Booze, Women, and Movies

It's almost as if Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley lives in my closet when he inferred that the 0.2 percent of U.S. residents who benefit from repealing the estate tax are more worthy than the poor who spend all of their money on "booze or women or movies." By living in my closet, I mean never interacting with real, ordinary people.

The last two years have been challenging for me. I am 50 years old. This is currently my second bout of unemployment; I have been out of work since June. I no longer have any available savings. I have a recurring health issue that makes me short of breath and tired. I have spent the last six months trying to start a mindfulness facilitation consulting business. I had hoped to teach maybe two or three days a week. Nothing has come from the myriad of phone calls I have made or emails I have sent.


Now, I'm looking for a paying gig. I guess I could work retail. I could go back into teaching. For that, I'll need my transcripts (five schools) which are not free. So far, I've been flatly rejected for two jobs, both retail.

Unlike the poor people that Senator Grassley knows, I spend everyday at home. I rarely leave the house; gas is expensive and I might want to buy a tea. Here's the thing, if a poor person wants to have a beer, who are we to judge? Going to a movie or a concert doesn't make a person morally deficient. It makes them alive. All too often, the poor in the United States are shamed and portrayed as unworthy of compassion or assistance.

I guess I'm lucky because my ex didn't want his son's mother to be homeless. I use his money, but the financial strain is pretty considerable. My shame is immeasurable. Most of my clothes have holes in them. I, however, make sure my son's clothes are presentable and well maintained. I won't be able to deliver baked treats to my friends during this holiday season. I surely won't be purchasing gifts for anyone other than my son.  All of my magazine subscriptions will expire. I cannot afford to give to charity. I worked part of the year as a contract employee and I have no idea how I will pay my FICA contribution in April. This is not what I want. But, go ahead America, keep fooling yourself into thinking that the poor are lazy and immoral.