The recent results from a Gallup Poll (Jan 2018) showed that 36% Americans are dissatisfied with the ability to get ahead by working hard!This should not be a surprise for anyone working today for peanuts while exhausting themselves daily for 10c raises as Top Producers/Associate of the Months and whatever other title they wiggle in your face to try to achieve.
I know this because like many of you - I went from upper middle- to extreme poverty- now officially 'locked in' to the bottom row.
You might ask how? Well, divorce, bankruptcy, no child support for over a year living on credit to raise a family of four, legal/medical expenses, marital/credit debt, student loan debt (by way that MPA never used to raise 3 kids with son med disabled for life since birth.)
I mention this once again not for sympathy, not empathy, not compassion as I know that's not the norm today but to show that working hard is a farce as it's a tough competition today with not only the college kids but the low salaries, the stagnant wages, the lack of benefits and cutting hours just below F-T (yes I see you employers), and the work to death motto that leaves you with nothing more than higher medical bills.
How should I know as I worked at a factory as top producer in two departments while being video taped by my bosses to show others how it's done. The garbage guy who didn't work off conveyor, allowed to move freely w/o question, never begged for toilet breaks or fresh air circulation from dusty fans overhead made more than me working like a nut.
I was paid exactly $7.25 hr w 10cent raise with $25 one time bonuses for associate of the month awards.
YIPPEEEE!
I would add that same job pays the same wages from when I worked as a teen (now 47 next May.)
Is this the 'Make America Great Again' that they all spoke of so beautifully or are we being sold more empty promises and broken dreams (ps. Malignant Narcissist survivor too.)
So, yes, when I say the welfare to work is to force others into employment w/o care or concern for safety or survival - I MEAN IT!
You see while in extreme poverty my son (19 yo now full time college) was taken off SSI/SSP in March just before graduating high school in May and ironically the same day the welfare to work took effect.
Now push forward a few months he then enrolled full time night classes at college (1st yr freshman) and he has his food stamps taken away...and they wonder why colleges now have food banks inside of them?
What the hell is wrong with people?
You see my family and I were left bankrupt and homeless after divorcing an abusive spouse with an active pfa and violation w his arrest and 3 month probation for enrollment into alcohol and drug and anger management courses.
A warrant was issued for his failure to pay and appear for court and child support w 15 k arrears.
I had given up career to raise med disabled son w vater syndrome for 19 yrs.
I have looked for a job since 2010 (separation) and 2013 (divorce) w 3 interviews this after attending job fairs, networking, referrals, cold calls, begging, placing resumes online after updating at undergrad colleges, with linkedin business accounts, etc...
I was just passed up with my 20 yrs volunteering experience and Points of Light Award for a college girl who was basically on the yearbook staff as a content writer even though I currently work unpaid as a national trade blogger with over 9 major publications producing over 1k reviews yearly at Goodreads/NetGalley and having won every award for high reviews and stats.
So folks, please do continue with the hard work pays nonsense but it's not what you do it's who you know, how much money you possess, and what your age, race, and other factors like class and credit are in today's world.
You see those w/o credit can't get jobs, nor housing, nor will landlords rent to those w kids or past abuse histories. This is fact!
You might also not be aware that shelters won't take in women and kids nope just women and they must not be in the facility during the day but seeking work.
EBT is not a handout but handup and I know this all too well as I continue to dispose of the myths and misconceptions having had my food insecurities told to every member of Congress in Community Voices.
So sure, when those who've been fed the lies approach me I want to rip their heads off because the stories about welfare recipients and the abuse of the system or the character judgement is so off center and made to be a 'catch all or nothing' response.
The facts are when you have welfare providing more income than minimum wage employment than you have yourself a huge problem! In Pennsylvania, it's $6.53 more income!
https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/states-welfare-recipients-paid-more-minimum-wage.html/
Now, if you have to support a family and you can't get paid a 'living wage' to raise a family wouldn't you make the same choice others are now being forced to make?
Would you think this is milking or survival? You tell me.
What if you needed benefits because your family member was disabled or suffered other lifelong illnesses or ailments? What if I told you employers deliberately pay under 40 hrs to not provide benefits. Would you think less of others for seeking benefits to survive? Or in my case with spinal stenosis causing leg paralysis, raynaud's phenomenon, severe anemia w dyspnea, vater syndrome, and much, much, more.
This is reality folks and though the 'GET A JOB' comments are enduring they are not reality for many especially those my age or older who can't get hired from age discrimination.
If you think it doesn't exists I ask why would a company wish to hire a LT unemployed homemaker whose overqualified and lacks prior work experience with a family of 4 to support on benefits and flex schedules when they can easily go to greener pastures with a college student that is young and not often seeking such accolades to survive but rather need to get foot in door to start the dreaded loan process or deferment.
In fact, you cannot write off those student loans in bankruptcy so good luck with all that debt.
The author illustrates a point when he notes, 82% said income inequality is a major problem according to his research from Pew Research Center - Oct 2017.
In essence, the middle class is being hollowed out every day as we enter a feudal system for the top 1% rather than a sustainable working class capitalist system.
If you want the truth I provide this video from my former boss; President of Al Beech, a local food bank for which I volunteered. Here she puts on full display the myths and misconceptions she herself had which resembled what many now believe and how wrong she was in her own professional words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HakCAdPrlms
For more information about poverty, EBT, food insecurities and more please visit my profile or check out these links and then tell me hard work pays:
https://www.pointsoflight.org/awards/donna-m-gatcha-hines/
https://d3b0lhre2rgreb.cloudfront.net/ms-content/uploads/sites/9/2015/10/07191013/CommunityVoices-web-003.pdf
PG 38 to see my story told by Rose DeLauro (D-Conn)
https://www.mfhs.org/?s=donna+hines
Blogs on the topics of LT Unemployment and Extreme Poverty:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-you-should-hire-long-term-unemployed-donna-hines/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/exposing-myths-surrounding-poverty-donna-hines/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/exposing-myths-surrounding-poverty-donna-hines/
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