lobby as well. When we asked him again about if Rep. Tipton would vote to extend the unemployment insurance, he told us he had to listen to both sides and then he told us a strange story. He heard about a disheveled guy going in for an interview and purposefully not getting hired just to get an unemployment check. We all sat there for a minute in disbelief. When I realized, that he was saying that my representative was considering not voting for unemployment insurance because he thinks there are lazy people milking the system, I was compelled to act.I jumped out of my chair and told the aide that there are a lot more unemployed, hard working, good valued people in Pueblo and across Colorado who are looking for jobs than a handful who may not want work. I said, “I've worked for 26 years in road construction and paid into the system. Here I am, without a job for 2 years and my unemployment insurance has run out. I can't milk the system. I want to work. What will you do for people like me?"It was so offensive to hear him say he thought the unemployed were largely a lazy group looking for a handout. I am looking for work every day. This visit actually opened my eyes to how Congress thinks—they live in a different reality. I didn’t expect to hear that they think of the unemployed as people just looking for a handout. It was shocking.Congress is supposed to be supporting the people, their constituents. I came to him, basically begging for help, and they told me they wouldn’t help because I am lazy.Well, lazy I am not.
Thanks for the representation. He should have asked him if he's enjoying his free health care.
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