America's Own Third World

[bjl584]

America's own Third World - 1 - poverty & wealth - MSN Money

[riverwed070707]

Call me insensitive, but reading about a couple with 8 kids who relies entirely on the government to get by -- not as a temp solution, but as a way of life -- does not make me sympathetic.

Crazy to see the town with a 90% unemployment rate! I get the security of "home" and that some people are rooted, but if you have to move to make a living, move. I could never subject my family to those kinds of conditions, and would feel like I was setting them up for failure and a life of burden if I didn't let myself move on.

[bjl584]

Crazy to see the town with a 90% unemployment rate! I get the security of "home" and that some people are rooted, but if you have to move to make a living, move. I could never subject my family to those kinds of conditions, and would feel like I was setting them up for failure and a life of burden if I didn't let myself move on.

That town had a population of 278 or something like that, so that would be 250 out of work. I wonder what the other 28 did for a living? And, I agree, I would never stay there. I would move as fast as possible.

[papa_squat]

I feel very much the same way as riverwed in both respects. I feel sorry for the kids, but two unemployed parents (on disabled) living off government aid to feed 8 kids? And they're barely in their 30s! I can only hope that this does not become a typical story of poverty in America.

That town in West Virgina is really sad, but probably not surprising for a population that small. Most of the residents are probably in assited living and everyone else is employeed by assisteded living and maybe one corner store.

[JoeP]

What should be society's role when people try to stay in a job that is in a sector that is drying up, or have far more kids than they can afford, or stay in towns that have little or no services or opportunities due to mass exodus, or languish on skills that are not portable to other job roles?

Agree with riverwed070707. Move out, teach your kids and yourself to be more versatile. You can't go back in time, but at least change the path you're on so your kids are better off and don't have to inherit your situation.