By the author of Be Ready for Anything and the online course Bloom Where You’re Planted
You know all those reports about how lots of Americans can’t afford a $1000 surprise expense like a medical bill or a car repair? Well, forget additional expenses. It turns out that nearly half of the families in America are struggling to pay for food and rent. And that means that the economic collapse isn’t just “coming.” It’s HERE.
United Way has done a study on a group of Americans they call ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. The study found that this group does not make the money needed “to survive in the modern economy.”
ALICE is your child care worker, your parent on Social Security, the cashier at your supermarket, the gas attendant, the salesperson at your big box store, your waitress, a home health aide, an office clerk. ALICE cannot always pay the bills, has little or nothing in savings, and is forced to make tough choices such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent. One unexpected car repair or medical bill can push these financially strapped families over the edge.
ALICE is a hardworking member of the community who is employed yet does not earn enough to afford the basic necessities of life.
ALICE earns above the federal poverty level but does not earn enough to afford a bare-bones household budget of housing, child care, food, transportation, and healthcare. (source)
Between families living below the poverty line due to unemployment or disability and ALICEs, the study discovered that 43% of Americans were struggling to cover basic necessities like rent and food.
Where are families struggling the most?
Some states have more families living in ALICE levels than others. The 3 states with the most families barely surviving paycheck to paycheck are California, New Mexico, and Hawaii. Each of these states saw 49% of families struggling. North Dakota had the lowest ALICE percentage with 32%. You can check how your state fares right here. Despite the lowest unemployment rate since 2000, families all over the country are barely getting by.
The media page of the ALICE website is jammed with headlines that are all too familiar for many Americans:
- Report: Michigan makes little progress in lifting working poor to financial stability
- After a decade of tax cuts — Ohioans in financial hardship
- Louisiana families work hard, but still can’t cover necessities
- 44 percent of Florida households, mostly working poor, struggling to meet basic needs
- Third of New Jersey households can’t afford basic necessities
- 42 percent of Wisconsin households struggle to pay bills
And on and on and on…
The economic collapse of America is here.
While many families are still doing okay, the specter of poverty looms over many of us. Many of us know that we’re one personal financial catastrophe away from disaster. I wrote recently about my own family’s struggle with a large medical bill.
Obviously, I’m not telling you about our financial saga to make myself look bad. I’m telling you because I want you to know that no matter how much you try to do everything right, financial problems can happen to anyone, at any time. Whether you have $100 in the bank or $100,000 in the bank, something can happen that wipes out your emergency fund just like it did mine.
This doesn’t mean that you failed financially – it means that circumstances can affect you, just like they do everyone else, no matter how careful you are.
Before my daughter’s illness, I was doing everything “right.”
- I had enough money in my emergency fund to carry me through 3 lean months
- I had numerous credit cards with zero balances
- My only debt was my car
- My kids are going to school without student loans
- I opted out of health insurance because it was more financially practical to pay cash (and I still agree with that decision)
Everything was great.
Until it wasn’t. (source)
This is a story that probably rings true to more and more familiar to a growing number of families every week.
While my income hasn’t dropped – it’s grown – I am still struggling to pay off those bills and recover. I’ve taken on a significant amount of extra work to get things back under control, and still, I worry it won’t be enough.
Sound familiar?
If it does, it’s because – and of this, I am quite certain – the long-heralded economic collapse of America is upon us. When hard-working families who should be “middle class” can barely afford to eat and keep a roof over their heads, things are only going to devolve further.
Look at other examples of economic collapse
This is just the beginning of a looming collapse in America.
Remember back when Greece began to collapse? It was the same thing – no one could afford the basics and things went downhill pretty quickly from there. It really hit the papers when a strict austerity program was instituted and culminated when a “bank holiday” shut down the financial system for an entire week.
There are similar stories in the UK (where the taxpayers can still fund a 45 million dollar wedding but poor families can’t afford to eat every day), Argentina, and Cyprus.
Jose wrote for us about the warning signs that the collapse of Venezuela was approaching and they’re eerily familiar. Food rationing began, the cost of medical care became prohibitive, the health insurance system began to fail, and people began to make difficult choices about rent versus food.
I don’t know how it could be any more clear than the fact that nearly half of the American population is also making that decision each month.
What’s the answer?
While the United Way hopes to boost the minimum wage, I don’t feel that is the answer because it will drive businesses to let employees go when they can’t afford to pay them. We have seen this happen in fast food establishments in which humans are on their way to being replaced by self-service kiosks and burger-flipping robots.
I believe the only answer is to begin to produce more than we consume. Currently, Americans are like a horde of locusts, working at jobs that produce nothing, but consuming rabidly the imports that feed us, clothe us, and entertain us. We’re looking at economic tariffs on imports that may increase their price up to 40% and our own exports will be subject to tariffs in return.
If you find yourself in a tough spot, these tips from The Cheapskate’s Guide to the Galaxy may help.
- Audit your situation. See where all your money is going, see how much debt you’re in, and see what the most immediate ramifications will be.
- Take care of the most important things first. In most situations, keeping your home paid for (rent or mortgage), paying utilities, and making your auto and insurance payments should come first. Take care of the things that will have the most immediate ramifications first.
- You may have to make some late payments on less vital things. If so, communicate with those to whom you owe money and try to make arrangements. This may affect your credit, but by communicating with them, you can keep damage to a minimum.
- Cut your expenses. When you audit your situation, you may find some places that you can slash your regular expenses. Don’t hesitate to reduce services that are unnecessary or to whittle down your monthly obligations. (More ideas here)
- Put a little money back into your emergency fund as soon as possible. This may sound counterintuitive but having a bit of money for minor emergencies means that you won’t need to rely on credit cards for these things, putting you even further in the hole.
- Pay off your debts. Use the snowball method to attack your debts. Start paying these off AFTER you pay for the things I recommended in step 2.
- Use the things you have on hand. Delay a trip to the store for as long as possible by planning a menu using the food in your pantry and freezer. (Think about the stockpile challenge we did and use those strategies. Get some ideas for meals from your stockpile in this article) Use the shampoo, soap, and personal hygiene products that you have already instead of buying new products.
- Raise extra money. This may come from selling things you don’t need, taking on some extra work, or by creating a product or service to sell. However you do this, use the extra revenue wisely to get out of debt and to rebuild your emergency fund. There are more ideas for making money quickly in this issue.
And to harden yourself against the collapse that will only get worse, make these changes to help your family survive.
What can you store?” is not the right question to ask.
“What can you make?” – that’s the right question.
Your focus has to be on long-term sustainability, frugality, and self-reliance. Don’t get me wrong – a stockpile is sensible and an essential course of action. It should definitely be part of your preparedness plan.
However, you need to also be ready for the time when the supplies in your well-stocked pantry are no longer available. You need to be able to meet as many of your own needs as possible or you’ll end up being one of those people wearing dirty clothes because you can’t find laundry soap or going hungry because you can’t find any food at the stores – or can’t afford it if you can find it. You need to be ready for the end of a consumer-driven lifestyle, because quite frankly, there may soon come a day when there are no consumer goods to be had. Here are some ways to work on your
Here are some ways to work on your self-reliance:
- Looking for the thrifty answer using things you have on hand
, instead of purchasing a solution to every problem - Fixing things that are broken instead of replacing them
- Eating simple food you prepare from scratch
- Producing as much of your own food as possible
- Learning to forage
- Using “old-fashioned” alternatives for disposable things like diapers, wipes, feminine hygiene supplies, paper towels, and the like
- Learning to make cleaning supplies and soaps, especially from accessible supplies (like vinegar, ash, and foraged natural ingredients)
- Learning to make pantry basics like vinegar, sourdough, and cultured dairy products
- Learning to preserve your harvests to see you through the lean days of winter
- Providing your own services like heat, garbage disposal, and water
- Learning about natural remedies from accessible sources
- Learning to protect your family and property
, instead of purchasing a solution to every problem
instead of replacing themIt’s only by reducing your need for the things sold in stores that you can exempt yourself from the chaos and desperation that will erupt when everyone realizes that an economic collapse has occurred.
Maybe people in those states should start voting Republican.
Socialism does not work.
My son has been married 8 years and has no kids. When asked why his response is: “how can I have children when I’m to busy paying for everyone else’s.”
Remember Murphy Brown vs. VP Dan Quale? VP Quale is laughing his rear end off now. You reap what you sow!
The problem isn’t socialism in this country—it’s capitalism run amok. Meaning, corporate greed run amok. When corporations rake in billions while not paying their employees a living wage, this is what happens. Now they just got a huge tax cut, and what did the majority of companies do with it? NOT pay their employees more—instead they gave it to their stockholders (most of which are NOT middle-class and poor and who do NOT need a handout) and again gave big bonuses to CEOs who already make hundreds of times what the REAL workers in their companies do. No…do NOT lay this at the feet of socialism.
Correction: I meant “feet” of socialism. Hit “submit” before proofreading. I know better, but… And there’s no way to edit a comment.
Got that for ya.
Becky~ I agree 100%. This mess is the result of rampant greed disguised as capitalism. There is not a thing socialistic causing the disparity in this country right now. It is laughable to think that voting Republican will fix it after that recent tax cut almost exclusively benefited the wealthy. If this chasm continues with the wealthy stockpiling their assets while the majority struggles to put food on the table, however, eventually the economy will completely collapse or there will be an uprising.
As a European, I find it mind-boggling how Europeans always seems to feel the urge to inject politics into nearly all of their issues and disputes (“voting Republican”). To me, when hard-working families who should be “middle class” can barely afford to eat and keep a roof over their heads, it means they are living above their means. Even the most cursory inspection should tell you that. Hard-working and should be middle-class but you can barely afford to eat? Well, where does the money go?
Now suppose nearly half of the population (with likely an overwhelming majority in minority populations) is living like this, as this article is suggesting. Is it any wonder if the whole construction is going to collapse sooner or later?
As an afterthought, I have to add – the notion that 43% of the US population “can barely afford to eat” does seem to be – just slightly – exaggerated.
I meant “how Americans always seem to feel” – not Europeans. Sorry for the mistake.
I’m going to slam it right in the face of socialism. The so called greedy capitalist isn’t requiring anyone to work for any particular wage, if you don’t like the job find another or better yet create a good or service on your own. The greedy capitalist is providing jobs and will probably pay you more than you are worth. The real problem ruining our country is the public sector unions like the teachers unions that are brainwashing the children into becoming hapless socialist parasites dependent on the government. Next to that is the socialist welfare state draining away the rest of the public’s dole as our infrastructure collapses. These forces work hand in hand, failed teachers and failed students, building this sophomoric angst against hard working Americans and anyone who has earned any level of success. These bloated parasites gnaw away all the while wearing the badge of victimhood. You are not entitled to anything. You are not owed anything. Freedom and independence is what built this country and socialism is destroying it. Bar the door and hope the angry mob doesn’t show up looking for what you tell them they are owed.
well stated, sir. I have a little more in my budget since the tax cut, but the price of things keeps on rising. BUT I DON’T know what give up, nor surrender means.
I hate to break this to you, but what you just described is not free market Capitalism. The collusion between corporate and government entities to control resources is Fascism, or, as Mussolini described it, Corporatism. It’s a leftist, socialist system. You have, however, identified a large part of the problem.
Just a few questions. Why do you feel entitled to profits from a company someone else built? Did you take on any of the risk as it was being built? Did you put in any of the hours and weekends and weather the sacrifices of personally going without that it takes to start and grow a company? Are you aware that most companies used that tax break to expand and hire more people? ( Which is why the unemployment rate went down.) If you are angry about a company’s practices, are you still buying from them? Did you know anyone can own stock not just the rich? And that the company has a responsibility to earn for those stockholders?
If you want a higher income have you put the time in to accomplish the training that will make you a valuable employee? Or is it easier to sit on your laurels and complain that someone else owes you?
BRAVO!!!! High five!!! Non-business owners have no idea just how much expense it takes just to operate.
Profits are one thing, but huge tax cuts for the company can hardly be meant to accrue the wealth of a tiny number of wealthy people at the top (stockholders and CEO’s)
Those companies should be prosecuted. To my mind, it is a criminal act no less if you, rather than use the savings resulting from big tax cuts to help your employees with a better pay – not even reinvesting them in the company, but – for crying out loud – divide them amongst those at the top, the most wealthy people in the whole company anyway.
These proceedings annul any possible benefit your government could possibly have intended.
BTW, this has nothing to do with capitalism – it’s corruption.
Shammy: We never had kids either, as we were blue collar workers, worked during high inflation in the ’70’s and ’80’s incl recession in early ’80’s. We understood globalism back forty years ago and kept up with it since. Few knew about the deep state agenda before computers as not many people read books except to be entertained. Not a time to raise kids anyway who will have a zero future as this country slides more and more into socialism and hard times. We are now retired and realize America is under control of the deep state control freaks to incl agenda 21 (see: technocracy.news for updates on agenda 21.)
Where I live it is pretty common for minorities to have two and even three jobs. I once knew a fellow whose third job was bar tending at parties. I don’t remember if his second job was part-time or full time, but I think it was full time. His wife worked too,a teacher at an HBU. When I knew them they were empty nesters but I think they had put two or three kids through collage.
My uncle made his 20 years in the Navy then worked 20 years as maintenance man at a large utility. He got pensions from both and I think SS too. My aunt was a nurse, also for the Navy, and received a pension there too. They lived on what my uncle made and banked my aunt’s earnings for probably 20 years. They live in a small house and put their son through collage.
Lets face it, It’s just tough for a single parent. I was fortunate it that regard in thy my parents were good people and lived close enough to help me out a lot.
“It’s just tough for a single parent.” There are many out there, either divorced or never married, and it’s the kids (and the taxpaying citizens) that bear the brunt of these poor choices. Their mantra of ‘we’ll get by somehow’ is code for ‘we expect to live off of free money from the government and the generosity of others’. Government programs and handouts have allowed people to eschew work and self-reliance. After working 50 years, ‘paying yourself first’ and putting back for a rainy day/retirement, and putting 3 kids through school, my wife and I are now in a comfortable place in our lives. It’s all about choices.
Do let me call BS on that, To Cor. It isn’t always a “poor choice” to get divorced, nor is there anything one can do if the other parent has passed away. I do have the mantra of “we’ll get by somehow” but by somehow, I mean hard work, a tight budget, and creativity. Despite my “poor choice” of being a single parent for the past 15 years, I am now putting my second child through college, debt-free. And wow, I didn’t even have to become a hooker to do it!
What would happen if your careful nest egg disappeared through no fault of your own? Oh – you’d be in the same situation as those of us struggling. There but for the grace of God. Difficult times aren’t always about choices. But I’m probably trying to tell this to someone who is smug in his comfort and believes that nothing bad can ever happen.
Very best wishes that your comfort level always remains as high as it is now.
I have a 19-year-old son with high-functioning autism that may or may not be able to live on his own someday. That was something we could not have planned for. My nightmare is, what will happen to him when his father and I are gone? I don’t trust that the safety net will be there for him.
I went back to school to see if I could get a job to earn enough money so that we wouldn’t have to rely on the safety net. Through a combination of circumstances, I wasn’t able to finish school (I picked court reporting, and that was much harder than I expected it to be.) I work from home proofreading, and everything I make goes to pay for student loans.
My husband and I own one car, he uses public transportation, we try to look for bargains, and we are paying back debt. Dealing with our son is the major uncertainty.
A friend has an autistic son and soon as he got out of a special needs school at 18, he was placed in a group home with structured activities. Parents visited on weekend. Best solution I feel. Shouldn’t cost anything either.
How insensitive! Maybe she wants him living at home where she is SURE of him getting living care! Do YOU have a special needs child??? If not, you’re in NO position to be giving your opinion. And solution? To what, exactly?
Hear, hear Daisy! Very well said.
Usually, when one says “Hear, hear” he is addressing the audience, not the individual who was speaking.
But no worries, I guess we get what you mean. 🙂
Daisy: At my age, I have known others whose so called nest egg savings was spent on medical bills (father, friends) because their insurance wasn’t “top of the line” insurance. Co pays even w/medicare can take most if not all, then medicaid kicks in, like some I knew. Obama care has ruined many of the younger middle class, some I know personally. Yet, many cannot manage their finances either. There is a high rise (s-8) for low income elderly near me that takes one third of their SS w/ free electric and cable for rent, because “medical wipeout” happened to them or a spouse. It is scary when it happens to those you know. Our insurance is top of the line medicare supplement covers in patient and hosp, w/ drug coverage w/small co pay. All insurance (car, house, business, dental, med. is “higher than H” and raising every yr!!
To Cor — Sometimes it is somebody else’s choice that puts you in a bind. My wife left through no fault of mine and I could not convince her to stay. So it was by choice, but not my choice. It takes two to marriage work, but only one to make h*ll. We managed and my daughter is now a happy and fully functional married adult with a grown child of her own.
Good article Daisy.
I think a number of Americans would be put out if they did an objective analysis of their finances and recognized a few of their expenses are really unnecessary, like cable, dinning out 3 or more times a week, etc.
I got rid of cable:$120 a month! And that was with my “former employee” discount. I have found Amazon Prime-which I would use regardless of the yearly fee, is fine free TV for me. I’ve watched many series that I never saw because they were on the premium channels. If you really want to cut your food bill, it is surprising what you can do by making a list of every single item you need-before you hit the grocery store. No more, “Oh, it’s cute and only $7”. Living like it’s the 21st century? Well, knock it off. I never turn a light on when it’s halfway daylight, and if you are cold-put a sweater on. If it’s too hot-open the windows. If you really need to cut back-it can be done. It isn’t neccessarily comfortable, but it is doable. I am resentful of the politicians and “only $2500 a plate” dinners to fund raise themselves to their next level of incompetance. I get tired of federal/state/city employees whining about needing a pay raise when they are making 5 times my income, and yet I am expected to pay for their raise and benefits. My best advice is to keep your cash at home. Save those nickels and dimes, and do not put money in the bank, other than to pay bills. Reduce your need to be dependant on outside sources.
yeah…SO lets bring in more immigrants especially Muslim savages that ride welfare then turn into suicide bombers.
lets give them free college and free housing and refuse the same help to born citizens and veterans. Yeah lets do that..and ship all the jobs over seas and replace workers with robots. lets drive the dollar down into the ditch to where it is worthless and dont pay for anything…Yeah lets do that.
Daisy you are an amazing woman. Work, family, and this wonderful website which helps countless people. I come here everyday. I really don’t know how you do all of this.
I found out if I can’t afford it, I do without. No crying, being disciplined. Usually though, I find an alternative that is nearly free. So be patient and think it through.
We are so fortunate to have full medical coverage between Soc. Sec. Medicare and the supplement. Is it cheap? No. Far from it. I went 8 years without medical insurance because I thought we couldn’t afford it. Thank God, I didn’t need it. But a year after Medicare kicked in I got 2 types of cancer. The last time I checked – 6 months ago – the bills were over $3,000,000!!! If we hadn’t had medical insurance, I’d be dead or we’d be beyond dead broke. When people tell me they can’t afford insurance, I tell them I can’t afford NOT to have insurance. It is pricey. Our medical costs equal 3/4 of our income still. But we’re making it by using every cost cutting skill known to man. Medicare only pays 80%, which sounds good, until you do the math. If I’d had to pay 20% of my bill, that’s still too much and more than we have. I have a good size garden which has been hard to maintain through all this . So I swallow my pride and go to the food bank too. You are so right. Sometimes life throws us a curve ball. Do all you can while you can to position yourself for those hard times that seem to come to all. And thanks Daisy for your forum.
When I was working and raising a family, I had little money left over. My GD wife spent money like it was nothing, we fought all the time. When she died and left me with 4 teens, things got a little better but It was an uphill battle. I have busted by butt my whole life, while a lot of people sat back and got my tax money and did little. NOW at 75 I am financially solvent. No mortgage, no car loan, money in my pocket, it feels great for the first time in my life and I did it on my own with no one there. I have helped my children many times but they are great kids.
I know what you mean about partner’s spending habits. They can undo all the good work that you do in saving money in a swipe of the card. Congratulations on being in good shape financially!
All the more reason to keep separate bank accounts! (:
If only I knew then what I know now, k8Kirz
At our house in a 1 week period, my computer crashed. I work from home and have to maintain my own equipment. So this had to be replaced asap. I bought refurbished from New Egg. Then the dryer quit. I said well I have some para cord, we put up a clothes line outside. Because then the car broke down twice! Well I still have not been able to replace the dryer, but our electric bill went down $24. So I think we might just not ever replace that dryer! That extra $24 a month can start our new emergency fund.
One suggestion is to go garage saling to buy extra coats, clothing, shoes etc. I buy my grand kids toys, puzzles, books etc
at garage sales. I have larger size clothes packed away for them. All of their outside big play items, wagons, cozy coupes,
bicycles etc . You never know what you will find for great bargins at garage sales. Great way to resell also.
Some good advice for a depression, but there’s only one action which will fix the underlying problem; burn the leeches off. The economy won’t stabilize, no matter what any President or Congress does, until the Federal Reserve is dismantled. The banksters have been playing what I call the Two Empire game, robbing the wealth of nations through currency manipulation, until the debt economy becomes unsustainable, at which point they apply their ‘solution’ to reset the books; wolrd war, achieved by economic and diplomatic manipulation (think Kissinger). Finance all the combatants, blow up half the world, which creates a false prosperity from all the rebuilding activity. They’ve done this twice already, and are now doing it again, busily pushing us into a major land war in Eurasia. The only question is, are we going to let them?
John
There are lots of reason. LBJ, the great society, and the Vietnam War started all.
In 1965 a silver dollar cost a dollar, now it cost twenty dollars.
It only took one income to buy a house, not two like today
Cops and the courts could be trusted
The list is endless
Check out this article about lawyers .
http://time.com/5280446/baby-boomer-generation-america-steve-brill/
I have skimmed through the comments and believe me socialism doesn’t work. I just returned from a trip to Ireland. The country is physically about the size of the state of Indiana. They have a waiting list of 76,000 people waiting for medical procedures. There are no empty beds in their hospitals. The halls are lined with people on gurneys waiting on a room. They have raised the minimum wage and of course that is rolled into the price of goods and services. The price of a gallon of diesel is $6. gasoline is about 50 cents more a gallon. Roads are very poor in the rural areas and you have to pay taxes on a television or radio in your home. They have trucks that roam neighborhoods to detect televisions that haven’t had taxes paid on them. Bottom line is we have it good in this country. I wasn’t born to a wealthy family and am not wealthy now. Our poor people enjoy smart phones, color television and cars, often paid for or subsidized by taxpayers. If Americans didn’t have to have all the “stuff” then maybe we could pay our bills. How many cars, or televisions do you need? What benefit is it to buy your kids video games that warp their brains and make them into psychos. Americans make bad choices by running up credit cards, buy houses and cars they can’t afford and giving “stuff” to the children that they pay someone else to raise. FYI children are expensive, if you can’t afford them then don’t get someone or yourself pregnant. In case you don’t know it is nor my responsibility to subsidize your children. It is enough that I pay for their schooling with my property taxes. The title of this article should be 43% of Americans won’t pay for food and rent.
“Bottom line is we have it good in this country. ”
Why not compare the US with Somalia? You would feel even more right.
You are comparing to Ireland alone, try comparing to Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands. I am not saying you don’t have it good in your country, I am saying if you want to be truly objective you can’t do it like you are doing and still pretend you have an objective viewpoint.
I work for a non profit hospital. The CEO makes well over a million dollars plus MANY perks. The President makes over a million with perks. Not to mention the numerous VP’s, Directors, Regional Directors. It’s ridiculous considering the size of the community and hospital. THAT is the problem. The physicians don’t even make close to that and they are the ones saving lives. They should not make that kind of money when you have to have a food pantry for the employees because so many make minimum wage. Not to mention the number of people that have been laid off over the last three years.
That is absolutely sickening!
One thing I don’t understand is how they can call this “non-profit”? What’s the reasoning behind this?
A great book for doing exactly this with great insights is ‘Your Money Or Your Life’ by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez. See the book summary at https://yourmoneyoryourlife.com/book-summary/
Corporations had thier tax rate lowered to from 39% to 21% to match every other nations corporate rate of 15-20%. If you disagree that was fair, then double your own car payment or rent / mortgage payment and see how you do next month. It’s all ed fairness not special treatment. Socialism is special treatment. How has that worked out ?
Unfortunately, governmental politics are NOT the answer to anything, in fact, they are one of the many reasons why our economic situation is the way it is….they’re greedy, and much of this current system is illegal anyway and thus contributes to the ensuing problem. The other part is that to many have been relying on government handouts and help for quite awhile…..I’m not trying to be negative here, just revealing reality, the true faith of the people has dwindled, lack of reliance on their Elohim, and looking more toward their fellow man, which scripture tells us not to do…Psa 146:3-9, Jer 17:5-10
Badger: That’s what trashed most of Europe, letting in all these third world barbarians and it is happening here. MS 13 is here raising crime rates, Muslims supported by some church groups are being settled in and will transition to permanent welfare. How will we pay for future SS, medicare and pensions (military and fed. workers, etc.? Less workers to fund all this as demographics mean older people retiring not having as many kids now days.
A foothill is not a mountain no matter how tall it looks.
“Struggling to make ends meet” is a foothill. The mountain is where there is no food left, the electricity is off and will never return and the streams run brown with poop. The mountain is where we lose 95 % … or more … of our population … worldwide … including every person in our cities and suburbs. The mountain might even be the end of us as a species.
The question, it seems to me, is not, “How do we keep a foothill from becoming the mountain?”. Anything we do is too little and too late. Rather the question for us engage in is, “How do we each live a life of joy, compassion and love… in the face of… the mountain as a likely reality?”
With love and compassion, Harvey
That headline is so false. It’s statistically impossible for it to be true.
Are you purposely spreading lies, or are you just a failure at doing good research?
Personally, I wonder how many percent are at the other end of the scale. Those who not just don’t have to struggle to make ends meet, but can afford to live a lifestyle of luxury to the point where losing some money (like gambling or in the financial market) means nothing to them.