Waiting In Lines

I find myself spending an awful lot of my time lately, waiting in long lines...waiting in long lines full of other people just like me...people struggling just to stay alive.

People working minimum wage part-time jobs because employers don't want to provide benefits to full-time employees. Families consisting of 3 generations sharing too small apartments, because rents are so high it takes multiple incomes to put a roof over our heads. People who make too much income to get food stamps, but not enough income to actually afford food.

I share a small 3 bedroom unit in a Duplex with my youngest son, his spouse and my grand daughter. My son and my daughter in law both work part-time low wage jobs where their employers won't give them full-time hours because they don't want to give their employees full-time benefits. I get a small disability check each month and supplement it with what I earn writing from home. I get some public aid, Medicare and state medical assistance and a small amount of food stamps that isn't enough to feed me, let alone 4 people. My son & his spouse make too much income to qualify for any public aid, but not enough income to actually afford to live. We are what is sadly becoming the typical American family.

So...since they both work, I spend a lot of time watching my grand daughter & waiting in lines. Waiting in line at the neighborhood food shelf once a month. Waiting in line at various churches & community centers that give food to the needy. Waiting in line at the Energy Assistance office, the Salvation Army, the various free meals served at local churches and such. I spend a lot of time talking to other low income people in my area who are in the same sinking boat.

We share our stories that are all strikingly similar. The people standing in lines aren't lazy like the Republicans would like people to believe. Most of them had good paying jobs with benefits most of their lives...until the factories closed, or the company went out of business, or the job got outsourced to India, China, Mexico, etc...

Many got laid off for what was supposed to be temporary, but became permanent. Many lost their homes to foreclosure after their unemployment ran out. Most now work part-time minimum wage jobs that they are way over-qualified for. Many are senior citizens who never dreamed they would be spending their Golden Years standing in lines to keep from starving to death.