The working poor...

[fortyfeetunder]

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_22 /
b3885001_mz001.htm?c=bwinsidermay21&n=link1&t=email

This is frightening...and this article suggests Kerry doesn't know how to approach it, and forget about *....

<< Today more than 28 million people, about a quarter of the workforce between the ages of 18 and 64, earn less than $9.04 an hour, which translates into a full-time salary of $18,800 a year -- the income that marks the federal poverty line for a family of four (table). Any definition of the working poor, of course, involves some blurry lines. >>

<<Overall, 63% of U.S. families below the federal poverty line have one or more workers, according to the Census Bureau. They're not just minorities, either; nearly 60% are white. About a fifth of the working poor are foreign-born, mostly from Mexico. And the majority possess high school diplomas and even some college -- which 30 years ago would virtually have assured them a shot at the middle class.>>

[pinto]

1. The end of the blue class generation. Now it's rich 'n poor. I'm 52,

been blue class all my life, worked into some management positions...that is a bygone progression and I really don't think my generation knows what can replace that possibility.
My younger friends and family need to step up to the plate...thanks, pinto

[leftyandproud]

2. um..

ONE person earning $9.00 an hour shouldn't be supporting a family of 4
At the very least, the spouse can work, earning them a very respectable $37,400 a year

[Hoosier]

3. do a budget

on $37m gross

$3100/mo gross....or about $2500/mo net

Mtg/rent & child care for the two kids will push $1500-$2000.
Food for four = approx $600
Utilities = $200
retirement/401k?
savings?
car payment?

[leftyandproud]

6. Live BENEATH your means.

Mtg/rent & child care for the two kids will push $1500-$2000.
Food for four = approx $600
Utilities = $200
retirement/401k?
savings?
car payment?

These people are living way above their means. First of all, you should never have a car payment...Unless you can pay cash for a new car, you should buy an ugly used car with a good engine for around 3-4k. Secondly...you can get a two bedroom townhouse for $600-700 if you look around...utilities usually included except a $50-100 electric bill. That is $800 total + $600 for food = $1400, leaving $1600 for everything else...lets say $200 for gas...$500 for childcare...leaving you a $700 bonus for your savings/investments. Very doable.

[BlueJazz]

9. You forgot health insurance. N/T

[skippysmom]

10. You try finding a two bedroom anything

for less than $1000 in many markets in this country. It's nearly impossible in many places.

Not to mention that child care is incredibly expensive -- more than $500 in many places. Not to mention car insurance. Not to mention health insurance. Phone bills. Clothing. Interest on credit cards. Car registration. Property taxes on cars in some states. Co-pays. Prescription and over-the counter drugs. I could go on. And I'm not even including luxuries like cable or entertainment or books or restaurant meals.

Those expenses really add up, making savings nearly impossible. And then, if an emergency happens -- the car breaks down, the kid breaks his leg -- you're fucked.

[salib]

4. But what if they are?

Lot's of people end up in that situation.

Stop blaming the victims.

[marmel59]

5. the working poor

uh lefty,
if both parents are working, earning 37,400 a year thats still only gross not net, take away 25%, before the costs of daily living.so each spouse clears @ $269 weekly
If you don't want your kids subject to neglect and abuse, day care for pre-schoolers averages $600 a month here in Philadelphia, for decent care, so the spouse is working for ..........?
.
oh, btw, those $9 an hr jobs don't offer health insurance, short term or long term disability or continuing education, they're not union jobs with any kind of collective bargaining protection either.

as long as the plutocracy keeps everyone distracted with terrrrorism, gender politics, and racial antagonism masquerading as "a color-blind" society, no one notices that it's not race that divides us but class.
of course if you challenge any of this the right cries, "Class warfare" while they slowly but surely suck up more and more and build bigger gates and larger well armed bodyguards to hold on to it all.

the tragedy is that this country is strong enough to feed and educate all of it's citizens and most of the 3rd world too.

if we built homes instead of humvees...................

[leftyandproud]

7. solution = ?

nationalize industry?

[ronatchig]

8. Nationalize Healthcare and energy

Invoke progressive taxation on corporate profits to a point that any profit above ,say 15%, is 100% taxed. Any monies deposited in emplyee retirement accounts would be untaxed.
Strip the corps of their legal personhood and strictly enforce laws that ensure the corps work within good enviromental and social boundries.
Ban on a national level the right to work laws. In fact I think that every employee should be hired with a contract insuring equal treatment and safe working conditions.
Raise the min. wage to a living wage(one wage earner makes enough to care for a family of 4) and tie it to inflation.
End the war on drugs and use the savings for rehab services.

these steps imho would begin to bring equality and fairness to our country.

[Mechatanketra]

11. And the media -- partially.

Obviously, we don't want a state-run propoganda arm. (Tho oddly, we get it anyhow without trying ...)

Rather, I think we need to recognize that since the quality of a democratic culture is directly proportional to how informed it is, journalism really ought to be treated as part of the governing structure. I say, we treat 'em like lawyers, and found a journalistic bar, both to create a hurdle of effort to weed out pseudojournalistic hacks (like O'Reilly) and an enforcement mechanism for ethical violations (like, uh, O'Reilly lying every damn episode).

I'm not even saying the pundit types should be kicked off the air (or the newspaper page). I just think it would be useful to make someone state in advance, effectively, that they're just a gasbag fronting for some cash interest instead of a real reporter.