My disdain for the poor.

[Roomy]

You've nailed it, really. Somebody NEEDS to tell her 'Nobody is promised nor owed an easy life." If her ONE job can't pay her bills, she should get a second. Or third. This article describes a woman who probably isn't lazy - but who is expending energy inefficiently.

First thing - any child OF working age, SHOULD work.

Second thing - Go on a F'ing DIET. That'll save money

Third thing - Work more, hang out at homes 'less'. I can promise her kids will be better served by watching her struggle but provide, than by having her to snuggle.

You never disappoint.

[Birdzeye]

That's only partially true. If I lost my job tomorrow, I'd have a good cry on Thursday. On Friday I'd start looking for work. Within a week or two I'd HAVE work - maybe not what I wanted to do, but something I 'could' do. My wife would also find employment. I bet between the two of us, doing odd-jobs even (Cleaning office buildings, delivering newspapers, etc) we could make as much or MORE than I do now, as the sole bread-winner. We'd definitely have to work HARDER...but again, nobody said life should be anything but hard.

Nobody lost 'everything' from the hurricane as long as they had their wits, their health, and proper motivation to FIX things.

Then you're overly optimistic. When I lost my job in '75, in the middle of a recession, I was confident that I'd find another job within a month. Eight months later, after a lot of looking, I finally found something, a job for which I was overqualified. That was the other issue; I applied for jobs that required fewer skills than I had, and was routinely turned down for being "overqualified."

And yes, people in the gulf coast literally lost everything, their homes, their belongings - everything! Even those who had their wits about them had a hard time starting from scratch, after a traumatic experience like that.

I hope if you ever are in such a situation (God forbid), that people will be kinder to you than you are to those who have had devastating losses.

[Roomy]

That's only partially true. If I lost my job tomorrow, I'd have a good cry on Thursday. On Friday I'd start looking for work. Within a week or two I'd HAVE work - maybe not what I wanted to do, but something I 'could' do. My wife would also find employment. I bet between the two of us, doing odd-jobs even (Cleaning office buildings, delivering newspapers, etc) we could make as much or MORE than I do now, as the sole bread-winner. We'd definitely have to work HARDER...but again, nobody said life should be anything but hard.

Nobody lost 'everything' from the hurricane as long as they had their wits, their health, and proper motivation to FIX things.

Send her to work, deliver some newspapers and clean some offices together, get rich quick.

[KitchenKitten99]

You must be the breadwinner in your house?How does it feel?

um, actually I am a stay-at-home mom, but I do in-home daycare for 2 families, so I make a whopping $11k/year. My sweet, hardworking husband is the breadwinner, and has skills he can take anywhere. I have various office/retail/restaurant skills dating back to age 14 (i'm 26 now). Neither of us has any college education. We have two kids, a nice house in a perfect location (my opinion), two cars that are paid for, and less than $5k in credit card debt. We worked for everything we have. My oldest had to go to daycare for the first 3 years of his life, up until last fall, but we had to sacrifice so we could buy my grandparents' house when they retired. I worked jobs that I hated. I am just not cut out to work for other people or under other people. It felt so good to put in my notice at work without worrying about finding another to replace it. I am happiest raising my two kids and helping some parents raise theirs, and working a side business as a Pure Romance consultant for fun money and guaranteed time out of the house.

My point: It took a lot of work and sacrifice and money, to get where we are now. I have a 5 year plan to open my own bridal shop once my youngest is in school, providing we still only have 2 kids. This will take time, money, and sacrifice again. But I will accomplish it if I really want it. Again, I have no college education, and neither does my husband. Yet he makes more per year than the average college graduate in an entry-level position.

[darin]

Then you're overly optimistic. When I lost my job in '75, in the middle of a recession, I was confident that I'd find another job within a month. Eight months later, after a lot of looking, I finally found something, a job for which I was overqualified. That was the other issue; I applied for jobs that required fewer skills than I had, and was routinely turned down for being "overqualified."

And yes, people in the gulf coast literally lost everything, their homes, their belongings - everything! Even those who had their wits about them had a hard time starting from scratch, after a traumatic experience like that.

I hope if you ever are in such a situation (God forbid), that people will be kinder to you than you are to those who have had devastating losses.

I'm not optimistic - I'm realistic. If you waited eight months to get a job, that's on you. Didn't you have fast-food places? I could probably give a by-name-list of more than 100 people I've known who came to this country without so much as the ability to speak English. Those people, by working two or three jobs have today become 6-figure-income folks. I refuse to think they are more-capable than I, who grew up here.

You didn't work for 8 months probably because you wouldn't take 'a' job. You were waiting for 'the' job? Maybe?

Those who lost "everything" (which I debate) can still LEAVE and find work elsewhere. The fact is, they chose to stay in a place w/ few jobs and junk.

[KitchenKitten99]

I'm not optimistic - I'm realistic. If you waited eight months to get a job, that's on you. Didn't you have fast-food places? I could probably give a by-name-list of more than 100 people I've known who came to this country without so much as the ability to speak English. Those people, by working two or three jobs have today become 6-figure-income folks. I refuse to think they are more-capable than I, who grew up here.

You didn't work for 8 months probably because you wouldn't take 'a' job. You were waiting for 'the' job? Maybe?

Those who lost "everything" (which I debate) can still LEAVE and find work elsewhere. The fact is, they chose to stay in a place w/ few jobs and junk.

my first job was a fast food place. McDonalds. I stayed thru high school, then for 2 years after as a 2nd job to help pay for our wedding. I actually was sad to leave it because I kind of enjoyed it, but I wasn't going to be able to make much more unless I wanted to become a FT manager, and I wasn't interested because my main job paid more FT. McDonalds was one of the most fun jobs I have ever worked. But, didn't need 2nd job after marriage, and I was sick of working 6 days/wk.

I would go back in a heartbeat if I had to.

[Nienna]

You've nailed it, really. Somebody NEEDS to tell her 'Nobody is promised nor owed an easy life." If her ONE job can't pay her bills, she should get a second. Or third. This article describes a woman who probably isn't lazy - but who is expending energy inefficiently.

First thing - any child OF working age, SHOULD work.

Second thing - Go on a F'ing DIET. That'll save money

Third thing - Work more, hang out at homes 'less'. I can promise her kids will be better served by watching her struggle but provide, than by having her to snuggle.

Exactly... she seems to have no clue that the choices she made and continues to make are what's keeping her down. There are times when sympathy is not the kindest thing. (I have had to learn that the hard way.) Not saying she needs criticism or harshness, or even saying that she shouldn't take ANY sort of assistance. But the way in which she is managing her resources is guaranteed to keep her down. Instead of calling for minimum wage raises, which only hurt the economy in general, this reporter should be calling for resource management lessons. She needs education, not petting.

[trobinett]

Roomy, YOU, and people like YOU, are the REASON for this woman, and the situation she has placed HERSELF in.

How do YOU feel?

[jackass]

I could parody roopuls thread and tear it to pieces,

Actually I was going to ask you to do just what he did. Let us see what you get out of the article.

[jillian]

Well, obviously, you managed to muddle your way through it without too much undue hardship, since you're still here, so.. what IS your take on it?

No, love, I never muddle. My take is that we're dealing with an ignorant woman who hasn't a clue about how to manage her life. Do I think she should have had 6 kids? Nope. But I also am not uneducated and I have life skills that were taught me by my parents; I wasn't raised in poverty; I went to college and law school while I worked (though I didn't put myself through college... working was for my spending money).

In other words... sounds to me like Darin hit on something when he said "someone should tell her...". Someone should. No one ever has. And, yes, some people raised in poverty can summon up all the strength in their character and make a life and rise above Not everyone can. I don't belive in hand-outs for those people. I believe in giving them a leg up. You know... classes, job training, etc.

I see her as someone who would fit very nicely into the show My Name is Earl.

What I think is that she's ignorant and needs guidence, not derision. (The dogs and convenience store shopping, notwithstanding). Not all of us are so lucky as to have had parents who could teach us and pass along values.

I think, also, that sometimes people get kicked really hard and become debilitated. It then becomes difficult to function on a day to day basis.

Oh yeah...and I think that societies are judged by how they treat their oldest, their weakest and their poorest.

I'm sure you can muddle through that.

[CockySOB]

Is it her fault or the systems?Accidents do happen repeatedly btw.

In this world, only we can be responsible for ourselves. She is responsible for her own decisions, not "the system." "The system" is a cop-out for those who want to absolve themselves of responsibility and/or accountability.

[Birdzeye]

I'm not optimistic - I'm realistic. If you waited eight months to get a job, that's on you. Didn't you have fast-food places? I could probably give a by-name-list of more than 100 people I've known who came to this country without so much as the ability to speak English. Those people, by working two or three jobs have today become 6-figure-income folks. I refuse to think they are more-capable than I, who grew up here.

You didn't work for 8 months probably because you wouldn't take 'a' job. You were waiting for 'the' job? Maybe?

Those who lost "everything" (which I debate) can still LEAVE and find work elsewhere. The fact is, they chose to stay in a place w/ few jobs and junk.

You have a lot of nerve to say those things to me! I didn't work for eight months because I didn't get ANY job offers! Remember what I said; a recession was going on at the time!

I looked and looked and applied and interviewed.

When I finally got a job offer, it wasn't in my professional field but a secretarial job. I took it.

Your apology is accepted.

[Dilloduck]

No, love, I never muddle. My take is that we're dealing with an ignorant woman who hasn't a clue about how to manage her life. Do I think she should have had 6 kids? Nope. But I also am not uneducated and I have life skills that were taught me by my parents; I wasn't raised in poverty; I went to college and law school while I worked (though I didn't put myself through college... working was for my spending money).

In other words... sounds to me like Darin hit on something when he said "someone should tell her...". Someone should. No one ever has. And, yes, some people raised in poverty can summon up all the strength in their character and make a life and rise above Not everyone can. I don't belive in hand-outs for those people. I believe in giving them a leg up. You know... classes, job training, etc.

I see her as someone who would fit very nicely into the show My Name is Earl.

What I think is that she's ignorant and needs guidence, not derision. (The dogs and convenience store shopping, notwithstanding). Not all of us are so lucky as to have had parents who could teach us and pass along values.

I think, also, that sometimes people get kicked really hard and become debilitated. It then becomes difficult to function on a day to day basis.

Oh yeah...and I think that societies are judged by how they treat their oldest, their weakest and their poorest.

I'm sure you can muddle through that.

Who judges societies that way?

[CockySOB]

in the US being poor is a crime...
Seriously though, all capitalist societies need the poor to function.Without them, the economy would go belly up....

Thank you for lowering the IQ of everyone who read that post. You sir, are a fool.

[avatar4321]

Exactly... she seems to have no clue that the choices she made and continues to make are what's keeping her down. There are times when sympathy is not the kindest thing. (I have had to learn that the hard way.) Not saying she needs criticism or harshness, or even saying that she shouldn't take ANY sort of assistance. But the way in which she is managing her resources is guaranteed to keep her down. Instead of calling for minimum wage raises, which only hurt the economy in general, this reporter should be calling for resource management lessons. She needs education, not petting.

Which is exactly what we have all been saying. I don't know what this is such a difficult concept for some people. We provide so many opportunities for those who are poor and disadvantaged to do better for themselves. Heck I know I still qualify as poor and disadvantaged. There are plenty of things I don't have that I would love to have. But you have to learn to prioritize. And the first priority is always survival. I am dumbfounded at people who appear to make absolutely no effort on their own behalf, especially when there at steps she can easily take.

1)Sell the dogs. That will save tons of money there.
2)Stop paying child support for kids who have the power to work on their own.
3)Fill out the piece of paper she needs to get housing.
4)Shop around for good prices on food.
5)Have both adults get jobs, or atleast get the second one a part time job during the day when the kids are at school and dont need to be looked over. or alternate times so when one is at work the other is at home with the kids.

Those are just a few of the things that this mother could clearly do to put herself in a better position. And alot of it is just common sense.

And far from picking on the poor, I was saying the same things when Mike Tyson went bankrupt. Instead of declaring bankrupcy why shouldnt he just sell the stupid freaking tigers that are draining so much of his funds or buy a smaller house. its ridiculous.