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Almost half of US families can't afford basics like rent and food
CNN ^ | May 17, 2018 | Tami Luhby

Posted on 05/17/2018 9:56:10 AM PDT by fwdude

The economy may be chugging along, but many Americans are still struggling to afford a basic middle class life.

Nearly 51 million households don't earn enough to afford a monthly budget that includes housing, food, child care, health care, transportation and a cell phone, according to a study released Thursday by the United Way ALICE Project. That's 43% of households in the United States.

(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: fakenews; poverty
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To: ladyjane
They could afford the basics if they developed a sense of responsibility, went out and got jobs and kept those jobs.

That would require them to reorder their lives outside of work, which they are completely unwilling to do.

41 posted on 05/17/2018 10:23:30 AM PDT by fwdude (History has no 'sides;' you're thinking of geometry.)
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To: fwdude

Define “struggling”. Is that like working 40 hours a week?


42 posted on 05/17/2018 10:24:03 AM PDT by Magnum44 (My comprehensive terrorism plan: Hunt them down and kill them)
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To: Jim Robinson

True. “Crumbs,” they’ll call it.


43 posted on 05/17/2018 10:24:26 AM PDT by fwdude (History has no 'sides;' you're thinking of geometry.)
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To: Magnum44
Define “struggling”. Is that like working 40 hours a week?

And keeping their legs closed, horrors!

44 posted on 05/17/2018 10:25:12 AM PDT by fwdude (History has no 'sides;' you're thinking of geometry.)
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To: fwdude

Oh bull, CNN.
My tax dollars alone probably support one or two families on the dole.


45 posted on 05/17/2018 10:27:05 AM PDT by GnuThere
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To: heights
...Half the Country is not Poor...

Half of the households earn below the average income.

We HAVE to do something to help them!

46 posted on 05/17/2018 10:29:33 AM PDT by Mr.Unique (The government, by its very nature, cannot give except what it first takes.)
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To: DannyTN

“We need to get the import tariffs restored so that real wages start back up.”

All that would do is make everything more expensive, because the zips will still be 10X cheaper.


47 posted on 05/17/2018 10:29:38 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Liberals can kiss my bitter clingers!)
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To: ladyjane

I’m convinced that even if they would simply give up the multiple cases of sodas (I see this constantly with low income people in grocery lines) they’d have $50 or so more dollars a month for a better purpose, plus lose some of their disgusting back boobs.


48 posted on 05/17/2018 10:29:38 AM PDT by fwdude (History has no 'sides;' you're thinking of geometry.)
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To: fwdude

If they delete the illegals, what’s the percentage?


49 posted on 05/17/2018 10:30:45 AM PDT by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
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To: robroys woman

“A friends parents had to do that around 1980.”

In 1980, there was double-digit inflation. That’s not the world we live in presently. The main reason today for people to delay retirement or go back to work after a brief spell of retirement is inadequate saving during their work life. Yes, some people never made enough money to put away adequate saving. For many, however, the second home, RV, boat, club membership, etc. seemed more important than prudent preparation for their retirement years.


50 posted on 05/17/2018 10:31:02 AM PDT by riverdawg
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To: fwdude
The current boom reminds me of the Reagan boom when I grew up. I went from dead broke white trash teenager to making a ton of money working construction and putting myself through college and law school. Unless someone is ill or has a handicap, there is no excuse not becoming very well off.

Something tells me this will be the last chance to truly make it as demographics are not on our side. I hope to be in Montana, Wyoming or Idaho with my feet up on the front porch staring at a mountain by then.

51 posted on 05/17/2018 10:31:20 AM PDT by MattinNJ (I am optimistic about the USA for the first time in a decade)
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To: fwdude

There are two definitions missing:
What is a basic, middle-class life?
What does it mean to survive the modern economy?


52 posted on 05/17/2018 10:32:19 AM PDT by PrincessB
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To: Rebelbase; fwdude; Steely Tom
"Nearly 51 million households don't earn enough to afford a monthly budget that includes housing, food, child care, health care, transportation and a cell phone.

Comment #1: I guess the reason why "clothing" isn't in that list, is because those 51 million people are already going naked.

Comment #2. Isn't it truly a marvel that these same millions of people are still living in houses, eating food, taking care of their kids, caring for their health,getting around, and talking on their cell phones??

Comment #3 (alternatively): Where are they talking about? Venezuela? America is Venezuela?

Comment #4. At least things are so bad here that nobody wants to come here, and everybody is trying to get out.

53 posted on 05/17/2018 10:32:21 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("Everything should be made a simple as possible, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein)
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To: Rebelbase

Perfect mani pedis and thoroughly inked up too.


54 posted on 05/17/2018 10:34:00 AM PDT by Califreak (Take Me Back To Constantinople)
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To: Mrs. Don-o

“health care,”

The reason people can’t afford housing, food, child care, transportation and a cell phone.


55 posted on 05/17/2018 10:34:40 AM PDT by Rebelbase
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To: fwdude

If they have to pay for Obamacare insurance, I can believe it. I don’t know anyone especially with kids who doesn’t have to spend at least $1000 a month for the crap.


56 posted on 05/17/2018 10:35:32 AM PDT by Smittie (Just like an alien I'm a stranger in a strange land)
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To: fwdude

California and Hawaii are next to the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacific Ocean is full of Fish that people can eat.

I’m sure New Mexico has some nice Lakes as well.

Is this the same as the new found Homeless Epidemic that didn’t exist between January 2009 and January 2017?


57 posted on 05/17/2018 10:36:05 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative ( An Armed Society is a Polite Society. An Unarmed Society is North Korea.)
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To: Steely Tom

No kidding. Where is the follow up article on the homelessness problem?


58 posted on 05/17/2018 10:36:52 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: caww

Yeah. Hyperbolic lies are mother’s milk for NGOs and bureaucrats. Remember the “Half of all Americans have diabetes” PSAs? All bs.


59 posted on 05/17/2018 10:37:09 AM PDT by Seruzawa (TANSTAAFL!)
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To: Boogieman

Our salvation has been Moore’s law, in one form or another, applying to so many of the things we consume. When you consider that my grand parents paid $850 for a color TV back in the early 60’s, and I sold 50” sets in the early 80’s for $4k-5k.

It’s housing that is killing people.


60 posted on 05/17/2018 10:38:55 AM PDT by robroys woman (So you're not confused, I'm using my wife's account.)
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