Hi Friends,
After getting back from a great road trip of visiting close friends and dear relatives, and dining out at great places with the finest good food, etc., it was still so dang good to come home to a comfortable home where there are no problems of 'forgetting to bring your toothbrush, radio, or what ever'.... LOL. Staying in a Motel room reminded me a little of my younger days of traveling up North and camping with the kids and wife in a tent. Yes, it was a great vacation with many other good friends, but the mosquito's harvested gallons of blood from us, and it seemed like we always forgot to pack SOMETHING, no matter how well we packed and planned !! We all have loads of fun, excitement and memorable times that I fondly remember with a smile. We grilled sirloin steaks and sausages on the camp fire, etc., and everyone in the 12 family group had fun and relaxed for a while. But I also remember camping out in Vietnam, early 1968, living in a 9 man tent with some goofy, rude, characters, and trying to get along.... and running for cover too many times as the Viet Cong --enemy launched their 122 mm rockets at us, killing and wounding our men, and that was in my FIRST tour of 'Nam, when I was just age 19 ! And then my 2nd tour of duty over there was a whole different ball game, as a helicopter door gunner, but most of my readers and followers know that already.
Also studying Finance and Dept of Labor Stats, I know that too many American families are just ONE PAYCHECK AWAY FROM BEING HOMELESS ! ! ! Now that is very scary, and it's only going to get worse, the way Obama left the USA ! He was too busy getting rich while in office, also helping his Muslim buddies over in the "Sand Box" -- Middle East, like Iran, etc ! Not to worry --- because the truth will come out, and already is, with Susan Rice and company.
Well, I just don't have the stomach today, for diving into politics, as I am re-embarking on a serious diet, again..... and picking up some fresh veggies from the store in the morning.
But before we get too 'wigged out' from fear, just remember that reading the beautiful Psalms has a gentling effect on the heart and soul, IMHO [in my humble opinion]. And I am honestly trying harder to WORK ON MY HUMILITY ! But please check out Psalms 139 -- 141, and feel the POWER of the Holy Spirit that entered the gentle David who wrote many of these Psalms ! But here is a small sample: "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth: keep the door of my lips." Lord, I really need to carve that into wood with a router, and also memorize it !! A few close friends of mine will understand exactly what my meaning is here, and now. I need to watch what I say, for fear of hurting others with my tongue and words that cut deep wounds. But the short book of James has a lot to say about the tongue, and how powerful that little member can be, and what destruction it can cause.
And those who really know me -- will tell you that I don't read, study and memorize the Scriptures to show off, but that I really love and depend on them when I am feeling blue and depressed. Yes there are many combat Veterans who have some PTSD, and also suffer from depression and loneliness. And money can't by you love. So I highly recommend my fellow "Brothers in Arms" to get into some kind of "Peer Group" or perhaps a Bible group where you can talk to your brothers in the know. Also, I am glad to help any serious Veteran who just needs to talk to someone who has been in their boots many times and experienced the 'thrill of combat' -- also hard times and worry. Here is my personal email address: tschuckman@aol.com
Now is not the time to let our guard down, because that is just what the Bible warns us against ! ! With President Trump in office --- that is a good thing, but it just may be the "Calm before the Storm !"
I am sorry, friends, but we cannot let our guard down just yet. But after we get to heaven, things will be different.
Warm Regards,
Tommy Schuckman
Americans “Worry About Hunger and Homelessness” As Income Drops, Jobs Dry Up
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While those at the top of the heap are getting richer than ever, millions upon millions of Americans are struggling more than ever before.
As a general institution, jobs for the masses increasingly feature frozen wages, evaporating benefits, part time hours, and less than stellar opportunities.
For these people, just getting by can be very stressful.
And that is being reflected in a big way in a recent Gallup pole that has captured unprecedented levels of concern among lower income people who are statistically terrified of losing their grip.
Lower-income Americans worry more in general than those with higher incomes. Everything is riskier and tougher for them. But nothing compares to the worries about hunger and homelessness. Gallup:Since 2001, worry has been highest among those residing in lower-income households, likely because those with limited financial resources are more at risk of going hungry or becoming homeless. A consistent majority of lower-income adults worried about the problem before 2012, but that has only increased in the past five years.[…]On average, across the 13 issues, the percentage of lower-income adults who worry a great deal is seven percentage points higher than among middle-income Americans, and 17 points higher than among upper-income Americans.But differences in concern about hunger and homelessness far exceed those norms. In fact, the 20-point difference in worry about hunger and homelessness between lower-income and middle-income Americans is higher than for any of the other issues. Similarly, the 30-point difference in worry about hunger and homelessness between lower-income and upper-income Americans ties for the highest, along with concern about crime and violence.Turns out, among Americans making $30,000 or less a year, 67% worry “a great deal” about hunger and homelessness! Food and shelter, two of the most basic human needs. That’s the highest percentage ever in Gallup’s data series on this question going back to 2001.
Obviously everyone already knows that poor people struggle more than well-off people whose needs are easily provided.
The unknown here is why those who are making less than $30,000 per year are so much MORE worried about hunger, homelessness and ‘just the basics’ than they were fifteen years ago.
Moreover, why are the middle class people – making a healthy $30k-$75k also more worried than they have been about personally being homeless and hungry?
What has changed?
Though it is hard to pinpoint, there has been a squeeze on the economy. Somewhere out there, there is a monster.
The glut of money created to give the banks liquidity was reinvested back into government bonds, and companies own stocks. Investment did not, generally, trickle down to the working man. Jobs weren’t created, and a recovery never happened. And many people are on the brink of losing everything – obviously many of those making at or under $30,000 are finding it pretty difficult to make it through.
The disillusionment hasn’t helped. Even with an expanded SNAP government food aid program, people are more freaked out than they ever have been about how food is going to be put on their table, and about how they are going to keep a roof over their head.
The level of worry here is frightening enough in of itself.
As Wolf Richter asked, is there some particular reason why things have suddenly “gotten a lot riskier, scarier, and uglier in some profound ways for lower-income Americans, those making $30,000 or less a year?”
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