Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues The Obama Administration Stimulus package

Someone I know makes $12 an hour. I think that's about $24k a year. He is single. He shares a small apartment with two other people. He doesn't own a car because he lives where he doesn't need one. His bedroom is about 10x10; they all share a small living room, kitchen and bathroom. He has no health insurance, but he and his friends take advantage of a nearby GLBT free clinic when they need to. He has a computer and they all share the cost of cable and internet access. His neighborhood in Brooklyn is a family-oriented neighborhood, not rundown or dangerous in any sense. He and his friends shop at second-hand stores. Their material demands are few. They don't belong to gyms, they don't go to clubs. He and they are among the happiest and most well-adjusted people I know.

Just agreeing with Steve that we all place our own meaning onto what "living" is.

Why didn't we do this in the last $800B?http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090218/ap_on_bi_ge/obama_home_foreclosures_32


By my math, that makes slightly less than $850B. Stimulus my ass.

"Living" is more "existing" in "downscale" neighborhoods given the crime and grime factor.

I couldn't do it. At 40 years old, I'm way beyond the "roommate" stage of my life. I've done "poor" before, in college. In my early 20s I had three jobs.

I prefer to live "somewhat" "comforably": Maybe a movie once or twice a month, maybe going out to eat once or twice a month, gym membership, dry cleaning, and being able to purchase good, quality food.

Yeah, yeah...

...Republicans weren't whining and complaining we spent a gazillion dollars in Iraq - and incidently, a couple of billion "went missing."

Not a peep.

Partisan politics.

By "we" would you mean "the Republican Administration that wrote the Bill"?



I understand where you're coming from, rick. I hope you understand that lots of people who are as well off as you are, or better, think they're still "struggling", while many who make less than you feel like they're "living well".

...am I "struggling" because I've cut the cleaning ladies from every four weeks to every eight weeks?

I figure, at least I'm still using them AND the house gets a good, fast "once over" - every eight weeks. I maintain in the meantime.

I do.

It's all perspective.

Am I "spoiled"? Absolutely!

Yessir, you're spoiled all right. More power to ya!

Rick, the person I spoke about is nearly your age. He lives with roommates because in New York it is almost impossible not to do so. It certainly isn't a maturity thing. It's the way he lives because he loves his friends and they all love living in the City.

Cleaning lady??? Never had one myself. It's always been one of those things that the people who have lived in my house share. And I've never really been comfortable with the idea of a "maid" or "servant" to clean up my messes.

Again, I gotta agree with Steve.