One in five working families has a tough time affording basics like shelter and health care while earning too much to qualify for food stamps or Medicaid, according to a new report. Many of these workers earn too much to qualify for "work supports" such as Medicaid and food stamps, while their employer-provided health insurance doesn't cover enough of their basic medical costs, according to the report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research and the Center for Social Policy at the University of Massachusetts. "We no longer live in a world where having a job means you're automatically able to make ends meet," said Heather Boushey, co-author of the report. "Our work-support policies need to be updated to support the millions of families with earners in bad jobs." 41 million in U.S. can't afford basics Report in PDF file. It seems there is always enough money for going around the world to kill people but not enough money to take care of the Americans.
To be fair, there is so much corruption and misuse/abuse of the current system I for one would support totally destroying it. I have no problem with helping those of our citizens that need it, the problem is it enables so many to simply take advantage of the system. Don't get me wrong, I don't think we can simply give up on those who need help. Rebuilding the system though and getting rid of some of the appeals processes would be a huge help. One person I know personally tried to get onto government support for years. Nothing wrong with her but she tried everything from claiming her child was emotionally disturbed, to claiming she had every disease under the book. She was denied every single time, finally she sued the government, with the lawsuit a high priced attorney got her a huge settlement check, she now sits on government assistance. She has her housing paid, food paid, expenses paid, health care, everything paid for. Yet she runs around all day long whenever she feels like it. I know for a fact 'I wont say why' that she does not need this, she simply abuses the system. People like her hurt those who need help just as much if not more so than the rich who do not wish to help at all. They make everyone double think about helping, giving to charity, etc. They also make funds less available to those who need it. Sad situation no matter how you look at it.
You missed the point, it was not about welfare system. It is the fact that today even people who work can not pay for the basics.
The middle-class is being squeezed into raw poverty. This is why many people support Ron Paul http://www.ronpaul2008.com Congressman Ron Paul: Archives (read Dr. Paul's own words)
Actually they can be one in the same Those people who can not afford pay more for the social services that are corrupt, this causes them to have less $$$. The option to help them is to also put them into the social services mess which would cost even more and drive more into it. I understand there are other causes as well, was just make take on the situation and one area that can be looked at into fixing it.
The rich should not get any type of social security, period. I realize they have paid into the system their entire life with the promise of getting it all back, but shit happens. I personally know MILLIONARES who collect SS checks. There is simply no need for it. There are so many 'wealthy' people who collect SS it's sickening. People on welfare should NEVER be allowed to have children while they are on welfare, EVER. You know, you have leeches in this country who have made a living out of screwing the welfare system. The more kids they have, the more money they collect. It's insanity. You know we give TAX BREAKS to companies that outsource? I couldn't believe this shit when I first saw it. I saw it like 1 1/2 years ago on Lou Dobb's show I think. I actually went and looked it up, it's true. The government gives companies tax breaks to take jobs over seas. How much sense does this make? The illegal immigrants doing the jobs "americans won't do" is a crock of shit. Kick the illegals out, take all the leeches on welfare and let them do the jobs "americans wont do". They can collect their welfare checks and work these shit jobs. It's not that americans wont do the jobs, it's because either they cant AFFORD to do the jobs because illegals have driven down the wages so much, americans can no longer live on the money made there. Or, they are simply too fucking lazy to work. Why work when you can just collect a free check? Stop sending money to countries who hate us. Stop giving billions of dollars to countries who hate us. Stop it now, it's stupid and we get nothing in return. We give away 20billion a year. Some of it goes to our friends, the rest doesn't. Why are we giving billions of dollars to countries who openly dislike us? If we are so bad and evil, then by all means, lets be bad and evil. Put large tariffs on all imported goods. Why does it seem we are the only ones not benefiting from NAFTA and 'free trade'? It's ruining our country. I could go on forever. Half the problem is our citizens, the other half is our government. Just one big cluster fuck of beggars and thieves. BLAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /END RANT
That is a huge number of people. Who does the USA look to for 'Aid'? When do we stop giving so much 'free' money to other countries?? How does it end???
It ends when people get so fucking fed up they overthrow the government. I'm calling dibbs on Reid and Ted Stevens, they're mine.
Thanks for the smile. For the duration of reading this thread tonight, I am very proud of you. I've got a Revolution you can join. I think I just need to convince you that no prosperity can be found in blowing countries or people up.
And this is supposed to be the "richest" country in the world, and we have WORKING class people who can't even afford the basics. There is a number of reasons for this, many of which involve.........you guess it, the government. 1. Having a paper currency not backed by precious metals, which naturally leads to inflation and higher prices, making it harder for people to afford shelter and food, two of the main things which are affected by inflation. 2. The government wastes money, and then turns around and asks Americans for more. Americans who are already strapped for cash have to pay a government that wastes their money on BS.........like wars. 3. The general public is brainwashed into believing they have to borrow money for everything. The public is told that saving money is "obsolete"(a justification made because of inflation) and people borrow for houses, education, medical bills, entertainment, and everything else, creating a debt slave society where banks, lenders, and credit card companies rule everything. 4. Government gives special treatment to large corporations, but if you're a small business trying to make it, they stomp your head in the ground. 5. Middle Class is weakened because of all the above. Yeah, so basically, the government is the problem. By the way, while 1/5 working class Americans can't afford food or shelter, the super rich of America purchase: 1. Martinis on a rock with diamonds in them at high end restaurants. Price: $10,000. 2. These people don't buy Rolex watches. They purchase $700,000 Franck Mueller time pieces. 3. They wait two years to purchase 200 foot yachts worth $50 million 4. They eat $50 hamburgers and $1,000 omelets 5. They have country club memberships where you need a net worth of $100 million to join. 6. Their wives, girlfriends, and mistresses carry $40,000 vuitton purses. Yeah, this definitely sounds like a country with a strong middle class. I feel the same way you do, but I hope it doesn't have to come to this. On a personal level, I'm doing things to protect myself so I don't end up like the people listed in these statistics. You can fight back by: 1. Saving money. Stop buying all the overpriced BS this system tries to sell you. 2. Staying out of debt. Stop borrowing money for all the BS this system tries to sell you. 3. Buy precious metals. Protects the hard earned money you save from inflation, which is the system's way of robbing you over the course of your lifetime. 4. Use the money you save to either become more educated, start your own business, or both. 5. READ more and gain a deeper understanding of the world in which you live. If you follow the five steps above, you will at least be able to protect yourself, and you won't have to worry about becoming a statistic who can't even afford the basic living expenses. I have to say ly2, it bothers me that you say this, because you seem to attack Ron Paul, a man who, if he got in office, would eradicate many of the problems which cause 1/5 of working class Americans not to be able to afford basic living expenses. While Ron Paul wanting to become president won't cure all the country's problems, he would: 1. Go after the IRS, and seek to shut it down. Would you like to get rid of the IRS ly2? 2. Have the U.S. dollar backed by silver or gold. Inflation automatically goes down. Stuff becomes easier to afford. 3. He will get rid of government programs that waste money, which will make up for the taxes he eliminates. 4. Pull us out of costly foreign wars, savings trillions of dollars that can go towards U.S. development. These are just a few of the things Paul proposes. Why do you think so many people want to vote for him? He embodies what the Constitution says, and there is not another candidate, Republican or Democrat, that will offer the same thing. It is a no brainer ly2. If you're sick and tired of the government, vote for a man who will get things done.
You guys need to come to grips with the fact he is un-electable. It's not going to happen. I think you all know this deep down.
sounds like the US is not too different to the UK then. we have a growing number of people on an income that comes below what is needed to have a good quality of life but above the limit for claiming benefit/welfare. this means that many people just choose not to work and claim benefits instead because that way they are helped with their bills and child care etc. though of course the health system over here is free. i have yet to see a government either from the left or right prepared to assist low income families where the parent/parents work. in my opinion there should be incentives and rewards for those prepared to come off benefit and get a job, not the other way round, it is crazy.
Now why do you feel this way? What makes you think that Ron Paul can't get elected? When you make the statement "Ron Paul can't get elected" you use a word which I hate, and that is "can't." So many people in this world fail to achieve anything in life, because they sit around talking about what they "can't do" rather than what they "can do." Granted, Ron Paul has the odds stacked against him, but that is because the establishment controls the media, and they are responsible for the same things you're upset about. Ron Paul CAN win if you vote for him. If I vote for him. If Briant votes for him. If Gtech votes for him........ If millions of Americans pick Paul, we've got a shot, but never give up. I believe Paul has what it takes to win. So many times in history, the underdog rose up and won the competition, it can happen in 08. If Ron Paul doesn't win, there is not much hope for America, because no other candidate has what it takes to really change every other candidate is controlled by corporate interests......
so as I was reading some of the posts in here, I have a question: Should we penalize people for being successful?
Barry Goldwater didn't get elected either. But he led a Republican Revolution. Paul is already setting the stage for the next candidate, whether he wins or not, the NeoCons have been put on notice, they can't hijack our party any longer. That's socialism. Which is exactly what America fought the USSR over. The problem is, we don't have a true free market economy. The government collects and hands out the majority of the money. There is little accountability, ($9 of $12 billion in cash sent to Iraq just recently announced as lost), and no one gets fired until the end of their term, if it is even possible to have a proper investigation without executive or judicial interference. So the rich get richer, many of them with the success of Wall Street and the banking industry (interest on credit). How rational is it for every American to make their living off of loans and investments, with no one working in manufacturing sector or small business? Understand the wealth in America is not gone. It's been diluted, exported and transferred by interventionism to the top of the food chain. That's how a company like Blackwater can be so successful. They collect our taxes, and then release it back into the economy to cost plus suppliers, or through no bid contracts. All you have to do is plug into the system of cronyism, and great wealth is just a backroom door away.
but how many people are actually doing that? or care at all. I knows tons of people who working minimum wage job, and feel comfortable about it.
Most Americans aren't doing it, that is precisely the problem. While the government is definitely responsible for this mess in part, a large portion of those 41 million Americans choose to be poor. They don't save money, don't read, don't stay out of debt, don't become more educated, and then wonder why they can barely keep a roof over their heads. Yeah, things are hard, but the people who work hard and smart will succeed. Well, there are lots of people like this, and they may feel comfortable, at least until they lose their job due to outsourcing, insourcing, or automated processes. I wouldn't feel secure at a job like that.
Interesting. On bad news from a "study" no one questions the numbers. On good news that the deficit is falling, there's nothing but twisting, disappointment, delusion and denial. But no sides! Good thread. Sort of proves my point about the "doom and gloom" crowd.
Gtech, so many news articles have been written about cash strapped Americans. Isn't it even worth debating anymore. What, do you need to hear it on tv before you believe it? When people start running to the banks after the market finally crashes? Americans are broke..........just about everyone I know has no money or is in debt. That includes friends and families, and it is perfectly in line with the statistics from the study.