Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
The AFSCME —a public employee union representing state, county, and municipal workers— has a series of truly bizarre anti-Romney political ads out.
Two of the ads, including the one below, feature individuals who have worked as garbage collectors servicing the neighborhood surrounding the Romney home in La Jolla, California.
A third ad features a man who repairs firetrucks in the La Jolla area. All three allege that Mitt Romney doesn't care about them and the important work they do. They believe that Mitt Romney is opposed to paid opt-in local services like trash collection, and that they'll lose their jobs if Romney is elected.
Does Romney have some anti-trash pickup policy that none of us are yet aware of? Perhaps he'll clarify in the debate tomorrow night.
(h/t Rush Limbaugh program 10/2)
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May '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
AFSFME ... that explains it. My wife is a (forced) member of that union, and receives mailings from them constantly. Each could be turned into a ricochet post, but I have never taken the time to do so.
This unbelievably dishonest and misleading nonsense is exactly what I would expect. Funny thing is that while all of this union's members would rant about the horrors of citizens united (and how it enables big money to buy elections), AFSFME remains one of the (top 3?) largest political contributors in the country. With a membership made up of individuals (my wife is a republican) who would love to leave if it were legal ... they "represent" all of these people by taking their money and making this kind of ad.
Apr '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
Guess they missed the day that Romney collected trash in Massachusetts in an attempt to understand every day jobs of people It was one of many. And guess what, Romney said they were invisible when he finished his day....
He cares more then they know....or would ever admit. Sad.
See: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/329098/mitt-romney-worked-garbage-man-charles-c-w-cooke
Edited on October 2, 2012 at 9:51pmNov '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
The defense of Obama with regards to the murder of the U.S. ambassador in Lybia is that the President cannot concern himself with the security of all of our overseas diplomatic missions. Was Obama concerning himself with trash pickup instead?
Edited on October 2, 2012 at 10:26pmJul '12
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
Old Dick Hayes looks stoned out of his gourd in that add. Is he an old member of the "Choom Gang"? Sure is a "portly" fellow too. Suprising that he doesn't burn more calories doing all that "hard" work. Any who say I am being uncivil, how much civility does a creature like this have coming to him? As a public servant, it takes a lot of chutzpah to badmouth the man he works for. I wouldn't throw a bucket of water on Dick Hayes if his pants were on fire.
Edited on October 2, 2012 at 10:47pmAug '12
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
When he is 55 Mr. Hayes will probably retire to a cushy pension negotiated by his AFSCME leaders in exchange for his years of fealty. I love the part where he claims they provide a 'service' i have always paid for my trash pickup, I would bet so does Mitt. I don't mean to denigrate Mr. Hayes, but it seems he is making some assumptions about Mr. Romney attitude toward him based on Mr. Romney not giving him Gatorade, seems a logical leap.
Sep '10
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
i just saw an article about this on yahoo. didn't bother to read it, but said to myself, "i'm sure he's always known he's Mitt Romney's trash man", especially in a place Romney doesn't usually stay.
Jun '12
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
But remember, while we're digging into everyone concerned with Mitt, Bill Ayers was just a guy in young Barack's neighborhood.
May '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
... all said and done, "garbage man" for the municipal government is a pretty cush job. I love how he specifically says that he picks up all of that garbage "by hand." I haven't seen a garbage truck where the operators actually get out of the thing in nearly 20 years. In my city, there is an "overflow charge" if the driver has to actually get out and pick something up by hand. Otherwise, it's all mechanical w/ the big metal grabbers. It would be funny if someone actually followed mr. hayes to get some shots of him doing his well paid, no-education-required, union job.
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
If I forget to move the trash can six feet to the curb, it will not be emptied.
If I forget to pay the taxes that pay for trash collection for six days, I will be fined.
They're not exactly analogous, but you get the point.
Mar '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
Great link, Essgee!
Is there any record of Obama having done physical labor ever? Not a rhetorical question.
May '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
I hate to say this, but this kind of attitude gives those of us on the right a bad name. Kind of slanderous to call this guy a stoner. This is merely a stupid and ridiculous ad. Maybe garbage men are overpayed. I don't know. I don't begrudge anybody who has a job and is providing a service.
RightinChicago: Old Dick Hayes looks stoned out of his gourd in that add. Is he an old member of the "Choom Gang"? Sure is a "portly" fellow too. Suprising that he doesn't burn more calories doing all that "hard" work. Any who say I am being uncivil, how much civility does a creature like this have coming to him? As a public servant, it takes a lot of chutzpah to badmouth the man he works for. I wouldn't throw a bucket of water on Dick Hayes if his pants were on fire. · 55 minutes ago
Edited 48 minutes ago
Apr '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
James Lileks: If I forget to move the trash can six feet to the curb, it will not be emptied.
If I forget to pay the taxes that pay for trash collection for six days, I will be fined.
They're not exactly analogous, but you get the point. · 23 minutes ago
Well James, maybe they would be more accommodating if you hugged them and offered them beverages.
Jan '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
A public service employee complains that Mitt Romney doesn't care about him, because Mitt never brought him gatorade.
Somewhere there's an English teacher who should be fired. We need Mitt to address that.
All it takes to please this guy is a little gatorade?
Aug '10
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
So we pay the guy's salary and his union dues are deducted from that amount. SO we pay the union dues and the cost of the ads are paid from the dues. SO we pay for the ad.
SO, don't we like what we paid for ? Feeling like a sucker yet ?
Feb '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
If he thinks he has it bad, try the DMV lady or the real estate tax assessor. They're not invisible, they are loathed. Perhaps he should be happy with being invisible.
Edited on October 3, 2012 at 12:08amJul '10
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
Exactly. Garbage pickup is not easy or fun, and it's one of the most important functions of a civilized society. We can argue around the margins if the contracts are unsustainable, or if the service would be improved if it were privatized, but to denigrate the work itself is counter-productive. It's the Republican version of "you didn't build that."
What conservatives should never cease to point out is that we are in favor of a smaller, saner government that is competent in the things (like public safety or garbage pickup) that are actually proper roles for the government.
Feb '12
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
Wylee Coyote - Is garbage pickup a "proper role of government" the same as national defense, fire and police? We probably all agree that is hard work and important to our public health. But is it something local government should oversee while private business contracts to provide the service?
Jul '12
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
@thelonious... I'm not one to split hairs, but I actually said he looked stoned and I think he does. I do begrudge a man that badmouths a decent man that pays part of his salary, for the benefit of a man who has never, to my knowledge, lifted a finger to help anyone outside his capacity as a "community organizer" or politician. In addition, if I may paraphrase David Berlinski, some people deserve to mocked and ridiculed. It flavors the conversation in my opinion. I'm not denigrating him as a garbage-man. I'm denigrating him as a shill for a feckless and mean-spirited sitting President. I find the idea of a public servant defaming one of his customers a helluva lot more offensive than saying someone is overweight and looks stoned. If I can't mock someone like old Dick here, something is very wrong.
Aug '10
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
I've never heard my private trash collector complain like this.
One more reason to privatize services whenever possible....
Jun '11
Re: Meet Mitt Romney's Garbageman
I'm guessing old Dick doesn't care about the non-union guys who are going to be dragging their aching bodies to work in their 60's so their taxes can pay his pension.
Edited on October 3, 2012 at 1:21am