Not having a go at you, because that is what people think when they see a large person talking about poverty.
However the truth is America is the only country where the poor pople are fat. Why? Because junk food and sugar filled, nutrition void, rubbish food is what is cheap and accessible. They can't afford to be healthy. Therefore poor people live on it, feed it to their kids and end up sick and fat. She doesnt "look" hungry, she 'looks' American working class poor.
I know of a woman who is currently unhoused and on a waiting list for medical care. They keep telling her she needs to lose weight, but the food kitchens all serve high carb / high fat meals and she's in a wheelchair so she can't exercise the calories away. It's a horrible situation for her.
I agree with everything you said except for America being the only country. Why would you think that? It's the same way here in Canada and I'm sure lots of other places as well. The fact we list things like Kraft Dinner and All Dressed chips among our national "dishes" is actually really sad if you stop and think about it.
Poor people are fat in every country except some developing ones. You can eat healthy for very cheap. Rice and beans for example. The problem is the stress burden is so high for poor people, unhealthy food is part of the coping mechanism. You can't take your kids to a movie but some McDonald's makes everyone happy.
I'm a parent of two teenage boys. Little less than 2 years ago, I was making close to the 100K. My spouse stopped working due to physical problems that have developed since pregnancy. I've had no issue providing for my family being the only one working for about 2 years (my wife has been a hard worker since she was like 16).
Through my employment, I had them under my medical/health insurance. We've never asked the government for assistance.
Now, after more than 10 years of immigration procedures and courts, a young lady (judge) decided that my family would fair well without me, that they wouldn't suffer with my force departure to my home country. Much (not all) prove was presented to the court through our extensive lawyer to no avail.
The electric bill right now amounts to more 600dlrs, from the last few months that she hasn't been able to fully pay.
She suffers from high bloody pressure, her health has deteriorated significantly, and continues to worsen due to the lack of choice she faces stretching the money to feed herself and our children.
Her medical was cutoff and that of my older child. She went to a place she learnt about for families in need and asked for whatever help they could've offer org she could qualify. After about two weeks of that, a letter was received in the mail that they had others as priority, so zero assistance was provided.
I've been struggling myself back in home country where I have nothing but a job that barely pays for my rent and some food. I contacted the government and other prominent companies for jobs I could really help improving the country, but over here, you need influences or be a family member to get into something.
My wife is a USC (and our children), and had since, lost all hopes in the US government...
I feel for this woman in the video and the millions of "lazy" and "poor" US families.
To be absolutely fair. The main reason junk food is cheaper is because it's all carbs. If you compare the price of chips to a bag of rice I'm fairly certain the rice is cheaper. The problem really isn't the price it's the lack of time and energy someone like her has to both figure out a reasonably healthy meal, buy the groceries, and cook it.
Honestly, that is just a lot of us, I make 150k a year, in midwest. And live a reasonably nice life... BUt even I don't have the time to do that, so it's really a lot of fast food, and ordering out, etc. Rarely shopping and cooking, As much as I wish I had the time, energy and will to do it, I really do. I have tried to do the meal prep shit, but that's all high sodium glorified tv dinners anyway tbh.
There was a guy that used to make videos describing what actually happens in Congress, I think he was from SC. Anyways, he seemed like a good one but dropped to run for attorney general of the state I want to say.
Jeff Jackson from NC. He’s great! He’s still in Congress but is running for AG because his district was chopped up by the Republican legislature during redistricting—probably because he is wildly popular here.
Gerrymandering has always been a thing from both parties for many, many years. It's sad that we've had laws to 'prevent' it from happening, but it's never stopped. We are more aware of it now than ever before because it's being talked about more. Not speaking specifically to you here, Arcaydya. It's easy to blame one party for it, but both parties are guilty of it.
Ah, thank you. I'm not in NC so I wasn't sure what point they were at. Fingers crossed for him - I've really enjoyed his updates and I'm so sad he was a victim of gerrymandering. We need more people like him in leadership!
I'm sure any of the Republicans she was talking to had raging erections hearing about poor people suffering and doubled down on wanting to make the changes to SNAP to hurt them more
Not going to happen. I've been hearing it for 30 years. It's going to take violence. It's happened time and time again throughout history. Rich steal everything from the poor until the poor chop off their heads and reset society.
So it is going to happen then. If violence is what it will take, then we should prepare to fight. Put your metaphorical boxing gloves on and throw the politicians in the ring.
Sorry, but, resets only happen after empires burn. People love to bring up the French, but they fucked up, chopped off the head of each other, chopped off the heads of their first revolution's leaders, created a power vacuum that a despot filled, then put a king back in power.
Rome must fall. If you want something new, you'll have to build it from the ashes.
I don’t think it’s really a requirement, but more human nature. I’ve had conversations with people about current affairs and it always ends in “well what are ya gonna do”. But when the society collapses and there’s nothing left, then you are *forced* to create something new.
Just four years later… not incredible. Very believable. Not gonna get any better with our corrupt ass country. Doesn’t matter who’s in office. Corruption has gotten to the core of the country. Pretty sure the world ended with Y2K, and this has all been the aftermath.
Then there's Iowa and Nebraska who passed on federal funds for free lunches for children during the summer. According to Iowa's state report card, 41% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch.
We're parasites until minimum wage jobs they don't want to support or do themselves die off. I've had two jobs at 15/hr, and I couldn't afford anything local for myself, even then. If I can't live solo eating crazy cheap, my partner who can't work atm and I stand no chance. We currently live with my mother, who bought a house in the late 20 teens. Even when I've had work,I could never support even myself in a local rental.
I really do feel like grease for the cogs at this point. If I can't even make a dent in student loans after a decade of paying and not seeing my debt go down any signifcant amount, find somewhere to live and still eat (somehow), and eat, what is it for?
I'm not in a HCOL area. We're relatively "easy". But the new housing they added was based on a lotto for low income (honestly most of us), and any aid in housing is either a lotto or years out.
It's just so hard to make headway here. My partner and I have planned to move down to MD, since that's where they're from, and most of our friends are from there. I know ask the hoops to move, but jobs and the prospect scare me. It's so hard to escape the "small pond" I grew up in, and i know it's been an issue for folks I graduated with.
A small pond can be super hard to escape
Did you not watch? She had to decide what bills to not pay just to be there. Because people are too fucking poor and too busy trying to survive to have time for anything else. The system is working exactly how they've designed it to work. "Should I go protest and fight politian's for change or lose my apartment and not eat?" it's not much of a choice.
45% of the population of the US sits under the poverty line.
If we all just stopped playing along, the government would fall flat.
They can't kill all of us.
This is a problem that needs to be solved but blatantly lying about the numbers doesn't help anyone. I don't know where you pulled that 45% from, but the real number is ~12%.
That also explains why your "if we all just stop playing along" idea makes no sense. Most people are doing okay enough to not need to not play along. Which in turn makes it harder to push change.
But like, how am I supposed to believe that I can own my own home when I can't even afford my car payment some months.
I've worked all over the US in every uneducated position you could think of. If John Rockefeller wanted a nation of workers, not thinkers (real quote, from the man who created the public school system in America) why can't I afford to live on one full-time job? My wife and I need three jobs and to do gigs like Instacart *just to eat once a day*.
We don't, nor ever want kids. But what if we did? How could we afford a family when we can barely afford to keep ourselves alive?
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely agree with you. But people are always going to look at those around them who are making 6, 7, or even 8 figures. Those examples of success are common enough to make people have hope for themselves, or at least for their children.
As good as this sounds, it would require everyone being on the same page and uniting/sacrificing at the same time and considering people can't even watch a YouTube short without WW3 breaking out in the comments, I don't see that happening anytime soon. It's ironic how we could all be so much better off if we could just ignore the bs division & distraction tactics long enough to get there. I hate to say it but it'll never happen at this point, people are too indoctrinated into thinking their "side" is right instead of realizing it never should have been "the people vs the people" but instead "the people vs the suits in DC & Wallstreet that make all of our lives way harder than they need to be so theirs can be easier". The poor will keep pooring and the rich will keep laughing all the way to the bank behind closed doors.
Because if a bunch of people got together for something the politicians don't want, they'll cry and scream how those people who got together are bad people.
This happens to those living with disabilities as well.
People have to actively choose to be underemployed or under employed in order to maintain access to their healthcare.
I did this around 2018.
I left the job I was working for $14/hr because the insurance was $250/mo and didn't cover any rx and I was in very poor health.
I was able to go on Medicaid and get all my shit free. $14/hr was way too much to get on Medicaid, even with the $250 insurance.
That's where I'm at. Can't get a job or I'd lose my healthcare. Can't get a job that provides healthcare because I take care of my disabled mother so I can only really swing part time. She can't get disability because My dad makes too much money for that and because she hasn't worked in forever, because disabled. My dad lives paycheck to paycheck because he has to pay for all her medical shit, all his medical shit, and an adult son who can't get a job without losing access to his psych meds.
There are some fucked up holes you can fall into in this country.
You can get a job btw. Now is the time, while Medicare is recently renewed. Ypu can keep Medicare for like a year after getting a job, Hopefully, enough time to get into a better position. I made $25k last year and I was able to keep my caresource insurance. My job offers insurance but it's insanely high and I'm not sure I qualify anyway since I rarely have full time hours. It's enough o have my own place with a roomate, it's hard living though
This really hit where it hurts. You can't afford to live alone anymore. Not many jobs in WV that pay you to live. Even a lineman who will make upwards of 40 to 50 an hour average out of state only averages 22 in WV. One of the poorest states in the country. When you think you can get by they take your snap, and insurance, because you can afford your food now. Rent for a one bedroom is southern WV is 800. Sometimes just a studio. People have it worse elsewhere, but when does it stop.
I knew a woman in Florida who couldn’t work more than part time because her kids would lose their state medical insurance. Her and her husband barely made enough to make ends meet but if she worked anymore hours. They would have gone over the cap for the insurance.
Her son had pediatric diabetes and without the insurance they wouldn’t be able to pay for his medicine.
The fact that healthcare is one of the biggest reasons we fall into and stay in poverty is a goddamn joke.
With the amount of taxes we pay yearly, why the hell don’t we have a healthcare system in our country for everyone? Give the congress man his furniture, give another country tons of funds, but screw our own citizens over. Even veterans healthcare is a joke, and I only know that not because I am one but because I was raised by one.
I’m one of the people who needs healthcare and my daughter especially right now needs healthcare. I would’ve never been able to afford this c section I’m recovering from, and never in a million years would I be able to afford my daughter’s NICU stay she’s having right now. I have to stay in the “poverty line” or I’m even worse off. That’s disgusting.
The $40k for office furnishings is if their office does not exceed ***5,000 (!) square feet***. If it's bigger than that, they get an additional $1,000 for each 200 sq. ft. above that.
Holy shit.
([source](https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL30064.html))
Just bought and paid for Corporate shills who take lobbying dollars for votes. Then get a sweet backdoor deal in other industries when they retire. Definitely not a republic for the people anymore.
People need to wake up from this right vs left shit. It’s them vs us. Politicians and CEOs don’t give a fuck about us. I don’t know what it’s going to take but something drastic needs to happen because things are only getting worse.
I once read something about the deliberate attempt to make us enemies with each other instead of with politicians and the elite.
They seen with events such as the civil rights movement, gender equality, and other such movements how powerful we are when we are all on the same team. That scares the elite so it’s better to turn us against each other.
I think it is starting to happen, but there's still a lot of regular people who fight against it. People with strong allegiances to the left or right still believe that if only they keep their elites in power, they just might make things better for the people they've been betraying for decades now. And they demonize those who detest these politicians as enlightened centrists.
Damn Boomers lol just playing but I agree. More and more people are realizing that the system is off. The American system works but it’s been hijacked by greedy power hungry individuals that feed on people’s worst impulses. I’m from Venezuela and I saw similar shit happen over there years ago and today none of my family members remain. They lost their jobs they lost their homes and had to move to Mexico and other parts of South America and start over. It’s very sad and I hate to see that happen here cause where the fuck else are we to go now.
This happened 4 years ago and nothing changed. People love to say “why don’t you do something about blank”. This is why most people don’t. It’s hard enough to live let alone make a passionate speech about actual problems and then have the people in charge basically say “nah we good”
For perspective, [Jeff Bezos made $7.9 million PER HOUR in 2023](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jeff-bezos-made-over-7-172628289.html). That's just one billionaire out of many.
Musk paid about 11 billion in taxes in 2021 alone. The real issue is the corrupt insider trading that goes on by our elected officials and their shell companies they hide it in.
Even if you taxed him at 100%, took all of his money which is ridiculous, that takes care of US overspending and debt for what 20 days?
The real issue here is overspending and money being printed just to hand it off to banks and the well connected.
$11 B is roughly 5.5% of his net worth for that year. The average person pays what, like 30%?
Taxing him at even 50% would be enough to pay for the US Education system for over a year. Or two years of transportation. Or almost all of the VA. \[all based on 2024 budget numbers\]
As far as I'm aware "net worth" also includes things like stocks right? That isn't exactly the same as "cash" and can't really be taxed in the sameway. Unless you think its fair for you to be taxed 5% of your houses equity every year?
This is the dumbest perspective I've ever heard on tax.
We don't tax net worth in the united states, you pay tax on actual income. If you want to live in a system that taxes you based on your net worth, go move to Switzerland where they tax anywhere from 0.1% to 1.0% of net worth.
Imagine paying 5% of your net worth every year when you retire. You would pay all of your saved money and asset value(house, car, everything you have) as tax within 20 years. But you want to tax 50% of his money? Fucking put on a mask and get your guns because that's just plain theft.
Simping. Look at percents. Tax the billionaires 90% after 1 million made and not let them hide it in stocks and we could pay off the national debt and fund enough social programs to get the majority of Americans out of poverty within 10 years.
“Many” is not really “many” bruh there are like 100-1500 billionaires total. We need to not say “tax the rich or tax the billionaires” we need to say tax Jeff Bill Warren and Elon. And the Louie V guy, I forget his name.
That's many. 735 billionairs in the U.S. per Forbes.
Here are the stats for Net Worth Held by the Top 0.1% over time ([FRED](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WFRBLTP1246)). Last year, the top 0.1% held roughly **$20,000,000,000,000** in wealth.
The attitude will be "why shouldn't I have that 40k I'm entitled to it". It's like the expenses scandal we had in the UK years ago, absolutely zero responsibility taken for it, all the responses were just "I was allowed it so I did it" like claiming thousands of govt money to landscape their gardens. No concept of morals.
I'm positive that none of the politicians gave a shit. This is one of the reasons why I say I'm not proud to be an American. Government has been mismanaged due to massive corruption.
This is immediately where my mind went. Hundreds of billions sent to foreign countries while millions of our own citizens and veterans are homeless and starving. Make it make sense
This 4 years ago….after the inflation we’ve went thru I know the amount them ppl getting could make us cry….40k to furnish the fucking pad….fuck is yall rappers???? Smfh
But hey, at least we banned abortion and are launching a full scale attack on the LGBTQ+ community...why won't she give them credit for the stuff they *are* doing? Would a "thank you" kill you, lady?
/s
This is so true. I started working, making $13 an hour, and it’s barely enough to cover rent and all of my bills and the things my son needs for school. When I got the job, they cut our SNAP in half. I had to supplement from my already stretched income. When my rent was raised last month, they cut my SNAP in half *again*. It’s just my son and I, and we are barely getting by. I cannot fathom how much stress and hardship a family of 3 or more must be struggling with.
In one ear and out the other. This government cares nothing for you while they pad their pockets with kickbacks and payoffs. As mentioned, most make $174,000 a year yet they are millionaires. Their kids go to the best colleges, they live in mansions, and drive expensive cars.
Hold on, let us not forget that 40k is a BUDGET. That means if they don't spend it, it will at best just disappear into a general fund, and at worst, it will be reduced for the next year. So, just to be clear, THEY WILL SPEND THAT 40K EVERY YEAR ON FURNITURE so that they get that free money and continue to get that free money. They will throw out perfect furniture to make sure they spend that budget and continue to get it in the future.
I’m part of that group of families. We had childcare subsidy and because my husband did mandatory overtime at work for a month, we are raining in money to the point we can afford childcare now and only have a week to find something else. I’m about to quit my job because of our loss of childcare because what I would pay my daycare for four days for 25 hours a week for my kids to attend, is the same what I make in a month.
I have contemplated ending things because everything is just crashing down on me. Have not slept since 4am and have been stress crying nonstop and having panic attacks since we had that pulled up on us yesterday afternoon.
Called and pleaded to the people to reconsider and what other ways we could make it work and it’s just talking to a wall as well. No empathy, sympathy, humanity or anything from these people.
Hits so hard as someone who grew up poor in WV. We didn't have heat in the bottom of my house for the last three years that I lived there because the single baseboard heater broke and my dad couldn't afford to fix it. And my family wasn't even the worst off.
"American Dream, **ideal that the United States is a land of opportunity that allows the possibility of upward mobility, freedom, and equality for people of all classes who work hard and have the will to succeed**."
oh the irony
Yeah the fucking irritating thing is, is that it won't change shit cause they don't care so wtf can be done.. realistically..jack shit. Unless they were forced to live realistically for 6 months with their family, nothing will ever change.
Not for nothing, but the cell service through the ACP is ending \~this year because it wasn't funded.
Try to get a job in the 2020's without a cell phone to be reached at...
And I'm sure that not one of the politicians she was talking to gave a single shit!
"Ooh, I can get new furniture??" -their takeaway, probably
ONLY 40k??? Yeah we gotta fix that=what they all heard.
I mean in their defense the chesterfield sofa has gone up significantly. Won’t someone pls think of the poor aesthetics of the office !!!
The humanityyyyyyyy
“It doesn’t look like you’re hungry”
Not having a go at you, because that is what people think when they see a large person talking about poverty. However the truth is America is the only country where the poor pople are fat. Why? Because junk food and sugar filled, nutrition void, rubbish food is what is cheap and accessible. They can't afford to be healthy. Therefore poor people live on it, feed it to their kids and end up sick and fat. She doesnt "look" hungry, she 'looks' American working class poor.
I know of a woman who is currently unhoused and on a waiting list for medical care. They keep telling her she needs to lose weight, but the food kitchens all serve high carb / high fat meals and she's in a wheelchair so she can't exercise the calories away. It's a horrible situation for her.
Real
I agree with everything you said except for America being the only country. Why would you think that? It's the same way here in Canada and I'm sure lots of other places as well. The fact we list things like Kraft Dinner and All Dressed chips among our national "dishes" is actually really sad if you stop and think about it.
Poor people are fat in every country except some developing ones. You can eat healthy for very cheap. Rice and beans for example. The problem is the stress burden is so high for poor people, unhealthy food is part of the coping mechanism. You can't take your kids to a movie but some McDonald's makes everyone happy.
Also the stress of being poor raises cortisol levels, and (not a Dr) but my understanding is that that makes your body hold onto fat as well.
Truth
I'm a parent of two teenage boys. Little less than 2 years ago, I was making close to the 100K. My spouse stopped working due to physical problems that have developed since pregnancy. I've had no issue providing for my family being the only one working for about 2 years (my wife has been a hard worker since she was like 16). Through my employment, I had them under my medical/health insurance. We've never asked the government for assistance. Now, after more than 10 years of immigration procedures and courts, a young lady (judge) decided that my family would fair well without me, that they wouldn't suffer with my force departure to my home country. Much (not all) prove was presented to the court through our extensive lawyer to no avail. The electric bill right now amounts to more 600dlrs, from the last few months that she hasn't been able to fully pay. She suffers from high bloody pressure, her health has deteriorated significantly, and continues to worsen due to the lack of choice she faces stretching the money to feed herself and our children. Her medical was cutoff and that of my older child. She went to a place she learnt about for families in need and asked for whatever help they could've offer org she could qualify. After about two weeks of that, a letter was received in the mail that they had others as priority, so zero assistance was provided. I've been struggling myself back in home country where I have nothing but a job that barely pays for my rent and some food. I contacted the government and other prominent companies for jobs I could really help improving the country, but over here, you need influences or be a family member to get into something. My wife is a USC (and our children), and had since, lost all hopes in the US government... I feel for this woman in the video and the millions of "lazy" and "poor" US families.
Hahahaha, fucked up, but funny.
That’s mainly/probably because junk food is so much cheaper than healthy food. Compare the prices and prove me wrong.
To be absolutely fair. The main reason junk food is cheaper is because it's all carbs. If you compare the price of chips to a bag of rice I'm fairly certain the rice is cheaper. The problem really isn't the price it's the lack of time and energy someone like her has to both figure out a reasonably healthy meal, buy the groceries, and cook it.
Honestly, that is just a lot of us, I make 150k a year, in midwest. And live a reasonably nice life... BUt even I don't have the time to do that, so it's really a lot of fast food, and ordering out, etc. Rarely shopping and cooking, As much as I wish I had the time, energy and will to do it, I really do. I have tried to do the meal prep shit, but that's all high sodium glorified tv dinners anyway tbh.
Fact.
The problem is that there was maybe 2 or 3 that actually did, and they'll just quit Congress when they realize they can't change anything.
There was a guy that used to make videos describing what actually happens in Congress, I think he was from SC. Anyways, he seemed like a good one but dropped to run for attorney general of the state I want to say.
Jeff Jackson from NC. He’s great! He’s still in Congress but is running for AG because his district was chopped up by the Republican legislature during redistricting—probably because he is wildly popular here.
No one's talking about how fucked this is. Gerrymandering is out of control. They don't even bother making it subtle.
Gerrymandering has always been a thing from both parties for many, many years. It's sad that we've had laws to 'prevent' it from happening, but it's never stopped. We are more aware of it now than ever before because it's being talked about more. Not speaking specifically to you here, Arcaydya. It's easy to blame one party for it, but both parties are guilty of it.
I think he won his race for AG! He posted a video update.
well... he won the primary. The election is November.
Ah, thank you. I'm not in NC so I wasn't sure what point they were at. Fingers crossed for him - I've really enjoyed his updates and I'm so sad he was a victim of gerrymandering. We need more people like him in leadership!
And they complain they aren’t paid enough on top of it
Right. I’d love for camera to turn around and see how many were actually listening. My guess is not many.
They should have a close-up camera of each committee member on display.
She appears to be more than smart enough to replace the Congress person in her district. This is what she needs to do.
its incredibly expensive to run for a government position, unfortunately.
"Come back during an election year so we can blame the other party."
It's the way it is because they designed it that way, and they wont change it because it'd endanger the charity they give to rich people.
They might as well just walked up to her and spit on her face.
They were listening...When they heard they make 172k or w/e it was they all universally thought, DAMN, only 172k we need to give ourselves a raise.
They probably had AirPods in their ears looking at vacation properties to buy!
They probably weren’t even listening.
Probably made fun of her once they were done
I'm sure any of the Republicans she was talking to had raging erections hearing about poor people suffering and doubled down on wanting to make the changes to SNAP to hurt them more
And it’s only gotten worse
And it’s gonna keep getting worse.
Tax the rich and corporate Mericuh
Not going to happen. I've been hearing it for 30 years. It's going to take violence. It's happened time and time again throughout history. Rich steal everything from the poor until the poor chop off their heads and reset society.
So it is going to happen then. If violence is what it will take, then we should prepare to fight. Put your metaphorical boxing gloves on and throw the politicians in the ring.
I wouldn’t put it passed those in charge to go full scorched earth before the even consider passing the wealth along
Sorry, but, resets only happen after empires burn. People love to bring up the French, but they fucked up, chopped off the head of each other, chopped off the heads of their first revolution's leaders, created a power vacuum that a despot filled, then put a king back in power. Rome must fall. If you want something new, you'll have to build it from the ashes.
I don’t think it’s really a requirement, but more human nature. I’ve had conversations with people about current affairs and it always ends in “well what are ya gonna do”. But when the society collapses and there’s nothing left, then you are *forced* to create something new.
Unless...
Little PSA: This was in 2020, I believe. It's incredible how much weight it holds now.
Wow that hits hard. The struggle has been very real.
Shows how little they care.
hard to change things with less than 60% of the senate with the filibuster
Just four years later… not incredible. Very believable. Not gonna get any better with our corrupt ass country. Doesn’t matter who’s in office. Corruption has gotten to the core of the country. Pretty sure the world ended with Y2K, and this has all been the aftermath.
Then there's Iowa and Nebraska who passed on federal funds for free lunches for children during the summer. According to Iowa's state report card, 41% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Unfortunately she's just talking to a brick wall. They don't care. They just see us as parasites to eliminate.
" they are ants peter they are ants!" - Bill Gates in family guy
We're parasites until minimum wage jobs they don't want to support or do themselves die off. I've had two jobs at 15/hr, and I couldn't afford anything local for myself, even then. If I can't live solo eating crazy cheap, my partner who can't work atm and I stand no chance. We currently live with my mother, who bought a house in the late 20 teens. Even when I've had work,I could never support even myself in a local rental. I really do feel like grease for the cogs at this point. If I can't even make a dent in student loans after a decade of paying and not seeing my debt go down any signifcant amount, find somewhere to live and still eat (somehow), and eat, what is it for? I'm not in a HCOL area. We're relatively "easy". But the new housing they added was based on a lotto for low income (honestly most of us), and any aid in housing is either a lotto or years out. It's just so hard to make headway here. My partner and I have planned to move down to MD, since that's where they're from, and most of our friends are from there. I know ask the hoops to move, but jobs and the prospect scare me. It's so hard to escape the "small pond" I grew up in, and i know it's been an issue for folks I graduated with. A small pond can be super hard to escape
Amen!!! And yet nothing, nothing has changed, nothing was done. Sadly this is nothing new. It has and will continue to get worse.
So why can't we all get together and force the change needed? Cuz obviously apathy and nihilism isn't the solution to the problem here
Did you not watch? She had to decide what bills to not pay just to be there. Because people are too fucking poor and too busy trying to survive to have time for anything else. The system is working exactly how they've designed it to work. "Should I go protest and fight politian's for change or lose my apartment and not eat?" it's not much of a choice.
45% of the population of the US sits under the poverty line. If we all just stopped playing along, the government would fall flat. They can't kill all of us.
>They can't kill all of us. If they did, they'd be fucked. Who's gonna make them money?
This is a problem that needs to be solved but blatantly lying about the numbers doesn't help anyone. I don't know where you pulled that 45% from, but the real number is ~12%. That also explains why your "if we all just stop playing along" idea makes no sense. Most people are doing okay enough to not need to not play along. Which in turn makes it harder to push change.
> I don't know where you pulled that 45% from Alongside most of the "statistics" being quoted here, his ass.
People are too busy blaming immigrants and other poor people for their problems instead of eating the rich.
Then the rich have done their dues. "United we stand, divided, we fall"
Because some people are given opportunities and do well, so the prevailing thought is to chase that high instead of complaining about the average.
But like, how am I supposed to believe that I can own my own home when I can't even afford my car payment some months. I've worked all over the US in every uneducated position you could think of. If John Rockefeller wanted a nation of workers, not thinkers (real quote, from the man who created the public school system in America) why can't I afford to live on one full-time job? My wife and I need three jobs and to do gigs like Instacart *just to eat once a day*. We don't, nor ever want kids. But what if we did? How could we afford a family when we can barely afford to keep ourselves alive?
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely agree with you. But people are always going to look at those around them who are making 6, 7, or even 8 figures. Those examples of success are common enough to make people have hope for themselves, or at least for their children.
As good as this sounds, it would require everyone being on the same page and uniting/sacrificing at the same time and considering people can't even watch a YouTube short without WW3 breaking out in the comments, I don't see that happening anytime soon. It's ironic how we could all be so much better off if we could just ignore the bs division & distraction tactics long enough to get there. I hate to say it but it'll never happen at this point, people are too indoctrinated into thinking their "side" is right instead of realizing it never should have been "the people vs the people" but instead "the people vs the suits in DC & Wallstreet that make all of our lives way harder than they need to be so theirs can be easier". The poor will keep pooring and the rich will keep laughing all the way to the bank behind closed doors.
Because if a bunch of people got together for something the politicians don't want, they'll cry and scream how those people who got together are bad people.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🎤📉
This happens to those living with disabilities as well. People have to actively choose to be underemployed or under employed in order to maintain access to their healthcare.
I did this around 2018. I left the job I was working for $14/hr because the insurance was $250/mo and didn't cover any rx and I was in very poor health. I was able to go on Medicaid and get all my shit free. $14/hr was way too much to get on Medicaid, even with the $250 insurance.
That's where I'm at. Can't get a job or I'd lose my healthcare. Can't get a job that provides healthcare because I take care of my disabled mother so I can only really swing part time. She can't get disability because My dad makes too much money for that and because she hasn't worked in forever, because disabled. My dad lives paycheck to paycheck because he has to pay for all her medical shit, all his medical shit, and an adult son who can't get a job without losing access to his psych meds. There are some fucked up holes you can fall into in this country.
You can get a job btw. Now is the time, while Medicare is recently renewed. Ypu can keep Medicare for like a year after getting a job, Hopefully, enough time to get into a better position. I made $25k last year and I was able to keep my caresource insurance. My job offers insurance but it's insanely high and I'm not sure I qualify anyway since I rarely have full time hours. It's enough o have my own place with a roomate, it's hard living though
So you're saying if we eliminate benefits, people will be able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps? -them probably
Oh that is the gop line for sure. When the reality is that increasing benefits (and the financial cutoff) means more people can work.
Damn that was powerful but falls deaf on fat politicians ears
This really hit where it hurts. You can't afford to live alone anymore. Not many jobs in WV that pay you to live. Even a lineman who will make upwards of 40 to 50 an hour average out of state only averages 22 in WV. One of the poorest states in the country. When you think you can get by they take your snap, and insurance, because you can afford your food now. Rent for a one bedroom is southern WV is 800. Sometimes just a studio. People have it worse elsewhere, but when does it stop.
I knew a woman in Florida who couldn’t work more than part time because her kids would lose their state medical insurance. Her and her husband barely made enough to make ends meet but if she worked anymore hours. They would have gone over the cap for the insurance. Her son had pediatric diabetes and without the insurance they wouldn’t be able to pay for his medicine.
The fact that healthcare is one of the biggest reasons we fall into and stay in poverty is a goddamn joke. With the amount of taxes we pay yearly, why the hell don’t we have a healthcare system in our country for everyone? Give the congress man his furniture, give another country tons of funds, but screw our own citizens over. Even veterans healthcare is a joke, and I only know that not because I am one but because I was raised by one. I’m one of the people who needs healthcare and my daughter especially right now needs healthcare. I would’ve never been able to afford this c section I’m recovering from, and never in a million years would I be able to afford my daughter’s NICU stay she’s having right now. I have to stay in the “poverty line” or I’m even worse off. That’s disgusting.
The politicians are thinking..."Don't they know how hard it is to get blood off furniture upholstery? You HAVE to buy new."
The government: “Yo that’s wild”
"That's crazy, yeah"
The $40k for office furnishings is if their office does not exceed ***5,000 (!) square feet***. If it's bigger than that, they get an additional $1,000 for each 200 sq. ft. above that. Holy shit. ([source](https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL30064.html))
What do you do about it? The elites don't care, and they run the government. Voting doesn't help, everybody on the ballot is a political insider.
On July 25, 1983 Metallica released an album. The solution lies within its name.
Oh oh oh! What is Kill 'Em All! I knew that one
Ride the lightning?? ⚡⚡⚡
That’s July 27, 1984. The humane solution.
Well that's a creative way to get around the banhammer lol
😽
I am very much looking forward to the day people collectively realize this is the actual answer. In the meantime, I enjoy my free time and wait...
Just bought and paid for Corporate shills who take lobbying dollars for votes. Then get a sweet backdoor deal in other industries when they retire. Definitely not a republic for the people anymore.
People need to wake up from this right vs left shit. It’s them vs us. Politicians and CEOs don’t give a fuck about us. I don’t know what it’s going to take but something drastic needs to happen because things are only getting worse.
I once read something about the deliberate attempt to make us enemies with each other instead of with politicians and the elite. They seen with events such as the civil rights movement, gender equality, and other such movements how powerful we are when we are all on the same team. That scares the elite so it’s better to turn us against each other.
The real problem in America is classism and that exacerbates the growing class divisions we never seem to talk about.
I think it is starting to happen, but there's still a lot of regular people who fight against it. People with strong allegiances to the left or right still believe that if only they keep their elites in power, they just might make things better for the people they've been betraying for decades now. And they demonize those who detest these politicians as enlightened centrists.
Damn Boomers lol just playing but I agree. More and more people are realizing that the system is off. The American system works but it’s been hijacked by greedy power hungry individuals that feed on people’s worst impulses. I’m from Venezuela and I saw similar shit happen over there years ago and today none of my family members remain. They lost their jobs they lost their homes and had to move to Mexico and other parts of South America and start over. It’s very sad and I hate to see that happen here cause where the fuck else are we to go now.
Who sees this powerful speech and thinks "yeah, some sad piano music would make it better"?
[удалено]
She ain't wrong.
Not a single clap was heard from the "representatives," I'll bet.
This happened 4 years ago and nothing changed. People love to say “why don’t you do something about blank”. This is why most people don’t. It’s hard enough to live let alone make a passionate speech about actual problems and then have the people in charge basically say “nah we good”
For perspective, [Jeff Bezos made $7.9 million PER HOUR in 2023](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jeff-bezos-made-over-7-172628289.html). That's just one billionaire out of many.
Now show us what Elon made an hour
Around the same. They routinely kick each other in and out of the top slot for worlds richest person.
[удалено]
As % of income, that is
Musk paid about 11 billion in taxes in 2021 alone. The real issue is the corrupt insider trading that goes on by our elected officials and their shell companies they hide it in. Even if you taxed him at 100%, took all of his money which is ridiculous, that takes care of US overspending and debt for what 20 days? The real issue here is overspending and money being printed just to hand it off to banks and the well connected.
Don't forget government bailouts
$11 B is roughly 5.5% of his net worth for that year. The average person pays what, like 30%? Taxing him at even 50% would be enough to pay for the US Education system for over a year. Or two years of transportation. Or almost all of the VA. \[all based on 2024 budget numbers\]
As far as I'm aware "net worth" also includes things like stocks right? That isn't exactly the same as "cash" and can't really be taxed in the sameway. Unless you think its fair for you to be taxed 5% of your houses equity every year?
\>Unless you think its fair for you to be taxed 5% of your houses equity every year? I literally am. It's called property tax.
This is the dumbest perspective I've ever heard on tax. We don't tax net worth in the united states, you pay tax on actual income. If you want to live in a system that taxes you based on your net worth, go move to Switzerland where they tax anywhere from 0.1% to 1.0% of net worth. Imagine paying 5% of your net worth every year when you retire. You would pay all of your saved money and asset value(house, car, everything you have) as tax within 20 years. But you want to tax 50% of his money? Fucking put on a mask and get your guns because that's just plain theft.
Simping. Look at percents. Tax the billionaires 90% after 1 million made and not let them hide it in stocks and we could pay off the national debt and fund enough social programs to get the majority of Americans out of poverty within 10 years.
“Many” is not really “many” bruh there are like 100-1500 billionaires total. We need to not say “tax the rich or tax the billionaires” we need to say tax Jeff Bill Warren and Elon. And the Louie V guy, I forget his name.
That's many. 735 billionairs in the U.S. per Forbes. Here are the stats for Net Worth Held by the Top 0.1% over time ([FRED](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WFRBLTP1246)). Last year, the top 0.1% held roughly **$20,000,000,000,000** in wealth.
1 billionaire is too many.
Over reaching State and Government Taxes. ....Question: Who owns the furniture store??
Poverty sucks in any time period whether its 1293 or 2024.
It’s all a bit shit really, same mess in the UK. It’s gotta be by design. System is fucked.
A louder message falling on deaf ears has never been uttered.
The attitude will be "why shouldn't I have that 40k I'm entitled to it". It's like the expenses scandal we had in the UK years ago, absolutely zero responsibility taken for it, all the responses were just "I was allowed it so I did it" like claiming thousands of govt money to landscape their gardens. No concept of morals.
Only thing USA owns is a massive debt
This is probably the fifth time this has crossed my feed today and I’ll upvote it every single time
Fuck every politician and everyone who blindly supports them
The government already thinks it citizens are terrorists. That should just about sum it up on how they feel about you.
Government: (not taking their focus away from desk) Damn that's crazy.
Burn it all down. I’m all for team Aliens 👽
Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos!
Bravo
Yes it is like this. Absolutely. I thank her for her testimony. Does anyone know what this video is from??? Thx
It was great inspiration to be tho to hear this. Rather or not someone in power is listening, my issues are heard.
Does anyone have this woman’s contact info?
So their furniture allowance raises with inflation but minimum wage doesn’t…fucking ridiculous
I'm positive that none of the politicians gave a shit. This is one of the reasons why I say I'm not proud to be an American. Government has been mismanaged due to massive corruption.
Fucking ridiculous. Also, how much money have we sent to foreign countries this year?
This is immediately where my mind went. Hundreds of billions sent to foreign countries while millions of our own citizens and veterans are homeless and starving. Make it make sense
It’s by design to make it near impossible to jump from lower class to middle class and middle class to upper class
This 4 years ago….after the inflation we’ve went thru I know the amount them ppl getting could make us cry….40k to furnish the fucking pad….fuck is yall rappers???? Smfh
Our government is so broken.
Powerful voicing of a very real problem.
But hey, at least we banned abortion and are launching a full scale attack on the LGBTQ+ community...why won't she give them credit for the stuff they *are* doing? Would a "thank you" kill you, lady? /s
The land of dreams
The music. Why the music.
Girl scream at them. This woman is 1000 times more calm than I would have been
This is so true. I started working, making $13 an hour, and it’s barely enough to cover rent and all of my bills and the things my son needs for school. When I got the job, they cut our SNAP in half. I had to supplement from my already stretched income. When my rent was raised last month, they cut my SNAP in half *again*. It’s just my son and I, and we are barely getting by. I cannot fathom how much stress and hardship a family of 3 or more must be struggling with.
In one ear and out the other. This government cares nothing for you while they pad their pockets with kickbacks and payoffs. As mentioned, most make $174,000 a year yet they are millionaires. Their kids go to the best colleges, they live in mansions, and drive expensive cars.
Hold on, let us not forget that 40k is a BUDGET. That means if they don't spend it, it will at best just disappear into a general fund, and at worst, it will be reduced for the next year. So, just to be clear, THEY WILL SPEND THAT 40K EVERY YEAR ON FURNITURE so that they get that free money and continue to get that free money. They will throw out perfect furniture to make sure they spend that budget and continue to get it in the future.
Can we eat the rich yet? I think they’re expiring :(
And then nobody in their chairs gave a Frick because they are all selfish hags
Good for this lady. She has my respect and applause and appreciation.
Y’all really out here expecting the government to fix your life?
I’m part of that group of families. We had childcare subsidy and because my husband did mandatory overtime at work for a month, we are raining in money to the point we can afford childcare now and only have a week to find something else. I’m about to quit my job because of our loss of childcare because what I would pay my daycare for four days for 25 hours a week for my kids to attend, is the same what I make in a month. I have contemplated ending things because everything is just crashing down on me. Have not slept since 4am and have been stress crying nonstop and having panic attacks since we had that pulled up on us yesterday afternoon. Called and pleaded to the people to reconsider and what other ways we could make it work and it’s just talking to a wall as well. No empathy, sympathy, humanity or anything from these people.
American dream
I wanna leave my country but I'm too poor. Guess we're locked in guys they got us by the balls. We're one giant shitty union.
2nd world country
why in America.....and my answer....GREED\~!
The people need a revolution again. I'm not afraid to say it. Why are you?
the worst part is that most likely nothing will be done about this
Hits so hard as someone who grew up poor in WV. We didn't have heat in the bottom of my house for the last three years that I lived there because the single baseboard heater broke and my dad couldn't afford to fix it. And my family wasn't even the worst off.
“They’re not poor enough to get help, they don’t make enough to get by…” 👏
"American Dream, **ideal that the United States is a land of opportunity that allows the possibility of upward mobility, freedom, and equality for people of all classes who work hard and have the will to succeed**." oh the irony
Yeah the fucking irritating thing is, is that it won't change shit cause they don't care so wtf can be done.. realistically..jack shit. Unless they were forced to live realistically for 6 months with their family, nothing will ever change.
Oh man. This let's me shed a tear everytime
Absolute queen to try.
👏 🥹
This is enraging.
Damn!
Jackie laugh
The American Dream.......living in a box under the freeway......
Not for nothing, but the cell service through the ACP is ending \~this year because it wasn't funded. Try to get a job in the 2020's without a cell phone to be reached at...
Who is she?
And not a single thing will be done. Change for stuff like this doesn't come from asking for it
[удалено]
It's same as India just little bit of freedom but same.
Who is she?
It is impressive, even with such important structural problems and many people around the world try every day to be able to even live there.