Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness

Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (Full Version)

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Lucylastic -> Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 6:56:37 AM)
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2013/07/28/survey-data-shows-80-percent-us-adults-are-facing-near-poverty-no-work/ http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57595861/80-percent-of-u.s-adults-face-near-poverty-unemployment-survey-finds/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/28/poverty-unemployment-rates_n_3666594.html http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/article/327354/250/80-percent-of-adults-face-near-poverty-unemployment-survey-finds Multi links given for those who doubt the info[8\|] Four out of 5 U.S. adults struggle with joblessness, near-poverty or reliance on welfare for at least parts of their lives, a sign of deteriorating economic security and an elusive American dream. Survey data exclusive to The Associated Press points to an increasingly globalized U.S. economy, the widening gap between rich and poor, and the loss of good-paying manufacturing jobs as reasons for the trend. The findings come as President Barack Obama tries to renew his administration's emphasis on the economy, saying in recent speeches that his highest priority is to "rebuild ladders of opportunity" and reverse income inequality. As nonwhites approach a numerical majority in the U.S., one question is how public programs to lift the disadvantaged should be best focused — on the affirmative action that historically has tried to eliminate the racial barriers seen as the major impediment to economic equality, or simply on improving socioeconomic status for all, regardless of race. nice to know that congress focus on repealing obama care is more important

vincentML -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 8:01:04 AM)
quote: Four out of 5 U.S. adults struggle with joblessness, near-poverty or reliance on welfare for at least parts of their lives, a sign of deteriorating economic security and an elusive American dream. Survey data exclusive to The Associated Press points to an increasingly globalized U.S. economy, the widening gap between rich and poor, and the loss of good-paying manufacturing jobs as reasons for the trend. This struck me as a shocking and unbelievable headline. I wonder about the qualifier: "for at least parts of their lives." I was unemployed several times in my younger years. Is that so unusual? Later the article reveals that the rate of poverty remains steady at 15% of the population. I would love to see the data and method that lead to the 80% figure. While I remain skeptical of this report I don't doubt that these are hard times for too many people. Maybe it would help if Congress got off its ass and approved a program to repair and replace the nation's infrastructure which is approaching 3rd world status.

Lucylastic -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 8:13:32 AM)
They cant do that while Obama is President not that I think they could if it was a republican, but definitely not while Obama is prez

vincentML -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 8:26:59 AM)
A shame aint it? Their shame.

tj444 -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 8:31:03 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Lucylastic an increasingly globalized U.S. economy "the loss of good-paying manufacturing jobs" Ya know.. Canada has only a small manufacturing base.. 60% of goods sold in Canada are imported from the US.. in that respect, the US manufacturers ability to use economies of scale, etc to produce goods that it exports to Canada has cost Canadians jobs!!! (btw, do Americans give a shite about costing Canada jobs? no they do not) This is a fact and has gone on my entire life.. yet Canadians survive and thrive.. Why is the US not able to adapt as Canada has? I have yet to find an answer to that question..

jlf1961 -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 8:49:29 AM)
Alright, lets see if I get this right. 1) The current unemployment rate is 7.6% source 2) Current poverty rate is between 14.5 and 15%, depending on what source you use. quote: Four out of 5 U.S. adults struggle with joblessness, near-poverty or reliance on welfare for at least parts of their lives, a sign of deteriorating economic security and an elusive American dream. Survey data exclusive to The Associated Press points to an increasingly globalized U.S. economy, the widening gap between rich and poor, and the loss of good-paying manufacturing jobs as reasons for the trend. I am still trying to figure out how with the unemployment rate dropping from a high of 9.9% in Dec of 2009 which was the first year of the Obama Administration, which makes me wonder about the "Bikini" Graph that Rachal Maddow used to show, to the present 7.6% is a sign that people should feel insecure about the economy or economic security. I mean the economy is improving, right? I personally want to see the survey data, as well as the survey questions, because the evidence of an improving economic picture does not equate to the findings, IMO. But then I am not someone well versed in statistics.

Lucylastic -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 8:57:25 AM)
and how many are just above the poverty line, how secure are their lives, financially? how many people have any kind of security, how many people owe more than they can ever pay back. he number is clearly getting lower. theres a reason they call the rich the 1% How many people have less than 3 months wages/benefits/ in the bank or cash to survive on? Ive been below the poverty line many times in the past 40 years, Ive been homeless 3 times, for most of my life Ive had no savings, many times, Ive had zero in my purse, in my bank account, and rationed food because theres too much month at the end of the money. I doubt im only 15 % o f the population.

jlf1961 -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 11:32:17 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Lucylastic and how many are just above the poverty line, how secure are their lives, financially? how many people have any kind of security, how many people owe more than they can ever pay back. he number is clearly getting lower. theres a reason they call the rich the 1% How many people have less than 3 months wages/benefits/ in the bank or cash to survive on? Ive been below the poverty line many times in the past 40 years, Ive been homeless 3 times, for most of my life Ive had no savings, many times, Ive had zero in my purse, in my bank account, and rationed food because theres too much month at the end of the money. I doubt im only 15 % o f the population. What does the qualifier "at some point of their lives" mean to you? It does not mean that at this point 80% of the people in the survey or Americans are presently at or below the poverty line, does it? If that is the case, then everyone from the Government and all the non government social welfare agencies have the wrong information. At some point in their lives means just that, it does not mean that they are at that point all the time, or anything of the sort. The headline is bullshit, since it implies that 80% of Americans are living below the poverty line. Hell, I have an income that puts me below the poverty line, however I still pay my bills, including a $760 mortgage payment and a $290 dollar car payment, manage to put food on my table, and still manage to put money into savings. I get assistant with my Medicare premium, my part D premium, prescriptions and a whopping $20 a month in food stamps. My younger sister and her husband have an income of 6 figures each year, are buying a million dollar home with another 20 years on the mortgage, buy a new car every three years for each of them, they own numerous "toys" they are making payments on, and are screaming about not having money to go on vacation or do anything fun, and he has a freaking MBA! The difference between my sister and I is simple. Younger sis was Father's favorite, she wanted an organ, he got her a $6000 dollar theater organ for her to play in the house. What she wanted she got, pure and simple. I on the other hand, had to work and save for anything I wanted. When he got tired of playing the "gentleman rancher" and devoted all his time to driving trucks, beer, being abusive and cheating on my mom, he turned all the cattle over to me, after I gave him everything that had been deposited in the Air Force credit union savings account that had been started when I was born, aka my college fund. I learned early to save money, in lean times, 10% went into savings, in good times as much as 45% went to savings. The only credit cards I ever had was when I owned my own semi. Used them to pay for fuel and truck expenses only, paid the bill in full every month. Personal expenses came out of load advances. I went to college under the new GI bill, paid for grad school myself, partially with a student loan, the rest with grants and scholarships and working when I wasn't in class or studying. Today we are living in the "instant gratification" age. Basically too many people have the philosophy of "I want what I want and I want it now." Though I taught my kids to treat money the same way I did, both of them spend money like it grows on trees. My son blew through 30 grand he got when he turned 21, in less than a week. I had put the money back for him to go to college or age 21. My daughter did it in less than 3 days. I am not joking. First thing was a new car, then the car needed a stereo system, then it was TV's game systems, home entertainment systems, clothes, and I have no clue what else. From what I have seen of the younger generation, and many of my generation, financial security means spend money like there is no tomorrow. I will grant you that while I was fighting the Social Security Administration, I went through my life savings, both living and medical expenses, I even had to cash out my retirement to cover things until I was approved. Have I splurged on things since I got on a fixed income, if you think that saving for something is splurging then yes. Even with the splurges I have done in the last year or so, my savings has never fallen below 10k, and as I said, my income has me below the poverty line. Of course I do not have a brand new car with a top line stereo, new home entertainment systems, or a brand new computer, sorta, new mother board, cpu, memory and video card, and a new 3tb harddrive I got for my birthday, but everything else is at least 3 years old. My car is a 2005, and it was bought recently. I have friends my age, with a higher income that is above the poverty line with much less, although it is all brand new and the latest tech. So why am I able to live comfortably and others cant, I dont know. In my opinion, financial security comes hand in hand with financial responsibility.

Lucylastic -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 11:58:52 AM)
if you got problems with it... the title or the study, or the facts or the definitions... take em up with someone who has all the details. as the links can give you or do some of the research....for yourself....The full title, was cut off via the actual board limit.... not my issue, I think the first two lines say in succinctly actually, reading something into it that Im so very glad your position is so secure, that you have savings of that amount,..expecting everyone or even a large number of the population to have your life, problems, chances, jobs, achievments possibilities, health and issues, is ridiculous. You are making assumptions an opinion, just like mine....

RottenJohnny -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 1:16:55 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: tj444 Why is the US not able to adapt as Canada has? I have yet to find an answer to that question.. Canada has never been in the position of being a global manufacturing superpower like the U.S. has. You can't go from manufacturing everything for yourself to manufacturing nothing for yourself almost overnight without expecting some problems. We are adapting but our real goal is figuring out how to compete in the new economy now that China is moving up.

tj444 -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 1:32:03 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: RottenJohnny quote: ORIGINAL: tj444 Why is the US not able to adapt as Canada has? I have yet to find an answer to that question.. Canada has never been in the position of being a global manufacturing superpower like the U.S. has. You can't go from manufacturing everything for yourself to manufacturing nothing for yourself almost overnight without expecting some problems. We are adapting but our real goal is figuring out how to compete in the new economy now that China is moving up. my point was that now you know what Canada has faced for many decades.. you cant get into manufacturing if your competition can make it cheaper.. that is why Canada has been held back in expanding its manufacturing base.. so now the US is learning what that is like.. Good luck trying to figure it out..

jlf1961 -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 2:07:22 PM)
Lucy, are you maintaining that at present, 80% of the citizens of the US are facing unemployment and no jobs? In which case, the US Government, Independent welfare agencies, church welfare agencies, hell everyone that deals with the problem are telling us lies? 15% of the US population live below the poverty line. And 71% make below 50 thousand a year, including that 15%. I dont care if this observation hairlips god, pisses off the pope, or who it pisses off. People spend money on shit they dont need, regardless of income bracket. People working two jobs have the latest smartphone and service plans, newer model cares with stereos that can shake windows a block away, booze, drugs, clothes and god knows what else. Read the facts for yourself. My niece has a coworker that works two jobs, and has to scramble each month to pay bills and rent. However she is paying for a late model car, has a $600 smart phone, a tablet, and spends 80 bucks a week on pot. And I am not guessing, since she calls my niece to find the pot for her, so all I know about is the 80 bucks. She goes to every concert her favorite bans play in the state, which means Dallas, Ft Worth, Houston, San Antonio, or Austin. Average fast food job around here pays $9.00 an hour, with the exception of high school students, most of the employees are full time. So, give an income of 1440 a month. Average rent $550, all bills paid but electricity, one bedroom apartment. Average Electric Bill 150 a month. Groceries figure 300 That leaves $440. On top of that you have the cell phone expense, I have unlimited everything for 50 a month, no contract. Cheapest contract plan for one smartphone is $120. So out of that $440, lets say 65 for cell phone, and 250 for a car payment. Explain to me why that remaining $125 a month has to be spent. I mean that is $1500 a year if they just shoved it in a coffee can. The average income for here is $41,957, on the low end, $21000 for those working, $19000 for those on fixed incomes. Average cost of living for a single person no kids, is about $1100. Here is the data for non single people in town. Granted those folks up on ACU hill or Fairway Oaks have it significantly easier, but in all honesty there are only a handful of families who make more than 250K here in town, and to be honest, they own the best paying businesses in town. But I cant see why people are living paycheck to paycheck. Especially here, there are a number of food banks that dont check incomes, three clinics that use sliding scale payments, and if you make less than the poverty level, no charge, and one hospital that does the same thing. Even on a fast food job you make enough money to live on, and even save, if you dont go batshit crazy spending. My point is that so 71% make less than 50 grand a year in the US. And yes, the less you make can make it real hard to do more than survive on anything more than the bare necessities. [image]local://upfiles/622970/8F2EE3C50C454168B214D77EB046824B.jpg[/image]

RottenJohnny -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 3:17:11 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: tj444 my point was that now you know what Canada has faced for many decades.. you cant get into manufacturing if your competition can make it cheaper.. that is why Canada has been held back in expanding its manufacturing base.. so now the US is learning what that is like.. Good luck trying to figure it out.. Just in case you thought otherwise, I wasn't trying to be insulting. But if you want to know the answer to this kind of competition, it's innovation and improvements in quality. If you can't make it cheaper, make it better.

jlf1961 -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 4:42:28 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Lucylastic and how many are just above the poverty line, how secure are their lives, financially? how many people have any kind of security, how many people owe more than they can ever pay back. he number is clearly getting lower. theres a reason they call the rich the 1% How many people have less than 3 months wages/benefits/ in the bank or cash to survive on? Ive been below the poverty line many times in the past 40 years, Ive been homeless 3 times, for most of my life Ive had no savings, many times, Ive had zero in my purse, in my bank account, and rationed food because theres too much month at the end of the money. I doubt im only 15 % o f the population. UH, stupid question, would you please remind me again, when did Ontario or any province of Canada join the Union? The fact you use these boards gives you a right to state your opinion, however, it does not include you in any percentage of the US population. Now, I have usually agreed with you in the past, or at the very least accepted the validity of your arguments. However, in this situation, I fail to see your frame of reference. I cant even find information on how Canadians spend disposable income. Hell from what I can see, you have a bit more of a problem than I do. Look here couldnt get a comparison for my city, so I picked the closest large metro area. While your annual income is none of my business, looking at the numbers, you would be better off, with the exception of health insurance, living in the states, if you could put up with the political bullshit, the koch brothers trying to buy the government, and doing a damn good job at it, and the fact that American media does not have to broadcast the very strict truth. Which brings us back to the point of your post. True a large number of Americans live at or below the poverty line, however, with the exception of the larger metro areas, anything from 25k to 50k a year provides a decent living, if you are financially responsible. In point of fact, in the right circumstances, 15k can be comfortable, depending on your lifestyle. But with the economic factors considered, people might be worried they face that possibility, but actually the situation whether they believe it or not, is improving. The problem with the survey is personal perception. Based on income average, I am below the poverty line. Economically, is my situation improving, yes, but not at the pace I would prefer. Do I have to stretch a dollar and supplement my income by other means, sure. However to counter the same article printed in each of your links, might I use this as compared to this. My point is that the whole situation is based on perception.

Marini -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 7:02:06 PM)
Thanks for posting this Lucy, and saving me the time. I read several long and depressing articles on this topic today. Anyone that can not see how serious and desperate things are for many people in America, at this point is not facing reality. The economic situation in this country is perilous at best, and getting worse each and every day. Eventually, we will reach the tipping point.

MrBukani -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 7:07:28 PM)
Thanks for the heads up you are all welcome to move back to the old country there is plenty of work to do here.

Lucylastic -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 7:08:59 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: jlf1961 Lucy, are you maintaining that at present, 80% of the citizens of the US are facing unemployment and no jobs? In which case, the US Government, Independent welfare agencies, church welfare agencies, hell everyone that deals with the problem are telling us lies? 15% of the US population live below the poverty line. And 71% make below 50 thousand a year, including that 15%. I dont care if this observation hairlips god, pisses off the pope, or who it pisses off. People spend money on shit they dont need, regardless of income bracket. People working two jobs have the latest smartphone and service plans, newer model cares with stereos that can shake windows a block away, booze, drugs, clothes and god knows what else. Read the facts for yourself. My niece has a coworker that works two jobs, and has to scramble each month to pay bills and rent. However she is paying for a late model car, has a $600 smart phone, a tablet, and spends 80 bucks a week on pot. And I am not guessing, since she calls my niece to find the pot for her, so all I know about is the 80 bucks. She goes to every concert her favorite bans play in the state, which means Dallas, Ft Worth, Houston, San Antonio, or Austin. Average fast food job around here pays $9.00 an hour, with the exception of high school students, most of the employees are full time. So, give an income of 1440 a month. Average rent $550, all bills paid but electricity, one bedroom apartment. Average Electric Bill 150 a month. Groceries figure 300 That leaves $440. On top of that you have the cell phone expense, I have unlimited everything for 50 a month, no contract. Cheapest contract plan for one smartphone is $120. So out of that $440, lets say 65 for cell phone, and 250 for a car payment. Explain to me why that remaining $125 a month has to be spent. I mean that is $1500 a year if they just shoved it in a coffee can. The average income for here is $41,957, on the low end, $21000 for those working, $19000 for those on fixed incomes. Average cost of living for a single person no kids, is about $1100. Here is the data for non single people in town. Granted those folks up on ACU hill or Fairway Oaks have it significantly easier, but in all honesty there are only a handful of families who make more than 250K here in town, and to be honest, they own the best paying businesses in town. But I cant see why people are living paycheck to paycheck. Especially here, there are a number of food banks that dont check incomes, three clinics that use sliding scale payments, and if you make less than the poverty level, no charge, and one hospital that does the same thing. Even on a fast food job you make enough money to live on, and even save, if you dont go batshit crazy spending. My point is that so 71% make less than 50 grand a year in the US. And yes, the less you make can make it real hard to do more than survive on anything more than the bare necessities. [image]local://upfiles/622970/8F2EE3C50C454168B214D77EB046824B.jpg[/image] no, Im not..If you dont get that, the rest is pointless

tazzygirl -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 7:18:03 PM)
quote: So, give an income of 1440 a month. Average rent $550, all bills paid but electricity, one bedroom apartment. Average Electric Bill 150 a month. Groceries figure 300 That leaves $440. On top of that you have the cell phone expense, I have unlimited everything for 50 a month, no contract. Cheapest contract plan for one smartphone is $120. So out of that $440, lets say 65 for cell phone, and 250 for a car payment. Explain to me why that remaining $125 a month has to be spent. I mean that is $1500 a year if they just shoved it in a coffee can. The average income for here is $41,957, on the low end, $21000 for those working, $19000 for those on fixed incomes. Average cost of living for a single person no kids, is about $1100. Here is the data for non single people in town. You left out gas, insurance, taxes.... that 125 is gonna be eaten up really quickly.

tj444 -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 7:18:10 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: RottenJohnny Just in case you thought otherwise, I wasn't trying to be insulting. But if you want to know the answer to this kind of competition, it's innovation and improvements in quality. If you can't make it cheaper, make it better. yeah? hows that working so far? I guess thats how come Walmart is so large and is able to give lower and lower "every day prices".. cuz no one is shopping there?.. and their competitors follow suit.. Even if a corp does decide to manufacture in the US, they will use machines and the number of employees hired will be low, just ask those that work on the auto lines how many workers those damn efficient 24/7 machines have replaced.. Even in China the machines are replacing workers.. Even if you can make something "better", if you charge too much you wont have many customers and your "better" product will likely be reproduced by China for a lot less before the week is out.. Even your veggies and fruit is majorly imported now.. How do you make "better" blueberries when Chile can produce them & sell them in the US at a third of the cost? hmmm.. Imo, your manufacturing base is history and its not coming back..

jlf1961 -> RE: Survey Data Shows 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Facing Joblessness (7/29/2013 7:19:55 PM)
Then what are you driving at? IN my first post I disagreed with the premise of the article title, and you took offense to that. Then you stated that you were not part of the 15% that I referred to. The point is that you were never a part of any percentage of the US population because you are not a citizen of the United States, unless your profile is in error. Finally, I provided contradicting evidence that showed the people who understood the economic situation was opposite of what the average citizen thought of the situation. Now why not explain your stand? Everything I have read seems to indicate you are in agreement with the statement made in the articles, all of which seem to be the same exact article, with little or no changes.

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