Small-Time Tuesday

According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2006 here, for a family of four, the poverty-level income threshold is $20,444. (That comes out to $5,111 per person per year. Can an adult in today's world live off of that in a year?)

Per month that's $1703.66.

Let's analyze this real quick. Let's say that this family lives in a two bedroom apartment, one room for the adults and one room for the kids. They have no pets and try to live as frugally as possible.

Rent: $850 (Price of a 2-bdrm I found on apts.com in Austin, Tx.)

Food: $400


Phone: $100


Electric: $100


Gasoline: $ 300


Uh Oh... wait..

We're at $1750.00 right now. The above are necessities. Just to have a roof over your head, food in your belly, and gas to get to work. (and lets just assume a family member gave them a car or something). I haven't even begun to list clothing, bedding, school supplies, medical and dental and vision bills....

And this is the poverty level? On what planet? If I make more than this, I'm ok? From the above, unscientific mini-analysis, even if I made more - I still couldn't make it! This is sub-poverty. And we're giving tax cuts to the rich? No wonder people get sucked up in drugs and alcohol. Can you imagine the amount of stress and frustration put upon the parents (to say nothing of the kids) in this situation? There's something REALLY wrong in this country, folks.

The people who run our government are very wealthy individuals who do not have to worry about health care or pensions. (You and I pay that for them.) These wealthy individuals are mainly concerned with one thing - making more money and helping their friends make more money. If they weren't they would be moving right now to help out all of those families losing their homes through foreclosure. But they're not. Government is not the problem. It's the people we keep voting in office year after year.

Don't believe me? Then why would you not - at the very least - give innocent, young children health care?

Why? I don't know. Ask Bush. (And remember - this is based upon the poverty level i wrote about above).




Because some people think that the war is going well and that they hate us because of the same freedoms that most of the rest of the world has, read this.




When I turn on my TV, I'm bombarded with ads. When I'm watching a TV program - I'm shown ads for other programs. When I use my cell phone, call the surf report, go outside, ride a bus, get in a taxi, use the ATM, etc, etc, etc...I am bombarded with ads! When is it going to stop? For the world's fourth-largest city, it already has. This makes me smile.



Favorite Timely Quotes

A Republican president said it best, followed by true American patriots.

" If all Americans want is security, they can go to prison. They'll have enough to eat, a bed and a roof over their heads. But if an American wants to preserve his dignity and his equality as a human being, he must not bow his neck to any dictatorial government."
-Pres. Dwight Eisenhower


"Does the government fear us? Or do we fear the government? When the people fear the government, tyranny has found victory. The federal government is our` servant, not our master!"
-Thomas Jefferson


"If you love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen."
-Samuel Adams