Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

This is the promise of the United States of America. Many people come here because they believe it. People that live here believe it. Unfortunately, more than one third of the people in the U.S. have no way to participate. They may have liberty, but without health care and with less than enough income even for the necessities of living, how can they be happy? How can the United States fulfill all its citizens' birthright?

In 2005 the government drew the poverty line for an individual at $10,160 per year. That is $847 per month. No reasonable person could expect to have much happiness on that amount of money. Let me help you with your budget.

The government says you should have 2200 calories per day of food. 7 ounces of grains; that's 8 slices of bread; cost $.50. 3 cups of vegetables; that's about a pound to a pound and one half; cost $1.50. 2 cups of fruit; 1 pound; $1.00. 3 cups of milk; $.60. 6 ounces of meat; $1.50. Oil, condiments, and spices; $.90. Total; $6.00. No snacks, no going out, no pop, no beer, NO FUN; $180 per month.

Transportation; assuming there is public transportation; $60 per month. The cheapest car would be $200 per month including all expenses, so you can forget it!

Household, clothes and personal items; $30 per month. You know soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, and the equivalent of one shirt bought at Wal-mart.

Well, you can't afford to go to the movies, so do you get to have Cable TV? That's $40. Do you get to have a phone? That's $30. Internet access? Computer? Forget them!

I have recently been looking for a new place to live. I can't find any place that fits my minimum standards for less than $645 per month. The cheapest thing I have found near where I work was $595. Add electricity for $35 and that's $630.

Barely living, just getting by, unable to see a doctor or a dentist, unable to have any entertainment except cable TV, unable to go out to dinner, unable to give friends any gifts... TV breaks... no TV! Don't split your pants, you can't afford thread! Sounds like a happy life to me... NOT! Wait a minute, the total is $970... Oops, you are $123 short! You lose! I hope you find a roommate with a TV that can sew. Is this anything resembling happiness?

A person that works should be treated better. Our government should help these people much more than they do. The haves have enough to help the have-nots much more. It is time to make the rich cut back on caviar and first class airline travel. Maybe their next home could be 30,000 square feet instead of 40,000. It would just break my heart if someone making $2,000,000 per year had to pay more taxes to help these hard-working people who have less than they need. It is those people who, one way or another, pay the rich.

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