Nickel and Dimed

People who work full time should be able to keep their family out of poverty, agreed 94% of Americans according to a poll cited by Barbara Ehrenreich in her book, "Nickel and Dimed". Unfortunately, the "should" and the "be able" don’t co-exist in the real world of the USA today.

In her fascinating book, prompted by a desire to study the impact of so-called "welfare reform", Barbara writes about her undercover stints in Florida, Maine and Minnesota, attempting to make ends meet on paychecks from employers such as Wal Mart. The bottom line was that, even with a family consisting just of herself, Barbara could not earn enough money to be able to cover her essential expenses. Rent was the back breaker. She found wages too low, "affordable" housing non-existent, but most significantly rent too high. Barbara includes reference data in footnotes and in an evaluation chapter showing her experience was consistent with the depressing reality of poverty in America.

With colorful style, Barbara depicts the employers, landlords, fellow employees and customers she encountered on her adventures. Corporate employment practices seem designed to demean the worker, starting with the farcical application process and proceeding through comical orientation and onto the job itself, replete with silly rules. The effect on the workers seems to be just what the employers want, resulting in overworked, underpaid, brainwashed and fully disposable "associates".

Poverty is a quagmire. Fall in and you will likely end up stuck there. Flailing expends what little energy you have, and not only does not get you out, but may get you in deeper. Those of us who are not impoverished disregard the evidence that the working poor make our lives economically easier. Read Barbara’s book and the next time you shop at Wal Mart you will feel appropriately guilty.