It is to the point where, I do not want to watch the news or read the paper. I think I may be joining the ranks of the whining babies, I have seen mentioned on here. I am close to that point. I care for my husband who is most of the time bed ridden, except on good days. I care for him at home. If I were to work it would cost me my whole check to pay someone to come in and care for him. His doctors told me to not leave him home alone. I live with guilt of doing just that on a good day, leaving the phone next to him so I can check on him. He gets SS and Medicare, we are 22 dollars over the limit for medicaid as well as food stamps. This has made me somewhat of an expert on these programs, not by choice. I get out twice a month to volunteer at the local food bank. My daughter or one of my grandchildren cover for me on these days. Last week I contracted to clean toilets, really bathrooms. I did this to help my daughter buy school supplies for her daughters. She gets no child support, so she must do it all on her own. Enforcement doesn't help unless you are on TANIF in this state, go figure.
I now see LIHEAP is being cut? It was cut here last year and I would guess again this year. I am looking at heating our house with a wood stove this year. I see what passed in the debt reduction. No increase in taxes, but cuts to the life lines that help keep our heads above water as soon as the twelve work it out or not..
Many write about class war, I laugh as it is turning into class annihilation. War my rear, how do the sick, the hungry, the disabled and the unemployed wage war? I see them every two weeks, as I am handing out food. I can get on here, thanks to my sister who pays the provider and the used computer I was given. When President Obama ran for office, I had such hope. I made calls, went from door to door and talked to many people. I live in a state so red it bleeds. I have done some heavy soul searching, what makes the thousands like me want to vote for him again? I have seen more fight in the elderly women who work at the food bank. By the way, the local food bank lost it's main contributor and may have to close in a couple of months. One may ask if this will lead to class warfare or just all out war. The President may ask himself what he is doing for those at the bottom. Where are the jobs?? Where is the President I voted for??
Guess this is a big enough whine. I know I am not alone, there are hundreds in my part of this state. It has passed the point of a job or not, when jobs are part time and low wages, they too now stand in the food line about to dry up. It just mystifies me to see those in Washington saying we must create jobs, while they are on vacation. This would of been great news last year. I get ill when I see articles on here about how smart the President is with his lay back methods. While he is analyzing and making a plan of action, many are dying, going hungry, living on the street and living with no heat or cooling. You don't see them on here as they don't have computers or money for a provider. Many don't have hot water, heating, cooling and yes even a home to live in. Our little recession is worse than the depression your Dad talked about. Now for all you stat people, I will add some below as well as a few articles. Sure hope tomorrow I will have a better outlook on life. To those fine Christians on the right, Bachmann and Perry, they may think about standing in front of those gates one day, I have a feeling no matter how much money they have there will be no going through them.
Oklahoma ran out of money in just three days. The cuts began after Congress eliminated millions of dollars in potential aid, forcing state lawmakers to scale back energy assistance programs. The agencies that distribute the money are worried that the situation could get even worse next year because the White House is considering cutting the program in half.
States cut programs to help poor cool their homes By TOM COYNE, Associated Press – Jul 21, 2011
Heat kills in Oklahoma
12 Deaths
Regional Food Bank
500,000 Oklahomans will wake up today and wonder where their next meal will come from. Oklahoma ranks as the fifth hungriest state in the nation. Established in 1980, the Regional Food Bank is the largest private hunger-relief organization in the state of Oklahoma. In Fiscal Year 2010, the Regional Food Bank distributed 36.5 million pounds of food through a network of more than 700 charitable feeding programs and elementary schools, in 53 central and western Oklahoma counties. The Regional Food Bank provides enough food to feed more than 90,000 people each week – nearly half of which are children.
Our Local Rural Food Bank
Every year, We Care Inc. works towards making sure those who need help with food and clothing receive it. We serve a large area in North Central Oklahoma. This fight is made possible by the generous support of people like you along with the help of The Oklahoma Regional Food Bank. For just the month of June, 2011 we fed 1048 adults, 630 children with 583 families receiving help. We are a registered non-profit organization. We were notified as of September 1, 2011 we would be loosing 80 % of our monetary support from a private source, who would no longer be able to help.
Oklahoma the Red State. This is what the state has, I think they are wrong.
Income
Rural * Urban * Total
Per-capita income (2009 dollars)
2008 31,140 39,948 36,764
2009 30,498 38,836 35,837
Percent change -2.1 -2.8 -2.5
Earnings per job (2009 dollars)
2008 34,878 48,941 44,233
2009 33,582 48,301 43,367
Percent change -3.7 -1.3 -2.0
Poverty rate (percent)
1979 16.5 11.3 13.4
1989 20.3 14.4 16.7
1999 17.4 13.2 14.7
2009 18.7 14.7 16.1 (latest model-based estimates) (Love this "estimates")
Oklahoma poverty a chronic, unaddressed problem
My Favorite, who needs to simulate.
8:15 PM PT: Here is a link to the Regional Food Bank Of Oklahoma for those who would like to donate on behalf of We Care Inc. Thank you to those who provided the link and I am sure we are not the only ones who need help. I know our local Food Bank needs help unloading and distributing the food. I urge you all to check with your local food bank as they are all having shortages right now. http://www.regionalfoodbank.org/
8:53 PM PT: Whoa, on the list. That is great because I would sure like to see everyone on this site stop with the finger pointing and arguing and take the time to look at what is happening to your neighbors. My story is not good, but there are so many a lot worse. Thank you all for drawing attention to the extreme poverty many are trying to survive!