Used-To-Haves And Never-Hads.

       I just read an article in the Huffington Post that explained something I'd been trying to understand for some time. The article is "I'm a member of the American Used-To-Haves." It's about a woman who lost a good corporate job and has continued to slide into poverty. But the point she really covered was that she "had never been poor. Didn't know how to be poor." It's relatively easy to be rich. You can buy what you want and pay for it in cash if need be. Whether it's a decent home, car, nice clothes, dinner out, or basic needs.
       But to be poor or become poor is a whole different matter. And to become poor is even harder to survive. If you were born poor, you grow up knowing you can't have what others have, but if you lost your job during the Great Recession and before that in the Great Industrial Flight, you've got to learn how to be poor. If you were earning a decent income but now you're trying to survive on little or nothing, it's a difficult transition.
       Then to make matters worse, the folks who could have helped or might yet, aren't likely to do so because they don't understand what it's like to become poor. The wealthy have no concept of what life would be like. To not being able to get a good paying job. No matter how hard a rich man may try, he can't understand what it's like to lose your dignity, your ability to provide for your family.
       Politicians who could provide for the poor, even friendly politicians just don't get it. Washington has bigger fish to fry. What with deficits, debt, foreign policy, subsidies, political appointments, and most importantly raising funds for elections, they don't understand the need for food, shelter and a job. If you spend most of your time considering multi million or multi billion dollar legislation, how do you relate to the difference between $15,000 and $30,000. They see the numbers, but they don't mean anything to someone who's making six figures and looking to vastly increasing that amount. It's like looking through a fog. You really can't quite make out the problem. And most don't even try.