SmittynMo (595 posts)
How many of you feel worse off than you did 5 years ago?
Will this country ever recover from the Bush years? There are fewer jobs now. Most new jobs are part time (and of course, everyone blames Obamacare). The pay rate has stayed level, or has gone down. So tell me, less jobs, equal or less pay than before, less hours? The middle class is disappearing at an alarming rate. What happened to the American dream? And now the GOP wants to cut billions from the less fortunate. OMG, when will this stop?
My salary has decreased drastically in the past 5 years. Some because of lack of jobs, some because of my age and trying to find a job. I am currently unemployed again, and have been looking for months. I had been doing IT contract work since 2007, and even that has been hard to come by lately. When I apply for a $10.00 and hour job, they see my previous salaries and trash my application. I've been rejected many of times in the past two months for these types of jobs. My goal is just to survive until retirement. If it weren't for my wife still being employed, we would be on food stamps, and lose everything we own. She's going to retire soon, as her company is putting pressure on her to leave. Once that happens, I'm afraid we'll be in the soup lines like the millions of people are now. 10 years ago, I was on a pretty good track to survive until retirement. Over the years any savings we had has dwindled down to nothing. Now it looks bleak, and I don't know if we'll make it. The economy is still in disarray, and I don't see a fix anytime soon. What has happened to the American dream? Is it still out there?
Please share your thoughts on this as I'm sure others have encountered this , especially in the age group above 50.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251324981It's the Limbaugh theorem, 0bama has not really been in charge the last 5 years.
leveymg (28,984 posts)
1. There are millions and millions of us out there, rapidly losing hope as we lose everything we worked
for over a lifetime. It's a bit like cancer, we're slightly ashamed to talk about it and others don't want to lest it be them next time.
The problem is only worse by the fact that its "our" party that's in the White House and the Senate, so we are reluctant to even demand anything substantially change there.
I just don't know what to do.
It could be worst (using worst instead of worse so the DUmmies can understand), the democrats could have had the house for all of the past 5 years. You think things are bad now, just imagine if the dems were able to pass everything else they wanted to go along with 0bamacare.
SmittynMo (595 posts)
2. Either do I
I sit at my PC every day for hours trying to find a job. All of my job submissions/rejections are kept in a folder. It's over 700 and counting, in 3 months. JUST to find ONE job!!!
That's your problem you sit at your PC all day long. I realize that you can apply for jobs online, but I bet if you left your house and went in and put in applications in person it would increase your chances.
no_hypocrisy (25,494 posts)
3. I feel worse. I haven't had a regular job for three years come next month.
I thought 0bama saved the economy.
Alkene (86 posts)
6. I am financially worse off than 5 years ago.
My feelings and life events this time span are too complex to labor on about, but my financial situation has been a slow, demoralizing grind.
My wife died in 2009 and that has been very difficult, making financial concerns a bit secondary. But I still have to eat, pay the rent and keep going.
I wasn't earning very high wages as a lab tech before the economic collapse, and afterwards the Governor ordered a wage freeze which covered six years. The union that represents my job title finally "won" us a 2% raise to be implemented, but that is mostly consumed by an increased pension burden. Not that that matters anymore as I am newly unemployed.
I am 56 years old, reasonably fit and have some savings, so I'm staying positive about finding work and getting by. I am rather depending on the ACA to take some of the pressure off. Needless to say, I am quite put out by the Republican party's latest shenanigans.
hfojvt (32,375 posts)
10. I feel better and worse
better because at least Bush is no longer President
worse because now his tax cuts are permanent
better because working full time since October 2011 gives me more money
worse because working full time gives me less time
better because I am 3.5 years away from retirement
worse because I am now over 50
worse because in 2008 I had a Democratic Congresswoman and Democratic Speaker of the House, and now both are Republicans
worse because in 2008 I had a Democratic State Senator and Democratic Governor and now far right conservatives have won sweeping victories and Brownback has brought Reaganomics to the state level.
Wait I could have sworn the tax cuts were taken away from those evil rich people. Isn't that enough for you DUmmies? Do you want higher taxes on everyone now?
Star Member grantcart (39,502 posts)
15. sorry to hear so many are struggling
I too re entered the job market at age 50
There is no comparison between the two periods for me.
Bush's crashes wiped me out twice.
Under Obama things are prospering but I get major setbacks every time the Republicans come close to shutting down the government.
Yep those pesky repukes are all to blame.
Ino (1,270 posts)
23. Much worse off
In the past five years, my income has been cut to 1/3 what it was before the 2008 crash. I'm now under poverty level. I had to give up the "luxury" of health insurance. Self-employed, 61, and hanging by a thread. Utilities and food keep going up though. I turn down the thermostat to 60 degrees to save money, then they raise the rates, so now I pay as much to be cold as I used to pay to be warm.
I stupidly thought when Obama was elected the first time that everything would now be all right. It's only gotten worse.
Maybe I'll be able to afford health insurance on the exchanges, but I doubt I could also afford the copays and deductibles, so what use is it?? I'm resigned to dying if something major happens. I just hope it's very quick and painless.
It does my heart well so see these idiots suffering under the policies of those who they put in office. I'm sad for the rest of country who has to suffer along with them, but at least decent civilized people always find a way to make it because we are willing to do crazy things like actual work.
If it wasn't for the decent civilized people of this country still hard at work the whole system would of collapsed a long ago. Fortunately there are intelligent hard working folks out there who can prosper despite the major attempts by our government to destroy us all. True Americans are stubborn people who can find ways around obstacles that would hold most men down.
