Shipler’s commentary on the working poor in America high lights the double standard of America. On one hand we say that through hard work you can get ahead, on the other hand, we find people who do work hard struggling to make it. Caroline’s story from Chapter 2 made me reconsider the sad state of our welfare system and the people in it. As a single mom, she struggled to find a way to work as well as care for her children. This however is a daunting task and we see her unable to hold a job or excel in a job because of her preoccupations. One of the most ridiculous features of her story was that the only reason she could come up with the funds to pay the mortgage on a house was through the disability payments through Medicaid. Without the unfortunate learning disability of Amber she wouldn’t have had the chance to get herself out of paying rent and into her ‘own’ home. The stories of the workers in the factories were no better. The pay for some of these jobs is ridiculous. For example Candalaria worked at a sewing shop and was paid four cents per fly she sewed onto a pair of jeans. At this rate in order to make California’s minimum wage of $5.75 she would have to sew 767 flies an hour or one every 5 seconds. If she didn’t make minimum wage, she was paid the 5.75 but owed her boss the difference. Its unbelievable.
No comments:
Post a Comment