It is not just individuals on the take.
Today, I got a surprise visit from an old friend. She works as a contractor for a large fast food corporation. In that capacity, she has to sit in on meetings where the nitty-gritty of their financial situation is discussed candidly. She has to grit her teeth and keep quiet as this client represents the majority of her income. The fast food conglomerate is delighted that the SNAP cards can be accepted at their stores. It means the difference between staying in business and not.
She is based in the NE and has many friends facing foreclosure. People looking for work are just getting the message that they need to forget about titles and perks and take any job that results in any income. These are mid-30-to-40-something people who have been CEOs, VPs, and top management. She knows too many people involved in short sales or foreclosures. The past year, crime has increased in her formerly nice neighborhood. Her boyfriend has 165 apartment units. He is lucky to get full rent, if any, from his tenants. She went on and on.
She travels a lot for work and also told me of places in Washington State and Oregon with large encampments of homeless/jobless. While the Skid Rows in the cities are black and Hispanic, the rural encampments are mostly white. She said that some places the municipalities are hauling in porta potties and generally trying to make sure things stay hygienic. There is nothing else they can do, because the situation is large and enduring.
She and her friends likely all voted for zerO. We have not discussed politics at all in the past 3 years, because I just am not up to having an argument with her. I have known her most of her life and value her as a person. But today, I was honest about my political views and our personal financial situation and she was in agreement with everything I said. The thing is, I am unsure if these young people will vote GOP and I can’t really blame them. They think that if the government benefits and employment are withdrawn or cut, things will totally collapse and quickly. So, I will guess they won’t vote at all or will reluctantly vote donk.
Just adding to your catalog of why we are over as America the way we all knew it. I am 15 years older than you and also grateful for what I experienced before 2008.
Thank you for a very informative post. Anybody who can’t see that we are in an economic depression is either not looking very hard, or happens to be in the elite group who is thriving on government dollars during this depression.
FWIW, it depresses me to no end that I feel that America has passed the tipping point to inevitable totalitarian socialism. My personal life is very good. By all rights I should be a very happy person - but I am not, and that is due solely to knowing that a kid born today won’t know a fraction of the freedom I’ve known. By the time he is my age, the TSA will be doing full strip searches on every flyer. This kid and all of the others working will be taxed to death to support 100 million bums.
See, I made myself depressed again? Boo hoo.