Two Thumbs Down

Based on the story so far this tow truck driver deserves any ridicule and derision he gets:

Tow Truck Driver Shows Up to Help Stranded Motorist When He Sees Sticker on Her Car That Makes Him Drive Away: ‘Call the Government’

A North Carolina tow truck driver recently took a controversial stand after he was dispatched to pick up a woman stranded on the side of I-26 in Asheville, but there was just one problem for the tow truck driver — the car was covered in stickers supporting Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

According to WHNS-TV, Kenneth Shupe, a self-described “conservative Christian” who supports presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, was sent to give the unidentified woman a ride Monday, but once he arrived at her location and saw that her car was covered with “a bunch of Bernie Sanders stuff,” Shupe politely told the woman that she was “obviously a socialist” and encouraged her to “call the government” for a tow instead.

“Every business dealing in recent history with a socialist-minded person I have not gotten paid,” Shupe told WHNS. “Every time I deal with these people I get ‘Berned’ with an ‘e’ not a ‘u.’”

Shupe told the news station that because of Sanders’ socialist views, he decided long ago not to do business with any of his supporters. Still, Shupe said that he respects a person’s choice to support whomever they want.

First, I smell ex post BS on this "never get paid" rationalization. Instead of chatting with her about calling the government he might have asked for cash upfront or a credit card number. If he did, the story is strangely silent about it.

Other wrinkles, as described by the driver's mother:

Her daughter is disabled and has a disabled sticker in the car;

Her mechanic had agreed to pay the tow truck driver, a fact which the driver could have attempted to confirm;

The card was damaged enough that the A/c was not working on a hot North Carolina day.

To which I would add - this is not some airhead waving her hands in her driveway with a dead battery. It is a woman by the side iof an interstate with a damaged car. She has not had an opportunity to shop around for politically compatible tow service operators. My goodness - a damsel in distress ought to trigger White Knight mode, and this driver should have gotten her home with his trusty steed.

Raylan Givens of Justified has this right. I bet this driver runs into a**holes all day.

THIS DOESN'T CHANGE MY MIND: Here is a different news account:

WLOS — GREENVILLE, S.C. -- A tow truck driver refused to a help a customer stranded on Interstate 26 in Asheville on Monday.

"Something came over me, I think the Lord came to me, and he just said get in the truck and leave," said Ken Shupe of Shupee Max Towing in Traveler's Rest, S.C.. "And when I got in my truck, you know, I was so proud, because I felt like I finally drew a line in the sand and stood up for what I believed."

Motorist Cassy McWade says she was in a car accident, and the family called their regular mechanic to drive about 45 minutes north in order to tow her home to Traveler's Rest from the side of the Interstate. He wasn't able to make the trip, so McWade says he called Shupe.

He arrived after about an hour and began the process of towing the vehicle.

"He goes around back and comes back and says 'I can't tow you.' My first instinct was there must be something wrong with the car," McWade told News 13 on Wednesday. "And he says, 'No, you're a Bernie supporter.' And I was like wait, really? And he says, 'Yes ma'am,' and just walks away."

This version also doesn't describe any give-and-take about whether he would get paid, although he raises the topic with the reporter:

He believes Bernie Sanders supporters are socialists, and says he's had problems with two customers over the last six months who supported Bernie Sanders. He said they caused him problems over paying their bills.

"I've had some horrible experiences in the last six months with towing cars for this mindset individuals, in that I don't get paid. They want to argue about a $50 tow bill, and it turns into just a drama and a fuss. And I said, you know, I'm not going to associate with them, and I'm not going to do any business with them," Shupe said.

"I'm really not interested in doing business with that clientele," he said of Sanders supporters.

Oh, well. Let's hope he was just having a bad day and does not really believe this is the way to represent earnest Christians. I'm not interested in participating in a two minute hate and sure, if a Hispanic tow operator had walked away from a Trump supporter he'd be getting a shoulder ride down Fifth Avenue (or at least, down MSNBC) right now, but still - progressive manners should not be aspirational for conservatives.

 

Comments

[Threadkiller]

Last page:
http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2016/05/two-thumbs-down/comments/page/99/#comments

[Janet]

a comment at the Blaze article -
Balthazor -

Hillary strands Americans in Benghazi during an attack by Islamic militants – yay, she should be president!

Tow truck driver strands a Bernie chick on the highway – boo, he’s a jerk who should lose his job!

Gotta love those liberal standards.

[Threadkiller]

The Blaze with an anti-Trump story?

I'll wait for this one to fester a little.

[buccaneer morgan]

Yes, but it doesn't look good, janet.

[Threadkiller]

From the mom's "public post" of the incident:

Kenneth Shupee drove from Travelers Rest to Asheville, hooked up her car, and when he went around to the back, he came back and told her that he wouldn't tow her because she had a Bernie sticker on the back of the car. 

Bullshit.

He didn't see the back of the car when he drove up to it? How do you miss something that is "covered in stickers?"

Secondly, and more importantly, I know of no* tow truck drivers that don't go around the vehicle at least once before they waste their time with the hook.

*exception being the repo men.

I do not doubt the clown pulled some sort of dick maneuver, but I do doubt the mom's version of events.

[Janet S.]

comment disappeared...

What about Brendan Eich having to step down because of his political beliefs?

Was there sympathy for Carrie Prejean being hounded & mocked for her political beliefs?

THis is the world the left has created...do they not like it?

Then this...

Her daughter is disabled and has a disabled sticker in the car;

What is her disability? Having a sticker in the car means zero.

[Threadkiller]

A cut off interview with the tow truck scrooge:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fmprIQdnLX4

Nothing about hooking up the car.

I think I spotted the disability...

[narciso]

yes, tk but it reflects poorly on christians, if you don't see that, I don't know what to tell you,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/06/uk-local-elections-results-2016-labour-suffers-meltdown-in-scotl/

some stats, from the bbc showed both tories and labour took a hit.

the team cap/vs team stark dynamic, is a parable re the top men vs trump, who do you trust,

[henry]

The entire episode reads like a bad cartoon version of a political ad.

[Threadkiller]

One shitty Christian reflects poorly on the shithead, narciso.

Not on all Christians.

Don't let the narrative take you over too. Good grief!

One Muslim taxi driver that refuses to transport a disabled man that has a guide dog doesn't reflect poorly on Islam either.

Well... that is unless more than one Muslim thinks that way.

Leave the other Christians out of this guys personal problems. Please.

[narciso]

it is magnified a million fold, that crazy ron paul
staffer who 'morton downey'd' herself on the eve of 2008, probably had a marginal impact, on the huntress's atlas type exercise,

http://www.bbc.com/news/election/2016/councils

taste for shoe leather is bipartisan,

[Threadkiller]

It is magnified by Google.

Todd Akin strikes again, I guess.

Off to my fainting couch. I am such a bad person...

[clarice]

Color me sceptical, but then I doubted the Duke rape story, and the Scooter Libby leaked Plame's name, too.

[Miss Marple 2]

I fail to see why I should devote much time to this story.

A Trump supporter might be a jerk.

So what?

[Old Lurker]

Clarice, you also cautioned against expecting Comey to be anything other than political.

[narciso]

if he hadn't given the interview, I wouldn't give it two farthings, but he did,

[narciso]

yes, inspector dreyfus has at least two strikes against him,

[Buford Gooch]

No laws broken, the man exercised his rights. I found the whole thing quite amusing. When I lived in CA during the last two presidential elections, a Republican bumper sticker was highly likely to get your car keyed.

[Threadkiller]

How many other Christians were in the interview? What did they say?

The guy left her, he said so much.

I don't agree with him so send the camera crew over to my house for another perspective from a Christian Trump supporter.

[Sue]

I hope the host of this blog didn't really expect ridicule and derision in the comments section of his blog. Unless he meant it would be directed towards anyone agreeing with him.

[Truthbetold]

Clarice

Why has Libby hired BGR group?

[narciso]

ah 'winning the future' that's some serious brain power, there, hamsters are spinning at 150 rpm,

[Threadkiller]

I hope to see some actual ridicule and derision.

[Sue]

TBT,

You are the most annoying commenter to ever post here. And that is saying a lot. You should hum "let it go" every time the urge to post strikes.

[narciso]

no he just comes for the abuse, sue, my views on trump have been clear, although more nuanced,

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

The NYT is shocked that Trump would suggest negotiating a haircut deal with creditors if our economy crashes.
Egad!
But of course ZIRP and NIRP for creditors is a dandy deal they just love, not to mention people who depend on interest from savings etc to live.
Think of the haircut they'll take when interests rates normalize, as they must eventually, and bond prices crash.
Unfortunately the Fed has painted itself and anyone who invested in US debt into the corner of Floyd's barbershop long ago with a big red paintbrush, and unless one bails by sale beforehand, it's hard to see how anyone gets back to the door without a crew cut.

[James D]

This is not a story.

The proper response to this article by any Republican (or any Christian) is:

"There are tens of millions of Republicans (Christians) in this country. You found one who's a jerk. What is that supposed to prove?"

[Truthbetold]

Congrats narciso you get the nuance award.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I think there should be a law compelling him to not only tow her car but bake her a wedding cake while he's there.

[Sue]

Narciso,

It's not his views on Trump. I probably agree with him regarding Trump. It's the going after Clarice that is annoying.

[-peter]

Balls by sale? Is that legal?

[narciso]

well they behaved better than new york

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/06/london-mayoral-election-results-what-time-will-the-votes-be-coun/

for all the focus on barnet,

[narciso]

no, he's a oruk hai,, perhaps a full nazgul, (judges)

[Sue]

Ig,

If there wasn't a law before, there will be one now.

[Jack is Back!]

I could care less. But a tow truck guy in flip-flops in South Carolina instead of in cowboy boots with a chaw of Copenhagen in his cheek, now that is a revelation.

The new battle cry anytime I see a Bernie sticker: Shuppee!

[Truthbetold]

Yeah Sue, poor Richard Perle.

[Sue]

TBT,

WTH do you think you are accomplishing? Go annoy Richard Perle.

[Jack is Back!]

The big story of the UK elections is in Scotland.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/06/after-ruth-davidsons-scottish-miracle-can-the-tory-leader-rise-h/

Labour now in 3rd place. In Scotland. Holy Moly!

[narciso]

well I admire richard perle, specially after winik's 'on the brink' which shows even when you get an amenable administration, you have to stamp it with your people, entirely or they drift off, like nitze and burt did at different levels,

[Truthbetold]

narciso, you're free to admire who ever you please.

[narciso]

like pillar and co, stateside,

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Netanyahu-aide-Gaza-war-draft-report-being-distorted-by-political-enemies-453324

[Momto2]

Concerning Hillary's new strategic nickname "Dangerous Donald"....

Someone commented:Jazz Shaw ‎@JazzShaw
Five to one Trump has that on a hat by next week.

[Janet S.]

another comment at the Blaze link -

bigjacket -

"And if you are a CEO of a non-profit corporation and you contribute to a pro-marriage organization leftists get you fired. See the ex-exec of Firefox. Please don’t forget all those jackass mayors and the NFL and NBA commishes that want to pull sporting events from North Carolina because the state wants male and females to use the appropriate bathroom. These leftists are so intolerant that them getting a dose of their own medicine is entirely warranted."

[narciso]

keep this up, lurch and aleppo will be a memory,

http://dailycaller.com/2016/05/04/kerry-draws-red-line-says-syria-better-start-removing-assad-by-aug-1/

it occurred to me, that lurch is bruce gold, a wannabe wasp,

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

That WHNS link ends with this;

Shupee’s Used Cars LLC is in no way connected to Shupee Max Towing, and has nothing to do with the incident. The owner of that business said she has been flooded with harassing calls from people who are mistaking her business with Kenneth Shupe's. She said she has even received bomb threats and death threats, all due to a misunderstanding.

Wonder how many had Bernie stickers on their car.

[narciso]

yes civility, as ghandi, might have said 'it would be a good thing'

[Truthbetold]

Trump’s Big Move: Hiring a Left Winger With Ties to George Soros

http://theresurgent.com/trumps-big-move-hiring-a-left-winger-with-ties-to-george-soros/

[arlington heights illinois]

Truthbetrolled is Marty Watters.
His wife dumped him, so he's gone loco.
She dumped him after American Thinker told him to get lost.
Marty Watters is an angry loser, and he's mentally ill.
He lives in Arlington Height Illinois.

Right Marty!?!

[Momto2]

Trump hires Pro-Life Advocate (reposting)

http://www.lifenews.com/2016/05/05/donald-trump-hires-pro-life-advocate-as-top-domestic-policy-director/

[James D]

Ig @ 11:02

I wonder if any of the people who managed to get themselves into a state of frothing outrage about this care one bit that their outrage has resulted in death threats to a totally unrelated random person?

If I were on the Trump campaign, I'd try to get the owner of Shupee's Used Cars LLC on stage with me.

"One guy who supposedly voted for me decides not to pick up a democrat on the side of the road, and what happens? A thousand democrats start making death threats against this poor woman here, who happens to have the same last name as the driver. You tell me who the crazy, intolerant peoople are."

[arlington heights illinois]

I admire Marty Watters ex-wife.

[narciso]

as for mnuchin, it took variety via free republic, to know the main point, if it wasn't for him, american sniper wouldn't have gotten funding, an unapologetic paen to an iraq war hero, fuggetaboutit,

[Miss Marple 2]

No one seems to have given scrutiny to Mitt Romney's donors, because the same Soros tied guy donated to Romney in 2012.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--I hope to see some actual ridicule and derision.--

If the guy is truly a Christian then surely he has read the parable of the Good Samaritan.
So, as much as I champion and applaud the political liberty that allowed him to not associate with or serve someone he does not wish to, he had a duty, not to the law of man, but to the mercy of God to assist her, even if she didn't pay.

The Good Samaritan not only treated the guys wounds and put him on his donkey to the inn, he stayed with him and paid for his stay and even told the innkeeper on his way back he would pay for any other expenses the guy incurred.

We're supposed to be better than the lawyers who want to know who their neighbor is so they can help those they like and cross the road and ignore those they don't.

[Johns_Creek_Bill]

And Forrest Trump strikes again - yesterday he told the New York Times that one way he could reduce the national debt would be to persuade creditors to take less than full payment.

Brilliant

LUN

[Miss Marple 2]

Johns Creek Bill,

What's wrong with that? They will get zip zero zilch if we default.

[East Bay Jay]

So somebody finally recognizes the fact that we're never paying back the debt? Burn the witch!

[Beasts of England]

If commenters here want to identify themselves then that's their business. Otherwise, doxxing is bullshit. And, yes, I'm defending Truthbetold.

[Truthbetold]

Yeah MM it's really just that simple.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

See my 10:38 John's Creek Bill.
$20 trillion of debt means a high and tight hairdo is baked into the equation for anyone still holding debt when things go south, which is the scenario Trump was talking about.
Default by haircut or inflation. take your pick.

[narciso]

from his bio, that variety, sometimes as in barcelona, the text is important,

...Financed the movies American Sniper, Gravity, and Avatar; chaired OneWest Bank, Vice Chaired ESL Invest. Inc; Director of Sears Holding Corp; Board members of LA Police Foundation, UCLA Health, NY Presbyterian Hospital; Founded Real Estate Dune Partners... on and on... .

the top three were high risk projects,

[Johns_Creek_Bill]

MM,

Even the hint that Treasury debt is not safe (backed by the full faith and credit of the United States) would crash the bond market, force all interest rates to rise and cause a panic that would make the Depression palemin comparison.

Add to that the I pact on the savings of Americans (the primary holders of the debt) and you have another example of why the man is unfit to be President.

BTW - forcing your creditors to take less is a default.

[arlington heights illinois]

I'm defending Clarice. You can defend the stalker.

[Miss Marple 2]

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/05/05/paul-ryans-primary-opponent-releases-ad/

[Old Lurker]

Iggy "Default by haircut or inflation. take your pick."

Actually I think the usual pattern is both. First comes the inflation to buy time, then comes the outright default.

Let's see if Jimmy agrees.

[Johns_Creek_Bill]

Ignatz - the haircut by inflation is certainly baked into the cake - the problem here is that Forrest is talking about actual default as a viable option.

This is not the same as dealing with debt holders on a failed real estate deal and the fact that he thinks it is is scary.

[Beasts of England]

Principals not principles, amirite?

[narciso]

what you really think we're paying the 20 trillion, not to mention the 130 trillion in unfunded liabilities, even the greatest alchemist would be hard pressed

[Old Lurker]

Of course our creative uniparty betters probably have a new twist in mind for us: Force the bonds into the coffers of Endowments, Retirement Accounts and Insurance Companies/ Banks. Then force haircuts but make them Income/Asset adjusted so it soaks only the rich and evil corporations.

[narciso]

yes, or they would do a bailin, and take it from us, that's the subtext of ghillarducci's cunning cunning plan, and leave us with crumbs,

[Johns_Creek_Bill]

One way or another we will pay the $20T.

The $130T in unfunded liabilities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the US.

Refusing to pay the $20T is an existential threat to the world's economy. Reducing future benefits is a political problem.

[Truthbetold]

You mean "bailin" like the one baked into DoddFranK?

[narciso]

this is what happens when you skimp on the actual research,

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/New-whitewash-of-FDRs-failure-to-bomb-Auschwitz-453127

winik is methodical to the extreme,

[Johns_Creek_Bill]

OL - the bonds are already there. Take a look at your 401K statement. The portion you have allocated to fixed income is made up of Treasury bonds and bills.

[jimmyk]

Actually I think the usual pattern is both.

For other countries maybe, not the US. Inflation is allowed, anything less than 100 cents on the dollar is unconstitutional.

The Donald is presumably correct that if interest rates went up, existing debt could be repurchased at its deflated market value. But that accomplishes nothing if don't already have a budget surplus to provide the funds to repurchase the debt. Otherwise you're just replacing old debt with new debt.

[Truthbetold]

Teamsters retirees await word on deep pension cuts

http://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2016/05/04/teamsters-retirees-await-word-deep-pension-cuts/83866340/

[narciso]

why would ealing and merton, switch to khan, it does look like the cake is baked,

[Old Lurker]

Since the $20T number includes a lot of SS Notes, and another chunk is internal debt, I'd call those slices political as well and leave only the actual debt owed to third parties as existential threat level.

I'm willing to zero out the SS Notes and tell the geezers tough luck suckers.

But that's just me. :-)

[PDinDetroit]

Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | May 06, 2016 at 11:10 AM

"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."

Matthew 7:6, emphasis mine.

[narciso]

well ealing at least 20% east of suez, so that might explain it,

[Old Lurker]

JCB "OL - the bonds are already there. Take a look at your 401K statement. The portion you have allocated to fixed income is made up of Treasury bonds and bills."

Not me, JCB. I warned here years back that any money parked in a government monitored retirement accounts would eventually be at risk directly or indirectly - especially those held by "rich" people. As soon as I reached the right age, I modified my planning to spend down all of those accounts as fast as possible while parking the other funds I would have spent instead into hard to find places. Five years into that, I now sleep much better and will have them down to zero in 2017.

[Johns_Creek_Bill]

OL - I believe the SS Notes are excluded from the $20T.

While they are debt to the Treasury they are considered assets on the SS books so it nets to 0.

[Truthbetold]

OL

Do you feel comfortable that your funds are really that hard to find?

[jimmyk]

JCB, the $20T includes the SS debt, I believe. There's a lower figure ("Debt held by the public") that does the netting out. I think that's around $14T.

[Johns_Creek_Bill]

OL - those assets need to be in something like gold because Trump's proposal would cause all financial assets to crash.

[Johns_Creek_Bill]

Jimmy,

I will take your word for it. I do know that the cash taken in exchange for the notes was never included in deficit calculations.

[narciso]

why don't I find this surprising,

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3575517/Convicted-child-molester-Sandusky-gets-May-20-hearing.html

[Old Lurker]

JCB, no you are wrong about that. The total national debt number of $18-20 includes all of the money borrowed from the surplus SS payments in the past. More than $5T of the total is money owed to other pockets of the Federal Government, and that much again is owed to State, Local governments and the Federal Reserve.

Money owed to honest to goodness outside people is about 1/3 to less than 1/2 of the total.

Yes, of course it is a convenient fig leaf that the SS Notes are an asset on one pocket and a debt on the other, but that changes if I get my dream and tell SS tough, those notes are not going to be paid. Sucker. That fig leaf has allowed the Uniparty to claim that the SS System is good for another thirty years when in fact is has been spending more than is coming in for several years now and that will not change.

[Beasts of England]

The sky is falling!! Repent!!

[Miss Marple 2]

http://www.vox.com/2016/5/6/11598838/donald-trump-predictions-norm-ornstein

This guy works for the American Enterprise Institute.

According to him Trump is due to Newt Gingrich's confrontational style, and the GOP isn't "inclusive" enough.

Furthermore, he thinks the GOP has moved right far more than the democrats have moved left.

Again, he works for the American Enterprise Institute. I guess I am missing something.

[narciso]

'you ask for a miracle, theo'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3577209/Nicky-Morgan-reveals-humiliating-U-turn-controversial-plans-force-schools-academies-Westminster-s-focus-super-Thursday-polls.html

[narciso]

most of these people, miss marple, you just point and laugh at,

[narciso]

come on, vox that was the first clue,

[Old Lurker]

JCB, you are confusing the Balance Sheet with the Income Statement.

The "Deficit" is the spending that exceeded the taxes collected, but the checks written to cover that gap was covered by money borrowed from outsiders, and money borrowed from the SS Cookie Jar.

[narciso]

ah megan you do miss the point, what is that a feature:

http://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-05-04/the-four-horsemen-of-the-republican-apocalypse

[narciso]

go doc brown go,

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/one-reason-bernies-staying-in-oregon-and-west-virginia-222844

trippi doesn't show respect for a fellow insurgent candidate, this is why the creator of 'house of card,' was burned out on actual politics,

[Thomas Collins]

I question the man's political judgment. He should have towed the Comrade supporter and encouraged her to do all she could to help Comrade turn the superdelegates away from The Hill.

[jimmyk]

OL, I think the reason the netting out (getting from $20T to $14T) is bogus, at least for the SS part, is that SS is in the red, so those "assets" are going disappear over the next few years. Either benefits will be cut or payroll taxes increased, or both, exactly as if the debt figure were higher than the $14T "net." It's as if I had $20K in the bank, but ignored the fact that in a couple of years I'd have a $50,000 college tuition payment.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

It's unconstitutional, it's unprecedented, the world markets would crash, it could never happen....

Things that can never happen have an uncanny way of happening.
We are approaching the debt levels as a percent of GDP incurred as a result of WW2.
Unlike that era we do not have a burgeoning population that encourages faster growth of GDP while we do have a massive regulatory state crushing us with trillions of compliance costs that diminish not promote wealth creation and growth. Most importantly there is zero prospect of aggregate government expenditures dropping from 50% of GDP to 20 or 25% as they did after WW2. Instead our steady climb back to total government spending continues toward 40% of GDP. 85% of our fed budget is already committed to defense, medicare, welfare and SS. When interest rates normalize, the debt combined with the current budget is going to create an untenable crisis. Something is going to give. Unless there are adults in charge I am not at all confident that prudence and wisdom will not be the ones asked to take a backseat.
From the Sun Also Rises;
“How did you go bankrupt?"
Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.”