I would consider myself to be a law abiding citizen. I follow "their" rules. I get up and go to work and school every day. I pay my taxes. I even accept water restrictions and only water my plants on days allotted. My initiative to be a productive and participating citizen has thrust me into the "I can not help you" category. During this time of economic hardship the working class has been forgotten. We have nowhere to turn for help. In order to be considered for governmental assistance we must quit our jobs and multiply our children. I could easily trade my paycheck in for panhandling on the corner of Metric and Parmer. Instead I choose to work for my money but ironically the latter would get me free dental work. Each day as I read the signs of the many panhandlers I question my intelligence: "Who's smarter?" My anger is not directed at the guy on the corner or even the many that take advantage of the government. Who could blame them? My anger is aimed at the government for not recognizing the hard work that me and every other working citizen produces. How about throwing my professors some of that stimulus money? They give the gift of knowledge every day, yet it goes unnoticed. The average working class citizen is the most deserving but least helped individual in the United States.
Welfare is government aid intended to help those with little to none income and supposedly including the working poor. According to an article in USA Today, "What recovery? Working poor struggle to pay bills" the working class has been denied:"There is a huge group of people who want to work, who are working, but it's a form of being indentured." "America has always been built on the belief that you can do better, but we have shut down the door to the middle class." I thought this was our land, it was built for you and me, by the working class. Our fore fathers would turn in their graves if they knew we were now considered the working poor. You can find on the "Too poor to vote Republican" website that the average American income has dropped $1,273 since 2000.
My family is living proof that the working class is barely staying afloat. My husband use to be considered the bread winner while I was a full time student. We have two children who use to have everything they needed and occasionally more. I now have to tell my children to wait till next payday to get what ever item is needed. My husband works on commissions which are steadily dropping due to the demise of local businesses. He was forced to drop his night classes to take a second job and I am now working a part time job as well. We no longer have health insurance since my husband's job can no longer provide it. We sought out temporary medical assistance for our children, one is on daily medication, and were denied. We were told that we make $100 too much to qualify. When we explained that we needed it just long enough for our second jobs insurance to kick in we were told,"Sorry, I can not help you."
When the working class is a paycheck away from being homeless something needs to be done. A program to help those who want to help themselves needs to be established. Why wait until we lose everything to help us? A help up is more logical that applying for unemployment in order to qualify for assistance. The working class citizen has been forgotten as well as denied assistance that was created to help those in need.
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Consider your self lucky that you're middle class. Middle class Americans still have options; sell their home, cars, and what ever assets to buy a house with smaller payments. The state see's them as valuables and can be sold for something with smaller payments. Selling them may not be what we want to do, but the options are there.
ReplyDeleteMost families that are considered lower class have much fewer options and they are usually on some sort of Government assistance. So it is easier for them to qualify for "free food". The amount of lower class people are growing around the United States. Due to the recession many people have lost almost everything including jobs, houses, cars, and other valuables. Until recessions starts to secede that population will only grow.
Also, families that are struggling can also find assistance at local churches. Most of the churches have food banks, clothing, and also can help out with a bill occasionally. Now, having said all that, I myself do not want to sell my house, car, and other items that I have worked so hard to acquire. But, at least I can try to sell them and get something more affordable, if forced to do so.