DADvocate

Going to college in the 1970's, I could work part-time and earn enough money to pay my expenses. Something that would be difficult at best these days. (Full-time tuition at the University of Tennessee was $110 a quarter when I started in summer of 1969.)

Another way I would make money was to go to Manpower Temporary Services during the breaks between quarters. With them I could get in 40 hours of work a week, usually at minimum wage or slightly above. They were happy to have me and I was happy for the opportunity to earn some extra money.

I still value the work experiences I had doing this. Jobs I worked on ranged from unloading 130 pound burlap bags of coffee beans at JFG Coffee to helping install safety deposit boxes in a bank. I spent 3 days unloading coffee beans and still consider it the hardest physical labor I've done in my life.

I also worked at the JFG instant coffee plant for a week. Other jobs via Manpower included working several construction several times, boxing table formica table tops at a factory, and mowing the grass at a huge truck stop with a push mower.

The placement that prompted me to think of writing this post was in the Tom's Potato Chip factory for a week. Yesterday my son and I stopped at at gas station to get a drink. There on the snack rack were Tom's products. I told my son how a semi full of potato chips didn't weigh hardly anything and was easy to load.

But, more than anything, I enjoyed meeting the people who worked on these jobs full-time and permanently. I got to know and respect the blue collar worker. For the most part they were good natured and hard working. They put forth more effort than most professional people ever imagine doing.

I learned to relate to them as one of them. The conversations were without the vagueries and twisted nuance you often find with intellectuals. I never found the condescension you see in the educated.

Thinking of the primaries and presidential candidates and their promises to "help" the average American, I look back at these people. I wonder how much these candidates from mostly rich, privileged backgrounds understand or care about their daily lives. Although John Edwards and Bill Clinton (surrogate candidate), can claim to be from similar roots, it seems that have forgotten what it's like, if they ever knew.

Politics in this country, especially on the national level, is not about what you do for the people. It's about getting to know the right people, sucking up to them and getting your palm greased. You only promise the people what you think they want to hear to get you elected because that's what matters.

Occasionally someone gets elected who really cares about the average American. Do any of the candidates we now have fall into that category? Hillary Clinton does not. Neither does John "You can't do it" McCain. I'm still not certain about Obama and Romney. Romney's background is privileged but he's shown skill in working with people. Obama has also shown obvious people skills but his policies will end up being cures that are worse than the problem.

Sometimes I think every college student should be required to work at some of these jobs in order for them to see another side of life. It would make many look at others with a better perspective.