YouTube download / AP video / Below blog: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held her last weekly press conference of the 2020 congressional session Wednesday, Dec. 30, and blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for "obstruction" in halting President Donald Trump's push for $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks. McConnel prevailed and the president finally signed legislation eight days ago on a $900 million stimulus bill that provides for a $600 stimulus check.
By DARLENE VANN / Headline Surfer blog: Musings
EDGEWATER, Fla. -- Affordable housing in this area is nil.
I have a friend with two teenagers who needs a place to live and there is nothing he can afford. A 1-bedroom, 1-bath apartment can can run more than $1,000, plus they all want first and last month rent plus security: That's in excess of $3,000 even before the likely added cost of a credit check of $100 to $200.
This friend works and makes decent money, but one bedroom won't do. He needs a 3-bedroom apartment: With first, last and security, the cost could run upwards $5,000.
With utilities, food, car payment, plus gas and insurance for the vehicle, how could he come up with the lump sum up front demanded of him to move into a 3-BR apartment or house?
There are no decent low income places available. Even if you qualify for subsidized housing, most of those places are not really safe when you are raising teenagers like my friend.
Our federal government seems to think a $600 stimulus check is going to jump start our economy and help people who have been evicted because they lost jobs and could not pay rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But let's be honest here: That amount does nothing to actually help anyone.
Yes, the $600 checks are starting to come in. I know two people who have received direct deposits already. Had Congress allowed for $21,000 a person like President Trump suggested and many Democrats in Congress supported, that would have been a nice shot in the arm right now. But it was too good to be true. And who knows if Trump really meant it. He's been living in an alternate universe since he lost the election.
I certainly will not turn down any extra money from the government, but this $600 stimulus will barely cover my utility expenses for one month.
I certainly will not turn down any extra money from the government, but this $600 stimulus will barely cover my utility expenses for one month.
I am fortunate that my mortgage is paid off so I can survive on my fixed with Social Security. This poor man, my friend, is 40 years old and works hard to support his kids but housing eludes him. They are spread out between friends and relatives, which does not make a good situation for them to be their own family unit as they should be.
This situation should not be happening in this country, but it is very much a reality as are the starving people that many organizations are trying to feed.
I am ashamed that working people cannot afford lodging and food on their meager salaries. We should be doing better at finding solutions to the ginormous gap between rich and poor.
The middle class is no more. You are either rich or poor these days. Shame on us for allowing this to be the way it is here.
It used to be as long as you had a steady job and worked hard, you'd have a decent place to live, food to eat, decent clothes on your back and a car to get back and forth to work, do grocery shopping, etc. Where did that go and how did we let it get away?
If the rich politicians in Congress - House and Senate would stop the partisan bickering and actually start dealing with the pressing issues of our country, perhaps we could turn things. The way things are going now, I don't think any of it is possible, do you?
Blog Posted: 2021-01-04 -- 01:18:47
