When?
Is this showing?
shareTonight, March 18, 2013 @ 9pm Eastern time on HBO
shareIts on right now...And its appalling what these corporations and banks have done to people.
shareJust watched it. Eye opening, depressing, sad. Reminds you to be happy with what you have, some have a lot less.
http://musicbyparagon.com/ <---Rock/Alternative/Reggae/Metal'ish sound from Chicago IL
Yep that's the whole reason for it. Which is part of the reason why nothing will ever change.
shareWhat I don't get is why did that one little girl say she was going to TEXT her mom if she didn't eat lunch? So having a cellphone is more important than eating?
shareWho knows what the situation is or was with the cell phone. Americans are too quick to judge on these things. I'm guilty of it too.
Cells may be their main phone line. With the right family plan they can be as cheap if not cheaper than a land line. They may be in an area or situation where the kids school and the parents work didn't quite line up so they got cells to make it easier keep up with each other. Who is to say.
I watched half an hour of this. Is there any reason to continue watching it............I wanted to know how these people got into the financial problems they were in. What skills did they possess? The guy with the fu manchu mustache and tattoes, etc. - they just say he lost his job. Well what was it? Why is it that he can't find another job?........Does it have anything to do with his appearance?
The idea of having cameras rolling while people are supposedly going hungry is strange. I was starting to fall asleep so I didn't catch it all, but because of some mixup or something, somebody was stuck with no money, no food. And, it was a big crisis. I'm like can't the cameraman buy her a sandwich?
It was a big time Socialism piece. The government is the cause of this but the people on it claimed they are thesolution. These people need jobs which comes from business not welfare. People who work and have s good work ethic can generally ind a job..
shareCan they? I'm from Portland, and I can attest firsthand that even those with college degrees are struggling to get a job. I was on the bus one day coming back from an interview myself and someone I knew who'd served 12 years in the military was unemployed for almost 2 years, and all he could get was a part-time 3rd shift stint at Plaid Pantry. It's THAT bad in Portland. Latest stats show that in the state for every one job posting, there are 6 unemployed people. So, if you're applying for multiple jobs (as most of us do), you may be up against 300 - 400 other applicants. It comes down to competition - you're up against huge numbers of applicants, and the employers are overwhelmed themselves with how many people apply that often they just go for the first 10 - 20 resumes and chuck the rest. Luck of the draw, then, and who can compete with that? If you're unemployed for over a year, you may have no choice but social programs, just so you don't end up on the street. I also volunteered at a hospitality center for homeless people, and every month there were newer and more stunned-looking people coming in, not believing what had happened to them and needing help. They were ALL good, hard-working people who just wanted a job. That's a good work ethic--personal survival. And there they were, under bridges. There's no left-or-right wing conspiracy underlying any of these people, nor do they care - they just want a good job. There just aren't enough jobs in the city (and many other cities) to go to everyone. Nothing socialist about it--just facts.
Hmm, not quite. I live in PDX as well, was unemployed during much of this AND have age (mid to late 40's) and most of my experience is in a volatile, recession sensitive industry (hospitality), from which I was black balled. Although I've never returned to my primary field (not entirely a bad thing) and I don't make as much $$$ as I used to (I also don't work 60+ hours per week, either)---I was able to get job offers, of varying degrees. Including 2 which would be considered "skilled" and while skills translated, I knew nothing about the industries.
There are, admittedly, much fewer decent jobs---but there are plenty of low wage, full time jobs. ACS, the call center now owned by Xerox, is ALWAYS hiring. They never, even at the height of the recession, meet their recruitment goals. Is it a crappy job? Sure. But it beats starving----and I was completely my new hire paper work with them when my current job offer came through. I now earn an okay wage, enjoy my job, am able to do it pretty quickly and work almost entirely from home (which makes up for the lower wage).
There are elements in this where it's quite apparent a lot of these problems started well before the recession:
The guy who previously worked at Columbia Sportswear owes $457K on his house. How was he EVER able to make mortgage payments? Even a lowish payment would've been most or all of his take home pay. Plus he had lived there well before the real estate bubble, so I see someone who probably repeatedly refinanced his home to stay afloat.
The apartment dwelling mom and dad. $40K is not a lot of $$$ to support 4 people on----and it was fairly obvious she fantasized about herself as this SAH, suburban, soccer-mommy type. I get that's super nice and everything, but had she even worked p/t at Target, with her husband's UI (which would've been close to his take home pay, anyway) they never would've been evicted or had to beg charity for razor blades. Not to mention 12 interviews? Is nothing. I probably went on well over 100 unsuccessfully. You just have to keep chipping away. Also, clearly, they hadn't been unemployed all that long. Keep collecting and wait for a better position.
Plus that husband like the mustache guy looked far too casual, even for warehouse work, even in PDX, to hire. I wouldn't have considered either of them for that reason alone. You need to look reasonably professional.
The trailer dwelling family were never middle class, nor were the no utility family (parents clearly had meth habits), nor was the "college educated" woman. Her college was a career college----because even people with associate medical tech degrees start at $17 per hour, minimum. How do I know? It's what my husband does (his is a more advances, but their lab assistants who answer the phones make more than that!).
The insurance lady was in a situation that would've been covered by SCHIP AND violated both FMLA and COBRA laws. You can't just lay someone off and term their coverage without informing them. Not to mention the hospital social worker would work with her to find grants, etc----or just declare bankruptcy.
The recent widow was clearly not middle class, because most jobs carry some sort of life insurance/ADD policy. Even a $5K or $10K policy would've saved her from her rapid descent into homelessness. Let alone her and her son's eligibility for survivor's benefits. I strongly suspect she was understandably so devastated that she simply let things unravel to the point that they did.
Mind you, I'm a Dem and I believe in helping others----just a lot of these people were in this situation well before this happened.
Oh update to this and status here in PDX:
Interestingly, shortly after I posted this, my job declined and was eliminated, I was unemployed/underemployed for a year (again, went on lots of interviews), but also turned down quite a bit of stuff...there were ALWAYS survival jobs to be had.
Ultimately, I went from first a survival job I just couldn't take (telemarketing, but $14 per hour), to a different one (inside sales, lower but potentially more), to a membership sales job ($15 per hour), a month later a better sales job ($36K base, average income $70K per year with commissions)---which my membership sales job was willing to match the base of and will be starting an amazing, senior level, management position with a large company as of the first of the year.
Sooooo....consider things, there are a LOT more options then you think there are!
The unemployment rate in the area I live in is in the double digits & has been for as long as I can remember. When I graduated high school the average person (not college educated) had numerous factories they could go to work at. All offered livable wages with benefits. If you got laid-off or just got tired of your job there were others to go to.
Now, after plant closing after plant closing the factories that do hire use temporary agencies (which means you have NO benefits & are just there at the whim of the company). Our area has lost over a dozen factories during this time & whenever we do get a new one it's usually smaller (maybe 100- 175 employed).
Temp agencies have been the downfall of the average working-class person as more & more places use them (especially with ObamaCare on the horizon). However, even many college educated people are having trouble finding the jobs they went to school for. And many don't pay enough to pay the bills & student loans.
Also, wages have clearly not kept up with the cost of living. Today I'm making far less than I was just 15 years ago. Businesses know they can trim benefits & wages b/c of the lousy economy. And yes, I see lots of people who a few years ago were working & owned a home, two cars, etc., and now depend of help from family or government. Many recite the same thing: "I never thought I'd have to go on Food Stamps (or whatever)".
This isn't a Republican or Democratic created problem (b/c BOTH have contributed to the lousy economy). NAFTA has hurt and more & more regulations stifle business growth. And while I am a conservative I do not believe in the "trickle down" theory b/c after numerous tax cuts the middle class continues to get squeezed & lose ground to inflation. This is why the GOP can't win elections just by pushing tax cuts, b/c to the average person their main concern is just finding & holding onto a good job.
And Democrats have to stop pushing higher taxes b/c with a $17 trillion deficit no amount of tax increases will eliminate that. We need companies that realize that the American worker (especially middle class) can't buy their products (cars, homes, cell phones, etc.) if they're out of work or barely getting by. Our companies need to realize that the American dream will die completely if the top 5% get richer while the average employee gets a 2% wage increase & higher healthcare premiums.
I can identify with some of those on the program. And you do need a cell phone if you are going to get hired. How can anyone call you? I use the internet to job hunt (when I am looking) and research companies. What I have trouble grasping are the huge utility bills but I don't know how big the house is.
I agree - both sides need to get off their a$$es and realize that the longer the long-term unemployed are...well, unemployed, the more it will cost the country to take care of them. Because, they will have to. So, they might as well just create some bloody jobs and let us contribute to the economy, as most of us want to!
I tell people that my phone broke, and the email is best to reach me. Working all right so far ;)
Saw this tonight. Feel bad for the people, especially the guy who had the kid with down syndrome. Seems like a good hard working guy. I'd hire him.