Posted on 11/29/2011 9:19:41 PM PST by JohnKinAK
The following must-see 60 Minutes segment further highlights the deteriorating economic conditions across the United States. It turns out some families are losing their grip on the motels and discovering that the homesless shelters are full. Where do they go then? They try to keep up appearances by day and try to stay out of sight at night – holding on to one another in a hidden America, a place you wouldn’t notice unless you ran into the people we met in the moments before dawn.
There are millions of Americans right now that are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Inevitably, as things get worse, many more will join those who have already been forced to abandon their old lifestyles to live in short-term low cost motels, homeless shelters, tent cities or in their cars. To be sure, some of those living on the streets made mistakes and poor decisions that have brought them where they are today. Others, however, are the collateral damage from a government run amok and the decades long unfettered sociopathic thievery of law abiding hard working Americans.
The longevity of homelessness continues to rise. So people are running out of resources. The unemployment runs out. Their savings run out. The family that lent them money does not have it anymore because they are looking at economic hardship. And, before you know it, they find themselves living in their car because they just ran out of all options.
For those whose timetable for economic collapse lies at some arbitrary time in the future, take a serious look at what’s happening around you. Millions have lost their homes. Even more have lost their jobs. Those who are still spending are doing so with the money they have left in their savings or the available credit left on their charge cards. Record numbers of people are living in poverty and the same is true for those seeking food assistance from the government. The collapse is here. It’s staring us in the face. It can’t be ignored. And, it’s not even close to being over.
None of us will remain untouched by the events playing out in the world around us. We can take steps to prepare to the best of our abilities, but circumstances may get the better of us. If and when hard times befall us – and there’s a strong possibility they will – and the seemingly uncontrollable feelings of helplessness and failure take hold, we can only hope to have the strength, optimism and realistic perspective of the 15 year old girl featured in the 60 Minutes story:
It’s not really that much of an embarrassment. It’s only life. You do what you need to do, right?
As the election cycle goes slimy/personal etc............lets not lose sight of the horrific results Progressivism is producing daily in this Country.
Did 60 Minutes assess blame for this condition?
In the past, liberals blamed homelessness on the economic policies of Republican presidents. News stories about this problem are prominent when a Republican is president.
Now, one would have thought that such problems would be solved when we have a good Democrat in the White House. Obama is a good Democrat. Obama has the Democrat compassion for the downtrodden and all that. Do we mean to say that Obama has not marshalled the resources at his disposal to fight this epidemic of homeless he inherited from the evil George W. Bush????????
There but for the grace of God goes any of us. Could be me, if things don’t turn around pretty soon.
They are running this segment to show why a Democrat government is necessary, not to blame the Republicans.
No it was pretty a-political. It focuses on a couple of working families in Florida and the hard times that they have fallen into due to unemployment. Also shows charitable organizations at work. Surprisingly well done.........heart wrenching actually.
This was a bad, but in some ways disturbingly prophetic film:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078766/
Americathon.
I live in a well to do suburb of Pittsburgh and frequently get up to do grocery shopping when the stores are still being stocked by overnight staff. I have noticed that seemingly every time I go at that hour there have been people with seemingly everything they own in the back of their car. Where they go when the parking lots are full? I do not know. Do I think they’re just the automotive version of “Hoarders”? No. I know they are living in their car.
I do know it’s out there. I have seen it first hand.
However the same store they are in front of is hiring people to stock shelves or run the floor cleaner overnights for $10.75 an hour. That’s the part the truly puzzles me.
God help our children and grandchildren. The sad fact is ..this never had to happen. Our govt has been paid ample amounts of money to ensure this country remained prosperous and they mishandled it and now want MORE so they may mishandle that too. I realize this is a worldwide problem but in all reality it did not have to happen in the USA.
I have watched in horror as our schools deteriorated to war zones; our reps lie and squander the tax dollars and corruption is wide spread...God help America and if Obama is re-elected we may as well kiss this nation goodbye
The reason is that people WAITED until these days to buy stuff, because it was deeply discounted.
Exactly. I got a gun safe for half I have been waiting to buy for months.
I have personal experience helping a family here in Alaska (through our church). The father is a skilled construction laborer but hasn’t been able to find the kind of steady work the last couple years he was used to for 15 years. He now works as a bus driver, and at a retail store to keep his family warm as well as sporadic summer construction. They lost their home, but at least they are able to rent a smaller place. But all in all, its a tough week to week thing to keep their heads above water.
The bottom line is the Progressivism has destroyed good blue collar jobs and only left the nominal ones that a man really can’t support a family on.
It’s REALLY bad out there, for a whole lot of folks.
I know people living in campgrounds, I know people living 6 to an apartment, and I know people that have gone all the way across the country to move in with family that still has a job.
I know MANY people who have lost their homes in the last 5 years, and not a one of them has recovered from it.
And you have heard A DAMNED PEEP about it in the mainstream media, because a DEMOCRAT is president.
The mere fact that 60 minutes decides to cover it, and it makes news elsewhere, is all the proof you need of that.
Yes, it is puzzling that it seems jobs are available and yet there are people living in their cars.
You can apply for a job, be considered hightly qualified and still not be considered because 400 other people applied for the job and at least one was recently let go and the employer will pick that one.
The folks living out of their cars don’t have an address and may not have a telephone. Wow! That makes is really tough to get a job.
I’ve been trying to get a job for 11 months. I’m 2 months away from being 60-years old and one month away from living in a card board box. Where I live there are jobs, but employers won’t consider me.
So, three months ago I started selling on Ebay. The month of September was good, the month of October was even better, and now the month of November was a total bust.
According to Google, Ebay sales are down 90%. That doesn’t tell the whole story though, as the items that are not selling are the expensive goods. Forget the collectibles - no one is buying.
“nd yet. I read where Black Friday had record sales. The stores that opened at midnight were packed. The volume of sales on Cyber Monday broke records, too. Every restaurant I pass is packed. I know things are not good for many many people. Could I perhaps be witnessing the slow extinction of the middle class?”
Take another look in February, when all of the bills caused by this pent up Black Friday/Cyber Monday spending binge come due, and no one has any money left, because their charge cards are maxed out, and their savings accounts are non-existent. That’s when the fun begins, and of course, taxes are due in April. Then, in June and/or September, property taxes usually become due in most states. So, check back ih a couple of months to see the true state of our economy. By the way, what middle class? It’s barely there anymore.
So basically he pinned his career on the real estate bubble.
The illegal imports from south of the border didn't help, either.
the Progressivism has destroyed good blue collar jobs
You should be prepared to adapt your career as you go.
Don't remind me.
Every one of these folks, are the casualties of Obama’s War on America.
...eat your peas...
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