The Rich Get Richer The Poor Are Going To Be Homeless
By fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29820)
Momence, Illinois
April 27, 2017 8:55am CST
I am very worried. My son has been working at a large grocery store for almost 4 years. He was getting around 30 hours a week. The pay isn't great but he has health insurance and vacation time. Now the store chain is going to be sold and in anticipation of that everyone's hours are being cut. My son got 16 hours this week. He is qualified to run a couple of different kinds of forklifts so that helps in his search for a new job. But time will tell.
I wasn't here yesterday as I was online trying to find jobs he could apply for. Many jobs today and for the last 10 or so years that I have been aware of, you can hardly find a full time job. The employers don't want to pay for health insurance so they only offer part time jobs. My son ended up applying for 15 jobs online. Some of them were for full time but that means nothing in the long run for him if he can't get one.
For now my son is safe as he lives here with me and his dad, and we will always have his back, but I worry about the time when we are gone. How does one live on a part time job making pennies. My house is paid for and it will be his and his brother's when we are gone. But there will still be bills that need to be paid.
We have been hearing from past presidents that their priority is jobs in the United States but I haven't seen it yet. Not everyone can afford a college education. Heck many of those who do have a college education can't get jobs and are deeply in debt. It's so darn scary. What is the government going to do when more are living on the streets than those working and taking care of themselves. Is the government going to give all those homeless welfare? I think not. Something has to give.
I am a worry wart. Always have been. I hate to think what this country will be like in 20 or 30 years. The rich get richer and everyone else will be living on the streets. I know the United States is called the greatest country in the world, but some days I do have my doubts. It's way past time to get the situation in this country right before we worry about the rest of the world. Just strictly my opinion. I worry.
40 people like this
41 responses
@LadyDuck (470819)
• Switzerland
27 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 You are right and the big companies kill the small ones, but the big companies use robots and people lose their jobs.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
27 Apr 17
@LadyDuck It's all about the money Anna, as I said more is never enough and they don't care how many will be living on the streets in the very near future. The government can say they care and they are going to create jobs, but they are blowing smoke up our collective behinds.
3 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
27 Apr 17
It's also because a decent profit is never enough for the rich, they always want more and more to the detriment of the masses.
2 people like this
@dodo19 (47315)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
27 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 It's always pleasant to have that kind of stress. Hopefully, things will get better and the people who are in a position to create jobs will create them and help those who need it.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
27 Apr 17
@dodo19 One can hope, sick of my hopes being dashed.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
27 Apr 17
I do too and then I can stop worrying about it. To much stress in an otherwise stress less life for me.I hope your husband can find something too. Many many people want to work and take care of themselves instead of being on the government dole. They need to open their eyes to what's really going on and fix it.
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
28 Apr 17
The job market isn't very strong right now. With the boost in technology machines are taking over the jobs, and there aren't enough jobs out there for people. Because there aren't enough jobs, people aren't making money that they can spend.. so stores, etc are cutting back on their employees because people aren't out spending like they used to.. It's a vicious cycle.
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 politicians don't?understand how real people live because they all had good lives
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
It is a vicious cycle and it needs to get fixed. Sadly I really don't think the government cares one bit, of course until there isn't enough tax dollars to pay for stuff. Then what happens.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Apr 17
@katsmeow1213 Right, I wonder how that feels not to worry about money from pay check to pay check.
@Juliaacv (50857)
• Canada
27 Apr 17
It doesn't sound like its a very good time in your son's life with the company he works for changing hands.
And here, in Canada, things are similar.
Our son couldn't really get anything with his 4 years of university, so he had to pad it by adding a 3 year college course (he did a fast-track of it which took 14 months) plus he got his masters degree.
And he isn't rolling in the dough either, but he is satisfied with his current job.
And without our financial backing for his education, and to buy him his first couple of cars and the down payment on his home......and the list goes on, he wouldn't be where he is.
I do not know the answer. I do know that it seems like those in the trades, and you mentioned his fork lift license, seem to be working and making just as good a pay as those that are not.
I wish him well, its so hard on us parents who have to allow them to figure things out all the while they struggle.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (50857)
• Canada
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 You're welcome. My husband switched jobs and just started doing that exact same thing yesterday afternoon.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
Thanks, he has a job interview this Monday for a warehouse forklift I'm hoping and praying he gets it.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Apr 17
@Juliaacv I'm so happy for you and him that he got a job. It's great to relieve that stress.
1 person likes this
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
28 Apr 17
It is so sad the former middle class are quickly becoming the poor and homeless i hope things change for the better
2 people like this
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 agreed people need to come together and help each other
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
We as the majority have to put our collective foot down and tell the government enough. Sadly we as the majority can't see eye to eye on anything and until the time that we do the government will do nothing to help even though they say they will.
@manasamanu (3746)
• Bangalore, India
28 Apr 17
It is even worse in India and they are working towards it, I hope they will uplift all the needy and poor people. As the law says everyone are equal then they must provide atleast the minimum living status to its people.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
It's bad all over the world. I worry for the human race and how are we supposed to live. When the poor are no longer paying taxes what happens then. Will the rich finally help. I hope so.
1 person likes this
@manasamanu (3746)
• Bangalore, India
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 Don't know until it happens.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
28 Apr 17
My friend went to college, got her Masters degree and works at CVS because she couldn't get a job. That's terrible to me that now she's in debt and can't even get a good career out of it!
I'm hoping my children choose going to a trade school of some sort. I think they will have a better chance in life going that route.
2 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 I will keep him in my prayers that it goes well! =)
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
My youngest son just got his Masters Degree and I'm hoping he can find a good job. He doesn't have any student loans thankfully as he had academic scholarships all the way through. My oldest just got a job interview set up for this Monday for forklift in a warehouse, so hoping he gets that job. His current job is cutting his hours and he can't pay his bills on that mess.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
28 Apr 17
It is indeed very worrying I get that fishtiger.
I pray that your son will find something.
It is so unstable now the job market and young people are more and more having to live at home and not able to get a proper long lasting position, companies are constantly changing hands and so on.
I too have yet to see the change that politicians are going on about.
It is quite understandable that you are concerned.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 I pray that he gets it fishtiger..oh yes I know you would never throw him out and why should you. Poor kid, he needs hours.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
My son lives with us, we are retired but doing fine and can support him. We will never throw him out of our house. He still works but hours are cut. He has a job interview this Monday for a warehouse forklift job, so I am hoping
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
@TiarasOceanView Thanks he needs all the prayers he can get.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
27 Apr 17
I think it depends on where you live. We are within an hour of Amazon and they are always hiring for full time and from what I've read they offer good salary and benefits. We also have some big time outfits that are frequently growing and hiring. But one thing I noticed here is so many are only looking for part time. (single moms especially) and only burger flipping is available . Maybe your son could look into a trade school - my husband wasn't college material but he went to tech school where he learned to be a welder, and that was his job, with a union, for many many years. What about computer work? Real estate?
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
27 Apr 17
He does have forklift experience and did apply at Amazon, there is a warehouse about 50 miles from here. We hope they call.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
27 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 Good luck - hope he get is or something better!
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
27 Apr 17
The job opportunities and pay and conditions may be better in the uk...but...the cost of housing is vveeerrryyyyy high...and even people in jobs can't afford to buy a house... I think the economic climate and social outlook for people is getting worse .. not better. ... 
with each elected government. ..
with each elected government. ..2 people like this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 ohhh well I hope it goes well for him .. 
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
It seems many of our past and current governments promise to create jobs but nothing so far. Or not enough to help everyone. We need to stop helping other countries until our country is in order. My son does have an interview at a warehouse for forklift this Monday so I'm hoping he gets that job.
2 people like this
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
28 Apr 17
Because if this situation with the money and jobs is why I am working to get off the power grid and get well water. If I cannot afford to run the business I will have no money, I do not have health insurance, I was exempt from ObamaCare because it cost to much.
I`m older and you think I would get hired over someone 30 years old? Nope.
I have already been watching how people struggle to pay rent and I am the lowest rent around.
Either we will give up everything except lights, heat and water or we go under and close up.... Its life now.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
It's such a sad situation here in this country. There have to be jobs so people can live. Seems the government just doesn't care, even though they all say they are going to create more jobs. I think it's a bunch of hooey.
@josie_ (10034)
• Philippines
28 Apr 17
People worry that machines will take over the jobs now being done by humans. Others blame companies for outsourcing jobs overseas to cheaper labor. On the first point, there will always be new job opportunities as innovations and discoveries are made. Regarding the second concern, politicians and government officials are to blame for promoting economic and financial policies that favor big business corporations. It's the middle class which has seen the gradual erosion of their buying power. Soon they will no longer exist as an economic and political class. We will see a polarization of the citizenry into the rich and the poor. Democracy will be replaced by a police state (It has already began) in all but name.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
Governments need people to work so taxes can be paid. They can't wait for that to happen or the country will collapse. I'm sick of the promises then need to act now.
2 people like this
@josie_ (10034)
• Philippines
29 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 _Unless people stand up for their rights in a united front, government officials will NEVER act in the interest of ordinary citizens.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
28 Apr 17
Wishing you sob all the best. I hope that he is able to get a full time job.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
He has a job interview for a forklift warehouse job this Monday, I am hoping for the best for him.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 Fingers crossed that everything will go well.
1 person likes this
@Janile (265)
•
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 we can also says that rich only knows the rich too ,and the poor stay away on the circle.I mean thats happen in Philippines,both rich help each other while the poor get struggling to received a help from others.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Apr 17
@Janile Well I hope that owl turns white really soon.
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
It's a shameful situation all over the world. I do wonder when the rich and the governments will change things to help those who need it.
2 people like this
@Janile (265)
•
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 yes it is shameful and maybe its just only happen when the owl color turn to white...its a sayings in Philippines.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
28 Apr 17
This is something that I have come across so many times here.
A lot of Spain´s people have gone to other Countries also and taken on Jobs that pay much less than what they should do
A girl I knew had all the Degrees I could think of and the only thing she could find was a Street Sweeping Job which she was doing for four whole years.
A lot of people are here from other Countries and they are often taken advantage of also even though they are supposed to get paid and their Insurance covered as well.
Truly hope he finds a Job also he has gone through a lot from what you say.
My eldest is in the same boat at the moment also yet again.
I have had them back home a few times and it was hard to get used to and for them also.
I worry but I try not to.
This is something I did not know I mean really know about the U.S.A and the job problems.
Has he started to do what he said about General Motors and Ford yet?
See I don´t know as they never say anything on the News here.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
29 Apr 17
@fishtiger58
Yes its like that here very much afraid that it is.
Seeing this all the time.
I would have thought that Mr. Trump was moving General Motors and Ford back to Detroit or somewhere around there.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
30 Apr 17
@lovinangelsinstead21 All our presidents have made promises to the people, rarely do they get carried out.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Apr 17
It's so hard to get into General Motors and Ford, it's not what you know but who you know. So if you know no one you probably won't get the job.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121503)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Apr 17
It is easy to look around and see the situation now and think that the future of this country is grim; I tend to see the more optimistic side of things, in that our current situation will eventually lead to changes that will improve the future of our workforce. Sometimes, you have to go through hard times or lean years to force change for the better. I'm hoping this will be the case with employment.
Has he applied to Home Depot? It's an amazing company to work for. My dad and brother both worked their entire career there, and I am currently working there part-time. They take great care of their employees! But, I will admit, it is nearly impossible to get hired on full-time. But, if your son can get hired on part-time, it will get his foot in the door. And with his experience driving several types of forklifts, it will be an asset to the company.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121503)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 The one thing I do fear is that change is happening way too fast for people to keep up with it and adapt to it, especially as it relates to technology. You could go to school and get a great education in the technology field, only to graduate and find that what you learned is obsolete.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Apr 17
@moffittjc Also so many people went into the computer thing that those jobs are not readily available anymore either.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Apr 17
the closest one is like 60 or 70 miles away and that's a problem in the winter. And I hope the job situation changes too but it has to be now. People are losing their homes and are living on the streets and eating out of garbage cans. This should never happen in the greatest country in the world. The future is going to be way to late for many people.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38867)
• Midland, Michigan
1 May 17
Will another grocery store buy that one or might the building be another empty one around town? If it gets purchased by another chain or that type of thing, it may be that he'd be able to stay there. Whichever way it works out, I'd think he would be able to find something decent since he does have experience working with a forklift. He may need to check out places he wouldn't have considered before. Are there no factories or warehouses in your general area? He may also have to travel a short distance to find something that works for him, but I hope he can find something and if not right away at least after a time move up and get enough hours to get insurance too.
My younger daughter works at a credit union in the area and was a teller for a year before she applied for something in a different department. Now she has full-time hours, insurance and other benefits too, but it didn't look like she'd ever get something that good a few years ago.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38867)
• Midland, Michigan
8 May 17
@fishtiger58 Well, I hope he got the job and that it's even better than the other one he had.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
10 May 17
@MarshaMusselman I don't think he got the job it's been over a week and we haven't heard anything. I'm still hoping.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
2 May 17
The rumor is the stores are going to be bought out by another food store chain. But this job will forever always be a part time job. He had an interview yesterday at a warehouse for forklift and it looks like he got the job, but we are still waiting to hear for sure. It's about 35 miles away.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317004)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
10 May 17
@fishtiger58 Well if no one is working, no one will be paying any taxes because you can't tax what you don't make. And if there's no one to do the grunt work for the rich, well they too will lose in the end. Yes, this world is going to hell in a handbasket pretty fast with the way things are going. Imagine the whole country on welfare if robots are doing our jobs. Somehow I don't think Uncle Sam will like that idea. Getting paid for doing nothing and that isn't taxed either. We'd finally have free health care.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
11 May 17
@just4him The future scares me because of my sons. I am trying to teach them to plan ahead. Recently I took some of my inheritance and opened Retirement IRA's for my sons.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
10 May 17
We are all going to hell in a handbasket I'm afraid. When no one is working who pays the taxes. And when there is no one to do the grunt work at a decent wage what are the rich going to do then? Bunch of idiots.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
27 Apr 17
I know what it's like to lose everything and fear homelessness and it's so sickening. I worked so hard all of my life and yet circumstances happened and I almost ended up on the street. Living in low income housing is not fun, but I am so grateful to have a roof that I don't even think about it. but I know a lot of people who look down upon me because of my life circumstances now. I hope and pray your son will find a really good job so he won't have to worry about life dumping on him.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 I do, too. Those are usually good jobs to have since not everyone can run a forklift. Here's hoping!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Apr 17
@CRK109 Thanks he needs all the hope he can get, I"m praying he gets this job.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
I hope he can find one too, since they cut his hours at his current job all I do is look online for jobs He does have a job interview for a warehouse forklift this Monday. so I'm hoping and praying he gets it.
1 person likes this
@apoorv123 (34)
•
27 Apr 17
Buddy your country is not the only victim..India is suffering from this cult too and every poor is fighting foe his livelihood.Good governance is strongly required in every country which usually lacked at most of the countries..So buddy this needs to be eliminated and I stand with ya.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Apr 17
All countries are suffering, I worry for the human race,
1 person likes this
@apoorv123 (34)
•
28 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 exactly man..We should stand against such complexities and problems!
