[GonzoGOP]

had to accept a job in a cafeteria making 8.00 per hr. She’s a single mother with 2 kids. How do they expect anyone to live off of that?

Please understand that I'm not trying to be rude, but where is the Dad? One person can live on 16k a year with no frills. Two might survive absolute bare bones. Three no way, it won't even keep you in food. But the father should be kicking in for the kids. Heck if my wife dumped me and then needed cash to keep the kids fed I'd still kick in. Even if i wasn't legally obligated to do it. They are my kids after all and I wouldn't let them starve or end up in the streets. I guess that makes me kind of a fossil these days.

[ottbmare]

Please understand that I'm not trying to be rude, but where is the Dad?

I don't know where that lady's kids' dad is, but I'll tell you where many are: fathers who were once attentive about paying child support are now jobless themselves and unable to pay. Others are doing what fathers did in the 1930s: they're travelling around unsuccessfully looking for work.

In some cases people do not wish to leave a particular area because doing so would mean leaving their children with an ex. In some cases (like mine) people can't leave because we're legally required to keep a child within reasonable distance of the other parent, and yet the other parent can't assume custody.

[coconut47]

The father was layed off also and doing side jobs just to get by and gives her what he can. I remember at Xmas last year a local charity came and brought the kids presents and filled up her pantry. Her kids are 4 and 6 so they have to go to day care when she works and thats not cheap. also lives in a very small town about 40-50 miles outside Dallas so it’s not like she can take anything more than a 30 minute drive either because of the price of gas and has to make sure she’s able to pick her kids up on time.
There’s always lots of factures involved with everyone.
I think untill this government gets thrown out of office we just all need to help pitch in and help out our families and friends in these tough times because this govt is doing everything they can do to destroy all of us.