Drunkards Toast I (StumpJumper)

ZombyBoy and I were talking last night and we came up with an idea that we hope will become the first Drunkards For Economic Growth [TM] tradition: the synchronous, virtual toast. The idea is that we pick a time, called Resurrection Time, and a shot and then we synchronously make a toast, wherever we each may be. In the days prior to the Drunkards outing we will post a toast here on the blog. We will make the toast something general, but (hopefully) profound. We will then let people use the comments to personalize the toast so that by Resurrection Time we are in economic, drunken, and personal solidarity. We like this idea, and we hope that you will, too. Tomorrow, 25 June, 2003, Resurrection time is tentatively scheduled for 8:00PM ZombyTime (Mountain)/10:00 PM StumpyTime (Eastern). The shot of choice is tentatively planned to be the Lemon Drop.

And now, for this week’s toast:

To The Out Of Work

These are difficult economic time in which we live. We, the Drunkards, recognize the economic effects of the current unemployment rate. How often, however, do we think about the human cost? Because I am young and single I was able to move to where the work and my family were when I lost my job. Because of my mobility I was actually much better off after I was fired than I was before. Not everyone has the mobility that I did. Some have families to support or they have job skills that are less in demand. For some, the financial costs of being out of work are tremendous. From this some never recover.

Regardless of the financial cost of unemployment, there is always an emotional cost. Whether they call it a layoff, a reorganization, a termination, or just plain being fired, losing a job is a difficult thing to bear. Whether you feel rage at a far-off executive who will never know your name, lack of self-worth because you are unable to support your family, hatred for a former friend who lied to you repeatedly and then betrayed your trust, or something else entirely, the range of emotions that you can feel are powerful and negative. No government subsidy, job retraining, or economic stimulus package will ease this burden. It is yours to bear alone.

Tomorrow, while we drink deep in mirth and joy, let us remember those for whom the need for economic growth is a harsh reality. Let us keep them in our thoughts and in our prayers.