I have been disabled since the mid 1950's, when the polio epidemic was winding down. My older brother caught it too, but was able to get over it. Maybe it was because, at the time, I was in a weakened condition, from falling 7-8 feet out of the haymow, on my parents farm and being knocked unconcious.
It wasn't easy growing up, but I made it through school and had a high school diploma. I was very resourceful and since I couldn't do things like a normal able bodied person could, I would make changes, which made it possible to do a lot more than most people thought I could do.
I had bought a 12 X 56 mobile home and painted the whole thing, climbing a ladder and using a 4” wide brush to do it. It took me a while, but I was determined to do it and it worked out, except when I got to the north side of the mobile home, where the paint didn't have time to dry, before nightfall. It was fall and froze at night, the frost clung to the paint, then when the sun came up and melted the frost, the water caused the paint to run down the side of my mobile home. I ended up repainting the part I had just painted!
I never grumbled, wishing I wasn't disabled, but looked at it as a challenge and I would look for ways to change the procedure so I could do things. I wanted to be able to take care of myself.
I remember one thing, when I was young, walking with my braces and crutches and would watch the other kids riding bicycles & tricycles. I couldn't use my legs, but my dad worked in his shop and then brought out his idea for me.
He welded a frame work, which could be hooked to the back of a larger tricycle and had a piece of plywood bolted to it. It was a platform that stuck out behind the tricycle. When he showed it to me, he had a big smile on his face and told me to kneel on the platform, put my chest on the seat and pedal the tricycle, with my hands! I was ecstatic that I could join the neighbor kids with their tricycles and bicycles. We had a nice blacktop side road, which we could ride on.
Right now I would like to get a 3 wheeled bike, which would be rigged up, so I could pedal with my hands and ride around town, to get some exercise. Maybe sometime in the future.
It hurts me, to see the way the politicians always wanting to cut Social Security and other Social Programs figuring there are a lot of lazy people out there, who are taking advantage of them. I am sure there are plenty of people out there doing that, but there are a hell of a lot more people out there who are too afraid to apply for them, because they figure others will look down on them. By the way, how many “Corporate Welfare Queens” are there out there, who eat up a lot of money, who don't need it?
The Republicans have absolutely no idea of what it's like for some of us, who aren't so lucky and have a normal body and can do a lot of things, which so many take for granted. It's too bad that Republicans, such as Paul Ryan, figure the rest of us have it so good, taking advantage of Social Programs and food stamps.
Maybe he should try to live like some of us, with limited income, see how they have to work their jobs, if they can get one, and what they have to put up with. Of course then he might actually see how ignorant he is, when he opens his mouth and talks his idiocy. Nah! He wouldn't dream of doing that! He's living in his little bubble, unable to see or feel, what the less fortunate are going through.
Of course they don't stop to think about how few jobs there are, especially in certain areas and how some people don't have the ability to get those jobs. There may be a lot of reasons, mainly education, which keeps them from getting a decent job, which they can support their family with.
The Republicans don't want to help people get a living wage, for fear they will make their billionaire “Sugar Daddies” mad and won't get the millions of dollars to finance their next negative political campaigns. Too bad they don't have any guts to work on their own, but are in the “Sugar Daddies” pockets to get their campaign financing. What's wrong with them earning that money legitimately, they expect everyone else to?
Follow me below the fold and let me tell you my story.