The Rise of the Working Poor and the Non-Working Rich

[Crewleader]

The Rise of the Working Poor and the Non-Working Rich

Monday, March 30, 2015

By Robert Reich

Many believe that poor people deserve to be poor because they’re lazy. As Speaker John Boehner has said, the poor have a notion that “I really don’t have to work. I don’t really want to do this. I think I’d rather just sit around.”

In reality, a large and growing share of the nation’s poor work full time — sometimes sixty or more hours a week – yet still don’t earn enough to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

It’s also commonly believed, especially among Republicans, that the rich deserve their wealth because they work harder than others.

In reality, a large and growing portion of the super-rich have never broken a sweat. Their wealth has been handed to them.

The rise of these two groups — the working poor and non-working rich – is relatively new. Both are challenging the core American assumptions that people are paid what they’re worth, and work is justly rewarded.

Why are these two groups growing?

http://robertreich.org/post/115067624170

[nilesobek]

1. I am in a unique position

on this issue. I am a working poor person who does landscaping and concrete hardscapes almost exclusively for the non-working rich.
I'm putting down 70 hours a week at ten an hour building fancy walls and fountains, LED lighted curbs, engraved boulders and I'm still poor. In addition I work sporadically cutting and installing headstones, work for my neighbor who has a mobile sawmill. I haven't turned down work in a long time.
I get cocktails with them after the jobs if the big boss is gone. I got a 500$ tip on one job, but usually just amuse themselves drinking and watching me sweat and toil.

[Crewleader]

2. I hear you nilesobek

Here is another article I read today and will pass it on to you and for others to see.

http://www.oftwominds.com/blogmar15/few-slots3-15.html

I bet you do fine work nilesobek, very nice meeting you.

[nilesobek]

3. Its good to meet you crewleader.

By your name I can see that I would definately be a follower if I was on your crew. I'm still, as always, in the learning phase.

Thanks for the link I read the article and there's plenty to think about. I just don't know if I can do anything about the income disparity except keep trying.

[Sherman A1]

5. Agreed

You have hit the nail on the head there, Crewleader is certainly one for us all to follow!

[Sherman A1]

4. There really are two americas

as John Edwards said years ago. All one has to do is simply look around when out on their daily errands and shopping. It is a return to the Gilded Era of the late 1800's. Just a matter of technology as a separating force I believe. People struggling to work two and three jobs just to make ends almost meet each month.

We desperately need a significant increase in the minimum wage as a starting place to set this situation right.