The first and foremost reason Republican’s hate the poor is that the poor are a constant reminder that someone had to lose for them to win. And the saddest part is that it isn’t true. No one lost in order for them to succeed, but that’s the way they see the world. For Republican’s, we live in a dog eat dog, survival of the fittest world. How sad it is that they don’t see the world we so-called liberal’s see. We see a world where there is more than enough for everyone. All we need to do is change our priorities. But they see a world of finite wealth and you better get yours or you might get left out.
But there other reasons Republicans hate the poor. These reasons have to do with the habit of dehumanizing your enemy in order to ease your conscience. And the best way to do this is to invent myths about your enemy and then repeat them until you believe them yourself.
Myth #1. The poor are poor because they are lazy. This is the biggest myth of all. The typical “poor” person in America works 40 or more hours a week. He also spends countless hours commuting to and from work and tending other tasks because when you’re poor you have to do everything for yourself. And the jobs they typically have are among the most physically demanding there are. Compare this to the average Republican business owners I’ve encountered in my travels who typically spend as much time on the golf course as they do hanging out at their businesses brow beating their employees, I think you’ll get a different idea of just who is lazy.
Myth #2. The poor are poor because they are irresponsible with their money. It is true that most poor people have what is known as “bad credit.” But what is one to do when your monthly expenses constantly outpace your income. I’ve heard Republicans complain that if poor people would stop spending their money unnecessarily and put some away they wouldn’t be so poor. Gees, how clueless can you get. Poor people pay their bills until there isn’t anything left. They agonize every single month over what to pay and what not to pay. There’s no “what do we do with the left over money” because there isn’t any.
Myth #3. The poor are subsidized by welfare. Wrong, most people who are counted as “poor” don’t get any public assistance at all because they don’t qualify. Those who do mostly receive some kind of food assistance, but only of they are severely disabled or have children. And the vast majority of those people work full time at jobs like police officers, firefighters, and members of the U.S. military. I personally believe that welfare does not subsidize the poor; it subsidizes the employers who refuse to pay an equitable wage.
I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point. I know this is going to stir some of you up into a fit, but like it says in my byline, I have a deep passion for issues dealing with the poor. In my travels as an engineer and now as a stand up comedian, I’ve met and gotten to know dozens of Republican business owners. And with few exceptions they all seemed to have a deep seated distain for working people and thought even less of the poor. I’ve actually seen men shake with indignation over how much they were “forced” to pay those “lying, thieving, simpletons.” I’ve seen them slam their fist down in rage over their taxes going to pay for those lazy good for nothing bum’s liquor and cigarettes. I’ve got to tell you that the complete lack of even a hint of compassion from these Republicans I’ve encountered has filled me with a sense of dread concerning the future of our country. I got to see this side of the Republican world because I am a middle aged white guy and I don’t volunteer my politics. They assumed I was part of their good ol’ boy club freeing them to speak truthfully. I’ve had the same experience with closet white supremacists.
We talk a lot about hate and intolerance between races and religious groups. But I think we need to add to the discussion the kind of hate I’ve described here. Until we change attitudes, economic change will be on hold.
Devin Barber, Politics Correspondent
Devin’s column, “Left Of The Right” published every Tuesday and Thursday to
Gather Essentials: Politics is a Blue Collar Democrats take on current political news.
Devin was raised by proud Roosevelt Democrats. Being the son of parents counted among the throng of Americans displaced by the Great Depression has given Devin a deep rooted passion for causes dealing with the poor and the working class.
You can find all of Devin’s columns at http://gather.com/leftoftheright
You can keep up with Devin’s postings and his Gather activity by joining his Gather network. Just click here: http://kiwina58.gather.com and then select the orange “Connect” button on the left-hand side of the page.
You can find Devin and other Political Correspondents, plus celebrity content and plenty of other politics experts at Politics.gather.com.
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Comments: 81
You hang out with a bunch of simpletons, and assume they represent a large segment of the population.
Please take your hate speak elsewhere.
However, instead of encouraging them to better themselves to increase their ability to take care of themselves and their familes and have a more fulfilling life, instead, society wants to keep them where they are and repeats the message that it's "their lot in life." That, coupled with the message sent to everyone else, that "there is enough to go around", leaves the status quo.
There is enough to go around. There is also enough opportunity to go around if someone is willing to apply themself and do the work necessary. And sometimes it's hard work but the payoff is a better life.
There are always going to be people who are in a position of need and we ought to lend a hand when needed. If we only had to pay for THEM and the rest reached for what they are capable of, instead of settling, this country would be much better off.
But, what I hear is that I should give them part of my hard earned money instead of giving them the education they need to get some hard earned money of their own. I just don't see the equity in that for me or for them.
It cracks me up to hear people who have never been poor try to talk inteligently about it. Until you've lived for years bearing the excruciating yoke of poverty I think you need to shut up because you have no idea what your talking about. I grew up poor and know first hand what it's like to be shunned and ostrisized by everyone around you. I know what it's like to stand in line at the comodities warehouse waiting for a handout of food no one else would eat. Or rumaging through the bins at the Goodwill store for something to wear and then bear the humility of wearing some one elses throw aways.
And by the way, just like their are no atheists in fox holes, there are no poor Republicans.
I doubt you will find many folks on Gather that were ever dirt poor.
You think this is ridiculous, just stay tuned GOP, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Oh yeah, I've noticed you can't seem to resist reading my stuff, so what ever rings your bell.
Devin
I don't think that Republicans actually hate the poor. Republicans exploit the poor, demonize the poor, and blame them for perceived ills in society, but they don't hate them. Hate is an emotion reserved for one's equals.
I have personally known people working a 40-hour week, who still qualified for food stamps. I have seen households with 2 or more wage earners, who nevertheless qualified for housing assistance. These are not lazy do-nothings. These are the people who believe in and work for the American dream. Welfare, food stamps, Medicaid and other programs don't subsidize the poor so much as support the wealthy.
Just one point, I have known many poor republicans - the difference is they don't whine and expect the government to fix it for them. Democrats, on the other hand, often sit around with their hands out. Working to improve your lot is an amazing concept AND it works.
I don't doubt that you do know these people. What are they doing to better their own situation? If they qualify for these subsidized programs they'd most definitely qualify for education benefits. Are they availing themselves of those benefits so that they can get better jobs and increase the quality of their lives and the lives of their children?
Someone please tell me- is Devin Barber a Gather appointed correspondent?
Well then...
So when you read what I wrote about getting an education, you immediately thought of high school? I was talking about getting an education post-high school; technical school or a 4 year college.
It's ironic that I was aspiring for better things for those poor people you were speaking of than your own mindset allows.
How about people like me? The day my knee joint literally collapsed, imploded, if you will, I instantly went from $55K to less than $10K. They gave me a walker, and then a motorized three wheeler, and later, a real power wheelchair, and told me to have a nice life in it because I would never walk again. I do, but not far and not fast, and there is not a prayer that I will ever be able to do nursing again, nor is there a statistically marginal chance that I will find anything now that will pay me what I was making 18 years ago when I became disabled. Yes, you heard me, 18 years ago. Folks just don't want a high salary employee who gets around in a wheelchair, people, and no matter how much you may deny it that's just the way it is. In fact, at the local Center for Independent Living the employees had to lose their benefits AND take a pay cut to even have jobs, although they still work 40 hours a week, and half of them don't even HAVE disabilities. They just associate with people who do.
I see a whole world that I hoped never to see, and one that many of you, barring misfortune, WILL never see. Be grateful for that.
All the while the good jobs are disappearing overseas.
Still the same old maze, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer............
So please don't tell me it can't be done. People are doing it all the time. And I never said it was easy to do- just possible. The choice is theirs and the opportunity is there.
If the individuals who can reach up and out of their situations would do so instead of accepting their situation as though there is no other choice and expecting us to pay for that choice, there would be more money available to help those who do need it.
But I was very poor and abandoned by a scum of a husband who didn't pay court-ordered support. So I got my act together and went back to school. At one point, I was taking seven high-level courses, working 40 hours a week, caring for an active 5 year old AND doing volunteer work. I don't expect to support lazy people who won't get off their fat asses long enough to improve their situation. I am STILL paying back my student loans.
My father worked full time to support a family of 5 AND went to school full-time to improve his situation and ability to care for his family. He isn't too keen on paying for those people either. Oh yeah, he was a republican back when he could have used some help from the democratic powers that be. But even if it HAD been available, he wouldn't have taken it.
I know a lot of people who accomplished what we did and a bunch that wouldn't even try.
On the other hand, when someone is doing everything they can to support their family, I am more than happy to contribute to charities that assist and have my tax dollars help keep their children healthy.
Help yourself first and then, if you still need some assistance, hold your hand out. Don't hold your hand out first and then whine when people just walk on by.
I'm not sure, though, that I would say only Republicans believe and promote those myths. I think they are cultural myths promoted by the media, which don't always do their homework. They're also myths believed by many Americans, who accept what they read in the newspapers or hear on TV, and don't bother to dig a little deeper beyond the headlines.
Even so, I think your article is well researched and your opinions deserve to be respected, even if one doesn't agree with them. Snappish and sarcastic remarks are unnecessary, unprofessional and counterproductive.
There are many jobs out there. And lots of them require an education. But they also pay a lot better than the entry level positions some folks will remain in and continue to complain about. It's a choice. And I'm not keen on paying for that choice for them. If they chose something different, they wouldn't be on the system and there would be more money to help those who really need it. And some of it would be coming from those who used to collect it themselves.
I'm sorry for the struggles you have to endure, Dee.
There are disabled people who could work if they had retraining. I am all for paying for their retraining so they can be independent. i don't believe in a dollar for dollar cut in benefits when you start working either. we can't leave people worse off when they are earning their way than they were when they were on disability or welfare. I believe that most people would prefer to support themselves and their family than have to take assistance or charity. Sometimes you just have to go for it. I could have taken welfare when my ex walked out. The law said I was entitled to it. I didn't even apply. i chose to make my own way. More people need to do that.
"Almanac of American Wealth"
So, will someone explain to me why the so-called red states have the lower median incomes and many less millionaires per capita while the so-called blue states are the highest?
Maybe?
'... I think you need to shut up because you have no idea what your talking about.'
I am surprised by your ignorance. I know people who are both extremely liberal and extremely conservative. The bottom line is that they are both "good people".
If you did a little more Living you would be aware of this.
There you will find an equal amount of conservatives and liberals cohabitating.
It may at first appear as though they live a liberal lifestyle, but I would bet money that many of them have and raise their children with conservative morals and behaviors.
Your comments are hypocritical and completley off base.
Your "analysis" does the same thing you accuse the (mythical) rich Repulican business owners of doing.
To those of you who have posted positive comments, thank you.
To those of you who disagree and have stated so with arguments concerning the issue it self, thank you.
To those of you whose comments have amounted to personal attacks on me, well you've shown what you're about.
I know this article is inflamatory and a bit over the top. But I am a liberal Democrat and I make no apologies for that. I was chosen to be a Politics Correspondent for that very reason. There are as many Politics Correspondents on the other side of the political spectrum who write very good articles and I suggest you seek them out.
For those of you who think I'm talking off the top of my head, or havn't lived enough of life or whatever, I suggest you not make that assumption. I've been on this planet for nearly fifty years and I've travelled all over this country. I've seen poverty and I've lived poverty. And I've seen and lived among the other side and believe me the people I'm talking about are real and I wasn't exagerating one bit.
I would hope that Gather didn't wish to have such hateful, extremist views portrayed by their correspondents- on either side.
No one stated that the "people" you were talking about weren't real. I believe they are. It's the reasons that you state for the position they are in that are without merit. You simply cannot say that "Republicans hate the poor" and have that stand as a fact. There is no basis in fact for that and it's simply your opinion. And a poorly constructed, extremist opinion, at that.
If you wish to be viewed with any amount of respect for the "correspondent position" you have been handed, I'd suggest a little balance in your articles and dump the hateful rhetoric.
Lisa D... the people to whom I was referring (working full time and still on food stamps) were IN THE MILITARY!! I'd say they were trying to better ALL our lives, wouldn't you? btw I think this country should be ashamed that it pays the folks who "stand on the wall" so poorly.
A political correspondent should be able to think and analyze. I see nothing of that here.
What I see is worse than useless schoolyard tauting. I would ask why a person of your age has not matured beyond that personally and politically.
Broad generalizations, based upon a false premise and buttressed by a dirth of any empirical evidence.
I'm a Republican, I'm not wealthy nor do I own a business. In fact, I'm a civil servant. I only play golf two or three times a year. I care about those less fortunate than myself, but I don't coddle those who make poor life decisions and then expect the rest of us to pick up the tab to "make them whole again".
How depressing to think this is the best Gather could do in finding a political correspondent.
You kinda put your finger on the major flaw in Devin's arguement.
Neither the working poor or republicans are monolithic groups or identical people with identical views and financial statements.
People struggling fiancially have a wide assortment of problems and reasons for their difficulties. This may be why 40 years of federal, state and private programs have not been able to 'solve' this problem.
Fiscal conservatives are not all hateful as Devin contends, may be some of them just object to the idea that throwing money at a problem will solve it.
Democrats generally pay lip service to the poor; but what do they do to help? They encourage the poor to be dependent on the government; they enable them to continue in their poverty by this welfare.
But what do Democrats; especially liberal Democrats actually do personally to help the poor. There is a book out by Arthur C. Brooks called "Who Really Cares?" Some of his conclusions (supported by facts - imagine that) conservative Americans give 30 percent more money to charity than liberal Americans.
The difference isn't caused by economics. A map in the book shows the wealthier states like California and New York are below average in charitable giving, while poorer states like Mississippi and New Mexico are above average.
Unfortunately for the author of the article, it contradicts the thrust of his argument.
Thanks Donald.
I keep hearing "there are ways out of poverty through education and other programs." I'm not denying that, but do you realize what you're saying here. To me, it sounds like your saying that anyone who is unhappy working a low paying job should go back to school and get a better job. Sounds great, so let's say everyone working a job paying less than, maybe $12 an hour, quits, goes back to school and they all get better jobs, problem solved right. Wrong, if that were to actually happen, who would fill all those low paying jobs now. No one? Well, that's pretty silly isn't it. No, someone has to do these jobs and who are they? They were people raised by parents who did these jobs. My question is, why should anybody willing to put in a fair days work has to live in poverty? And why do some want to blame them for this situation to the point of distain and yes, even hatred. I've seen it first hand.
As far as charity is concerned. These people don't need or want your charity. What they want and deserve is equitable pay.
For those of you accusing me of writing a "hateful" article. If I had written an article called "why Nazi's hate Jews" or "why the KKK hates blacks", would you call those hateful articles. I'm sorry, but I call them as I see them. Exposing hate does not make the messenger hateful. You're way off base here which makes me wonder just what your objection truly is.
For those of you who have impuned my worthiness to be a Politics Correspondent. I went and read some of the things that have been written about the most famous political pundits out there today. I suppose I had better grow a pretty thick skin if I hope to have a future in THIS business.
Why couldn't it be the College students working their way through school; or even high school students who are looking for some spending money. Both of these groups are constantly recycling, and often do not require a 'living wage' to get by on.
I do have to disagree with this statement though 'many require a level of experience unatainable by the group you decribe'. Skilled labor, if it were beyond the understanding of the genre's I mentioned, would demand a higher pay scale. Unless we are talking about entry level positions, in which case that individual would then look to move up in whatever company/business/or government organization they were working for.
Devin, you are most certainly entitled to hold whatever opinion you like based upon your political beliefs. But, you are obliged, when airing those opinions in a forum such as this, to back those opinions up with a factual anaylsis. Otherwise, you have wasted your time ... and more importantly, ours.
What you are not entitled to is to go unchallenged when your obvious partisan beliefs are used to propound obvious politically partisan proaganda under the guise of authority afforded you as a Gather Correspondent.
Most opinion writers view their job as one to educate and pursuade their readers. Their work are opinion pieces with a factual basis backing up their position. They are not partisan hit pieces coughing up a simple parrotting of the DNC party line, without any evidence of thought behind it
Don't tell me what you (the collective you) give to charity. Charities support themselves first, and they do it very, very well. There are a thousand ways to skew the figures and the folks running the charities know every single one of them. Not many minimum wage jobs there, if any. If 20% of your contribution actually filters down to the charity's recipients it is a miracle, regardless of what they may say.
Rather, tell me what you have done to directly benefit one single person who is trying to better their lives and the lives of their families. Tell me that you have bought one person a bag of groceries, paid $10 toward their tuition, or bought their children a new pair of shoes when they needed them.
And yes, many people with disabilities can be retrained for decent jobs. However, that doesn't mean that employers will hire them. I take pics for three newspapers, three bands, and three winter guards, and I'm pretty darn good at catching excellent pics of kids who are moving really fast on a competition field or floor. I can't tell you how many times someone has insisted on helping me, even though I reassure them that I DO NOT need their help and would they please just get out of my way? How about all the times that a Band Booster President looked at my newspaper credentials and wheelchair and VERY reluctantly gave me a field pass, only to come to me afterwards and apologize for thinking and acting as though I was unable to do my job. Many disabled people never even get that grudging chance.
Further, let's talk about transportation issues. It's not just a problem for the mobility disabled, either. Public transportation is notoriously unreliable, and public transportation for the disabled is worse. They actively resist transporting service animals, and we won't even talk about wheelchair lifts because most of the ones on buses are continually broken. Aside from that, if someone who has no clue what they're doing is lifting you several feet off the sidewalk it can get very, very scary. Aside from all THAT, disabled people are extremely vulnerable and just riding the bus itself can be very scary.
The easy solution is to buy them a car. Unfortunately, no one, including VR, does that. Further, as of Jan 1, at least in Indiana, VR will not put adaptations in any vehicle that has over 100,000 miles on it. Few...almost none....of the people who are on disability can afford a new or almost new car. They generally don't have the credit to swing a loan on their income, and if they do they don't have the income to make the payments. The little "Buy Here, Pay Here" places will sell to them but they carry vehicles that are older and in poor shape.
Then there's a lift for those of us who need one. It used to be that there was, at least here, a rehabilitation specialist who came to you and inspected your vehicle, made a recommendation, and then inspected the work afterward to make sure it was done correctly. Not any more. If you want to read what it entails now, go read my saga at
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976912354
and
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976915763 .
It is, and continues to be, a nightmare. It MAY get done by the end of March. If you don't know when your ride will be available, you can't ask an employer to hold an open position until TPTB decide that it's your turn, and there's no guarantee that your turn WILL come, for that matter. The evaluation is only the first step in a long, tortuous process.
I want to take some photography courses, which VR will support, IF I can find courses that don't require a hundred other classes as prerequisites because all the courses at all the colleges are slanted toward a degree in journalism, which is not what I'm looking for. I just want to take pics, not continue to write newspaper copy, which I've done on a number of occasions for a number of years. I can't take these courses without taking all the prerequisite courses.
Frankly, both parties only give lip service to helping the elderly and the disabled. There are many, MANY elderly people who are in nursing homes only because they cannot afford to live outside one on the paltry sum they recieve every month. They can take care of themselves with no problem. They just can't live on three or four hundred dollars a month and have no option other than to, essentially, give up their lives so that they can survive. The same can be said for a surprising number of disabled people as well. They "live" in a nursing home because there is no place else to live. Frankly, I would live in my vehicle first, and if that died I'd live in a cardboard condo.
You have a lot of nerve talking to me like I was some kind of kid. Who appointed you the keeper of the opinion article standards. My substantiating facts are based on my own personal experience, which is considerable my friend. I spent 25 years working on the inside, or what I call the back side of government as an associate highway engineer among other proffessions and have encountered thousands of Republicans in government and business. I'd like to know where all these compassionate, charitible folks are because I sure as hell have'nt seen any.
Your article wouldn't have made it past my desk, nor many that I know of within the legitimate journalistic community. You've offered no facts to back up your case, you've provided no independent sources to support your point of view.
You have all the right in the world to spout off -- even when you're wrong, Devin. But, for true, informative opinion writing; what you propose to be offering us here, to be truly effective, it takes more than simply surmising about what reality is and then pontificating about how you think the rest of us should view it.
Nothing personal my friend, but perhaps you should stick to building roads.
in Harvard Business School that 'poor people are lazy'.
It's easy to say that when you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth.
Dee, regarding your charities statements - We do not give to a single charity whose expenses exceed 10-15% of receipts (unless that has changed since we last did our annual review of giving in 2006) and we support many other charities, including food banks, with in-kind donations that cannot be turned into high salaries. Many of us do our homework before giving, your beliefs aside.
Bravo, David B! You said it quite well.
I'd have to agree, Dee. And I do give directly to a lot of people in addition to helping by donating. And I research where the money is going, how much of it stays local and how top heavy their organization is.
I thought you were coming at me because you disagreed with me or it was just that you were a Republican. But when I discovered you were a candidate for Politics Correspondent that was not chosen I couldn't believe my eyes. I read your sample and it had about as much passion as a set of stereo instructions. Yeah I write with a lot of passion and this is my OPINION, look up the word. My facts are based on my personal observations, not supposition. Did you even read my article David? You may indeed be some kind of big time writer/editor, but you sure don't sound like one.
Passion is a wonderful thing to have when approaching a piece of opinion writing. But, for that piece to be truely worthwhile of serious consideration by the reader, that passion must be augmented by a sound rationale, verifiable facts and at least a modicum of intellectual persuasion. Unfortunately, I can discern none of that in this piece of partisan schlock.
But, the best of luck to you Devin. I wish you well in all your future "writing" endeavors.
This bears repeating.
And this will be the last article of this "Correspondent" that I give any consideration to. If I want to read what amounts to merely poorly written ranting, I can visit my middle school aged nephew's myspace page.
Gather made a very poor choice here.
You both are the worst examples of political debators I've ever seen. You've done nothing but personally attack me and then call fowl when I do it, mmmm. "Poorly written?" These insults are like water drops on a well waxed car to me. They don't stick if you know what I mean. Just sounds like a lot of sour grapes to me. And thanks for promising not to read any more of my articles. This back and forth I've had with the two of you has prevented me from having any exchanges with the truly intelligent folks that have commented on my articles. Sorry for that folks, I promise to ignore the ignorant from now on.
"My 'facts' are based on my personal observations, not supposition."
Since when did personal observations qualify as facts? I thought that qualified as an opinion...
Oh and Liz, right on.(as always)
Okay, Devin- in order to have a "debate" one must actually have something TO debate. What have you brought forth but your own extremist view backed by nothing other than your own radical belief system? I didn't see any facts. What I saw is a lot of hatefulness disguised as a political statement from someone with blinders on. I need more to work with than that and I will depart from a circular conversation of idiocy every time. Bring some facts and some critical thinking to the table. That would require some research beyond your own observations.
Here's a clue for you from your own words:
You both are the worst examples of political debators I've ever seen. You've done nothing but personally attack me and then call fowl when I do it, mmmm.
"Poorly written?"
Quack!
On a final note, because I'll not visit this article again. If you can't comment on my stuff without being snide, insulting, and completely off the subject, please refrain from doing so because you really do distract from those who want to genuinely and intelligently debate the issue.
On a final note, because I'll not visit this article again. If you can't comment on my stuff without being snide, insulting, and completely off the subject, please refrain from doing so because you really do distract from those who want to genuinely and intelligently debate the issue.
The funniest thing I've read here yet. You posted an ARTICLE that was filled with snide and insulting rhetoric!
And there you go again-assuming facts not in evidence. What you brought forth in this "article" isn't an ISSUE, it's your own personal ill-formed opinion. If you want to debate "issues" please bring them with you!
I could do the same thing you did with this article along a different line. "Why is there snow everywhere in the U.S.?" You see- when I look outside my house, there is snow. That is my personal experience so it must mean there is snow everywhere in the U.S.! And when I drive to work, there is more snow. That reinforces my opinion. And when I go 20 miles south of here, there is more snow. NOW I'm convinced. I'm right! There is snow everywhere in the U.S. because that is my personal experience on the matter so I need not look any further beyond my own eyesight and experience for any proof to the contrary.
Viola! I, too, could be a Gather Political Correspondent. I've learned how to discuss issues!!
Where are you getting the idea that there is no money to pay for this for the poor?
When I started looking into financing my daughter's education, I was amazed at the number of grants and scholarships available. And, what is wrong with guaranteed student loans? Add that to the pile of money available.
It's right-on that poor people aren't lazy--mostly they are TIRED! Too tired from working too many hours for too little money to keep their families together and taken care of.
And opportunities are not just waiting to be taken advantage of--it takes HARD WORK to make opportunities if you are poor.
People who are truly poor are usually members of families that have been poor for at least a couple of generations. If your parents didn't inherit much and had to use that to pay the bills, then you will probably inherit nothing. Even if your ancestors had decent wages, if they were unable to invest in any form of real-estate ( meaning HOME OWNERSHIP, not Trump towers!) you likely won't be able to either.
If no one before you went to college and few actually finished high school, you aren't prepared to finish college either. You don't live in a culture of education. No matter how smart you are or how well you do in high school, being a good student--or any type of student--after 18 is not what's expected of you. Not just the mind-set to study, but the monetary burden of tuition, books, fees, room, & board, etc. will place on your family when they have always expected 18-year-olds to work and take care of themselves.
This country no longer makes it easy to attend college if you are poor. If your credit score is high enough to qualify for loans, you will be in debt for years with no guarantee of wealth from the jobs available when you graduate. If you can't qualify for loans, you are just about destined to part-time status and maybe 10 or more years to complete the "basic" 4-year degree. 30-40 years ago, one could go to a private school in this country with good grades and government education grants and only be a few thousand dollars in debt or even make enough money in summer and between classes to graduate debt-free. Now public universities are almost out of reach for many in-state students.
And as to the person who said not many dirt-poor people belong to Gather--well those of you who had opportunities galore and were rich enough to exploit them all may outnumber those of us who struggle to get out of the mire we were born into, you are not the only ones here.
At least, when my mother had to support us on Social Security survivors benefits it was enough to pay our property taxes, buy food and clothes, and keep the heat on while she spent most of her time taking care of our house and me. She went to work "cleaning other peoples toilets" (her words for being a house cleaner) when I was in high school because she knew her check would stop soon. I went to the best private college in our state because the state grant and the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (renamed Pell several years later) and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and 10 hours a week of work study were able to cover all of the cost of the tuition and other fees at that time. (I was also eligible for the standard honors scholarship for being an honor student and maintaining a B average). But I had to commute to school which left me even further an outsider than I was for being a "scholarship" student and wearing discount-store & garage sale clothes.
But if I had not lived close enough to a college to commute, I probably would have joined the rest of my cousins in a job that did not require a degree, except as a girl I would not have been able to join the union and make good wages like they did. Or I would have been married to the first schmuck with a job who came along and I would be a grandma several times over by now because I would have half-a-dozen kids who also would have not graduated from college like my cousins.
A person has to be born with an exceptional fund of inner motivation to move beyond their family's level in life--or motivated parents at least. If your family thinks their life is good enough, then they will resent you for trying to be better than they are. And fighting family culture of that kind is soul-destroying even if you succeed.
Besides, wealth accumulation shouldn't be the defining goal of life. I just wish it was easier to get enough to prevent worry about paying for car repairs and doctor bills. Dirt poor may not describe my current life, but working poor still does. And I'm tired!
And not only can't you get help to make an older car accommodating, you can't borrow money to buy one either Dee. My car is literally falling apart and I could use a loan of about $2000 to replace it, but the bank only wants to lend us $6000 for the purchase of a late-model car--and a too-many-years-in-a-row loan. We could pay off $2000 in a year. I know, some of you would say "why don't you just save that amount of money every month and buy it later?" Well, I don't know if my car will last another year! and why should I have to suffer because the bank will only lend me for more than I want? Debt is the national investment strategy of lending institutions and I can't afford to pay them to be more profitable.
Since banks don't want us poor people who need (and CAN afford) small loans, the "pay-day/title" loan shark business is booming in low-income neighborhoods helping us to stay poor!
Another fine opportunity for us NOT!
Well, keep at it Devin. The nay-sayers and never-been poor people may assimilate the truth if they hear it enough. I know they will never accept it willingly, but that doesn't mean we should quit informing them.
And opportunities are not just waiting to be taken advantage of--it takes HARD WORK to make opportunities if you are poor.
What is wrong with HARD WORK? I have worked hard all of my life to get to where I am.
Even if your ancestors had decent wages, if they were unable to invest in any form of real-estate ( meaning HOME OWNERSHIP, not Trump towers!) you likely won't be able to either.
This sounds like acceptance to me. Why accept something like this about one's life as though there isn't anything that can be done about it? As though this is just one's "lot in life." It's self defeating.
This country no longer makes it easy to attend college if you are poor. If your credit score is high enough to qualify for loans, you will be in debt for years with no guarantee of wealth from the jobs available when you graduate. If you can't qualify for loans, you are just about destined to part-time status and maybe 10 or more years to complete the "basic" 4-year degree. 30-40 years ago, one could go to a private school in this country with good grades and government education grants and only be a few thousand dollars in debt or even make enough money in summer and between classes to graduate debt-free. Now public universities are almost out of reach for many in-state students.
A few of my daughter's friends came from low income families and they are in college with little or no need for additional loans. And let's say they might have to take out some loans to pay for college. So does everyone else. And there is no guarantee for them of good jobs when they get out either. If a person looks into it as best they can to see where the need will be and makes education decisions based on that, their success in finding a job is much better. This outlook on education that you espouse is very pessimistic. It can be done and there are many success stories out there. I can't remember who said it but it goes something like "if you think you can or you think you can't, either way you are right." Continuing to perpetuate an attitude of "can't" isn't helping anyone and only serves to continue the status quo.
A person has to be born with an exceptional fund of inner motivation to move beyond their family's level in life--or motivated parents at least.
This is patently untrue. You don't have to be born with this kind of motivation. You can learn it at any time in life and many people do.
The nay-sayers and never-been poor people may assimilate the truth if they hear it enough. I know they will never accept it willingly, but that doesn't mean we should quit informing them.
No, I'll never accept it at all. I won't accept a belief system that would tell poor people or anyone else that they should just accept where they are and do nothing to make their lives any better because it's just too damned hard and the education they could get might not be totally free so why bother. I will never accept that poor people are incapable of success. They are just as capable as anyone else out there and I wish people would stop trying to tell them they aren't. It's an awful message and it's just plain untrue.
What many "let em get an education" Humm Let'em eat cake people don't seem to understand, there are many circumstances that can place people in situations of poverty. Just because you have a degree gaurantees you nothing in a fast moving technologial age. For one thing, jobs are being exported at an astronomical rate. They (China, India, Mexico) build the goods we once made and stamped them with American Pride. Now big Facist corporations (our old employers) ship these goods made for pennies back to Ameria for us to buy (How long is this house of cards gonna stand). Also, I am in the process of pursuing a second degree, just to keep my fricking head above water. There are 100 slots, 300 are applying. That leaves 200, hopeful, hardworking people, chasing down barely above minimum wage jobs to pay off their student loans. But the let'em eat cake people, will never see that picture. later K
WAKE UP AMERICA
It pains me to hear your comments. This was a great and truthful piece. I worked hard all my life. Graduated from college, married had two great kids. One day I discovered a lump in my breast and bam life is forever changed. America has change from the day that your mother raised you. It is not the same. New Orleans showed everyone around the world that we do not take care of our sick and poor. Yes Lisa Republicans hate the poor. In france my husbands family who live there think so differently than Americans. Frankly they feel sorry for us. They help eachother in time of need. This country could be great but its all about "me" I don't know why you keep posting, its weird you have issues. If you don't like this writer well go somewhere else. Better yet go and watch Fox news.
What pains me is reading your post. Especially the end. All Republicans do not hate the poor just as all democrats who claim to care for the poor really dont. The point is this, people here in American can make something for themselves if they work hard and have some immagination. My family came from nothing and in the course of just a few generations we are doing just fine. My grandparents refused to take any Government help even though they were eligable because it was for those "who really needed it" I believe we should help give the poor and hand up. But we should not perpetually give a handout for those who want nothing more. Your reference to New Orleans is misplaced. Tons of money have been poured into that city. I find it scary that you admire France so much. They can feel sorry for us all they want because I feel sorry they live in a socialist state where there young adults have to riot because they cant get jobs. Leave the hate somewhere else also. The Fox news reference is ridicioulous it would like be ending every post with leave us alone and go listen to the losers on Air America