Our economy stinks for most of Americans.

[redstatebluegirl]

The majority of Americans are not in the stock market, they don't even have retirement accounts. A large portion of Americans are working 2 or 3 jobs just to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.

Today when I was out taking the dogs to the vet, I passed two ladies on the side of the road, a very young child was out of the car under a bush for shade (it is over 100 here today). I stopped, before I got out of the car one of the ladies came up and begged me to help them buy some gas and get home. Before I could give them anything a man came up with a 10 gallon can of gas and put it in their car. She started to cry, she said she had to pay her light bill with her last check and won't get another one until Friday. She apologized to both of us for having to beg for help. It made me feel awful for her, having to do that in front of her child. I gave her the 20 I had in my purse, she hugged me. Working Americans should have the basics for life, anything less and we are a third world country.

Yes, numb nuts 45 our economy is GREAT!.....sarcasm

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. But but but

Pence said we all got $5000 more last year!!

[redstatebluegirl]

2. That is the problem, we get rid of Trump and we get Pence.

He is worse on so many levels.

[NewJeffCT]

15. If Trump were impeached tomorrow

AND convicted in the Senate next week, Pence would be damaged goods. Plus, he does not have the Trump ability to dominate the news cycle nearly every single day. Sure, he may be more competent than Trump - a very low bar - but this is a guy that was underwater in terms of approval after a term as governor of red Indiana in a good economy.

[Arthur_Frain]

18. I disagree. I think Pence is actually how they plan to retain power next cycle.

It’s trump that’s damaged goods right now. Pence has the evangelical wing of the Republican Party securely tucked under his arm. His performance as VP hasn’t been stellar, but it’s been enough to have him viewed as an acceptable risk by the establishment of the party, because most of all, he hasn’t made waves as VP, and he’s backed trumps play. Nothing that happened in IN will make a damned bit of difference on the national stage in the race for the presidency, not once the republican fear machine gins up it’s subject-du-jour for the election. If the resurgence of white nationalism has been evidence of anything, it’s that there’s a lot more fearful people out there than we thought there were, and republicans are all about capitalizing on that fear.

I think there’s a very good chance that if trump were impeached tomorrow and convicted, Pence would be easily elected, and I think Pelosi was looking at this from the beginning, which is why she has been tapping the brakes on it from the beginning.

[maxsolomon]

3. Trump trash-talked the economy in 2016.

Because it worked.

Now he talks it up and takes credit. Because it works.

The economy is failing the working class and the poor, clearly. I've never seen so many destitute people begging before - and it's getting worse every year.

Meanwhile, my employer is doing better and better every year since 2009.

[Coventina]

4. Many of us in the middle class have been forced INTO the stock market

whether we want to be in or not.

Instead of pensions, we get to gamble that our retirement will be given by the market.

Ugh!!!

[former9thward]

5. No, you are not forced.

All 401k plans allow for low yielding (but safe) money market funds as one of their choices. If you are in stocks it is because you choose to be.

[Coventina]

7. Nope not true. My 401k from a previous job was 1/2 company stock, no exceptions.

Granted, I no longer work there, and I rolled all that over into an IRA, but at the time, there was no choice in the matter.

My husband is also forced to invest in his company's stock as part of his retirement savings.

[PandoraAwakened]

8. Same with 10 of 12 friends I just polled.

No choice. Required to invest in company stock as part of their retirement savings. "Choice" is a Rethuglican unicorn. Remember when Bush (the stupid one) farted this unicorn out?

[Coventina]

9. Thank you! Yes, it was all a big lie.

"instead of a boring old pension, you can invest your money in the stock market and get rich beyond your wildest dreams!"

[former9thward]

10. So you were forced to buy company stock?

They did not give it to you as part of the 401k plan?

[Coventina]

12. Yes. eom

[yaesu]

6. I listened to a guy on FSTV today that said he had to move to China to live the American dream

said someone working at McD's there could live a good middle class life.

[Brainfodder]

17. Former co-worker moved to Thailand 15 years ago.

His wife was from there, they divorced after they moved there, and he stayed there, after his parents died back in the states, he's stayed in Thailand, looks like forever, teaching English at a university, he said high rise nice apartments were 200-300/month.

So in effect, a huge rise in $ value moving there, compared to meager existence in the states.

Inflation in the U.S. has wrecked havoc, cost of living near cities, ridiculous for anyone in common easy jobs, you'd need to work at least 3 of them to live near that city in most cases?

Where I am, cheapest possible apartment in the worst side of town, $450/month rent.
Minimal wage here is about $10.
30+ year olds in almost all the formerly held by new teenager low skill jobs, a stark contrast to just 15 years ago?

One guy I know works two retail jobs in the same strip mall, I knew him from one, saw him there, went to Staples after, he came in starting his Staples gig 5 mins later, I said HEY!

That guy is at least my age, guessing closer to 60, and he looks every minute of it.

The workforce I see at least, looks exhausted and struggling, inflation kind of insures that will continue.

Of course, health care for many still, out of hand/reach which too is ridiculous, and we aint a best nation no more for the majority at least financially, that's obvious.

So whose still buying all this expensive tickets to whatever?

Credit card dept must be at crazy levels?

[Joe941]

11. A bad economy will help us get rid of tRump.

It would be worth it

[McKim]

13. Air Trade Charity Catalog: Help for Poor Americans

Yesterday I opened my favorite fair trade gift catalog and found a project helping single moms in Chicago. The caption said that although the US was a country of great wealth, there are 49 million people in the US living below the poverty line! Congratulations to our past and present political leaders, we are a third world country!

[redstatebluegirl]

14. That is just sad...we should be ashamed.

[Brainfodder]

16. I know this all too well.

Currently a household with no jobs and no reasonable prospects.

It really sucks.

Silver lining, I am starving a lot and lost 40 lbs so far.