exactly which part of poor people cant afford it, dont you understand?

The biggest irony of all, whether you lean left or right, is that our elected officials have free health care, and they get to vote yearly on their own raise in income! But, they insist the working poor and the truly poor pay for their coverage or be penalized. Until people in this country wake up from their coma that supports the left/right paradigm we are all screwed. Just as ironic is all the "great" Americans who consider themselves Good Christians until it comes to caring for their fellow brothers and sisters. Providing jobs with living wages is the key to a successful capitalistic society. Ours is a mix of fascism, plutocracy, and oligarchy. My wife and I both work in the health care field and we have horrible coverage that costs us a lot out of pocket, so we avoid using it at all cost, especially the ER and the dentist, which really socks it to you out of pocket. However, we pay the head of our hospital over 50 thousand frigging dollars a week when all he really is is a PR dude! Taxation in this country is really out of control too. Winston Churchill said, "a nation trying to tax itself into prosperity is equivalent to a person standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself off the ground". You allow people to earn enough money to live on and they will spend it and pay bills with it. Without good jobs and or free or inexpensive educational opportunities then only those born with a silver spoon in their mouth can make it in today's world. The day of reckoning will get here when there are no more ways available to get away with the creative accounting fraud that is our money system. The cost of health care will help us get there sooner than later.

reply to post by 02bmw76

Winston Churchill would be spinning in his grave if he saw the state of britain today

Originally posted by reddwhite


As a matter of fact, I will bet my measly little $ 1600 income next month...

I would be grateful to make 1600 a month. Even when I was working 3 jobs every day I was only pulling in $1200 a month. I have since quit 2 of them because of the demanding hours and sleep deprivation. Between my boyfriend and I we make $1600 a month, which apparently is too much to get food stamps in New York State, but we still manage to pay our rent, car payment, car insurance, rent, utilities, etc. and get groceries. Yeah, a lot of times we're eating spaghetti or ramen noodles, but whatever, I know we're STILL better off than a LARGE portion of the world. I do understand your frustration, but $1600 a month is NOT measly to some people.... I'm grateful everyday that I just have a job, and have enough to barely scrape by.

i dont know what the convertion rate is but im only pulling in about £10 000 a year..... only just managing to pay bills and buy food. somethings gunna give sooner or later

okay checked what that would be in dollars per month, instead of pounds per year and its about $1300 a month to pay bills and feed my family, and roughly 18% of that goes to my ex-wife
so your doing better than me

reply to post by reddwhite


Thank you for pointing out one of the major problems in our society. I work sixty hours plus at a minimum wage job in the middle of nowhere. It costs me a hundred dollars in gas for the two weeks in-between pay checks, and trust me between taxes,gas and car insurance, I don't make enough to buy groceries even. I can't even imagine how expensive it would be to try and work with a family too support.

Originally posted by verschickter
Well, I earn my money with my skills and knowledge. I earn much. You can do that, too.
Higher grade means higher skills so this all comes down to learning something.

Its not ok that a construction worker, who works really hard for his money with his body, earns so low cash, I agree with you on that. But if you want to earn much money, you need special skills. You need to be a person that is not replaceable so easy. Then you are a asked person, thus you get more money.

The reason for this, is that every day, new technologies/branches evolve and you need people with the skills in it to do it. You cannot tell an electrican who works on constructions sites to plan a machine that will CNC steel or whatever with precision. You need people with specialized skills. While there are not much of them, compared to construction workers, you get higher payment. Simply as that.

I think the main point he is trying to make is that when a kid leaves home, it was not that long ago he could work at a fast food place and still get an apartment and a used car and live on his own if he worked full time.

You know we need everyone, parking attendants and food servers just as much as the tech people you are talking about...why should they not make a living wage.



And by the way, everyone now days can lose their jobs regardless of training and experience there are people out there that ran companies out of work! My stepson graduated with a BA but so far he is working any low paying job he can to pay student loan payments..not much being offered!

Not everyone can afford a higher education...clearly! Some cannot get passing grades no matter how hard they try, are they still not worthy of their labor to grant them a living

Originally posted by nerbot

Originally posted by reddwhite
As a matter of fact, I will bet my measly little $ 1600 income next month that I absolutely need to survive against $1 of yours that I am at least as intelligent and capable as you are, if not more so, in any catagory you want to name.

I choose SPELLING category because you cannot spell "category".

Please send cheque to nerbot.

Your "measly little $1600 income" would last me about 6 months.

I don't think you struggle because you don't have the income, I think you've made some wrong choices and are blaming others for them.

If that income would last you 6 months you must be living off someone else's labor and using their internet service. the average rent is half that here. You do eat don't you? Maybe use some electricity and water and sewer?

reply to post by reddwhite


Your right, I make too much money to qualify for any assistance, but not enough to live and make ends meet.

Your right, I can't afford healthcare, not even the Govs subsidized insurance thats bare minimum, and if I don't carry any, the IRS will tax my income by 1% on top of what they already take a good 20% of. It is not fair.

This is not how you fix things, this is how you make them worse.

The rich want more apparently as the Supreme court IS bought and paid for. There is no fair system in this country for anyone who works hard for a living.

Look at our choices? Be dirt poor and on every type of assistance possible with the state all in your business as a trade off. Or make too much to qualify and eek by as the price of living goes through the roof.

Mr. President....GFY

Originally posted by ML8715

Originally posted by reddwhite


As a matter of fact, I will bet my measly little $ 1600 income next month...

I would be grateful to make 1600 a month. Even when I was working 3 jobs every day I was only pulling in $1200 a month. I have since quit 2 of them because of the demanding hours and sleep deprivation. Between my boyfriend and I we make $1600 a month, which apparently is too much to get food stamps in New York State, but we still manage to pay our rent, car payment, car insurance, rent, utilities, etc. and get groceries. Yeah, a lot of times we're eating spaghetti or ramen noodles, but whatever, I know we're STILL better off than a LARGE portion of the world. I do understand your frustration, but $1600 a month is NOT measly to some people.... I'm grateful everyday that I just have a job, and have enough to barely scrape by.

And of course we all need to remember income does not say much unless you know what it costs to live where the person is at. Here it is very expensive, in California for housing and electric and all utilities and food also where I live at the far north end of the state.

The people next door rent and pay the average which is $1200.00 a month rent. We are lucky we bought our small place (mobile home) years ago and got a low payment of $800 a month.

I too hear what you are saying.

I just receive a message from someone very close to me that they're "hurting" tonight.

Bills behind, no grocery in the house, no gas in the car..... not sure what they're going to do.

I said a prayer as I sat with a tear in my eye. I wish I had money, I swear, I'd help as many people as I
could.

What really bothers me is when people I personally know cry to me that they have no money and don't have any groceries in their house, etc, but are smoking a pack or 2 a day of cigarettes. Um, hello?? Cigs are VERY expensive, (at least in NY...about $10/ pack). I'm sorry but if it were coming down to eating and paying bills or smoking, i'd give up smoking. There's a lady that I work with who filed for bankruptcy, got a loan from another co worker to pay some bills, and is in a very tight spot with money, which I do believe because we work at a retail store....yet she tells me about how she drives to PA on the weekends to buy cartons of cigs b/c they're cheaper there. It just bothers me that there's people that are barely scraping by and have to sacrifice things so they can eat/pay bills, and other people whine that they can't pay bills or eat, yet they're buying cigarettes/alcohol/drugs. /end rant.

The problem is that wages have stagnated and prices have gone up. Minimum wage today is the same as it was something like 40 years ago, while the price of everything has pretty much skyrocketed. It's really f*ed, but the rich get to stay rich and the poor get to stay poor.

reply to post by reddwhite


Well there you have it.
Herein rests the "True Conspiracy".
Apparently, you a tired of being Ripped Off every second as well.

You are not alone.
Nor are We.
Best, Wildmanimal S&F

reply to post by reddwhite


I will jump in on this one!! I know the battle!! I am working everyday just to get a paycheck. The best option is to work two jobs, but my main job insist that I work every other weekend. So, unless I can get them to just let me work Monday through Friday..then I am screwed up on getting my weekend work. I could be working my full time Monday through Friday..and 12 hour shifts of Sat. and Sun..this is my only way to clear the 500.00 a week that I need. My physical body falls apart when I do this..so now..atleast 12 Hour shifts on 2 or 3 days that I am off in a 2 week period. I always go to my employer and tell them I need extra hours to pay my healthcare!! I work in healthcare!! I need housing assistance so that me and my children have our own home..but I was told that I am over the limit because of my overtime..My job pays only around 19,000 a year..and I made 22,000 with my overtime..the housing limit is 20,000 a year in the county that I applied in..If I apply in a county nearby that I hate..the limit is 27,000..I have not attempted that yet..I am talking about HUD Housing Limits..oh and there is like a 500 persons waiting list..so we are talking about maybe 1 year waiting period...

I work in one of the most dangerous jobs in the world..meaning Bio-Hazzard..around human waste...all day long..but it is not labeled as such..My biggest daily threat everyday is MRSA..and airbourne illness..they dont warn us about contact pre-cautions until its to late..I mean they are not tested until after they are already in the building..MRSA can get on bed linens, towels, bed rails, door knobs..etc..so all of us are as careful as we can be. I love the people that I take care of..but there is such a danger in catching things you cannot see. I have 4 residents that need antibotics for a resp-infection..but the doctor will not give them any..I have been fighting for 2 weeks to convince them..finally tonight..they are going to do chest ex-rays..and then maybe they will get their antibotics..I knew about a week ago..the same issue was going around again..so I started myself on antibotics..because I knew..I would be catching the same thing..when you take care of sick people..you are more than likely going to catch something..no matter how hard you try to protect yourself. If I know that someone is sick and they are not being treated yet..and I go in with a mask on..they will ask me..why are you wearing a mask?? I went in today and my resident had bowel movement all over him..just sitting in the bathroom..I called for assistance and got a gown, mask, and gloves..so I did not get this on me..I gave him a complete shower..I cleaned the room, and left the area..Basically, I just have to block allot of this out! This just comes with the job.

Back to the healthcare bill..I cant afford my healthcare now. I only make 10.24 an hour and my insurance is 360.00 a month to cover me and my youngest son. If I need a doctor visit..it will cost me 25.00 co-pay..10.00 gas to get there and back home..and 10.00 for the medicine..so we are talking 45.00 each time..If they dont treat everyone at my workplace with antibotics at the same time..I am screwed..I get better and go back to work..and catch the same thing again...My advice- when you go into a rest-home..please wear gloves and mask..you have no clue what you are walking into.

As far as Dental Insurance- My dentist charges 600.00 for a filing..My insurance only covers 80%..so I have to come up with a 100.00 yearly deductable..and around 120.00 cash per tooth to get fixed..I need around 5 filings now..I do not have the cash on hand..so I am using DENTECH from Walmart..wonderful product when you cannot afford to get to the dentist!!

Vision Insurance..I have that but cant afford to use that either..I think the co-pay is like 25.00 and I get the check-up and then they will cover like 200.00 towards the glasses..but you have to go to where they want you to go..not Lens Crafters..where I would go..so everyone at work tells me that I will need another 200.00 in cash to get good glasses..well I dont have any extra cash to use my wonderful vision insurance..so I am just going without..

You know..I really would like them to take their healthcare and just blank it!! Personally, I am sick of all of it!!

I picture myself working until the day..I just fall over..Basically, I have decided that when my children turn 30..and can take care of themselves..I am leaving this damn country!! American Dream..Give me a break! It does not exist!

reply to post by reddwhite


Try being me, where you owe almost 10 grand from medical billls because you didnt have insurance. I hope they know I will never pay even if I am rich, I'm not paying for medical nobody should have to pay for medical. How can you call it the home of the free if you can't survive without money?

Not technically survive but you won't get special treatment like the others do that have inusrance.

If your income is 1600 you qualify for medicaid as it stands right now. The restrictions will be loosened up after that.

Having to spend 3 hours at the social services office is a small price to pay to have health insurance coverage.

reply to post by reddwhite


Slightly off topic, bur here in the UK, I don't know if you folk in the USA feel the same, I,ve noticed for some time now, that food prices seem to rise in big chunks nowadays.

Food prices used to go up by ( UK. ) 1 or 2 pence at a time, now it is not uncommon for items costing less than a pound to go up by 20, 30, or even 40 pence in one go !

Shopping carefully, and bulk buying when an item is cheap, and buying basic brands helps.

After all baked beans are baked beans, you don't have to buy H ---z beans ? Ditto all products...

reply to post by MrJohnSmith


There are people starving in the US..you just dont hear about this. Milk is like 5.00 and bread is like 3.00 and forget buying meat..Hamburger is like 5 something a pound..I can do allot with rice, pasta,potatoes, and cheese!! We are doing the best we can..now this health insurance issue is going to tear us apart!! Whats next!! Is there any country decent enough to move to..Im looking!! NC..oh, I forgot..Gas is like 3.34 a gallon here in NC..it cost me 60.00 a week to drive my Jeep Wrangler to work and back home..Basically, we are working to go and work..thats about it!


American is going to turn into Tent City...were all going to be living out in the middle of the woods..hiding from the TAX boys trying to collect on our Health Insurance..Do you think Russia may be a better country?? I found a Good Looking Russian Looking for a Wife in London..his name is John Lucas Manning..from Moscow..working in London..at some kind of business..anyway..if you can find him..send him my way..I will go home with him!!

Please excuse me tonight..I have been drinking some Gin and Cranberry Juice..LOL..I cant help it!!

reply to post by Apollo7


Don't come to the UK ! ( Not that you are'nt welcome, you are.) Your fuel prices are an absolute bargain, compared with the UK !

Our unleaded has just come down from an all time high to a current £1.32p PER LITRE ! ( Most of which is tax.)

I think you are right, some people are working just to afford to be able go to work....

reply to post by Apollo7


Despite the problems, I'd stick with the good 'ole US of A !

" John Lucas Manning " are you sure he's Russian ?

If you come across a blue eyed blonde Russian lady willing to be my mistress, I'd be more than grateful, especially if she is wealthy, and could support me in the luxury to which I would quickly become accustomed... L O L !