Comments on: Middle Class Poor

By: aliecat

aliecat — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:38:06 +0000

And no, the author doesn’t make mention of how it could be worse, other than to envy the fact that the truly poor have a safety net that her tax dollars pay for, yet she cannot access.

By: aliecat

aliecat — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:24:28 +0000

Here’s the thing, I’m kind of getting tired of people acting shocked, SHOCKED, that they are one of the millions of people that are one (or 5) paycheck away from being broke. This is the reality that many in the Baby Boomer generation has conveniently ignored. Can’t find a job that pays a livable wage? Get 2. Can’t find 2? Network your ass off, take a roommate, move in with your parents (or kids), pool resources, do what you have to to make it work. Yes, it’s hard right now, and I feel huge sympathy for people that are out of work. I’m employed and freaked out every day that I won’t be, even though I’m in a relatively stable industry. But I’m one of those people that don’t see much use in bemoaning a situation that could be 1000 times worse without highlighting ways in which you are trying to make it better.

By: Bixby

Bixby — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:07:12 +0000

I think she’s entitled to whine, it is very frustrating out there right now. She’s venting, we all need to do it. You just need to be selective about who you whine to and have some perspective about how you could be more fucked. Of course kids don’t know how poor their families are, there’s no point in whining to your kids. I didn’t RTFA but did she at least grant that she could worse off?

By: aliecat

aliecat — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:25:03 +0000

It’s interesting that this woman thinks that what’s happening now is somehow worse than every other recession/depression in the past. My parents were basically the working poor and were barely able to pay their bills under Reagan. Growing up, I never knew how broke we were, because it was just their nature to suck it up and make the best of it because they knew they had it good compared to many others (especially since my mom works for DHS). If times are so tough for her, I suggest she looks for ways to make it better (or livable) rather than whining about what everyone knows already.

By: Bixby

Bixby — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:44:19 +0000

I am trying to reconcile swandog’s views on the middle class and the state looking out for their welfare with swandog’s previous comments on MNSpeak on the role of the state.

So, Swandog, just to help me clarify what you’re saying, ideally, what would you like to see the state doing for people who are in the same position as this women and/or the unemployed middle class?

By: kc!

kc! — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:36:24 +0000

One plus one is not three. If you pay a tax on your salary it is direct reduction from your salary, which was paid for by tax dollars. In the end it is a net tax dollar expenditure.

Except I pay tax on my household income, not just my income from this job. Which means I pay my salary as much as you do since I pay taxes on both my and my husband's income.

By: kc!

kc! — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:33:45 +0000

And most people on Welfare paid taxes at one time too. And they will pay again. Unemployment insurance is not taken out of MY check, I don’t know about yours. It is paid for by the employer, not the employee.

By: mnblrmkr

mnblrmkr — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:31:21 +0000

That’s the way insurance often works Dougie D.

By: Dougie_D

Dougie_D — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:16:18 +0000

She did get a unemployment extention.

I’ll bet she has collected way more from unemployment than she ever paid in. Isn’t that a bail out?

By: swandog

swandog — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:51:59 +0000

The poor without children do not have a safety net.

So if you have a kid and can not afford it, it is societies responsibility to pay for you and the child. Sounds like bailing out rich bankers. they make a mistake and we pay. Sounds like the best thing to do then is get pregnant and take the money.

And the middle class does have a safety net, it is called Unemployment Insurance.

Insurance is something that was paid into prior to use vs welfare which is a give away provided by others who pay into the system.

Never heard that one before, like EVERYDAY I worked in the welfare office, "I pay your salary." Guess what, I pay my own salary too.

One plus one is not three. If you pay a tax on your salary it is direct reduction from your salary, which was paid for by tax dollars. In the end it is a net tax dollar expenditure.

My point is that there is a reality here that is being overlooked. This woman put herself in this situation by her own will. She is still making more money than people with full time jobs. Yet she thinks she deserves more.

No she is pointing out that the rich get a bailout and the poor get a bail out. Where is the middle class hand out? Your argument could be stated for every welfare recipient served, they put them selves in the position they are in.

Oh, Swandog. What the hell is welfare for the rich? Aside from tax cuts. Who cares if the rich don't work? They're rich.

Bank bailouts given to dead beat banks who loaned money to deadbeat mortgage recipients.