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"@Sam: Even the "middle class" is an illusion now. Who has it pretty good, besides the rich?
Under Clinton's administration, my parents were making about 90k/yr and we had a lovely house, two cars, and only dad worked. Fast Forward through the Bush years to now, My dad is working two jobs--his normal 9 to 5er AND his own computer/network business.
They *still* make only about 90K a year. My father has not gotten a raise in over 10 years--and yet prices for EVERYTHING is going up.
BTW--That 90k/yr is including a 10k/yr (BEFORE taxes) pension.
Before Obama reinstated certain Military benefits, my parents--who *have* health insurance through the 9 to 5 job-- got *buried* under medical debt. They are living paycheck to paycheck, juggling their bills, struggling to make ends meat. My Sister who is out of HS and has a cosmetology degree lives with them, and HELPS THEM when they can't buy food. Or other supplies. Or even just *gas* for their cars, to get back and forth where they need to go. She's even had to buy my *younger* sister clothing and school supplies.
And there is no help for them. There have been several times when they almost lost their house.
Thank god my younger sister is *brilliant* because the only way she can afford to go to college is through scholarships. My parents make too much for her to receive much financial aid, and their credit has been RUINED by their medical crisis', so Student Loans will be damn near impossible.
And hell, lets take a look at the Poverty Level, shall we? My husband and I live with a roomie, to save money on rent, etc. We split our bills. He is unable to find a job (we live in Michigan), and has been out of a job for nearly 3 years now. The job market is a catch-22. Sure, they're hiring, but they don't hire anyone who has such a huge gap in their resume. He's applied for *everything*, and no luck. We do NOT receive Unemployment Insurance Benefits.
I make less than 10K a year. We have no health insurance. We cannot afford to send me BACK to college to finish (I'm only 25, had to drop out b/c Financial Aid fell through) We can barely afford the gas it takes me to get TO AND FROM WORK. We are not frivolous spenders. We grow our fresh vegetables on our back balcony during the summer.
My husband has taken to volunteering to have SOMETHING TO DO, because no one will hire him. No one.
We do not have any children. We could not afford them.
So how the hell is this "having it pretty good"? If by pretty good you mean I can protest against my government for not following through on their promises (Job creation? WHAT job creation?) without being arrested? Well then yes, I do have it pretty good.
But when I have to choose whether to pay for my husbands *medication* or buy food? In a nation that prides itself on its equality, that should not be happening. The 1% should not be in control of all the wealth.
And yes, Wall Street isn't the ENTIRE problem. But they sure as hell contributed to it. AIG, anyone? Remember those bailouts? I sure do."
"A correction, my apologies, the quote should be "most people live well"
But my question still stands, how is THAT living well? It's not."
My reaction to THIS comment by Sam Soto:
It's not that there are no jobs it's that they don't want to do those jobs. Must be nice to camp out for "months" and not have to work! What happened to pull up your bootstraps and work for a living. You can make a living in the US maybe not rich but most people live well.
Article can be found here:
http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/20/7861850-wall-street-protest-enters-fourth-day
Under Clinton's administration, my parents were making about 90k/yr and we had a lovely house, two cars, and only dad worked. Fast Forward through the Bush years to now, My dad is working two jobs--his normal 9 to 5er AND his own computer/network business.
They *still* make only about 90K a year. My father has not gotten a raise in over 10 years--and yet prices for EVERYTHING is going up.
BTW--That 90k/yr is including a 10k/yr (BEFORE taxes) pension.
Before Obama reinstated certain Military benefits, my parents--who *have* health insurance through the 9 to 5 job-- got *buried* under medical debt. They are living paycheck to paycheck, juggling their bills, struggling to make ends meat. My Sister who is out of HS and has a cosmetology degree lives with them, and HELPS THEM when they can't buy food. Or other supplies. Or even just *gas* for their cars, to get back and forth where they need to go. She's even had to buy my *younger* sister clothing and school supplies.
And there is no help for them. There have been several times when they almost lost their house.
Thank god my younger sister is *brilliant* because the only way she can afford to go to college is through scholarships. My parents make too much for her to receive much financial aid, and their credit has been RUINED by their medical crisis', so Student Loans will be damn near impossible.
And hell, lets take a look at the Poverty Level, shall we? My husband and I live with a roomie, to save money on rent, etc. We split our bills. He is unable to find a job (we live in Michigan), and has been out of a job for nearly 3 years now. The job market is a catch-22. Sure, they're hiring, but they don't hire anyone who has such a huge gap in their resume. He's applied for *everything*, and no luck. We do NOT receive Unemployment Insurance Benefits.
I make less than 10K a year. We have no health insurance. We cannot afford to send me BACK to college to finish (I'm only 25, had to drop out b/c Financial Aid fell through) We can barely afford the gas it takes me to get TO AND FROM WORK. We are not frivolous spenders. We grow our fresh vegetables on our back balcony during the summer.
My husband has taken to volunteering to have SOMETHING TO DO, because no one will hire him. No one.
We do not have any children. We could not afford them.
So how the hell is this "having it pretty good"? If by pretty good you mean I can protest against my government for not following through on their promises (Job creation? WHAT job creation?) without being arrested? Well then yes, I do have it pretty good.
But when I have to choose whether to pay for my husbands *medication* or buy food? In a nation that prides itself on its equality, that should not be happening. The 1% should not be in control of all the wealth.
And yes, Wall Street isn't the ENTIRE problem. But they sure as hell contributed to it. AIG, anyone? Remember those bailouts? I sure do."
"A correction, my apologies, the quote should be "most people live well"
But my question still stands, how is THAT living well? It's not."
My reaction to THIS comment by Sam Soto:
It's not that there are no jobs it's that they don't want to do those jobs. Must be nice to camp out for "months" and not have to work! What happened to pull up your bootstraps and work for a living. You can make a living in the US maybe not rich but most people live well.
Article can be found here:
http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/20/7861850-wall-street-protest-enters-fourth-day
