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The total financialization of the US economy is completely destroying the fabric of society and rendering the future virtually impossible.
Cashe Lewis, 31, of Denver, Colorado works two jobs and is currently trying to find a third job to cover the recent $200 monthly rent increase to her apartment. She works days as a barista at Starbucks, but claims it’s been difficult to get enough hours even with taking extra shifts whenever she can due to scheduling cuts as part of the crackdown on union organizing by management.
At night she works at a convenience store because the hours are reliable, and works six days a week, often 16 hours a day.
“I’m exhausted all the time,” said Lewis. “On the one day I have off a week, I donate plasma for extra money. I’m literally selling my blood to eat because I have no choice.”
Her partner suffers from epilepsy and can’t work full-time hours because of it. Even with insurance, their medication is expensive and she spends about half of a two-week paycheck at Starbucks to cover the health insurance premiums.
Over the past five years, she has struggled with homelessness, and was previously fired from her job for sleeping in her car behind her place of employment.
“All of my friends and family work multiple jobs as well, just trying to keep our heads above water. Nothing is affordable and the roadblocks set up to keep people in the cycle of poverty benefit the most wealthy members of our society,” added Lewis. “We aren’t living, we’re barely surviving and we have no choice but to keep doing it.”
More Americans have been working two or more jobs over the past few decades, according to data from the US census, with women more likely than men to have multiple jobs and multiple jobholders most prevalent among low-wage workers.
Seventy years ago, families were set with a single income which provided for all expenses, a house, and many children. People who live in their cars and sell blood to eat cannot afford to start or continue families. The collapse of the economy is literally dyscivilizational. The problem, as to the money, is painfully obvious – as is the solution. Yet to my knowledge, since Ron Paul, not a single US politician has dared to address the underlying issues. This will not end well.