A family's crash from the middle class

Andres Rivera sits on a folding chair in the hallway of a homeless shelter, gazing through the glass door at his children playing outside.

[whatever]

This is a sad story, it really is, but this family is far from the only one. As more and more people need help, fewer and fewer are left to be the helpers. This story is going to happen over and over again until the economy rights itself.

People had to have known that the construction boom wasn't going to last forever. To hinge the lives of a family that size on the hope of a short-term boom was risky and now we see the fallout. Lesson learned, let's hope others can learn through this story.

[At The End of the Day]

The questions all of us caught similarly in this quicksand should not be so much what are the so called "experts" doing or saying now as much as "What in Hell were all of them doing for the past several years ?" Was everyone in the Treasury Dept., the Federal Reserve Bank, the Congress, etc. on dope, asleep? Things like this just didn't "happen", they've been going on for years and I don't mean just during George Bush's term in office. Nobody is "clean", nobody can stand back and point accusing fingers in this mess. The "can" has been being kicked ahead down the road way back since Jimmy Carter was in office, through both Bush's, and Clinton.

Imagine you are in a house with a leaky pipe in the basement and every time you go down to do your laundry or fetch something out of the basement, the water is higher than before. The leak starts out as a drip, then a dribble and now it is a spurt. Who in their right mind ignores it and pretends it will go away ? Only those who work in Government and the Banking and lending institutions seemingly? I don't blame the people who rode the wave of prosperity and profit but I do blame those who saw what was coming and kept silent.

As we watch and listen now to all these wags and pundits and "experts" supposedly in charge of our monetary system one can only ask: "Why should I have any confidence at all that this idiot knows any more about our financial health now than he demonstrated over the past ten or so years as this train barreled down the tracks toward crashing head on into the oncoming freight train barreling in the opposite direction.?"

[Horward]

If you can't feed them, don't breed them.

[florida native]

first, take a class in birth control, second, McDonalds and Burger King hire every day

[Reality_check]

Best wishes to the family, and prayers that they keep the faith.

Two years ago, when the subprime mortgage industry began the proverbial descent to hell, I knew that if we did nothing we would end up with 2 classes in Florida, the very rich and the homeless. This is precisely what it is taking place.

Governor Crist needs to wake up and stop playing Nero, he needs to lead this state, and find a solution to this crisis.

[Willie T]

I wish this family well and hope for a better life for them. However, a primary reason for their situation is associated with this statement in the article:

"Andres hurt his ankle and couldn't work for about six months."

When I was 25, I broke 2 bones in my hand and didn't miss a day of work. 2 yeas later, I broke my leg and ankle (playing hockey one night) and arrived at work the next day -- in great pain, but I was there.

Granted, my job is not physically demanding which allowed me to work with broken bones -- but this article glossed over this issue by simply stating a 'hurt' ankle caused 6 months of unemployment. Seems very odd that an ankle injury would prevent someone from working.

[Hmm]

At The End of the Day wrote:

The questions all of us caught similarly in this quicksand should not be so much what are the so called "experts" doing or saying now as much as "What in Hell were all of them doing for the past several years ?"......
I don't blame the people who rode the wave of prosperity and profit but I do blame those who saw what was coming and kept silent.....

Two responses:

First, when bad thing happens, you look to blame somebody ELSE ???? What is your part in it?

Second, when things are going well and people are flipping houses for tens of thousands, NO ONE will listen to a NAY sayer. In fact, the moment you utter words of warning, it is viewed as personal statements of discontent saying "fire me".

[bobcat]

Once again, it's so easy to cast dispersions on those who "don't do things as YOU would do".

[Indiana watcher]

That is just a very crass statement. This family is in need and you have to make those type of comments. I sure hope that you never have to worry about feeding your family.

Horward wrote:

If you can't feed them, don't breed them.

[just sayin]

Willie T wrote:

I wish this family well and hope for a better life for them. However, a primary reason for their situation is associated with this statement in the article:
"Andres hurt his ankle and couldn't work for about six months."
When I was 25, I broke 2 bones in my hand and didn't miss a day of work. 2 yeas later, I broke my leg and ankle (playing hockey one night) and arrived at work the next day -- in great pain, but I was there.
Granted, my job is not physically demanding which allowed me to work with broken bones -- but this article glossed over this issue by simply stating a 'hurt' ankle caused 6 months of unemployment. Seems very odd that an ankle injury would prevent someone from working.

Um - yeah. I feel for the family too. However... I would be working at McDonald's or Burger King or Walmart to keep my house!
Missing six months of work? Gimme a break.

[Howard]

Indiana watcher wrote:

That is just a very crass statement. This family is in need and you have to make those type of comments. I sure hope that you never have to worry about feeding your family.
<quoted text>

No, we have two children. Never received a penny from a handout. It is called working even when in pain.

[Who are we to Judge]

just sayin wrote:

<quoted text>
Um - yeah. I feel for the family too. However... I would be working at McDonald's or Burger King or Walmart to keep my house!
Missing six months of work? Gimme a break.

I hurt my ankle and was out of work 5 months. It's very hard to stand all day with the weight in it. Many people live paycheck to paycheck and can lose everything in an instant.I feel for this family. This man wanted the best for his family.(he doesn't drink or does drugs)Until you walk in this family's shoes, please don't judge them. God bless this family. I wish i could help them.

[Gloom and Doom]

On the job for only a short time, buys a house with a pool, goes bust pretty quick. These folks were never in the middle class to begin with. I feel for them but along with the economy in the tank, a lot of their problems were brought on by themselves. I do hope things get better for them.

[Scott]

Hmm. 5 children. that is a lot of kids to take care of. Expensive.

[Who are we to Judge]

Howard wrote:

<quoted text>
No, we have two children. Never received a penny from a handout. It is called working even when in pain.

Don't think it can't happen to you. Count your blessings and please remember the unfortunate at Christmas time.

[Deezworld]

florida native wrote:

first, take a class in birth control, second, McDonalds and Burger King hire every day

Its so easy to say what someone should do when you're not in their shoes. Its really sad if you actually feel this way because it says alot about what kind of person you are. What will you say if by some chance the same thing happens to you. How would you handle it? Its very easy to say what you'd do right now, but none of us knows how we would handle a situatuon like this in our lives. We all think we have it all figured out until it happens to you.

[Brianna]

The husband if in need of food should go to the labr pool, daily work, daily pay.
They would also be able to get food stamps, they paid into all these things and now in need they should use the resorces out there.

[WTF]

What is wrong w/you all. These people work. They are not on welfare, if they were they would qualify for section 8. Save this self righteous bs for your ignorant repub friends. I'm sure when all the Palm Beachers who are losing their million dollar condo's due the the Ponzi scheme, you will feel sorry for them. These comments are so Racist. Shame on you.. The Lord will provide

[The Living Tribunal]

Should've gone to college.

[LEVEL1]

Horward wrote:

If you can't feed them, don't breed them.

Please stop listening to Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the loony clowns out their. He's really makes you all the others who regurgitates and think what he says is true look the like @ss Clown you really are.