Children and their parents living in trucks and cars, or in the streets. One in four American children are now living below the poverty line.
13 thoughts on “Reagan’s Children”
It puts a face of black & white statistics.
It is sad how cold and uncaring we, as a nation, have become.
Those kids (who lived in the yellow truck) were really impressive, especially the young girl. It would take me many decades to even begin to approach her level of maturity. It would be interesting to see what they (all the subjects interviewed) think caused their predicament. I’m glad 60 Minutes did this story, and of course I feel slain by what can I do for these kids + families?
They claim that one third of America’s homeless children are in Florida. That’s why I’m so proud of our state…Skeletor signed a law requiring that all applications for any public assistance must undergo a test for drug screening at the applicants expense..In his conservative quest to weed out evil doers Skeletor also is weeding out hope for thousands of Florida’s less fortunate children.. I hear that the maximum assistance benefit paid by the state of Florida is under $300.00 a month under the most dire circumstances, and that it averages about $130.00 a month per recipient. How high on the hog can you live for a stinkin’ 130 buck a month? Skeletor thinks he’s doing a grand service to the taxpapyers of Florida, but what he doesn’t seem to realize is that people will do whatever it takes to survive and if crime can provide a path for survival, that’s the path people will take when you cut off basic charity.
That sure brought a lump to my throat, and a few tears as well.
Growing up dirt poor in Central Florida myself, I can sure identify with those kids.
We had a house to live in (a three room shotgun shack for my Mom and 3 kids), and we ALWAYS had plenty of food and clean clothes. I’ll never forget the pain I felt when my friends found out where I lived, and I’ll never forget how it didn’t matter to my girlfriend ( now my wife of 37 yrs.)
It’s pretty bad here, worse than most think. I’m saddened to hear people I know say those folks begging or selling bottled water on the side of the road are lazy and should just “get a job”.
The jobs in construction are few and far between, and what’s available at $7-$8 per hr. won’t help much when you need a roof over your head and transportation to keep the job.
I made it out of poverty because of luck, hard work, help from many people, and timing. The “Horatio Alger” days are gone.
Swami, the perspective from a waterfront mansion in Naples gives a different twist to reality.
Well said, maha – “Reagan’s Children.”
And Grandchildren.
And, if we don’t stop it, generations to follow…
We are all products of 30 years of “The Reagan Devolution.”
The top 1% are 1%ier.
The next 2% are richer too.
The few % after that are doing ok.
But the next 45% of us, are left to figure out how to make due.
If we can.
And as for the bottom 50 or so %, ‘we’re on our own!’
Since Uncle Ronnie, don’t look for anyone to give anyone else a helping hand. Unless, you’re rich and you need it – like the Galt’s who made nothing needed, but sold worthless pieces of paper to become rich, and then, when the paper proved as worthless as their souls and the whole scheme collapsed, came and begged for money that could have been used to help the real victims of their man-made economic disaster, and also took our futures. And not because these rich guys were in lifeboats about to drown. But the money instead when to make some patches on their yachts, and to upgrade the amenities for the owners.
Well, the “The War on Poverty,” is over, rich people, You’ve won!
Congratulations!
Now, can you withdraw your occupying forces and leave the rest of us to try to make a life for ourselves?
I’d take that as a hint, you rich Kochsucking, poor-mother-f*cker-overs!
It’s up to the media to present the story. As 60 Minutes pointed out, individually, these families are trying to blend in. For one thing, they are afraid the same heartless State of Florida (State bird – vulture) that refuses them help will take away the children. The moral contradiction boggles the mind. Florida won’t provide enough help to an unemployed family to have a home. But if children are homeless, the state has the authority to take those children from their parents. It’s a natural law that authority and responsibility must be balanced.
60 Minutes went out and got that story. Investigative journalism is so rare. More stories like this at a national and local level will change the minds of moderate voters about the wisdom of slashing budgets to preserve low taxes for corporations and fat cats. Voters don’t yet make the connection that THESE homeless families are the people who suffer. The right-wing narrative that all government programs are a failure and all government employees are leeches has taken deep root.
Newt wants to pile it on the low lives…He got his 1.3 million in consultation fees from Fannie Mae so it’s the right thing to do to crush the dreams and hopes of the less fortunate who want to get a piece of the pie.
Percentage decrease in the median US household income during the “Great Recession”: 3.2.
During the subsequent “recovery”: 6.7.
Portion of income growth since the end of the recession that has gone to corporate profits: 9/10. Harpers, December, 2011.
And what will Harpers report in December, 2012? The same?; 10% instead of 6.7? 10/10% instead of 9/10? Go OWS.
I can’t respond to this without getting all maudlin. I’ve tried and I keep coming up with a bunch of platitudes and talk about the “American Dream”. So, I’ll give up.
It is hard not to see a spark of hope in the courage and fortitude of the children, although it is doubtful that hard times will not take its toll on them. For now, they are responding in the most positive manner imaginable.
I find myself remembering Jane Darwell’s soliloquy from “The Grapes of Wrath”.
As a young single mom with three children when Reagen came into ‘power’, I knew my dream would never come true. I managed to get a college degree and a job through hard work and internship, I had to quit after the government reformed welfare by changing eligibility from net wages to gross wages. It caused most of us upwardly mobile and off of welfare moms to quit our jobs in order to keep medicaid for our children. Well, I did finally magage to get a good job with health insurance, eventually, and managed to feed and cloth my kids, but keeping a roof over our head was very difficult…I managed to barely escape living on the beach, but I have never managed to buy a home or send my kids to college. I have one graduate who got his through football. This is not the America that I grew up proud to be from. I also have one who managed to buy a house and keep it.
I hate to say it, but Louisiana is worse than Florida at helping families. Living here is not good for my health, mental or physical. The pollution keeps me indoors in air conditioning most of the time. At least our newest industry does not pollute…hollywood south, I mean. But it is an Exxon owned town so that still makes no difference. And, I might add, it was Gov. Blanco who brought in the movie, tv industry years ago..not Jindal.
I have no real point here, just sharing of experience. Hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season in case my depression keeps me from writing anything else…..me ke aloha pumehana…kathleen (with warmest regard, sort of)
PS, just kidding about the depression..love reading your blog and all of you who regularly contribute…mahalo nui loa. (many many thanks)
I had to quit after the government reformed welfare by changing eligibility from net wages to gross wages. It caused most of us upwardly mobile and off of welfare moms to quit our jobs in order to keep medicaid for our children.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to explain to a wingnut that often “welfare moms” choose to leave jobs because they lose Medicaid. If they could keep Medicaid until they got a job with benefits, I said, it would make a world of difference. Of course, this is like explaining French literature to a tree stump.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to explain to a wingnut that often “welfare moms†choose to leave jobs because they lose Medicaid. If they could keep Medicaid until they got a job with benefits”
I worked for many years in rehabilitation. We worked closely with Vocational Rehabilitation in the effort to find work for people with severe disabilities. Our participants had spinal cord injures, head injuries (TBI) or physical disabilities from birth that required more than average medical care. The single biggest obstacle was finding jobs with sufficient pay and benefits to justify losing medicaid. If we had a decent system of universal health care, a much higher percentage of people with disabilities could find and hold jobs. As it is, a person with a severe disability would have to be insane, or have a death wish (maybe just a bankruptcy wish) to give up medicaid without excellent medical benefits.
If we had a decent health care system or they were allowed to keep medicaid, at least more people with disabilities could be working, paying taxes and buying more products.
I should mention that many people with disabilities in the workforce do somehow beat the odds and maintain productive, independent lives. But, we certainly could make it a lot easier.
It puts a face of black & white statistics.
It is sad how cold and uncaring we, as a nation, have become.
Those kids (who lived in the yellow truck) were really impressive, especially the young girl. It would take me many decades to even begin to approach her level of maturity. It would be interesting to see what they (all the subjects interviewed) think caused their predicament. I’m glad 60 Minutes did this story, and of course I feel slain by what can I do for these kids + families?
They claim that one third of America’s homeless children are in Florida. That’s why I’m so proud of our state…Skeletor signed a law requiring that all applications for any public assistance must undergo a test for drug screening at the applicants expense..In his conservative quest to weed out evil doers Skeletor also is weeding out hope for thousands of Florida’s less fortunate children.. I hear that the maximum assistance benefit paid by the state of Florida is under $300.00 a month under the most dire circumstances, and that it averages about $130.00 a month per recipient. How high on the hog can you live for a stinkin’ 130 buck a month? Skeletor thinks he’s doing a grand service to the taxpapyers of Florida, but what he doesn’t seem to realize is that people will do whatever it takes to survive and if crime can provide a path for survival, that’s the path people will take when you cut off basic charity.
That sure brought a lump to my throat, and a few tears as well.
Growing up dirt poor in Central Florida myself, I can sure identify with those kids.
We had a house to live in (a three room shotgun shack for my Mom and 3 kids), and we ALWAYS had plenty of food and clean clothes. I’ll never forget the pain I felt when my friends found out where I lived, and I’ll never forget how it didn’t matter to my girlfriend ( now my wife of 37 yrs.)
It’s pretty bad here, worse than most think. I’m saddened to hear people I know say those folks begging or selling bottled water on the side of the road are lazy and should just “get a job”.
The jobs in construction are few and far between, and what’s available at $7-$8 per hr. won’t help much when you need a roof over your head and transportation to keep the job.
I made it out of poverty because of luck, hard work, help from many people, and timing. The “Horatio Alger” days are gone.
Swami, the perspective from a waterfront mansion in Naples gives a different twist to reality.
Well said, maha – “Reagan’s Children.”
And Grandchildren.
And, if we don’t stop it, generations to follow…
We are all products of 30 years of “The Reagan Devolution.”
The top 1% are 1%ier.
The next 2% are richer too.
The few % after that are doing ok.
But the next 45% of us, are left to figure out how to make due.
If we can.
And as for the bottom 50 or so %, ‘we’re on our own!’
Since Uncle Ronnie, don’t look for anyone to give anyone else a helping hand. Unless, you’re rich and you need it – like the Galt’s who made nothing needed, but sold worthless pieces of paper to become rich, and then, when the paper proved as worthless as their souls and the whole scheme collapsed, came and begged for money that could have been used to help the real victims of their man-made economic disaster, and also took our futures. And not because these rich guys were in lifeboats about to drown. But the money instead when to make some patches on their yachts, and to upgrade the amenities for the owners.
Well, the “The War on Poverty,” is over, rich people, You’ve won!
Congratulations!
Now, can you withdraw your occupying forces and leave the rest of us to try to make a life for ourselves?
I’d take that as a hint, you rich Kochsucking, poor-mother-f*cker-overs!
It’s up to the media to present the story. As 60 Minutes pointed out, individually, these families are trying to blend in. For one thing, they are afraid the same heartless State of Florida (State bird – vulture) that refuses them help will take away the children. The moral contradiction boggles the mind. Florida won’t provide enough help to an unemployed family to have a home. But if children are homeless, the state has the authority to take those children from their parents. It’s a natural law that authority and responsibility must be balanced.
60 Minutes went out and got that story. Investigative journalism is so rare. More stories like this at a national and local level will change the minds of moderate voters about the wisdom of slashing budgets to preserve low taxes for corporations and fat cats. Voters don’t yet make the connection that THESE homeless families are the people who suffer. The right-wing narrative that all government programs are a failure and all government employees are leeches has taken deep root.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/28/newt-gingrich-drug-testing-federal-aid_n_1116459.html?ref=business&ir=Business
Newt wants to pile it on the low lives…He got his 1.3 million in consultation fees from Fannie Mae so it’s the right thing to do to crush the dreams and hopes of the less fortunate who want to get a piece of the pie.
Pingback: The Mahablog » Majority Minority Democrats
Percentage decrease in the median US household income during the “Great Recession”: 3.2.
During the subsequent “recovery”: 6.7.
Portion of income growth since the end of the recession that has gone to corporate profits: 9/10. Harpers, December, 2011.
And what will Harpers report in December, 2012? The same?; 10% instead of 6.7? 10/10% instead of 9/10? Go OWS.
I can’t respond to this without getting all maudlin. I’ve tried and I keep coming up with a bunch of platitudes and talk about the “American Dream”. So, I’ll give up.
It is hard not to see a spark of hope in the courage and fortitude of the children, although it is doubtful that hard times will not take its toll on them. For now, they are responding in the most positive manner imaginable.
I find myself remembering Jane Darwell’s soliloquy from “The Grapes of Wrath”.
As a young single mom with three children when Reagen came into ‘power’, I knew my dream would never come true. I managed to get a college degree and a job through hard work and internship, I had to quit after the government reformed welfare by changing eligibility from net wages to gross wages. It caused most of us upwardly mobile and off of welfare moms to quit our jobs in order to keep medicaid for our children. Well, I did finally magage to get a good job with health insurance, eventually, and managed to feed and cloth my kids, but keeping a roof over our head was very difficult…I managed to barely escape living on the beach, but I have never managed to buy a home or send my kids to college. I have one graduate who got his through football. This is not the America that I grew up proud to be from. I also have one who managed to buy a house and keep it.
I hate to say it, but Louisiana is worse than Florida at helping families. Living here is not good for my health, mental or physical. The pollution keeps me indoors in air conditioning most of the time. At least our newest industry does not pollute…hollywood south, I mean. But it is an Exxon owned town so that still makes no difference. And, I might add, it was Gov. Blanco who brought in the movie, tv industry years ago..not Jindal.
I have no real point here, just sharing of experience. Hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season in case my depression keeps me from writing anything else…..me ke aloha pumehana…kathleen (with warmest regard, sort of)
PS, just kidding about the depression..love reading your blog and all of you who regularly contribute…mahalo nui loa. (many many thanks)
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to explain to a wingnut that often “welfare moms” choose to leave jobs because they lose Medicaid. If they could keep Medicaid until they got a job with benefits, I said, it would make a world of difference. Of course, this is like explaining French literature to a tree stump.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to explain to a wingnut that often “welfare moms†choose to leave jobs because they lose Medicaid. If they could keep Medicaid until they got a job with benefits”
I worked for many years in rehabilitation. We worked closely with Vocational Rehabilitation in the effort to find work for people with severe disabilities. Our participants had spinal cord injures, head injuries (TBI) or physical disabilities from birth that required more than average medical care. The single biggest obstacle was finding jobs with sufficient pay and benefits to justify losing medicaid. If we had a decent system of universal health care, a much higher percentage of people with disabilities could find and hold jobs. As it is, a person with a severe disability would have to be insane, or have a death wish (maybe just a bankruptcy wish) to give up medicaid without excellent medical benefits.
If we had a decent health care system or they were allowed to keep medicaid, at least more people with disabilities could be working, paying taxes and buying more products.
I should mention that many people with disabilities in the workforce do somehow beat the odds and maintain productive, independent lives. But, we certainly could make it a lot easier.