Yesterday, we wrote about Republican columnist Cal Thomas's comment that Obama voters are a new generation of moochers who want a government handout and "sleep till noon." That's obviously crazy. But this is the modern GOP philosophy. It's routinely spouted on Fox News, radio shows, on campaign trails, and by the party's elite. They believe it. They say half the country doesn't pay taxes, they don't own businesses, and—well—that they don't even work. They say Obama voters who wake up early, work, hard, and pay taxes don't even exist.

But lots of people wrote in yesterday—on a holiday, no less—with their photos of them "sleeping till noon" to prove that they do exist. So dear Fox News, Cal Thomas, Mitt Romney, Rush Limbaugh, and the rest of the GOP leadership, here are more Obama voters writing about sleeping till noon:

Tara McKernan:

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My name is Tara McKernan, I have been a special education teacher for 14 years now. Most days I am at work between 7:30 and 8:00. This picture is of me dropping my son off at school on his first day of first grade. For those who say that teachers only work short hours and not in the summers, I would point out that I spent three hours this Sunday writing an evaluation report for work and will spend more time tonight working on lesson plans. I have never taken a summer off. I am either working in retail, waitressing or tutoring while also taking grad school classes. I started working when I was 13, worked my way through high school and college, and have yet to stop. I pay my taxes, work a lot, and I proudly voted for Obama. Living in Maine I also got the opportunity to support marriage equality. Clearly, I'm contributing to the ruin of America...


Lauren Pangborn:

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I feel cheated. Had I known Republican expectation was so low I would've been sleeping long past noon this whole time instead of going to work for my Dad's small business at 15 and beginning a second part-time job last year! Boy, is there egg on MY face! Oh wait, those are early aging lines due to lack of beauty sleep.

Mark Campos:

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My name is Mark Campos, and I work at a print shop. I was a lazy ass and slept in until six-thirty this morning; I usually am out the door by six to get here. I work a forty hour week, 8 - 4:30 M-F — but I frequently start early and work late and often work through my lunch. Why? Because there is work and it needs to get done. I voted for Obama because I still think he's the smartest guy to run
for President since the turn of the century.


Alison Eastman:

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Hi Dominic! I voted for Obama, and I only hesitated to do so because he's not far left enough. I'm one of those parasitic Ph.D students who gets her tuition AND stipend covered by the NIH. My stipend is considered taxable income, so I pay both state taxes (gotta fix Michigan's decaying infrastructure and shitty, shitty public transportation!) and payroll taxes. I wake up at 9am-ish, and I totally get to lab before 11am, where I do immunology research with a species of anaerobic bacteria- one that causes uterine infections and can kill women after pregnancy, miscarriage or abortion- until 8 at night or so, 5 days a week plus whatever time I have to come in on the weekends and in the middle of the night. Here's me working in the anaerobic chamber on the day after Thanksgiving, taken by my lovely fiance who came into lab with me to keep me company.


Jeniffer Galicia:

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I work Saturday - Wednesday, per our labor contract I observed Veterans Day on the 11th. My other weekend co-worker is on vacation, he would be here too otherwise. But as it is I am the only one in the office today. Processing medical records for the University of Washington Medical Center. Today I got to arrive at my leisure. But tomorrow I clock in at 6AM so I can be off-shift by the time the second shift of employees arrive.


Braden Michaelsen:

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Hi Dom, I meant to write in earlier this morning, but I was too busy "sleeping in" (ie working). Working full time at a computer hardware distributor in Ballard in both sales and shipping. I start anywhere between 7 and 9 every morning and usually work past 6...In addition to the full time job I'm also training to be a fire fighter. I proudly pay my taxes with zero loopholes, and I supported Obama!


Sean Wilkins:

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Loading in the scenery for Christmas Carol at ACT theater. In addition to working at ACT, I also do freelance stagehand work. I am on day 22 and counting without a day off. Many of my peers are working a similar schedule. We all pay our fair share of taxes without complaining. We contribute to society with the work we do to support culture in the city, and as consumers that support local business.


Rae Cirricione:

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My name is Rae Cirricione. I work more than full time in the event industry—from August through October I never had 2 days off in a row. The latest I get to sleep in is 6:15 a.m., but depending on the trade show I might have to be actually at work by that time. I voted for Obama, and I'll continue to vote for candidates who believe I exist!


Michael Starling:

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Veteran. Civil Engineer. Used GI Bill and student loans, and worked 30 hrs/week to get thru school. Home owner. Tax payer. Donate to charity. At work by 7 every day.


Gregory Smith:

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In addition to an Obama supporter I'm a residential designer and builder in Olympia, WA. In addition to running those two businesses, my wife and I take care of 2 cats, 7 chickens, 5 goats, 4,000 bees and a 10 y.o. kid. We built our own house from the ground up. Most days we're up before 7am; goats need milking. My wife is a Naturopath in Olympia, and as a primary care physician is on call 24-7. Sleeping til noon? Not in 15 years.


Andrew Riley:

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I work two jobs. I spent this Saturday (as I do every other week) working from 5 am to 11 pm, escorting a team of high school speech & debate students to a competition. I got up early yesterday and headed to Seattle (I live and work in Portland) for a conference on racial profiling with my day job - I'm a policy wonk for a community-based organization working for immigrant & refugee rights. I'm working from 7am to 7pm today—who needs a holiday?—and tomorrow. Would that I could sleep til noon. Or even have a weekend.


Amy Smith:

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Hi, my name is Amy and I am an Obama voter who does sleep til noon... as measured in the US. I moved to Australia seven years ago and voted for Obama in 2008 and this year by mail (I vote in California). I work in Sydney as an environmental engineer for a private consultancy and when I got up this morning it was noon on the west coast and 3 PM on the east. Of course, it was 7 AM here.

Rebecca Crawford:

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I'm Rebecca Crawford, and I voted for Obama. I teach high school English and AVID. I get up at 5:00 a.m. and get to school at about 6:45, when I set up my classroom for the day. (Unless it's the second Tuesday of the month, when I get to school at 6:20 in time for the staff meeting at 6:30.) I'm on my feet all day teaching teenagers (which I love, by the way) until school ends at 2:10. Then on Mondays and Tuesdays, I run an after-school tutoring program in the cafeteria for students who are having trouble passing their classes. I have Building Leadership Team meetings on the second Wednesday of the month, and then department and AVID team meetings on pretty much every Thursday. On non-meeting days, I work with kids. I'm usually done with meetings by about 4:00 and then I stay at school for another couple of hours to grade. I get home around six or seven (sometimes earlier, sometimes later), at which point I start to plan for the next day.


Spencer Windes:

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Here I am with the lights on because it's not light in my office yet (plus, Movember 'stache pic!). It's well before noon in my office and before midnight in Seattle since I actually live and work as an American expat in Holland. Because I live overseas, I collect no benefits at all from the American government, including social security or unemployment. However, since the US is one of the only countries on the planet that requires its citizens to continue to pay taxes while resident abroad, I still get to pay (albeit at a discounted rate) for the services Cal Thomas is using back in the States. That's right, I pay taxes for which I receive absolutely, positively nothing, and Cal Thomas is riding free off of me. Like many expats, I voted by absentee ballot for Obama, who here in Holland would be the conservative candidate. Oh and by the way, this socialist hellhole the Netherlands, whose new government is a coalition of right and left, has an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent. Moochers!


Ezra Bennett:

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My partner is a union representative for a small local here in town. She represents hundreds of foods and commercial workers, nursing home employees and the like. She also devotes a lot of time to help worthy candidates get elected (this cycle, she pretty much ran rick Nolan's Duluth campaign) I'm addition to sitting on a pension board and a few other community services committees. On average, she's out of the house about three nights a week."

I work from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at a small family owned coffee roasting company. I have done this every day (a scant sick day and earned vacation excluded of course) for the last nine years. Clearly, we don't sleep til noon. Often, we run on little sleep.

Are you an Obama voter who's working before noon? Do you actually exist? Send me a photo of you at work (with a brief message to Thomas, Romney, Limbaugh, etc. if you like) and I'll post em. Send 'em here.