Proving a point

So, a woman in Florida e-mailed a Republican over extension of unemployment benefits.  The exchange went pretty much exactly as you'd expect, with the woman claiming she'd been hunting desperately and the Republican claiming she was out of work because of her attitude--everyone playing their appointed role, in other words.

Then, Twist Number  One:

"If you really meant that you would be willing to work in my yard, then plan to come tomorrow morning," LaRoque wrote. "I'll pay $8 per hour. Let me know if you are serious."

When Treadway arrived at 9 a.m. on Friday, LaRoque said he was not surprised: "I take people at their word."

Treadway, for her part, had told HuffPost earlier that morning that she didn't know if LaRoque was being serious. She worried that, if she showed up with a shovel or something, he might call the police. Instead, LaRoque put her right to work.

So at this point it's all good, right?  She called his bluff and got a job out of the deal.  The Republican looks like an ass, which is undoubtedly a bonus for HuffPo readers.

But wait just a second!  It's time for Twist Number Two:  (warning, it's kinda an obvious twist) 

But it didn't last long: Treadway quit after an hour.

"It was just too much. I'm not used to doing manual labor, and the crap he wanted me to do was something two men would do," she said after leaving. "I’m used to making $22 an hour. I'm not gonna sit there for $8 and hour and come home having a stroke."

Of course, in HuffPo Universe, this is somehow still the Republican's fault.  Now, I understand not being able to work outside.  I wouldn't have been able to do the job either (I don't complain about my limitations in taking jobs too much, because I am well aware of just how much of a cop-out "I have a bad back" sounds like, even though it's true and Erik can attest to the fact that sometimes I push myself beyond what is wise and then wind up lying on the bed whimpering in pain).  But a bit of self-awareness is a good thing in a job hunt, if for no other reason than ensuring you aren't wasting your time.

Bonus idiocy from the comments:

Didn't North Carolina have a textile industry at one time? I guess the politician­s and corporatio­ns sent all those jobs overseas. Smart move.

Confession: I have some very dear friends who are Democrats.  Some of them even read this blog, & still speak to me.  I say this to them: Stuff like this last quote is why I could never, ever be a liberal.  Greedy corporations & evil politicians sent jobs overseas, and boy aren't their faces red now!  'Cause,  yeah, higher wages demanded by union workers (wages higher than the market can reasonably support) absolutely did not have anything to do with it.  Of course not.  The Levi's factory that used to be here in San Antonio went to Mexico because there are some jobs Americans just won't do.  Or something.