Obama to announce aid for middle class

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2010
Obama to announce aid for middle class
23
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 9:35am

I'm about as middle class as it gets, but none of these things help me whatsoever. How are these things helping the unemployed? What are they doing for inflation, underemployment, etc.?


 


The proposals to be unveiled by Obama and Vice President Joe Biden at the White House, and which the president will push in his Wednesday night speech, include a doubling of the child care tax credit for families earning under $85,000; (what about the millions of people who don't have children but are still struggling?) an increase in federal funding for child care programs of $1.6 billion; (again, great for those with kids, but what about the rest of us?), capping student loan payments to 10 percent of income above "a basic living allowance;" (I see lots of help for the 18 to 40 year old group. What about everyone else?) expanding tax credits to match retirement savings; (what retirements? Either we lost them to Wall Street last year or the retirement plans are barely paying anything these days ell or we've lost a job and had to live on our retirement savings) and increasing aid for families taking care of elderly relatives (I'm curious if this is a request from the states. State Medicaid takes a huge hit on nursing home care. A lot of elderly people enter nursing homes indigent, and have nothing but their social security. State Medicaid picks up the rest. The states would love it if families would take on this expensive burden.


Come on, Obama. Give us something we can actually use, something that will actually help the country, not just a few select groups of people. Come up with a solid plan for unemployment; implement something to put people to work. Either that or take all this money you're throwing around and cut each and every one of us a hundred thousand dollar check and let US strike out on our own with it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2010
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 3:19pm

I agree. My neighbor, who has been out of work for about 18 months now, will lose the last of her unemployment next month. Unfortunately, she's not used the time off very wisely. She convinced herself that if she waited long enough the job market would impove and she'd simply walk into a new job. Don't see that happening.


I don't think I would be brave enough to use up what little money I had for schooling if I wasn't working, but most state labor departments offer free training in lots of areas. I've heard that it's even a good idea to do volunteer work during a period of unemployment. At least it keeps you out of the house and networking and you can use it on a resume to show you weren't just sitting around watching soaps all day and collecting unemployment. I think it's important to use the time out of work to build towards a new job/career any way you can.


iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2009
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 7:32am
He's throwing the hungry peasants a few crumbs. This is all a "ploy" to make him look like he's working hard for the little guy. You know...really looking out for you. When in actuality, he is only hoping this helps him in the polls and curbs his sinking popularity.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2010
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 8:02am

What would John McCain have done differently if HE'D been elected?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2009
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 8:19am

((What would John McCain have done differently if HE'D been elected? ))

I have no idea. He probably would not have signed bills that were laden with pork and earmarks.

((We look to our government leaders to make things happen, but it doesn't seem to matter who is in office - things don't happen - at least for the taxpayer.))

ITA! Except thing DO happen for the taxpayer.....their taxes go up!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-30-2002
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 9:49am

**What would John McCain have done differently if HE'D been elected?**


He would have said "Let them eat cake."


People of this ilk need to remember what happened to the French elite, during the Revolution, and why it happened. The "peasants" got fed up.



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 10:17am

"...children who are covering their parents "donut hole" costs, in home supportive services, medical deductibles, medical devices that aren't covered by

 


Photobucket&nbs

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2010
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 10:20am

You're right. He would have said "let them eat cake."


And I do think the American people are fed up, however, there is probably no revolution in our future for a couple of reasons. The first is that we're allowed just enough to keep us going. As long as our needs are met (home, car, food, etc.)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 12:08pm
Just venting, not worth reposting.


Edited 1/26/2010 12:54 pm ET by sweetpea1946
 
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 12:27pm
Although you weren't talking directly to me, I thank you anyway for giving me a ray of sunshine today. If you noticed my post, we are having trouble with Social Security today, a beloved uncle has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and we may not be able to start a house we have been wanting to build for a year now. Other than that...I guess everything else is okay. So....I will try to take your advice to heart and not dwell on the bad things...sunshine to you too!
 
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 12:44pm
As for getting more education to help obtain a job, I'm all for that. I tried about this time last year to get in on a local tech. college's medical coding class. I was told it would cost me $1200 for the class and another $460 for the books. That was not an option at that time. Well, just a few weeks ago, my sis in law says to me "they have free classes at the tech. school". She went and applied and sure enough, got into a medical coding class free, and applied for a Pell grant and got her books free! This is the same school, I tried applying at last year, and even after I asked the person in the office if they had any discounts for senior citizens, was told "no". Now I know she didn't know what she was talking about....but it was too late for me to apply for this semester, but next one...I surely will.