How things SHOULD be.

My day started out normal. I got up (the worst), got ready for work, and started doing my thing. It was a pretty standard day, until about one in the afternoon, when I got an e-mail from my company’s CEO. Here are the most important snippets:

In the infinite wisdom of our political “leadership”, there is a provision in the NEW proposed tax code that states that moving forward every loan we keep and service, which is the lion share of our company’s net worth, will suddenly be taxed. In short, if this provision goes through, the value of our company could drop by about 50%, as would almost every other company like ours. I am sure you can do the math, if our company drops in value, so does the number of employees. All because some staff person for some Senator decided to include language that wasn’t thought through all that well. Think of it, can you imagine looking for a job alongside 1,000 other folks looking for the exact same job as yours at the exact same time? Lousy way to start the New Year.

This is not a tomorrow thing, the decision on this is being made within the next 24 hours. You have always asked how can you help, this is how. NOW.

The job you are saving might be your own.

So candid, so real, so.. wait, what? I read it again.

I might lose my job.

I might lose my job.

I’ve been in the mortgage industry for about 2 1/2 years now. I was there when the biggest industry-wide change came about: TRID (stands for TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosures, but we call it The Reason I Drink), and now I sit here as the GOP is getting ready to pass a bill we all know is utter shite. I’ve already made my calls to congressmen and senators. I’ve spoken to others about how this bill won’t help us, and now I find out today that the biggest reason I live in the place I do and have the things I do might slip through my fingers because of a teeny provision. My boyfriend works in car sales and this will affect him, too. No word on if they will lay off workers at his company.

The bill has passed in the House and is going to the Senate. I’ve heard people believe it will fail, but I am still worried. I just got a new car. I’m paying my mother back, the person who helped me get into my new apartment when I had to high tail it out of my previous relationship, one that was abusive and I had barely any money. Christmas is coming, with my birthday the day before. I have a vacation I want to take in June to celebrate my year anniversary. And I’m not the only one who would feel this.

In addition to the countless employees in the mortgage industry as a whole, I have immediate co-workers who have mouths to feed. Those who are just starting their families. Those who are saving money to get a house themselves. None of us believed our jobs could ever be on the line when we’re closing and funding hundreds of files a month. Last month (October) I funded 94 files alone, and I have two other funders in my branch, who do a bit more than me because they are seasoned funders in the company and I am still new-ish.

I did everything I was “supposed” to do, according to the GOP. I went to college. I got a degree. I’m not on welfare. I got a good paying job. I pay my bills. I contribute to the economy. I thought Trump was going to “bring back jobs”, not that I voted for him. That was his biggest promise, besides the wall and locking Hillary up.

My only hope is that some greedy Senators who have mortgage investments actually read the fucking bill and realize their assets might be in trouble and decide to vote no, or some more people call their representatives and tell them not to vote yes.

There are thousands in this country begging for work at this moment. And if this bill passes, there will be thousands more joining them.