Pew: 70% Experienced Significant Financial Issue

Jeebus. Found these numbers via Susie.

70% of those surveyed by Pew have either had someone in their household looking for work, had their hours/wages cut, or had problems paying significant bills.

70%.

I’m writing this from the Clusterfuck State, and that number is astounding even to me.

No wonder incumbents are going to get creamed in November.

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59 replies
  1. Leen says:

    Banking on short memories. The Republicans will keep saying… Forget the last eight years. This is Obama’s economy. He is responsible. Forget the last eight years

      • earlofhuntingdon says:

        He’s not cleaning up the mess Bush and Cheney created. He is institutionalizing it, not only avoiding the need to clean it up, but making us live with it as the new “normal”. Not exactly a progressive approach to governance.

  2. BoxTurtle says:

    In elections like this, both parties are lucky that “none of the above” is not on the ballot.

    But the issue is not the economy. The issue is the danger to the constitution represented by the Scary Brown Kenyan in the White House and his socialist policies, right?

    Boxturtle (Yeah, Yeah, I know. Stop watching Fox)

    • fatster says:

      I doubt most of them are concerned about “danger to the Constitution,” since they attack parts of the Constitution relentlessly. I think they’re concerned about danger to what they call “Our Way of Life.”

      • PJEvans says:

        You got that one right. It’s all about protecting themselves from the real world.

        (I keep reminding myself that those gated communities can be closed off from the outside, too. Barricade the gates, and all those people are stuck on the inside. Where they can only get to shopping, schools, and work by walking out and taking a bus or hitching a ride ….)

        • fatster says:

          News from the real world of 40 years ago: “Prepare to Fire” order was given at Kent State. And what will come of it?

          LINK.

        • qweryous says:

          Don’t they think they can just call for pizza and chinese to go- in a worst case scenario?

          And that in either the barricade from the inside or the outside crisis state.

          Home school, and…

        • PJEvans says:

          Oh, they can try. But the delivery trucks won’t go through the barricade, either. People, yes; bicycles, yes. Anything larger than that – maybe a motorcycle, but not cars, and their favorite SUVs and pickup trucks are right out.

          I want them to have to interact with the community they theoretically live in, instead of just driving through it and looking down on people who live in apartments and houses that aren’t McMansions.

    • BoxTurtle says:

      No, we’re safe. See, the cause of the problem in Greece was that politicians started telling the truth about their budget.

      That will never happen under ObamaLLP.

      Boxturtle (Or any of the current crop of possible replacements)

      • PJEvans says:

        Ours have had years of practice in that. (I think most of them would have a hard time recognizing truth if it bit them in a very tender spot.)

    • Leen says:

      Going to take a great deal to get people who are busy watching soap operas sports, reality shows, jewelry and clothing channels off their opium and out in the streets in response to the robber barons. Especially since the MSM barely covers the people in the streets in Greece.

      The MSM opium is strong stuff.

    • scribe says:

      To answer your question in short, yes.

      They left off a couple questions:

      “Had to choose which utility to pay (in part) and which to allow to be turned off or risk being turned off, even temporarily.

      “Stuffed your pockets/briefcase with food from conference room buffets and/or took home what ordinarily would have been thrown out because you didn’t have any at home or could use the money you’d ordinarily spend on food to pay other bills.

      “Had to choose between feeding yourself and feeding your kid(s)/pet(s).

      “Ate food past its expiration because it was all you could afford.

      “Considered suicide because of inability to meet bills.

      “Considered commiting a serious crime solely because jail has free food, shelter and/or heat.

      “Passed on essential automotive maintenance and/or inspection and risked (or got hit with) a ticket because you couldn’t afford the repairs.

  3. knowbuddhau says:

    Count me in that: I’m trying to scrape together the nearly 2 grand in lawyers and court costs to file bankruptcy. Almost there!

    And CapitalOne is still sending card offers, can you believe it? One of them came in a plain brown wrapper. Doesn’t that make it financial porno?

    • BoxTurtle says:

      I’m not sure how capitol one generates their mailing lists. I know someone who’s overlimit, multiple missed payments on his current capitol one card…and he gets monthly offers for a new capitol one card.

      Boxturtle (They should fire their mailing list company)

      • bobschacht says:

        I know someone who’s overlimit, multiple missed payments on his current capitol one card…and he gets monthly offers for a new capitol one card.

        You got it all wrong, BoxTurtle. They LOVE people like that. Those people give them excuses to tack on penalty fees, raise their interest rates, and do all the things that help their profit margin.

        Bob in AZ

        • earlofhuntingdon says:

          Absofuckinglutely. That is the primary business model, to entice people into so much credit they slip up and allow the bank to charge late fees, penalties, overdraft charges, etc. (none of which are calculated as interest) and exorbitant interest payments.

          People will do anything to try to recover their credit rating rather than default. Every partial payment and acknowledgment of debt owed restarts the statute of limitations on collecting that debt.

          “Lawful” consumer credit practices in America are reprehensible.

    • emptywheel says:

      Yeah, I was struck by that 19% rejected for a mortgage or credit card. Frankly, that’s probably not high enough, given all the other numbers.

  4. knowbuddhau says:

    Thanks, Leen.

    Strangely enough, I just now read a story in the local paper about an assault on me that happened last June (yes, our paper sucks). A colleague went ape on me, throwing muddy water in my face and slashing the crook of my left arm with the edge of a three inch putty knife, all while I sat in the cab of my pickup. I’m thinking “compromise of misdemeanor,” as a way to get my assailant pay for my bankruptcy, which is why I was working as a painter at that time.

    So yeah, it’s tough out there.

    I’m a writer, not a fighter!

    • emptywheel says:

      This month and for the last few years, yes. But we’ve negotiated with AZ and they’re going to take over the slogan in a month or two, particularly if tourist boycotts take off in a big way.

      • earlofhuntingdon says:

        Given a choice between Sedona and Sleeping Bear dunes or Pictured Rocks in the UP, I’d take the Michigan shore in a heartbeat. Ever kayaked the UP? AZ can keep its new age sweat lodges and Governor Sheriff Joe, thank you, though I’m sure lots of nice people live there, too.

        • bobschacht says:

          Given a choice between Sedona …

          The wife and I are going there tomorrow for a one day Bluegrass Festival at Los Abrigados resort on the banks of Oak Creek. Tony Trischka’s band is coming all the way from Noo Yawk, and there will be some good local bands, too. Plus dinner at the resort afterward, but don’t tell her that, it’s ‘sposed to be a surprise.

          Bob in AZ

        • earlofhuntingdon says:

          I admit Sedona, too, is breathtaking, a national treasure. I’ve hiked the area, Coffee Pot, up the north canyon drive, past the waterfall toward Flagstaff, etc. Pity all the codgers that give the state such a rigid, brittle unwelcoming flavor and who favor discrimination and unrestrained brutal policing. Have a great visit and concert.

        • Leen says:

          Ah Sleeping Bear dunes, blueberries, wind surfing on Lake Michigan (actually got beat to a bloody pulp was just learnin). Have never kayaked up there but sounds great.

          Family place on the beach in Holland Michigan. Friggin gorgeous part of the country.

          Wonder how many jobs could be created in Michigan via Kayaking? Sure would not pay what those car manufacturing jobs did. Just when will we see some of those plants turned over to making wind energy parts?

          Obama, Strickland etc everyone talking about this alternative energy making parts industry. Not much happenning in Ohio so far. That GM plant up the road from my parents house in Dayton Ohio still way empty.

          Lots of wind up there along that Great Lakes coast line and in Michigan.

    • Leen says:

      Hey Carl Levin is from Mi. He was smokin on the bank bailout. Hope he carries through

  5. DWBartoo says:

    70%?

    Somehow, that is not, really, too surprising.

    What is somewhat amazing, is that so many are willing to speak about it. The Puritan Ethic and “admiration” for the “astute” haves and have-mores have lost their cachet, apparently.

    Something else that I hear more people, of all political stripes and economic persuasions, talking about is their sense, often based on personal experience, of being intimidated, abused, or feeling threatened by the police …

    Do “hard times” and social repression go hand in hand, or is that merely the current “political” climate in the USA, especially as the rule of law is so “quaint” … and so “yesterday”.

    Truly, people’s minds are more concentrated, generally, about conditions in their society, if only their own, than I have ever seen before.

    It is really too bad that our political “maturity” is not up to the dilemmas we face.

    Of course, that is intentional.

    As a people we would, it would seem, have “change” (the real thing)forced upon us, even by, or especially by, demagogues, rather than choose, deliberately, with consideration, to make such changes as are necessary and needful to our well-being, as a society and as individuals.

    It is a sad and pathetic society that cannot bring itself to consider that the behavior of less than ten percent of the people, which, if it continues, unchecked, will destroy that society … through behaviors that may only, if we are honest, be considered pathological.

    That psychology, or some of its practitioners, would rather aid the sociopaths and psychopaths, who are always among us, rather than help us, collectively, and individually, to face, and deal with, as mature, thoughtful beings, some important truths is a continuing despair.

    DW

  6. DWBartoo says:

    EW, your humor, this morning, especially as it relates to ‘Zona, is devastating.

    ;~DW

  7. earlofhuntingdon says:

    Yea, and the Goopers who had the bigger hand in creating that nationwside financial peril will blame the Dems and the Dems will hem and haw and say gee whiz as their not so planful reaction to GOP propaganda.

  8. bobschacht says:

    EW,
    If Obama can keep the trend growing with job creation, by November the travails of that 70% will be a distant memory, and what people will remember is that new job they have now, and the jobs that their friends found over the summer, and they will forget the travails of the last year. Those travails will be blamed on Bush, if they’re remembered at all, and Obama will get credit for the job creation.

    At least, that’s the plan, I think.

    Bob in AZ

    • emptywheel says:

      Problem with that plan is this week’s job numbers were the first that even break even. Plus there are so many long-term unemployment, what with the end of benefits, you’re going to see another spike in foreclosures and whatnot.

    • posaune says:

      well they’re not thinking about all the people pissed off ’cause the new job pays 1/2 that the old one did.

  9. rosalind says:

    greetings from california, where: …income tax revenues fell billions of dollars short of expectations last month, modest gains in other revenues were wiped out, leaving the state running well behind, Controller John Chiang reported Friday…The sharp revenue shortfall was not offset by an equally sharp drop in state spending.

    (understatement of the year)

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    meanwhile, in Toyota land:

    Signaling renewed vigor in the federal government’s scrutiny of Toyota Motor Corp., Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is heading to Japan to meet with company President Akio Toyoda.

    LaHood said the department was examining 500,000 internal documents recently turned over by the automaker in hopes of determining when it began to withhold crucial information about defects in its vehicles.

    The volume of paperwork is much greater than originally anticipated, and the analysis could take months, LaHood said. So far, he said, the evidence suggests that Toyota ignored safety warnings from its U.S. engineers.

    (empasis mine)

      • rosalind says:

        no kidding. 500k, that’s quite the document dump. cue Princess Bride:

        “What gate key?” “Oh, THIS gate key!”

  10. klynn says:

    I am going OT…

    The doc dumps, the oil spill, the Gitmo trial, banned journalists, AZ stupid laws…I know lots going on…

    Just wondering,and I’ve written this before… I look forward to future installments on the Passaro Case. You were on fire with your weeding there.

  11. emptywheel says:

    DW@16
    It’s not surprising when you consider 54% have someone in their household looking for work. That means you only need 16% to be struggling to pay their bills (or to have had hours cut back) to get to 70%

  12. emptywheel says:

    FTW, I’m a big fan of BOTH AZ and MI. Mr. ew and I had our wedding celebration in Sedona so that all the furriners coming from Yurp could see one of the big sites most Yurpeens always talk about–Grand Canyon (Las Vegas ended up being almost as big of a draw), even if they just came for a long weekend. And we were able to get some cheap cabins in Oak Creek Canyon.

    And when my folks used to live in Cave Creek area, I’d love to walk among the Saguaros.

    But MI is pretty damned beautiful too. We’ve got an amazingly windy day (tornado warnings yesterday) but the kind of just rained thick greenness that is very invigorating today.

    • Leen says:

      Windy all of yesterday in Dayton Ohio, storm clouds looming, lots of wind, dropped a few sprinkles.

      I guess there is only so much cereal Kelloggs can make. Or have they shipped those jobs off to China too?

      Wonder how Kellogg’s treats their employees and how many jobs they still provide in Mich? Remember doing a tour of their place in Battlecreek as a kid. I remember my parents having to hold me back from jumping in the Sugar Smack bin. “Sugar Smacks” the gateway drug.

      Have you ever seen the Superman Sugar Smack commercial? Over at you tube

    • bobschacht says:

      But MI is pretty damned beautiful too. We’ve got an amazingly windy day (tornado warnings yesterday) but the kind of just rained thick greenness that is very invigorating today.

      Yup; as a former Michigander (got my MA and PhD at UM– Go Blue!), the greenness got into my bones, and made the Red Rocks of Sedona hard to appreciate. However, coming back to Michigan in the summer years later reminded me that “rained thick greenness” also means higher humidity and lots of mosquitoes. And roaches. We don’t get too many mosquitos or roaches here in Flagstaff at 7000 feet, and humidity ain’t much of a problem, either. But we got more snow last winter than you did!

      Bob in AZ

      • Leen says:

        My only visit to Flagstaff was a hitch hiking trip through the area about 40 years ago mid winter. Had a heavy pack on, snow was really deep, it was sunset and was headed for a cheap hotel. As I crossed the intersection walking through deep snow, I lost my balance and fell back on my heavy pack. I was on the ground buried in the snow. Felt like a turtle on it’s back, legs up in the air. Horns blaring, I flipped myself over completely humiliated I went on my way. That’s my memory of Flagstaff. Have to go back some day.

        • bobschacht says:

          Y’all come back during the summers. It’s really quite nice. If you let me know in advance, I’ll take you to lunch.

          Bob in AZ

        • Leen says:

          thanks. Have friends who own a jewelry store in Sedonna. They continually try to get me there.

          Not lookin like I will be gettin to those parts anytime soon. Getting youngest through college. But thanks for the lunch invite and recommendation.

  13. qweryous says:

    “I’m writing this from the Clusterfuck State, and that number is astounding even to me.”

    As it starts to sink in , that nagging doubt, are we now a Clusterfuck Nation?

    “LaHood said the department was examining 500,000 internal documents recently turned over by the automaker in hopes of determining when it began to withhold crucial information about defects in its vehicles.”

    I’ll let them know right now- if they’ll just use that link thing – and preferably in searchable format :-) then we’ll get right on it. Especially interested in further mentions of “measures to prevent sucking”.

    • Jeff Kaye says:

      I’m so glad we got rid of that silly Marxian idea of a planned economy, so the wonders of the free-market capitalism could be made to work its magic.

      As I sit in beautiful Marin County, I must say I have enjoyed the beauty of this country from the powerful vistas of the southwestern deserts to the cliffs of the Oregon Coast and the volcanos of the northwest, from the mighty Huron River to the delightful shores of the East River, there’s a lot of beautiful places to call home… if you can get a job, and afford the rent and utilities, and don’t get sick and need medical care, etc. etc.

      Wonderful piece and comments.

  14. timbo says:

    Note that they don’t have a category for people who want a job and have pretty much given up finding one. Because those people just don’t count any more in political calculations and on lobbiest forms.

  15. librty says:

    Hey EW

    Here’s some notes from my household. Single parent, three children, lost employement 1 1/2 years ago, can’t afford the house now, moving out this week (yes we lost the home). No support from other parent, no help from state in seeking any. No assistance from state, period after I requested re-training or educational assistance(oh, they provided a list of the local food shelves). And I have technical skills that were in high demand in former years – I am not uneducated. We’re in the process of transferring entire segments of our economy overseas now. Prior to two years ago, my family would have been considered at the top of middle class.

    • bmaz says:

      Am very sorry to hear that although it is very sadly not uncommon. Our hopes and wishes are with you and your family.

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