Life in Middle America

I don't count because I am poor. I am talking about not counting with politicians because I am not poor enough. Or about creditors because I am too poor. I live in that middle area that just doesn't get any attention. The working poor. The family that struggles to make ends meet with low paying entry level jobs so they don't have to have their kids raised by strangers.
All the time on TV I see single parents being praised for fighting the good fight, and "making" a living. Well, I'm telling you, the 2 parent families need a little praise too! Just because there are 2 of us doesn't make it any easier. I know I'm not being Politically Correct, and I don't really care! I am tired of being ignored. My husband and I work our butts off for minimal pay, and we can't qualify for ANY assistance because we make 2 times the poverty level. Well, I'm here to tell you, WE ARE THE POVERTY LEVEL. Millions of families are in the same boat as we are. And guess what? I'M GOING TO VOTE.
I really could care less about the fact that Obama is black. Honestly, I won't vote for him because he lacks experience, not because he's black. He's only been a US Senator for 4 years. Half of that time, he's been laying out plans to run for President. He was in the Illinois state senate from 1996, but that doesn't qualify him to run the country. Hillary on the other hand was First Lady for 8 years, and a Senator from NY state after that for the last 8 years. First and foremost in my mind, is the fact that if she can manage to deal with her husbands infidelity, and other political woes, than she would be THE one to whip this country back into shape. I don't care about the rich. I don't care about the super poor. I care about me. Anybody who tells you anything different is lying through their teeth. I care what happens to MY family. I care about what happens to other families in the same situation as me. I care about the fact that we are headed the wrong way in this country. I know that there are issues in other countries and we have to help where we can, but there are serious issues in this country that need addressing first.
We need job reforms. We need unions back to take care of the working men and women in this country. I have never belonged to a union, because I lived in "right to work" states. I was paid less, and worked harder than most. I still do work harder than most, and all I get for my hard work is $900 A MONTH. I know that I don't have a college degree, and I shouldn't need one to take care of my family. I am smart, and a hard worker. Since when did that eliminate me from well paying jobs. Not high paying jobs, but jobs that actually allow me to keep ahead of the curve a little bit. I believe that if Hillary were in charge of this country, I would be able to get that. I don't think that Obama will be able to accomplish that. I feel that if he were elected, all we would ever talk about is how historic his election was, and the history books would call him a lame duck. However, Hillary would be able to sway the "old boy" network by sheer force of will alone. A force to be reckoned with, she would make sure that people like me got a fair shake.
That's all anyone wants isn't it? A fair shake, whether you are a man, woman, white, black or green, isn't it what we all deserve? Companies have taken advantage of the working man for years, and only now are they finally seeing how badly it's affecting them. How can you expect your employees to buy your products, if you don't pay them enough to survive? Inflation is raging, and the banks are getting capital, but they are holding on to that money with tight fists. They are not letting the customers have access to their (the banks, not the account holders) money. The ultra rich fat cat bankers are getting richer and richer, and here we sit at the bottom of the food chain, starving. Attempting to survive on minimum wage jobs, with no option for health care, no paid sick time, not eligible for vacation time, or short and long term benefits.
What happens when we get sick? Or there is a death in the family? We don't get paid, we could lose our jobs. How is that fair? Part time workers in this country get the shaft. Just because I don't work 40 hours a week, doesn't mean I am any less of a worker than a "full time" employee. Businesses are run on the backs of the part timer, regardless of their age. If they are in high school, they are paid way less than someone who isn't, they are just as aggrieved as I am. They aren't eligible for any of the benefits I mentioned above, and they stand just as much chance of a death, or major illness as anyone else. How is it possible that the part time workers in this country aren't able to take a vacation? Don't we deserve it too? Just because I only work 30 hours a week, does that mean I don't get to visit family, or work on my house for a few days? When I do take more than my requisite days off in a week, I am made to feel guilty, like I'm letting down the boss. Yet, anytime I make mention of the fact that the days off I take aren't paid by the company, they look at me like I'm mad to expect that they are.
I need a vacation, and I'd like it to be paid, but until the day comes that part time workers are treated like full timers, and subjected to the same benefits, that won't happen. (well, it will, I just won't get paid for it.) Hillary will help people like me. She has to, because I can't take much more of this.