Politics in the workplace. (salaries, legal, fence, school)

[mhouse2001]

It appears that the enemy to some of you is people who have opinions. Some of you scare the bejeezus out of me. I'd hate to live in your world: vindictive, self-righteous, authoritarian, violent, destructive, arrogant...just to name a few adjectives. If you're having trouble hiring people, maybe the problem is YOU, not the employees. Ever think of that?

On one hand, I think politics should be discussed ANYWHERE because it would get more people involved. It's hard to sit all day at a job seething in rage at the day's news knowing that you're discouraged from speaking up. How many people feel the same way? You'll never know because they too can't speak their minds. In my view, discouraging political discourse is one way those in power remain in power and get away with crimes. If people had no restrictions on free speech, perhaps something would result to mitigate the problem.

On the other hand, if political discourse takes away from performance or eats into profits, then...wait...is the point of life to work? Is that the reason we give up 8+ hours of our day? Is our existence merely to support those who reap profit from our labor? Is it acceptable to forfeit inalienable rights for the almighty dollar? Hmm.. In my view, I'd always side with the employee. America consists of PEOPLE, not businesses. If political problems were addressed and resolved, maybe there would not be a need to stifle its discussion. I say let anarchy reign, then. Put all the problems out on the table. Find the solutions. Then, when there's nothing left to complain about, get back to personally MEANINGFUL work.

Time to recreate our system from the bottom up, 'cuz right now, it sucks.

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by mhouse2001

It appears that the enemy to some of you is people who have opinions. Some of you scare the bejeezus out of me. I'd hate to live in your world: vindictive, self-righteous, authoritarian, violent, destructive, arrogant...just to name a few adjectives. If you're having trouble hiring people, maybe the problem is YOU, not the employees. Ever think of that?

On one hand, I think politics should be discussed ANYWHERE because it would get more people involved. It's hard to sit all day at a job seething in rage at the day's news knowing that you're discouraged from speaking up. How many people feel the same way? You'll never know because they too can't speak their minds. In my view, discouraging political discourse is one way those in power remain in power and get away with crimes. If people had no restrictions on free speech, perhaps something would result to mitigate the problem.

On the other hand, if political discourse takes away from performance or eats into profits, then...wait...is the point of life to work? Is that the reason we give up 8+ hours of our day? Is our existence merely to support those who reap profit from our labor? Is it acceptable to forfeit inalienable rights for the almighty dollar? Hmm.. In my view, I'd always side with the employee. America consists of PEOPLE, not businesses. If political problems were addressed and resolved, maybe there would not be a need to stifle its discussion. I say let anarchy reign, then. Put all the problems out on the table. Find the solutions. Then, when there's nothing left to complain about, get back to personally MEANINGFUL work.

Time to recreate our system from the bottom up, 'cuz right now, it sucks.

The reason you can't participate in these discussions if you are employed by the Federal Gov't is that we are supposed to be in a non-partisan environment.

I can flip the issue around for a moment and state what if you had five employees working on a team who were adamant supporters of Obama, Romney, Clinton, Paul and Giuliani? If they could release their political frustration at work to/at each other think much would get done?

I agree with the provisions of the Hatch Act, and wouldn't have wanted partisan politics in my teams.

[citigirl]

Originally Posted by mhouse2001

It appears that the enemy to some of you is people who have opinions. Some of you scare the bejeezus out of me. I'd hate to live in your world: vindictive, self-righteous, authoritarian, violent, destructive, arrogant...just to name a few adjectives. If you're having trouble hiring people, maybe the problem is YOU, not the employees. Ever think of that?

On one hand, I think politics should be discussed ANYWHERE because it would get more people involved. It's hard to sit all day at a job seething in rage at the day's news knowing that you're discouraged from speaking up. How many people feel the same way? You'll never know because they too can't speak their minds. In my view, discouraging political discourse is one way those in power remain in power and get away with crimes. If people had no restrictions on free speech, perhaps something would result to mitigate the problem.

On the other hand, if political discourse takes away from performance or eats into profits, then...wait...is the point of life to work? Is that the reason we give up 8+ hours of our day? Is our existence merely to support those who reap profit from our labor? Is it acceptable to forfeit inalienable rights for the almighty dollar? Hmm.. In my view, I'd always side with the employee. America consists of PEOPLE, not businesses. If political problems were addressed and resolved, maybe there would not be a need to stifle its discussion. I say let anarchy reign, then. Put all the problems out on the table. Find the solutions. Then, when there's nothing left to complain about, get back to personally MEANINGFUL work.

Time to recreate our system from the bottom up, 'cuz right now, it sucks.

I suggest you put all your effort and money into a business and hire employees with your view. Remember to come back here and tell us how sucessful you are and if you are still in business at all.

[TXboomerang]

Originally Posted by mhouse2001

It appears that the enemy to some of you is people who have opinions. Some of you scare the bejeezus out of me. I'd hate to live in your world: vindictive, self-righteous, authoritarian, violent, destructive, arrogant...just to name a few adjectives. If you're having trouble hiring people, maybe the problem is YOU, not the employees. Ever think of that?

On one hand, I think politics should be discussed ANYWHERE because it would get more people involved. It's hard to sit all day at a job seething in rage at the day's news knowing that you're discouraged from speaking up. How many people feel the same way? You'll never know because they too can't speak their minds. In my view, discouraging political discourse is one way those in power remain in power and get away with crimes. If people had no restrictions on free speech, perhaps something would result to mitigate the problem.

On the other hand, if political discourse takes away from performance or eats into profits, then...wait...is the point of life to work? Is that the reason we give up 8+ hours of our day? Is our existence merely to support those who reap profit from our labor? Is it acceptable to forfeit inalienable rights for the almighty dollar? Hmm.. In my view, I'd always side with the employee. America consists of PEOPLE, not businesses. If political problems were addressed and resolved, maybe there would not be a need to stifle its discussion. I say let anarchy reign, then. Put all the problems out on the table. Find the solutions. Then, when there's nothing left to complain about, get back to personally MEANINGFUL work.

Time to recreate our system from the bottom up, 'cuz right now, it sucks.

The employer should still have the right to determine if political discussion would be counterproductive. And honestly if someone is sitting at work boiling with rage, they need a psychiatrist, not a discussion with co-workers just to tick them off too. Maybe they could discuss things with somebody on their lunch break, or after work ON THEIR OWN TIME.

[Rggr]

Originally Posted by mhouse2001

It appears that the enemy to some of you is people who have opinions. Some of you scare the bejeezus out of me. I'd hate to live in your world: vindictive, self-righteous, authoritarian, violent, destructive, arrogant...just to name a few adjectives. If you're having trouble hiring people, maybe the problem is YOU, not the employees. Ever think of that?

On one hand, I think politics should be discussed ANYWHERE because it would get more people involved. It's hard to sit all day at a job seething in rage at the day's news knowing that you're discouraged from speaking up. How many people feel the same way? You'll never know because they too can't speak their minds. In my view, discouraging political discourse is one way those in power remain in power and get away with crimes. If people had no restrictions on free speech, perhaps something would result to mitigate the problem.

On the other hand, if political discourse takes away from performance or eats into profits, then...wait...is the point of life to work? Is that the reason we give up 8+ hours of our day? Is our existence merely to support those who reap profit from our labor? Is it acceptable to forfeit inalienable rights for the almighty dollar? Hmm.. In my view, I'd always side with the employee. America consists of PEOPLE, not businesses. If political problems were addressed and resolved, maybe there would not be a need to stifle its discussion. I say let anarchy reign, then. Put all the problems out on the table. Find the solutions. Then, when there's nothing left to complain about, get back to personally MEANINGFUL work.

Time to recreate our system from the bottom up, 'cuz right now, it sucks.

The Constitutional freedoms are there to keep the government from stepping on rights. Rules of employment are completely different. Is it not "PEOPLE" that run businesses - people that pay you to do something. Shouldn't their right to get what they agreed to pay for be protected? Let's take it out of the context of politics. If someone is paying you to work for them, do you think that freedom of speech should protect you from getting fired if you go around trashing the company? Here is one that some of you may see differently, how about sexually inappropriate comments or creating a hostile work environment? Should those be protected by free speech? Racial slurs?

[citigirl]

Originally Posted by tnbound2day

The employer should still have the right to determine if political discussion would be counterproductive. And honestly if someone is sitting at work boiling with rage, they need a psychiatrist, not a discussion with co-workers just to tick them off too.

You need kudos for that one!

[mrsengle]

I have an interesting update I learned about yesterday.

There is one young man (just graduated from college) that recently started a contract position at my husband's office. He's one of the ones (deemed the most obnoxious) that puts a bunch of political stuff in his cube. One of the IT guys (former military) put a notice above the printer that said: PLEASE DO NOT WASTE TONER ON THIS POLITICAL CRAP. Well, said new guy continued to do it. Several days later, someone went into his cube and took all the political stuff down that was on printed paper. Earlier this week, the IT guy went to a meeting, and left his cell phone in his desk. An hour later, he went back to his desk to discover the cell phone on the floor in pieces. Management drilled everyone about it, but no one fessed up. The consensus is that the IT guy took the 'posters' out of the guys cube, and the college guy destroyed the phone. No one can prove anything either way, it's just conjecture. HR set aside a special lecture about it, and the company is replacing the phone.

Talk about drama! This is purely speculative, but I wonder if this mumbo-jumbo started over politics. That's nuts.

[Rggr]

Wow. They need to see the same psychiatrist that tnbound2day mentioned.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by mhouse2001

It appears that the enemy to some of you is people who have opinions. Some of you scare the bejeezus out of me. I'd hate to live in your world: vindictive, self-righteous, authoritarian, violent, destructive, arrogant...just to name a few adjectives. If you're having trouble hiring people, maybe the problem is YOU, not the employees. Ever think of that?

On one hand, I think politics should be discussed ANYWHERE because it would get more people involved. It's hard to sit all day at a job seething in rage at the day's news knowing that you're discouraged from speaking up. How many people feel the same way? You'll never know because they too can't speak their minds. In my view, discouraging political discourse is one way those in power remain in power and get away with crimes. If people had no restrictions on free speech, perhaps something would result to mitigate the problem.

On the other hand, if political discourse takes away from performance or eats into profits, then...wait...is the point of life to work? Is that the reason we give up 8+ hours of our day? Is our existence merely to support those who reap profit from our labor? Is it acceptable to forfeit inalienable rights for the almighty dollar? Hmm.. In my view, I'd always side with the employee. America consists of PEOPLE, not businesses. If political problems were addressed and resolved, maybe there would not be a need to stifle its discussion. I say let anarchy reign, then. Put all the problems out on the table. Find the solutions. Then, when there's nothing left to complain about, get back to personally MEANINGFUL work.

Time to recreate our system from the bottom up, 'cuz right now, it sucks.

Your insistance on violating the rights of a selected class, employers, as to what they can and cannot control on their private property smacks of someone willing to sacrifice constitutional rights as longs as it screws over someone they don't like. You have an obvious anti-capitalist streak and are perhaps the most insidious of abusers....one willing to oppress others for the "public good". Arrogance and hubris indeed... you are right out of animal farm.

[rd2007]

the person mrsengle described are the ones that cause the biggest problems. The ultra left and ultra right need to take a hike and let the rest of us fight for something a little closer to center..
anyone that can't tell the difference between tearing down some xeroxed posters and destroying someones personal property needs some serious help.. they're the same type of person that feels they are justified in burning SUV's and big houses.. crazy freaks