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Dog Walkers for Bernie
I spotted this from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this morning:
In Pennsylvania alone, Mr. Sanders’ Democratic presidential campaign has received $1,432 from 40 dog trainers, groomers, handlers and walkers. That’s more than the Vermont senator received from firefighters ($1,279), hairstylists ($835) and self-proclaimed wrestlers ($45), and only slightly less than farmers ($1,662) statewide.
And this, quoting one of the people interviewed:
Because of their independent contractor status, many dog walkers are barred from unionizing, and find themselves “helpless” if they’re wrongly terminated or mistreated, Mr. Harwell said.
The article goes on to say how Mr. Sanders is for single-payer health care, increased minimum wages, and increased union membership.
Could this also lead to state-licensing for dog-walkers? (Just thinking ahead.)
There just seems to me to be so much wrong with this whole thing that I hardly know where to begin.
Published in Domestic Policy
Of course it could.
True of all Democrat campaigns.
The first thing wrong with this post, is that you admitted to reading the Pittsburgh Post Gazette!
Aw, can’t you see the humor in this an at least give me a like?
Unionized dog walkers?
I hope they do unionize. What are they going to do if the owners decide to walk their own dogs? Picket the poop zones in city parks?
Update: And is irony is the dog owners themselves will be called “scabs” . . .
Here in Pittsburgh, I can attest that dog walking has become a “thing”. It is kinda like being a Barista or a bike messenger. These are jobs for teenagers but somehow 30-year-old hipsters are gravitating to these jobs and turning them into weird totems of moral courage and social importance.
Well said. And depressing.
Maybe he just reads it for the comics (like I do our local paper).
Great sentence!
If you put MAGA (Make America Growl Again) hats on the dogs, would the Bernie supporters still be willing to walk them?
Exactly! This is the kind of job I would give to a trustworthy teen-age child of a friend for temporary situations. I could see an older person doing it for a little extra cash or to help out a neighbor. But talking a “living wage”, unionization, and health benefits – come on. Thanks, @ryanfalcone
@nohaaj , @stad et al -I don’t read the Post Gazette. It just popped up on my home page news feed from MSN. (I know, I know.)
Glad to hear the Post Gazette is still going – my old stomping grounds – what about the breweries? Oh ya…dogs….well, I guess if dog walkers want to pay dues, fine – and then what? They go on strike if there’s no contract to walk a dog? Next the baby sitters will strike….yes Bernie has a good chance in Pittsburgh – I see it’s not changed (except PA did go red in 2016 – that was a shock).
Kidding aside, I’ve got to say that it doesn’t exactly seem like a groundswell of support to me. Forty dog trainers etc across the state of Pennsylvania? I’m pretty sure there are a lot more than that. Multiply that by 50 states and you have 2000 people in a country of ~350 million. Are we supposed to be impressed?
Now that I think about it . . .
The dog walkers want to unionize against individual citizens. Doesn’t this make them defacto owners of a dog walking company? Yes, I think they would be forming an employee-owned company – one with which most customers will refuse to do business . . .
I enjoy walking my daughter’s dog. For free. People who would never want to talk to you, want to pet your dog, learn about the breed, tell you about their dog(s) ( all of them, from childhood ). It is wonderful. I am a socially inept person who has people wanting to talk with me, when I walk my daughter’s dog. Why would I pay someone else to do this?
My first thought was that if they can make campaign donations they’re already making enough money. Or perhaps too much, given how unwisely they’re spending it!
Dogs for Bernie! My two, who are, let’s face it, part of the Chez She welfare program for four-leggedy beasties, are all in!
Next–sheep for Bernie!
Cats for Bernie? Not so fast:
Free college education for all sheep! (But no sheep skin diplomas).
Well, obviously they wouldn’t support Harris. She’s sure to outlaw those little plastic bags.
Oh my! @paulerickson That could be a problem. It’s not like taking a cloth bag to the grocery store and paper does not seem like a good idea either.
You really think the Democrats will be able to figure this out? Before trying the cloth or paper bags?
I know those dog! And I met that cat, but not so sure about that sheep….they all looked the same to me.
I imagine the issue is with “child labor” as a part of any business plan. So, extend the whole gig economy thing to dog walking and you necessarily exclude “teenagers” so long as they are under 18 years old.
On the other hand, there are babysitting apps that include junior/high school kids.
Also, it strikes me that we are seeing services made widely available that once were confined to aristocratic rich. It was not teenagers exercising Lord La-di-dah’s hounds, or Lady La-di-dah’s prize poochs, except to the extent that what we now style teenagers were already in full-time service to the lord and lady of the manor.
They will still demand you reuse the bag. “fur the ‘vironment!”
And they know you! (You’d probably have a better recollection of the sheep if I’d simply opened the door and she’d wandered into the living room, as she is wont to do . . . )