Living On Almost Nothing In America Analysis

In “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America,” Kathryn Edin and Luke Shaefer bring to light the plight of the poorest people in America through interviews with the very people living on less than what the average American pays for a cup of coffee. They describe an America that many do not know exists. There's a certain stigma surrounding the poor in America. Poverty is justified, or refuted, with the idealism that it is totally the individual’s fault that he or she is poor. How, in a place of unlimited opportunity and freedom, could anyone be in such a position? I was told that “with an education and hard work, anything is possible”, however, with a failing public education system, private education catering to the wealthy and connected, …show more content…
No matter how the argument is made some people just have it harder. That’s why some parents pay for their children to go to private schools or move to safer neighborhoods. They clearly didn’t believe the public school was offering a quality education. I grew up in southern Mississippi. The state is not exactly known for the quality of its education. Before moving to Maryland, I personally believed that public schools could never match a private school education. Maryland completely changed my perspective on the possibilities for public education. The high school I graduated from was better than my old private school. I was not only encouraged but expected to take advanced coursework. I was part of many student organizations and well known by my administrators. The blue ribbon school was competitive with high expectations which created high performing students. Why couldn't the public schools in my hometown be this amazing? Montgomery County’s public school system is funded by public tax dollars just like the one in my hometown, but being in a more affluent neighborhood with a median income much higher than that of my small town has created a disparity in the quality of education. Most of my classmates in Maryland expected to go to college and get good jobs while those in the south contemplated even completing a college …show more content…
If we look at Jennifer Hernandez and her two kids; she received a housing subsidy and held a job. Even then, she was barely able to afford the rent and keep her children clothed and fed. She was literally on her hands and knees working hard every day for very little but when the job put her and her children in the hospital, there was nothing to stop Chicago City from reducing her hours to zero instead providing medical leave. A company like the one she worked for should not be able to treat its employees in this manner. This form of treatment is made possible by the government. Welfare reform changed the applicant pool for many low-wage jobs that had once offered more to its employees. When millions of unskilled people flooded into the workforce because of government programs like the earned income tax credit (EITC) which rewarded workers, it drove wages, benefits, and job quality down. Employers were able to offer less because people were desperate for work. (I might add that even with a low-wage job and government benefits some of them continue to struggle.) To solve a few of the problems plaguing low wage workers I think a few changes should be made. A raise in minimum wage would be a great improvement to the income of low wage workers. Workers should be provided with adequate equipment