Forum Post: The Poor and the Retired Suffering Less in Today's Economy
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 24, 2011, 12:08 p.m. EST by Phanya2011
(908)
from Tucson, AZ
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
"Being broke is a financial condition; poverty is a state of mind." The thing is, the poor are not suffering any more than they ever did; the retired (and probably key players in allowing this mess to develop, and I'm in this group) are not feeling any big consequences. It's all of those in the middle who are being squeezed, for whom the jobs are not there, who have received nothing from the government but empty promises -- I believe they are the ones who make up OWS.
FALSE. Many retired people have been forced back to work by failure of the pension system, failure of the health care system, family support requirements, etc.
The poor are not suffering any less, they are suffering more and in dramatically increasing numbers. Over 46 million US citizens are living below the absurd official poverty line of $22,314 for a family of four. Social services and assistance (TANF, formerly welfare) have been reduced to levels that make life for the poor all but impossible.
True
Well, I can attest to that. I started collecting social security about a year ago. It's not enough for me to live on by itself, and I don't have any other retirement income, so I do have to keep working at least part time. But that's ok as it gets me out of the house a couple of days a week and keeps me engaged in the world. I always made somewhere between the minimum wage and a living wage all of my working life, so right now, financially, I'm better off than I have ever been at any point in my life. I take advantage of senior discounts wherever I can but I would still be described as technically poor.
All that said, I am not only an OWS supporter but I attend occupations as often as my work life, medical condition and proximity to occupations allow me.
wow. what a bunch of crap
You're right, I didn't actually say what I meant, and getting these responses really makes me aware of the difficulty in communicating with each other. I did write a "correction" to my first statement, so I do not know which statement you consider a bunch of crap. In any case, this entire process of presenting thoughts to thousands of people and hearing their reaction is probably the most educational thing I've done lately. It's easy to be understood by people who know me; much more difficult on a forum like this.
i wrote the first response... and?... the only "confusion" is on your part.
Below the comment as a comment was this: Apologies, folks. I was not speaking economically so much as in their spirit; extremely poor people are already so defeated that not much will change that; and the retired do not face decades of uncertainty (generally speaking) and have had experience with the vicissitudes of the economy. And, in response to one of you, part of my point was that the people who are now falling into poverty do not have a defeated mindset and they will fight back. That is part of the power of this movement.
Apologies, folks. I was not speaking economically so much as in their spirit; extremely poor people are already so defeated that not much will change that; and the retired do not face decades of uncertainty (generally speaking). And, in response to one of you, part of my point was that the people who are now falling into poverty are not of the defeated mindset and they will fight back. That is part of the power of this movement.
Nonsense. The price of fuel is higher than last year, or the year before, or the year before that.
Government programs that support the lowest economic demographic have stagnated or fallen sharply.
Food prices have increased. Those at the bottom suffer disproportionately compared with the rest of America.
what the fuck is this - an attempt by repelican scum to repackage their lies with new marketing spin?
Plus empty promises from employers, banks, wallstreet, FLAKESnews, MSM, marketing departments, PR firms, corporations and that TV gecko.
Who amongst the powerful, ever really keep a promise.
I know poor people. They are suffering more. I know retirees. they are suffering more. It's a state of fact, not a state of mind.
Everyone fell back to sleep after Perot. OWS is our alarm clock. People are waking up. Breakfast is being served in Philadelphia. Here's what's on the menu: http://occupywallst.org/forum/update-on-the-99-declaration-and-the-national-gene/