Could You Raise Your Kids on Less Than $15,000 a Year? Millions of Parents Are Forced to Learn How

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/could-you-raise-your-kids-less-15000-year-millions-parents-are-forced-learn-how




Sometimes, it's useful to state the obvious. Here's a fact, for example, that we all know to be true: America's economy is enormous. It's worth saying that out loud and repeating it to ourselves and others, because today's Powers That Be (economic, political, and media) are wrongly forcing a regime of austerity on our nation. They're insisting that we hoi polloi must downsize our middle-class dreams, claiming that America no longer has the wherewithal to do big things.

Their narrow and pessimistic prescription for our future is not only at odds with the American spirit, but also at odds with the facts. The wealth of this nation is naturally huge and expansive--thanks to such fundamentals as the sheer size and diversity of our land, the breadth and depth of our natural resources, and especially the can-do attitude of our enterprising and hardworking people. Far from shrinking down, we have the economic strength today to be spreading the middle class and advancing the historic, egalitarian ideals that were planted at America's founding.

In natural terms, our economy is a giant sequoia. Unfortunately, our present corporate and governmental leadership can't seem to grasp one of the basic laws of nature: You can't keep a mighty tree alive (much less have it thrive) by only spritzing the fine leaves at the tippy-top. The fate of the whole tree depends on nurturing the grassroots.

Sadly, in this time of such potential for greatness, we're led by a myopic crew of leaf spritzers. In Washington, on Wall Street, and in the corporate suites, the elites have taken exquisite care of themselves, with the top one percent tripling their share of the nation's wealth since 1980 . How did they obtain this phenomenal boost? By siphoning up shares of America's wealth that had been going to the rest of us. Blithely oblivious to the dangerous shriveling of the grassroots, they've increased their take by offshoring our middle-class jobs, slashing American wages and benefits in practically every sector, busting the ability of unions to fight back, deregulating their nefarious corporate and financial operations, dodging their tax obligations, privatizing and gutting public services (from schools to food stamps), and turning our elections into auctions run by and for billionaires.

[Kolesar]

1. Why would anybody want to try? eom

[canoeist52]

2. I like this line

"You can't keep a mighty tree alive (much less have it thrive) by only spritzing the fine leaves at the tippy-top. The fate of the whole tree depends on nurturing the grassroots. "

[turtlerescue1]

3. Sadly xchrom, this is said perfectly.

I do not know how young families are surviving. How do they keep nutrition a part of daily life in raising youngsters?

Obama disappointed me is some areas, but he surely was handed a mess about to go off the cliff. Which makes me wonder WHAT IF Mr. McCain and Dingbat had been elected? Besides being at war in every country, what would American life look like?

I can't get over this worded this so well.

Thankyou xchrom. "Food for Thought" for sure.

[tjdee]

4. I did that last year and guess what, it sucks.

I was on unemployment for some of the year and freelanced the rest of it. I did not go on welfare/get food stamps.

I am a single parent and chose/choose to freelance so I can be available to my child, and I am happy with that decision---but it is difficult financially. If I had more than one child I would absolutely not be able to live this way.

This year I'll still make less than 25K.

[xchrom]

5. +1

[justabob]

6. +2

Even with a bit of help from family, it is a struggle every single day and night.

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. IMHO, you should accept food stamps.

I'm not going to presume to tell you what's best for your family.

BUT... every dollar of foodstamp aid raises economic activity by $1.70. The same austerity trap that's holding the economy back at the macro level also occurs at the micro level.

Those roadside signs bragging about projects funded by the Recovery Act? The money spent on those projects had less benefit to the economy than the food assistance to which you are eligible.

[tjdee]

9. That's been suggested many times :)

Basically it boils down to being too proud to accept them, and I despise dealing with the staff at social services. They don't make it easy--and frankly, IMO, people don't realize how demoralizing it can be to have to explain your financial situation to strangers. When people talk about 'welfare queens' etc., they have no idea what it is like to sit for four hours in a room with other broke folks and then talk to someone in an under-staffed office who hears sob stories all day long. Most people in there do not want to be there.

We do have Medicaid, so I have been there lol, and verifying my income is always an irritation because I'm self-employed and work on the internet; they act completely confused. I've also had people act completely confused that I seem well-educated and not like "those people".

I'm also incredibly stubborn and think I am just days away from getting ridiculously high paying clients. I make sure my child eats well, and I do ok. I can buy ice cream and no one gives me dirty looks.

I do appreciate your post though I was not aware that it raises economic activity until a few days ago in the ... EBT thread? Don't remember.

[We are Devo]

7. Everyday almost,

I thank my lucky stars that I didn't have kids. Too damn expensive.

[woo me with science]

10. K&R