Two American Families

[Anonymous]

Anyone see this on PBS last night ?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/two-american-families/

I watched it with a lump in my throat and a heavy heart.

Good decent hard working people don't always make it. Neither do their kids.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I felt so terrible for those families. And the 60 year old guy doing trash pick up just seemed so wrong.

[Anonymous]

I watched it too and it made me even more angry that people like my in-laws believe that most poor people are lazy and just taking advantage of the system.

[Anonymous]

Looking forward to see it. I used to use the earlier installments to teach sociology and social problems so I remember those two families well. I hear it's not going so well for them. Ugh....

[Anonymous]

"I feel like we went backwards."

In truth they did.

This could be titled Millions of American Families. It looks worse now than it did then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I watched it too and it made me even more angry that people like my in-laws believe that most poor people are lazy and just taking advantage of the system.

I know so many people who have this view. Makes me want to throttle them. How have they missed the headlines about the gap between rich and poor growing? How are they not FURIOUS that we have let this happen?

[Anonymous]

Just absolutely disheartening, esp. the sense of defeat. I cannot beloeve what is happening in our country, alot is the lack of insurance coverage, the shi**ty low wages, and the lack of childcare resources, cost of college, it is just so wrong.

[Anonymous]

Believe

[Anonymous]

That sucked to watch

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched it too and it made me even more angry that people like my in-laws believe that most poor people are lazy and just taking advantage of the system.

I know so many people who have this view. Makes me want to throttle them. How have they missed the headlines about the gap between rich and poor growing? How are they not FURIOUS that we have let this happen?

So is the belief that we have to let the freeloaders continue so we can help these people that really need it? I'm really curious if that's what you and the pp are saying, because we know there are people that are taking advantage of the system. I wonder what the % is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched it too and it made me even more angry that people like my in-laws believe that most poor people are lazy and just taking advantage of the system.

I know so many people who have this view. Makes me want to throttle them. How have they missed the headlines about the gap between rich and poor growing? How are they not FURIOUS that we have let this happen?

So is the belief that we have to let the freeloaders continue so we can help these people that really need it? I'm really curious if that's what you and the pp are saying, because we know there are people that are taking advantage of the system. I wonder what the % is?

All of the stats that I have seen suggest the rate is quite low. I would much rather give undeserving people things if that means those that are deserving get it, rather than vice versa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched it too and it made me even more angry that people like my in-laws believe that most poor people are lazy and just taking advantage of the system.

I know so many people who have this view. Makes me want to throttle them. How have they missed the headlines about the gap between rich and poor growing? How are they not FURIOUS that we have let this happen?

So is the belief that we have to let the freeloaders continue so we can help these people that really need it? I'm really curious if that's what you and the pp are saying, because we know there are people that are taking advantage of the system. I wonder what the % is?

All of the stats that I have seen suggest the rate is quite low. I would much rather give undeserving people things if that means those that are deserving get it, rather than vice versa.

I wonder how these stats are calculated. Quickly thinking about my little world, I know of 5 families taking advantage vs 1 who is deserving. I know it's not my place to determine who is "deserving", but the one is mentally challenged and could not hold down a job. The other 5 families have adults who are capable of working, but would prefer to live in low-income housing, on food stamps and use a medical card. All 6 families are relatives, so though I don't know all the circumstances, we know enough to know they're taking advantage. It's so frustrating to see these bums get quicker medical care than other family members, because they don't have to worry about co-pays and deductibles.

[Anonymous]

2350 is lying.

[Anonymous]

I did watch and it really highlighted the fact that education is still the best most viable option for improving your standard of living. I really believe if that oldest son who went to Alabama State had moved away after college he would be farther along financially. Also, it showed how not having kids before obtaining an education really financially puts you behind.

What I found the most disheartening is that both sets of parents failed to provide their kids (with the exception of the black family's oldest son) with the value of education and really push for their kids to get educated.

The white mom spent way too much time making excuses for not getting a job and had she done so right away, she likely would have never got as far behind. Even if she had only cleared $100 but a paycheck after childcare that would have been an extra $100 their family needed to survive. Also, they held onto to the house way too long and it was to their detriment. They should have let it go far sooner. Had they been able to move on quicker, things probably wouldn't have slipped so far for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched it too and it made me even more angry that people like my in-laws believe that most poor people are lazy and just taking advantage of the system.

I know so many people who have this view. Makes me want to throttle them. How have they missed the headlines about the gap between rich and poor growing? How are they not FURIOUS that we have let this happen?

So is the belief that we have to let the freeloaders continue so we can help these people that really need it? I'm really curious if that's what you and the pp are saying, because we know there are people that are taking advantage of the system. I wonder what the % is?

All of the stats that I have seen suggest the rate is quite low. I would much rather give undeserving people things if that means those that are deserving get it, rather than vice versa.

I wonder how these stats are calculated. Quickly thinking about my little world, I know of 5 families taking advantage vs 1 who is deserving. I know it's not my place to determine who is "deserving", but the one is mentally challenged and could not hold down a job. The other 5 families have adults who are capable of working, but would prefer to live in low-income housing, on food stamps and use a medical card. All 6 families are relatives, so though I don't know all the circumstances, we know enough to know they're taking advantage. It's so frustrating to see these bums get quicker medical care than other family members, because they don't have to worry about co-pays and deductibles.

Generational poverty. It's all they know, expect and aspire to. I think it was Jamie Foxx who said if he had known that he had relatives who held high social status (eg, politician, professor, lawyer), he might have aspired to more than being in the entertainment field (which is a great achievement in itself considering most don't make it).