Question. While I'm retraining at a community college, how am I supposed

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

to pay my house note while working part time at WalMart with no benefits including insurance?

Tell me, what's the rent on a Frigidaire box under a bridge?

Christ, the man doesn't have a clue.

Thank god, I'm not in that position at the moment, but if I was I'm sure there would be folks saying that I was in that position because I wanted to be.

[thecrow]

1. That's the first question I asked when * said that!!!!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

2. that's a $64 thousand dollar ??? i asked the samething last night....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1063084&mesg_id=1063084

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. dupe

[calico1]

4. Good question.

Plus I also wondered if a person is unemployed, how do they pay their bills and pay for an education in a new field?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

9. Bush said "Here's some help." I guess he'd put you up in Crawford

while you got beck on your feet.

(I don't think he'll be in the positiion to put you up in DC for much longer.)

[ibegurpard]

5. That's your problem

Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, son!
:P

[troubleinwinter]

6. Quitcher whinin. Ya can always enlist.

[Lars39]

7. A few yrs ago there was a program to help folks that

had lost their job and needed to retrain(or at least there was in TN). My brother and his wife were in the position to use the program when the company they worked for moved to Mexico. They were on unemployment benefits, but had to wait months for openings at the local vo-tech school. They finally got into the school, were a yr out from graduation, when their unemployment benefits ran out. They had to leave the school because there were not even part-time jobs available. The only reason they were able to eat until they found jobs was the generosity of family. Absolutely back-assward system.

[pscot]

8. Sure glad I retired

I got an empty amana carton as part of my payout. That was in lieu of social security.

[Jose Diablo]

10. No doubt there will be a push to train computer specialists

much like in earlier training for welders and drafters in the 70-80's when the technologies were being superseded.

I can see it now, advertisements on disposable lighters, "Yes, you too can train to be a computer specialist, call 800-XXX-XXXX to find out all the exciting jobs that await you", much like what we used to see on matchbooks.

Crap, I am becoming so angry at this ball of shit these assholes in the government and corporations have done to us.

I hope Kerry has some good ideas, ideas that work for a change and are not designed to suck money from taxes for worthless efforts.

[Heddi]

11. I go to school w/tons of people who ask that question every day

Thank God my husband and I are at a financial point (due to saving like fucking maniacs during the last 2 years) where we can both not work and go to school full time for the next year and a half (if everything goes as plans). I thank God every day that we were able to save EVEN WHEN we were making shit wages. I had to go to school for something, and I'm only 28.

Right now I"m in nusring school, and he's finishing up the pre-req's to apply to the nursing program--each of our programs are 2 years in length, and he should start in 2 years, so we're looking at the next 4 years or so with me being in school F/T and him working/taking classes.

But you know, I'm in the minority and I *SO* know it. I'm fortunate---not everyone I go to school with is.

I live in a very rural, very small Washington city (Yakima). I go to the local community college. There is rampant unemployment here and very few job prospects if one doesn't want to pick apples in a field all summer long.

The people I go to school with have families (I have no kids). They can't make it on one income, but it's DAMN tough to go to school full time (shit--even part time depending on the classes you take) and work a full time job. What do they do? Not all of them are married, and not all of them are in the necessarily "prime" income bracket to stop working and go to school----or even MORE dreadful is to keep working and go to school, because you are going to fail at either job or school, especially in a demanding program like the Nursing Program.

I get about 700 a quarter for needs-based grant, another $700 for work study (which I've not been able to find a fucking job so far, so no money for that...and I'm 1/2 way through the quarter practically). The rest is loans. Wonderful, beautiful student loans which will be a tether to my leg for years to come after graudation.

I rent. I own my car (no payments). We have no debt. and we can *barely* do it. I could NOT imagine having to feed 1-2 adults, 1+ kids, pay a mortgage, pay 1+ car payments, insurance, property tax, gas, utilities, clothes, food.....ON TOP OF the responsiblity at school.

I congratulate EVERY PERSON who is able to make that change and go to school. Community colleges are the fucking way to go---my husband got his BA from a big state university and is now taking his pre-nursing classes at the community college and he says he would take 10,000 Associate Degrees before he'd take another bachelor's. It's just easier, smaller, cheaper, and much more focus on VIABLE jobs.

It is such hard work and I applaude anyone who can and does do it. I know we couldn't do it if we didn't have our savings. It would be economically impossible to do, and it is for MILLIONS of families.

This president CLEARLY has no clue.

He talks about people being able to 'buy into' insurance---FUCKER_-I HAVE NO FUCKING HEALTH INSURANCE. I haven't the fucking MONEY to buy in to health insurance. $5 or $50 or $500 is too much for me, and millions of other families to buy into.

He talks about people needing better education to get back to work, but like you said---how are you supposed to live when you can't work because you have no job so therefore you can't afford to go to school AND continue not working (cuz skool ain't free) HOPING that the job skill you just spent 1+ year learning is going to be a viable field when you graduate.

I know PLENTY of computer-related people who went to school 4 years ago, got a 2 year degree and are now kicking themselves in the ASS because not only is their industry practically non-existent in this country, but their skills become obsolete w/o continuous training & employment.

I urge EVERYONE to get into nursing---high job need, great benefits, shitty hours but EXCELLENT compensation. Plus you're helping people at the same time.

I'm of the mind that an educated and dedicated fleet of medical workers is JUST AS, if not MORE vital to our country's security than the military is.

I mean, soldiers can stop guys with guns, but what if some biological, chemical, or nuclear weapon were unleashed upon even a small city---a gun cannot make someone sick get well. A gun cannot stop spread of infection.

---

sorry for my rambling :) I totally agree with you, and am disgusted that GW skwaks about having an educated work force and is doing NOTHING to ensure that happens. Yeah! Let's cut funding to community and Jr. colleges! Woo hoo! Yeah, let's make ANYONE who was ever ever ever convicted of ANY KIND OF DRUG-RELATED OFFENSE inelegilbe for federal financial aid---FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!!! (Youthful indescretion must only apply to people who make over $2M a year, eh) Yeee-haa! Let's cut the max Pell Grant award! Let's fuck states so that state funding for higher education is cut! While we're at it, let's force CC"s to increase tuition rates, and keep them from paying teachers a decent wage, increase texbooks and force them to have admission caps!!! Whoop-de-doo! Why, they practically are laying out the red carpet, eh?

[Lisa]

12. you're supposed to sell things on eBay, silly!

Didn't you hear the Vice President's explanation of how the US economy is booming because of all the money people are making by selling stuff online?

Plainly you just aren't trying hard enough, in this wonderful new free-enterprise theme park that the Dear Leader is "working hard" to create?

(sarcasm off)