Re: "The Secret Shame of Middle Class Americans"

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@esmeraldagooch wrote:
Don't mind feeding citizens but non I have a problem with. If you knew how prevalent this was and the huge amount of people walking around with vouchers and multiple EBT cards in their wallets you would be applaud.

No, unfortunately they won't. It is easier to make excuses about the children, than to hold the adults responsible. That is too much like tough love and reality, and those things don't go over well with some people.

Trinity11 · ‎11-16-2014

@Mominohio wrote:
@Trinity11 wrote:
@esmeraldagooch wrote:
Not to mention those who are not even citizens who are on WIC and welfare getting money for things they haven't even paid into.
Have we as a nation become so heartless that we want to deny a child a meal?
Have we become so PC that we don't require their parents to step up or step out?

It has nothing to do with political correctness and everything to do with our humanity. When it comes to a child who had nothing to do with their parents actions we should not punish them by starving them.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@Mominohio wrote:
@Lila Belle wrote:
I know many people who live paycheck to paycheck and they are not in debt or living beyond their means.

Perhaps the secret shame of the middle class is their disdain for those who are not like them and a lack of understanding and empathy for those who just make enough to get by and are not able to set enough aside in savings .

I will offer up that the secret shame might just be that many of us have been in positions of poverty and worked our way up and out of it, know it can be done, but want to appear politically correct and don't voice the expectation that others do the same.

The shame is that when you have achieved, you are supposed to be almost ashamed that you have, excuse all those that don't, and are supposed to relieve your guilt of achieving by giving a pass to those who won't try.

The shame is that more of us don't separate those who truly can't from those that just won't.
@Mominohio

What?? People should be ashamed because they have worked hard and achieved? Just who is influencing them to feel this way? Where is this coming from?

You really don't see the "rich are evil" attitudes on these boards? It comes up all the time. I'm not saying people should be ashamed for achieving, but that many in today's society believe that people of wealth should feel that way.

Heck the powers that be think whatever the rich have earned should be taken and given to those who haven't.

"Where is this coming from?" Really?

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@MaggieMack wrote:
In my city of 180,000, many service groups made up of "middle class citizens" provide many services and physical support for kids in need. There is the Backpack Program that sends a backpack filled with food home on Friday with every child whose family might struggle to eat on the weekend. There is The Banquet that serves meals some nights and on weekends. There is the Teddy Bear Den that provides new mothers with formula and diapers and the other things they can't afford. It goes on and on. This is not dependent on any federal program they may be enrolled in, all who are hungry can eat. It is the generous financial support of corporate players and largely "middle class citizens" that allow these programs to continue. I think there are very few who want to see any child go hungry.

ETA: We also have the Lunch Is Served program where we prepare lunches for working poor adults who may have jobs but can't afford lunch.

@MaggieMack

This is how taking care of our fellow man is supposed to be. And it sound like you live in a very generous area.

It shouldn't be about the inefficient and ineffective government taking from some and giving to others, it is about people helping people directly at more local levels. It is more effective, it is better operated and more efficient. It is less likely to be filled with fraud and abused, and so rewarding to participate in (unlike the current federal systems, that, in my opinion, IS abused and inefficient).

truffle · ‎01-04-2016

@gardensla wrote:
Wage stagnation is killing the middle class.

Wage stagnation and low interest rates for a savings account. Every year most Americans have to get a smog test so they can renew their vehicle registration only to discover that they have various sensor lights that require removing and wouldn't you know it, it often means shelling out some money.

While our vehicles are up on the lifts, the mechanic usually finds something else needing work and then there's just the routine maintenance of periodically getting a new battery or new tires. Every year this can set you back a few hundred which I feel would be annoying to anyone regardless of their ability to pay for it on a debit card or credit card. It just never ends with cars.

I really detest those sensors especially when they don't pertain to emissions.

Spurt · ‎03-20-2010

Well in my part of the country full time jobs are hard to come by these days, so college kids graduating or folks that have been laid off and trying to fine work are finding only part-time jobs---so they end up getting 2 part time jobs where the salary for the 2 jobs ends up being less than a decent full time job....and of course with part-time no benefits.......and just the basic expenses---mortage or rent, food, utilities, transporation, and health care takes quite a bit these days to make ends meet.....

Although I'm very blessed to work for a good company with good pay and benefits....I had to laugh at the reason why there was no cost of living adjustment---they said because the cost of gasoline has gone down...SAY WHAT????......everything has gone up....I go to the grocery store and the prices seem to have increased on everything, as have utilities, health care has increased etc etc....so we pay a little less in gas SO WHAT!!!! I don't know how people with kids make ends meet, especially single parents.......and those on a fixed income.....so I am NOT surprised at the results of the survey that was referenced...

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@LilacTree wrote:
What do you think of this? Wealthy mother (worth about $2 million) buys a farm house for her and her daughter's family. She adds an MIL suite to the side of the house for herself. Daughter does not work and gets food stamps, among other disability benefits for a chronic disease (celiac).

Wealthy mother shops for groceries with the daughter's food stamps. No one seems to notice her $2,000 designer bag, nor the huge MB GLC Class SUV in the parking lot. Everybody has great cars, travel cross country often, etc. They want for nothing.

Mother feels no guilt for this, she considers they are entitled to use the benefits because of her daughter's welfare/disability status.

Should she be required to use her money to support daughter and her family because they live in the same house? Or is it acceptable that she avail herself of her daughter's benefits since she is singularly entitled to them?

I don't know the answer, do you?

I'm no expert, but I thought that at least in our state, there are regulations about household incomes to qualify for things like food stamps, but the daughter's designation as "disabled" might trump that.

There are truly a lot of people with disability and health issues that keep them from being able to work or earn enough to survive, but disability in the federal system is the new welfare. It is filled with fraud.

Don't have an answer for your example, but that situation is a part of why the system is broke. And I can imagine that there is someone who was denied benefits who has a greater need than this particular woman.

IamMrsG · ‎08-29-2010

Y'all have railroaded this topic right off the track. The title of this thread is, "The Secret Shame of Middle Class Americans." This thread is not about aliens--legal, illegal or space cadets. This thread is not about poverty stricken people who don't know how they're going to put food on tomorrow's table. This thread is not about the hungry children of irresponsible parents.

This thread is about Middle Class Americans--the majority of the collective U.S. (us). Maybe your neighbor, maybe your co-workers, maybe even you. The plain truth is most of U.S. don't have a spare $400 to cover an emergency. Most of U.S. don't have a retirement plan. (According to the Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2013.)

The U.S. should be ashamed. And downright scared of the O.U.R. future.

Edited because the link didn't appear.

Strive for respect instead of attention. It lasts longer.

Hoovermom · ‎03-19-2010

What happened to the OP?

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@Mominohio wrote:
@esmeraldagooch wrote:
Don't mind feeding citizens but non I have a problem with. If you knew how prevalent this was and the huge amount of people walking around with vouchers and multiple EBT cards in their wallets you would be applaud.
No, unfortunately they won't. It is easier to make excuses about the children, than to hold the adults responsible. That is too much like tough love and reality, and those things don't go over well with some people.

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Is what you mean we let the children starve so we can teach their parents a lesson?