Posted on 03/11/2009 1:42:07 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
ELKHART, Ind.: Hundreds of cars lined up in economically distressed Elkhart on Tuesday to receive food and other items from 13 semitrailers sent by a charity.
The trucks carried more than $2.1 million worth of food, enough to help sustain about 5,200 families for a week. Elkhart, with an unemployment rate of 18.3 percent, was recently visited by President Barack Obama trying to muster public support for economic stimulus legislation.
The line wrapped around a shopping mall parking lot and onto surrounding roads. Layoffs in the recreational vehicle industry have driven much of the job loss in northern Indiana. The city was the second of several cities on Feed the Children's "Americans Feeding Americans Emergency Caravan."
"It's been a struggle," said Patricia Smith, of Elkhart, who waited more than an hour to get her supplies, which came in a box containing macaroni and cheese, canned goods, toilet paper and other items. "We're surviving and we're going to make it through this."
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
I'm positive that these people are proud that they are doing their part to help get this economy going again. Especially in their local situation, where you can cut the Democrat sponsored prosperity with a shovel.
I’m sure pelosi can fly over the town in her Gulfstream G-5 and shout “Eat cake!” The fools in the Midwest voted for obuma and are getting their just desserts. Those who didn’t vote for the ghetto con-man need to consider moving to a conservative state.
True—my first thought was, how many in that line actually needed it and how many were just getting the freebies.
‘
That’s $400 per week per family.’
My family of three could eat very well for about five weeks on that amount!
I agree. There is entirely too much focus in this country on pseudo-liberal arts “studies”, the purpose of which is indoctrination rather than education. People are encouraged to throw good money after diplomas whose value is nil to the average employer.
The bureaucrats have to be paid first. That never leaves much to do the work the money was intended to accomplish.
“So who bought those expensive motor homes?
The RICH! That’s who.”
__________________________________
And more recently ——> FEMA , after Hurricane Katrina.
(well, not the motor homes, but the trailers)
They ought to make pop-up tent/trailers and sell them to cities across America as “affordable housing”.
I support giving out food over food stamps any day. At least you can be sure they are getting the necessities and not beer and cigarettes.
Interesting that Obama used these good people as political props at least twice, and then returned to Washington and is actively pursuing policy and signing legislation that will make the job losses in Elkhart pernament.
McCain 55.1%
Obama 43.9%
Like many states, Indiana went to Obama because of the big Cities and the heavily black areas.
Ah, I misspoke. Thanks for the stats! I’m surprised that they were that much difference.
I guess Marion, Monroe and Lake county took over.
Country Coach, Monaco, and Bluebird Wanderlodge have filed for Chapter 11. Bluebird was a little higher end with
coaches close to a million +. All three of these companies
had product line from low 300k to 900k.
The factory lots are jammed with unsold units and they’ll
probably sit for years, the market for this has crashed.
That may be the case for some. Motivation is a big factor for others.
These people who stand in line for hours to get freebies - do you think they'd ever flip a hamburger, mow a lawn or plant a garden? Our great-grandfathers did whatever it took to support their families, and some had only a few years of schooling.
And I'll bet that the vast majority in that line were not poor.
They put $403 worth of food in a single box of macaroni?
There's nothing wrong with the fine hard working people in Elkhart, or anywhere else. Managers (especially at the executive level) are supposed to be managing resources, including the marketing research for current and potential saleable products.
Your comment provides some great ideas. 60k to 80k is out of your league, as it is for many others. What could we make for 10k, or 30k, with our materials, tools, and people that might sell in that league?
If the market for FedEx and UPS trucks is saturated, what can we make with our materials, tools, and people that would sell, and where the pieces could be packaged and shipped in UPS and FedEx trucks.
This is the kind of thinking that managers are supposed to do.
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