'What happened to the American Dream'
A VETERAN'S NIGHTMARE ...
IS THIS WHAT I FOUGHT FOR???
CORRUPT, UNCARING POLITICIANS...
CORPORATE BLACKMAIL....
UNFAIR LABOR & DISABILITY LAWS....
HAVE YOU BEEN DENIED BENEFITS....
INSURANCE FRAUD, ACCOMMODATION....
DISCRIMINATION, DISABILITY & TERMINATION.....
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND UPDATES AT BOTTOM OF THE PAGE:
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE AMERICAN DREAM?
Where are we headed? And why? This is not the America I used to know. I was raised in a country where I was taught to live in Peace, Freedom, Land of Opportunity, to be Charitable, Honorable, Respected, Under God (my choice to believe in, if you don’t, fine that’s your choice), but it seems we are headed the other way. It seems everything is controlled by $$$, Greed, Dishonest people and some corrupt Politicians, Lobbyist’s that influence our leaders, jobs have left this country because of $$$, uncaring Boards of Directors’ who’s only interest is the bottom line on profits, and could care less what happens to their employees. Now before corporate America jumps down my throat, I’m sure there are many companies out there that are honorable and caring. And Discrimination, boy does it still exist, big time, especially in the work place, based on both race and what part of the country you come from. There is so much lying and deceit.
We the people elected our political representatives to protect us, and our interests and to do the will of the people, all the people. But they do their will and that of squeaky interest groups and do not stand for the majority of the people who elected them in the 1st place.
American’s are the most generous people on the face of the earth. We are always giving, then why are we so hated worldwide. Is it because of our greedy corporations with help from some corrupt politicians in underhanded schemes for $$$? If we give so much, then we, should be loved, not hated.
Many of our leaders and corporate officials seem to forget why they are where they are. Why they live in peace and freedom that many Americans, of all different races and creeds fought for, after all we are a nation made up of mingled people. Are we not? Have you forgotten??? I’ll refresh your memory, had we not fought, and if your parents and grand parents had not survived to conceive you? You could be speaking German or Japanese. Remember millions of American’s shed their blood, gave their time to serve in the military, some were lucky, some were permanently injured, others gave the ultimate sacrifice, ……their lives. …. Think about it…. Men and women died so you can make $750,000.00 per year while you trickle down $30,000 to a worker, or worse yet, $7.10…. to an hourly employee…. And our cute TV host, smiling every morning to the tune of about $50,000 per show? Now that’s about 13 million + per year? I’d smile too! Now I’m not attacking anyone personally, I’m trying to set a precedent here. You get that salary because people gave their lives and time for you to get it.
I gave 4 years of my life, others more. I was in the Submarine Service of our navy. Oh by the way, you volunteer for sub duty, 307 feet of luxury in a cigar shaped tube about 21 feet wide where the heat worked great in the summer and the air conditioning worked fabulous in the winter, and taking a shower in 34 degree water off the coast of Norway, oh, you only were allowed one shower a week and you got wet, turned the water off, soaped down and then turned it back on just long enough to rinse off. Then your heart sank when the flooding/collision alarm went off and your 400 feet below the surface and no place to go. Want to know what it is like to be on an old diesel submarine? Just open a can of sardines and they have more room than us, they are packed in oil, we just smelled of oil, you can always tell a submarine sailor, because we always smell like diesel fuel. You slept in and between torpedoes and with equipment that can kill you and everyone else on board. You have to share your bed, when you were on watch some one else was sleeping in it, Torpedoes, a couple dozen + of these things on board with a warhead that can split a ship in half, the fuel if ignited, makes hydrogen cyanide as a by-product. The battery is essentially a giant car battery. The average car battery weighs about 25 lbs, ours was about 1,008,000 lbs. These batteries make hydrogen as a by-product, and if mixed with salt-water, (remember the ocean is salt water and submarines do leak) makes chlorine gas. Stores enough energy that if released all at once could lift the ship (all 7000 tons of it) one mile into the air. Great stuff…… How about standing a lookout or OD watch tied to the periscope housing with a 1 inch nylon line in a ‘noreaster or hurricane? Old subs rode storms out on the surface. We were perched about 30 feet above the waterline while waves up to a 100’ just rolled over you and tossed you around like a cork Ever see 80 to 100 foot waves? Take my word, you don’t want to! What do I get for giving my time? A kick in the rear end.
The company I worked for (PET Dairy/DEAN FOODS) abandoned me after 16 years of dedicated service and with out just cause, terminated me. I asked the plant manager for help as I was diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease, and some of the tasks were starting to affect me, minor at this point. I asked for another position, if one came open to consider me for it. He said he would. 2 years later the department manager retired and the new one started to harass me about the amount of work being done. They made me go see a doctor and get a doctor’s release that I was fit for work. The doctor released me under minor restrictions. Another 1.5 years went by, and then the doctor put me off for 2 months. The company immediately put me out on short term disability, after 2 months the insurance co. (UNUM PROVIDENT who has been in the news lately on NBC’s Dateline and CBS’s 60 minutes for fraud and denying insurance claims) cancelled my benefits. By canceling my benefits my scheduled surgery was also cancelled along with all medical benefits. The doctor said I should be on social security and put me off 3 more months. After pleading with the insurance company and filing several appeals they were all denied. I asked for a physical exam by one of the Insurance co doctors, they refused, they base it on the info your doctor sends them. I informed Amanda Delk of UNUM PROVIDENT that more medical info was being sent and she said to me “We have enough to go on now, we don’t need anymore”. I asked for the names of the doctors who reviewed my case, since I wanted to run them by the AMA. They refused. It turns out my case was determined by a nurse. Since when does a nurse have more authority than a doctor? How can they determine what is wrong with you with out seeing you? The company says I’m disabled and their insurance co says I am not?? After 6 months the company terminated me. There is some favoritism and discrimination tied in here, which I can't get into at this time. I asked the company for accommodation, they refused. The law requires them to provide reasonable accommodation. They brought about a dozen people in from another plant. Well they could have retrained me for one of those jobs. A footnote to this is after 16 years of dedicated service without complaint, being there for them anytime they asked or a crisis came up, not once, no not one time did anyone call to see how I was doing. Did I fail to mention that I personally saved this company approximately $1,000,000 per year... never got a thank you or a pat on the back....
I applied for Social Security, but it was denied. I applied for unemployment benefits, also denied. Made several appeals, also denied. I applied for welfare and food stamps… denied…. I had to take my pension in one lump sum to keep my house from being auctioned off to pay creditors, so now that is gone, but I still have the mortgage. I tried to file for bankruptcy, but could not because they say I have too much? Everyone else does .... why can't I? I live in a medium size home with 2 cars, one over 115000 miles and the other approaching 200000 miles and I have too much? I have paid for unemployment insurance, disability insurance, medical insurance and social security taxes for almost 40 years and when you need them most they deny you. These companies are stealing our money and then they don't deliver what they promised. I am not alone, this is happening to thousands of others. The way the laws are set up there is no one to help you. Most lawyers don’t want to get involved, as several have told me the laws favor the employers. Why does the state of Tennessee let UNUM Provident operate with in its borders when proven to be a fraudulent company? It is under investigation in several other states. Even a representative of Tennessee Senator Bill Frists office said it’s not right. Well Mr. Senator, do something to change it!
It really makes me feel good every time I see a person or foreigners that can’t speak English in the food line with food stamps for food but they have money for beer and cigarettes. I’m really glad I paid taxes for that the last 40 years. I hope you and other foreigners are not offended, because I am not a prejudiced person, but I paid for the food you are eating, I paid for the FREE HEALTH CARE you get, but my wife can't get health care and yet she too, worked most of her productive life mainly taking care of the sick and elderly, ironic...
I gave 4 years of my prime life so you can enjoy yours, and yet, I can’t collect what I had paid for to protect me and my family .... when I need it most..
I have resumes and employment applications all over the USA and Canada, even one in Newfoundland, at my age who is going to hire me? I will need minor accommodation. If I can’t work, can’t collect SS, disability, unemployment insurance of which I paid for all these years, then what am I supposed to do? This company, Insurance Company and Laws of the land have taken my American Dream away from me with out just cause. The retirement dreams my wife and I have been making are shattered and my pension is gone.
Mr. President, Mr. Senator and Mr. Congressman, you are part of the reason for this happening to me and countless others. The laws you pass favor big business and the lobbyists that support you. I hope you are sending our sons and daughters into war to protect our national defense, and not business interests for greedy corporations. You set yourselves up with fat pensions but neglect the people that elected you. Remember you’re living on and giving our hard earned money away, here and overseas. Just when is some of that money going to stay home and take care of us. There are people in this country that need help too… heck, I just want what I paid for, .... I’d like a job too, … oh maybe I am not as fast and sharp as the supervisor I used to be, but I can still do things….
Why am I writing this letter? Because people need to know what is going to happen to them should they start developing disabilities within the work place. Please forward this to all you know. Perhaps it will help thousands out there like me. It could happen to you!
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE... THE LAWS CONCERNING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES NEED TO BE CHANGED... THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED SINCE 1989. WHY?? THE MEGA CORPORATIONS HAVE THEIR LOBBIEST IN DC AND THEY ARE CONTROLLING AND INFLUENCING POLITICIANS. IF THE LAWS ARE NOT CHANGED BIG BUSINESS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL CONTINUE TO DENY CLAIMS, THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES OF WHAT THEY PROMISED, AND DISOBEY BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS.
IN MY CASE... THE LAW SAYS THE COMPANY (DEAN FOODS/PET DAIRY) IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE ME REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION... THEY DID NOT... THIS IS STATE AND FEDERAL LAW... AGAIN IN MY CASE IT WOULD NOT HAVE COST THEM ANYTHING... WHY ARE THEY NOT REQUIRED TO OBEY THE LAW? AND YET THIS COMPANY HAS FEDERAL CONTRACTS? THEY COULD HAVE ACCOMMODATED ME... NO THEY JUST CONSIDERED ME AN INSURANCE RISK AND PUT ME OUT TO PASTURE, TAKE AWAY ALL YOUR BENEFITS AND THEN TREAT YOU LIKE YOU ARE A PIECE OF RUBBISH.
WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN WORKING PEOPLE AND QUIT TAKING CARE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.
UPDATE: AS OF AUG 15, 2004 DISABILITY AGAIN DENIED
UPDATE; AS OF SEP 13, 2004 DISABILITY AGAIN DENIED
UPDATE: FALL 2005 JUSTICE WAS NOT SERVED
The American Justice System is corrupt
FREE SPEECH has been taken away….
(A GAG ORDER) has been imposed
I was pressured into taking .. “a reasonable agreement has been reached by all parties” is all that I am allowed to say… READ BETWEEN THE LINES…. I am not allowed to discuss the cases final outcome. Unum-Provident and big business still have the right to continue to screw any individual developing disabilities…. I could not even get the case to Federal Court… a big let down to disabled people…. Begrudgingly I signed off … it is a shame the American Justice system is full of 6 month cases such as Michael Jackson, a pervert case? and others…. Why are not cases given a time limit… these cases are just tieing up the courts while there is some real crime going on out there… there has been no laws concerning people with disabilities since 1989…. People it is time to unite and get these laws changed… you need to jump on your congressman and senators… CONTACT ME.... WE WILL GET SOMETHING STARTED..
UPDATE: 09/13/2004 AGAIN DENIED DISABILITY .. FOR 3RD TIME
04/19/2005 AGAIN DENIED DISABILITY .. FOR 4TH TIME
FEDERAL COURT CASE TO BEGIN JULY 2005 DELAYS, DELAYS, OCT 2005... WAS COERCED INTO TAKING A TOKEN ... CAN'T SAY BECAUSE NOW THEY HAVE TAKEN MY FREE SPEECH AWAY (GAG ORDER)AND I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DISCUSS THE CASE OTHER THEN "A REASONABLE AGREEMENT" WAS REACHED... READ BETWEEN THE LINES.... IT IS A BLACK EYE FOR PEOPLE DEVELOPING DISABILITIES IN THE WORK PLACE ... AND AN OPEN ENDED GO AHEAD FOR BIG BUSINESS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE COMPANIES SUCH AS UNUMPROVIDENT TO CONTINUE TO SCREW THE AMERICAN WORKER. THIS CASE HAD THE POTENTIAL TO OPEN A HORNETS NEST BETWEEN BIG BUSINESS, INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THE GOVERNMENT WHICH ALL THREE ARE IN CORRUPTION TOGETHER.
APRIL 7, 2006 ... NOW I AM INFORMED SOCIAL SECURITY WILL TAKE AWAY FROM MY BENEFITS ANYTHING GAINED FROM THE THE SET---M--T
(CAN'T SAY THE WORD BECAUSE OF GAG ORDER)..
WHERE HAVE ALL OUR HONEST MEN GONE...... THE TIMES ARE A CHANGIN'......
Ronald Fields
PO BOX 97
Limestone, TN 37681
moparmtn@yahoo.com
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