Fran works six days a week in fast food, and yet she's homeless: 'It's economic slavery'

[turbinetree]

Once a customer has barked their order into the microphone at the Popeyes drive-thru on Prospect Avenue, Kansas City, the clock starts. Staff have a company-mandated 180 seconds to take the order, cook the order, bag the order and deliver it to the drive-thru window.

The restaurant is on “short shift” at the moment, which means it has about half the usual staff, so Fran Marion often has to do all those jobs herself. On the day we met, she estimates she processed 187 orders – roughly one every two minutes. Those orders grossed about $950 for the company. Marion went home with $76.

Despite working six days a week, Marion, 37, a single mother of two, can’t make ends meet on the $9.50 an hour she gets at Popeyes (no apostrophe – founder Al Copeland joked he was too poor to afford one.) A fast food worker for 22 years, Marion has almost always had a second job. Until recently, she had been working 9am-4pm at Popeyes, without a break, then crossing town to a janitorial job at Bartle Hall, the convention center, where she would work from 5pm- to 1.30am for $11 an hour. She didn’t take breaks there either, although they were allowed.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/21/missouri-fast-food-workers-better-pay-popeyes-economics

This is why I do not go to any of these fast food places, they are not restaurants, they are not

[BigmanPigman]

1. The poor get poorer and the rich get richer...have a nice future!

[turbinetree]

3. And I can still remember it was for kids in high school, to save money for a car...ha, not anymore..

"She estimates she processed 187 orders – roughly one every two minutes. Those orders grossed about $950 for the company. Marion went home with $76.

[LakeArenal]

7. Republicans still say that...

America knows it's not true, but how we gonna keep profits high if we actually pay employees..

[More_Cowbell]

12. So fast food restaurants should be able to hire *only* teenagers

Since the GOP is always saying these jobs are meant for teenagers. As it is, the companies get the reliability and skill of older workers but they still pay these slave wages.

[crazycatlady]

31. Yet FF restaurants are busy when a teenager is typically in school

Last I checked, high school was in session during lunchtime.

[TexasBushwhacker]

64. And most are open for breakfast

Another time that kids can't work. These jobs are now done by adults, and working at them full time should pay a living wage, at least for a single person with no children. They don't.

[procon]

37. The reply is obvious, 'When people have more money to spend, they do.' nt

That's not the Republican hoax of 'trickle down economics', it how the real world works based on supply and demand. Even with higher minimum wage laws, business will still make a profit, and maybe increase it, but they just won't be able to enrich themselves through employee wage theft schemes.

[Adrahil]

113. There is a LOT of evidence for it.

DEMAND drives economies. Always has, always will. Wanna stimulate the economy? Put money into the hands of the people most likely to spend it: the working class.

The rich will find money to expand supply to meet demand. They always do.

[Old Vet]

8. Thats how it use to be, Sems like a million years ago.....

My father retired from Ford Motor Company working on the line, When he left he was making over 35.00 an hour with full medical benefits. Back then the unions were very strong, My dad retired over 40 years ago and hardly any current workers at ford make that kind of money anymore(at least the people on the line). Medical benefits for current workers have taken a major hit also. You would think over 40 years things would be getting better but everything has gone backwards.

[DBoon]

108. and with automation, fewer workers now make more cars

So why shouldn't they be paid even more?

[WinstonSmith00]

2. All corporations are guilty

Exploit and underpay their workers and expect the social services to provide for their employees and then the rich go out and trash and cut social services.

We as a people not only need to refuse to eat there but also refuse to work there. National Strike! We the workers need to show the rich that they are rich from our hard work not their own.

[turbinetree]

4. I will not go into any of these places----------I just will not.............

Reminds me of a song by Ten Years After

?list=RDZyaFeDlJJAk

[Heartstrings]

5. Love this tune...

Always have, always will......

[WinstonSmith00]

6. Tax the rich and feed the poor

Until there are no rich no more.

If that what it takes for every soul to pursue life liberty and happiness then i say go for it!

[PBass]

19. The song lyrics don't mean what you think it means.

It's not a pro-Socialism song, it's anti-Socialism.

Everywhere is freaks and hairies
Dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity
Tax the rich, feed the poor
Till there are no rich no more

It's a list of things that he'd "love to change". It's Libertarian.

"Yes the world could use some changes, but who can make decisions for other peoples' lives, only the ignorant I fear."
http://www.alvinlee.de/alvmems2.htm

Hardly an endorsement of government solutions to income inequality.

[ProfessorPlum]

29. not knowing the song at all or the group or the author

but it sounds like a parody of the anti-hippie types. Reads like Archie Bunker, but maybe not on his side.

[FLPanhandle]

9. Children are expensive

Now a days, if someone is working for low wages and they choose to have children they are pretty much destined to be poor for life.

Child care, clothing, medical costs, school, even things like diapers will take a high percentage of a pay check.

She is a single parent with two children. I'm not surprised she can't make it.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

13. This. Sad truth. It's really sad, to me, how "the biological urge" overpowers everything.

Including a little bit of long-term thinking.

Add to that romanticized fantasies about family, children, parenting and Love-- we could just about breed ourselves right into oblivion.

[Maynar]

18. Heard that.

Spot on, Blanche.

[dembotoz]

27. circumstances change and not in a good way....

throw up your cliches had i known then what i know now....hindsight is always 20/20 etc etc

i know folks to played all the cards as best as the could, made what should have been the 100 percent correct decisions only to have it all blow up in there face.

I once had a potential employer tell me i had a nightmare resume for him because each and every of my recent employers no longer existed and he could not even verify dates of employment. Once knew a woman who was known sort of as the angel of death...her reputation is that her last 6 employers had all filed for bankruptcy....Sure as shit....within a couple of months the place where we both worked filed as well.

in short do not blame the woman because she is poor and has kids....how dare you.....

[BlancheSplanchnik]

62. How dare you...completely misinterpret my point.

My point is, way WAAAAY too many people are breeding their brains out. Without forethought. Going for the immediate emotional tug. The fantasies wound up in every individual's imagined future.

Not many people think further than that emotional hit.

It hurts poor people(women) worst, whether they were raped, invested, or merely impulsive.

But it can harm wealthier people too.

Sadly, the continuing exponential population growth is destroying all social frameworks and the planet as well.

[dembotoz]

66. sounding very eugenics to me

[BlancheSplanchnik]

74. What part of ALL is eugenics? n/t

[sharedvalues]

78. Cites?

"Sadly, the continuing exponential population growth is destroying all social frameworks and the planet as well."

Citation? In developed countries? Yes, India has a problem. Not the US. We need more kids.

p.s. it's not exponential in reality - there is some negative feedback.

[dixiegrrrrl]

44. Amen to that.

It is interesting that the reich is always attacking birth control for women.
and that birth control for men never quite seems to be available.

Speaking of long term thinking, both of my very adult sons decided, independently of each other, while in their 20's, to not breed. They both saw into the future, knew about carrying capacity of the planet, and since then have seen it was a sensible decision.
Pissed their father off no end.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

73. Wow, good for them!

I was around 9ish, around 1966, when I knew deeply that overpopulation was already a problem that wasn't getting any better.

I had read about an overpopulation experiment with rats. It made total sense and I could see how similar consequences, like violence over space, food, water and an overall decline in the rats' happiness (i.e. Increasing destructive behaviors towards self and others) would likely translate to human experience.

[sharedvalues]

80. Those experiments are now thought to be flawed

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-doomed-mouse-utopia-that-inspired-the-rats-of-nimh

John Calhoun's work fit a particular social and culture niche at the time it was published. But now we believe the rat conditions are far different than human conditions today and thus the results are not applicable.


p.s. that article above is really GREAT reading.

[sharedvalues]

79. Women's health care is so key.

We stand with Planned parenthood.

"They both saw into the future, knew about carrying capacity of the planet, and since then have seen it was a sensible decision. "

Cites on carrying capacity of the planet? The US is below replacement birth rate, and Europe and Japan are FAR below. What's hurting developed countries is too FEW kids, not too many.
And our society hurts us - we need better child care and health care for kids if we want to bring our birth rate up.

[sharedvalues]

76. No. The developed world is BELOW replacement rate. We need more kids

The US birth rate is just under 1.9 kids per woman. That is the replacement rate.

Europe is far below that rate. Look at Japan for what happens if a society's birth rate falls too fast - economic disaster as too many retirees swamp young workers.

The US used to deal with low birth rates by immigration. But the president* just killed that.

And I hate to bring the GOP into this, but the birth rate in the US is low amongst liberals and higher amongst the religious and evangelicals. So Democrats are breeding themselves into oblivion.

So go forth and bear fruit.

[LittleGirl]

15. I feel the same way about this subject

I don't understand why women have children when they aren't educated to get jobs that can support her and her children. Of course, it could have been a marriage that failed too so I try not to judge but it's hard. There is also the point about providing birth control free so that women don't get trapped like this. I don't know how she can work that many hours in a day! That's crazy and then, she's not really raising her children, someone else is. It's just illogical. ugh. Sometimes I hate to read these stories because then it becomes 'normal' and this is not normal!

[AtheistCrusader]

35. In many states, all forms of family planning are under attack by the Right Wing.

Reducing sex ed to 'Abstinence Only' education, fighting against the availability of emergency contraception, constraining access to even 'the pill', etc.

[LittleGirl]

42. Yep, I was born in Indiana

and thankfully, didn't live there while Pence was in charge. He is worst than #45 when it comes to women's healthcare.

[FLPanhandle]

46. Best way to keep woman poor.

Make them have children they can't afford. They are stuck. Don't think for a second the GOP knows that and wants women pregnant and dependent.

[LittleGirl]

71. as long as it's their

daughter or someone they know it's okay for them to collect help from the evil government. They don't want to pay taxes for women to "live off" the government handouts, especially if they are people of color, or immigrants, or poor people, period. Put your big girl panties on and suck it up, they say.


(because) She couldn't keep her legs closed or keep a man around either, she doesn't deserve anything.

I'm so tired of it.
That's how they make women second class citizens for life.

[sharedvalues]

82. That's why Hillary campaigned on affordable child care.

I think she would have gotten it done, too (even though Putin was trying to neuter her in case she did win.)

[phylny]

65. I took several courses on this very subject.

The long story short is, because people in poverty don't generally plan well, and because they want someone to love and to love them. Something that, no matter how poor they are, they can love and enjoy. They don't think, "Oh, I can't afford kids, so I shouldn't have any."

[LittleGirl]

88. I probably read the same

I have seen that by young women that have had a rough upbringing. Loving a baby or that idea of it.

[sharedvalues]

81. We need gov't and society to improve child care and health care

People should be able to raise kids without going bankrupt. Plus the US needs more kids.

"I don't know how she can work that many hours in a day! That's crazy and then, she's not really raising her children, someone else is. It's just illogical. ugh. Sometimes I hate to read these stories because then it becomes 'normal' and this is not normal!"

And this is the "success" story of someone who can hold down two jobs. Meanwhile a normal person who wants to work 40 hours a week is just broken by the system. The woman described in this article who can work 60+ hours a week should be able to live reasonably well, and the 40-hour worker should be able to live modestly. Now 60+ hours gets you barely modest living and 40 hours gets you poverty. That's wrong.

[LittleGirl]

89. It's awful

Bush thought it was "American " to have multiple jobs...ugh.

After living abroad, they don't go bankrupt, but they "expect" the mothers to stay home after giving birth. In Germany and worse in Switzerland. Saw it.

[Stargazer99]

21. I still say the conservatives want to outlaw or kill abortion services

and they constantly want to cut social services-I fail to see a Republican conservative as a human being
they are worse than animals

[FLPanhandle]

38. They want women trapped in poverty

The idea of an independent woman with time to get an education, save money, and get ahead terrifies them.

The want women pregnant and trapped in poverty.

[TexasBushwhacker]

59. Someone has to do the low paying, shitty jobs

Like the woman in the article said, people like fast food and they are going to keep buying it. That means someone has to make it and serve it. When fast food places were only open 11 to 9, many of the jobs were done by high school kids working part time. But many if not most fast food places are open for breakfast now. Some are open 24 hours. Those shifts have to be covered by adults.

[procon]

39. The world is not that black and white; I'm surprised you don't know that.

You denigrate women as "takers", dancing around the oft repeated Republican fallacy of "Welfare Queens" mooching money from all you hardworking "makers". Can't you think of any other reasons that women have children besides implying we're all lazy deadbeats?

What if she is a widow who once lived a comfortable life, but through no fault of her own she lost everything? If she has no marketable skills, do you blame her for being the sole caregiver to her aging parents, or working low wage jobs to put her spouse through school... after which he dumps her. What if she's one of the millions of us for whom BC measures are not efficacious, or lives in a red state where sex ed is a farce, contraceptives are restricted, the Morning After pill is banned and abortion is an exercise in bureaucratic humiliation? Woman, too, are shackled by paternalistic
religious taboos, is that also her fault?

You don't know her situation. You have NO right to criticise any woman for having children without providing a solution. The only way to do that is through education and paying a living minimum wage that allows workers like her to support themselves with less dependence on public funds.

I'm so done with this self-serving anti-women bullshit!

[FLPanhandle]

40. You read a lot into a simple fact that children are expensive

Children are incredibly expensive. That is a fact.

You think I said women are "takers" and the fact is "self-serving anti-women bullshit"? Neither of which I posted or implied (except in your mind). I don't know your problems and sensitivities, but the fact remains that children are incredibly expensive. If you disagree, then state some facts and statistics otherwise.

I'll wait.

[procon]

43. You based your argument on the poor "choices" women make.

You wrote that women are poor and have low wages because "they choose to have children", it's their "destiny" to be poor you said.

But look here, Missouri, the state where the woman named in the article lives, has a minimum wage of just $7.70 per hour, no one can live on that. To make sure that our gal, Fran, will NEVER get out of poverty, the Missouri legislature has barred cities from ever raising their own minimum wages.

Don't be so smug. Of course it costs money to raise children, but it also costs money just to afford a basic existence in most cities. When a working wage doesn't meet that basic need then the demands on public assistance step up to fill in the gap. This isn't rocket science; just pay a living wage and we reduce poverty, create more jobs and reduce the need for public aid.

[FLPanhandle]

45. Having children when you can't afford them is a poor choice. Period.

I'm not sure why you are mad at me over stating simple facts.

1) Children are incredibly expensive (fact - we both agree).

2) As you said, "Missouri, the state where the woman named in the article lives, has a minimum wage of just $7.70 per hour, no one can live on that" (fact - we both agree)

3) She has been working these minimum wage jobs longer than her children have been alive. (fact - from the article)

4) Having children in that situation means she is probably destined to remain poor (fact).


Those are the facts. You are somehow reading into/implying that I don't think it should be otherwise. Of course, it should be otherwise, but, it's NOT the situation in the real world now. It's not the situation when she decided to have not one but two children.

Yes, it was a terribly poor choice to have children she can't afford.

Nowhere did I say it should be that way, but that IS the way the U.S. is today though (you did a good job of explaining the issues in today's world).

Stop getting defensive. I don't know your triggers, but you are obviously reading a lot into a post stating simple facts. Facts are facts. They may not be the way we'd like the world, but they are what they are.

Peace.

[LanternWaste]

47. Is it a terribly poor choice when wealthy and later bankrupted by medical bills?

Is it a terribly poor choice when a wealthy woman chooses to have a child yet is later bankrupted by medical bills... the world being what it is, facts being facts, and any other relevant bumper-stickers in place of substance.

[FLPanhandle]

51. That wasn't her situation though

She has been working low paying fast food jobs for 22 years. Her children are in their middle/early teens.

Ignore the facts of this story and throw up alternative straw-men all you want, but, in this case, it was a financially devastating decision.

Period.

[TexasBushwhacker]

57. This is why it is imperative that we have fact based sex education in public schools

and free or low cost, highly effective birth control (implants or IUDs) for anyone that asks for them. Early parenthood, before you are financially ready, is a ticket to poverty.

[hedda_foil]

96. So poor people should know better than to have children & if they do it's their fault they're poor?

Is that what you're saying?

[FLPanhandle]

112. What is controversial about not having children when you can't afford them?

Daycare, diapers, food, clothing, school, etc. are all incredibly expensive. I was taught from a young age either to not have children or wait until I could properly support them.

Are you seriously recommending people have children they can't afford?

[DBoon]

109. I suspect many do choose not to have children due to economics

See this:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/03/health/united-states-fertility-rate.html?mcubz=1

Fewer children now = fewer underpaid workers in the future

[FLPanhandle]

110. Which is why it's no surprise the GOP is taking away birth control options.

They want women poor and pregnant.

God forbid women have time and money to get an education, work at something beyond supporting child care costs, get ahead in life...

[Omaha Steve]

10. Several fast food chains around us have signs up starting @ $10-$12 and benefits

$15 and 40 hours sounds much better to me.

[sharedvalues]

83. If we had gov't healthcare* that would look even better.

If we had gov't healthcare*

* Like every other developed nation...

[zentrum]

11. And by all means---

----let's cut taxes on the rich! Let's have the community supplement the desperate needs of these families with food stamps and emergency room visits. Let's institutionalize the power of the 1% even more!

America has become the least upwardly mobile nation of all the industrialized nations in the world. We're getting worse, not better.

[SWBTATTReg]

14. This is the main reason why St Louis MO increased the min. wage

Our esteemed republican governor and senators in MO then forced a rollback of the higher min. wage, claiming it would ultimately hurt min. wage workers in the long run, based upon no evidence.

The living wage (instead of min. wage) is absolutely needed, since our republican friends anywhere will never help this segment of the population, never.

However, there is good news on this front ... there is a state-wide effort to place the 'living' wage issue on the ballot in MO, and I give it a good chance of succeeding. More later as news comes in.

[liquid diamond]

16. And some DU posters were cheering

when Beyonce purchased a $90 million dollar home. Lol.

[PragmaticLiberal]

20. I didn't see anyone cheering necessarily.

They just weren't upset about it.

[LanternWaste]

48. I think it's great a woman of color is successful.

I think it's great a woman of color is successful. Life is not quite as binary as the irrationally biased may wish.

[taught_me_patience]

17. It's not a corporation's duty to provide a living wage for a single mother of two

Marion needs some accountability for the choices she's made in life.

[Stargazer99]

22. Morality and fairness are values

corporations have none, they need to be controlled. The only value they have is profit and more profit at the expense of the enviroment and human life. Corporations are responsible for much destruction of the planet and human life....they need to be controlled.
Punishing Marion for probably was wrong cultural infomation or what she had been taught by family and the social structure is downright nasty. The well-heeled can spend themselves out of pain so they can set back and say "well, she asked for it".
I am damn sick and tired of those who feel no pain and have no understanding how people get in these fixes want to blame those who suffer most.

[bigbrother05]

23. 37 yo mother of two, fast food worker for 22 years

doesn't sound like she had a lot of choices other than working two jobs, sounds like she takes responsibility.

Most of the "pulled myself up by the bootstraps" storied are great, but they often revolve around the teacher that believed in them or a burning drive that backed a marketable talent.

For every JK Rowling, there are thousands of Marions that just want to get through the day and keep their kids safe & healthy.

We license corporations and currently impose a minimum wage. Enacting a "living" wage would be a policy statement of our nation's values and any corporation is welcome to comply or move elsewhere.

[Stargazer99]

26. THAN YOU someone here is looking at reality

[sharedvalues]

85. +1!

[Stargazer99]

24. Corporations are human and planetary destroyers-they need to be controlled

[BainsBane]

25. And what choices are those?

Being born black and poor?

[taught_me_patience]

36. Having a second child

Not learning any skill that would boost her above the lowest level of worker for 22 years.

[BainsBane]

41. Do you think $9.50 an hour would support her and a first child?

and how is she supposed to acquire skills without income to pay for vocational training or education?

[LanternWaste]

50. I'd pretend to know her skill-level as well as her choices as well if it validated my biases

I'd pretend to have absolute and relevant knowledge of her skill-level as well as her choices as well if it validated my biases and narrative.

[Weekend Warrior]

99. Internet discussion boards.

Where grand stories are told, based off extremely limited information, in an effort to maintain our strongly held bias.

I guess it is more human nature that becomes escalated online as the format alone attracts people extremely comfortable in their tiny box.

[Ilsa]

67. How does she pay for school?

How does she earn a living while she's in school?

[taught_me_patience]

86. I didn't say anything about school

How about simply showing that you can take responsibility and manage others in order to work her way up to manager? How about she try to get a waitressing job that pays tips so she can make better pay?

I owned a retail business... it's obvious, pretty quickly, who has motivation and drive vs. those who do not. Those with drive and skill get promoted.

[Ilsa]

94. Sounds to me like her life has plenty of stress,

and maybe she has no desire for more stress as a leader or manager. Maybe she had to move from job to job because of having to move alot. Maybe one of her kids was sick alot and she missed too much work. Maybe she has no self-esteem. There's too much that is unknown here.

Sure, you can easily blame it on her bad choices. But we don't what happened to her, whether her home was crap, whether she was taught that all abortion was wrong, etc. It's quite possible that her two children are the only love in her life. It's easy to judge without knowing the details.

[Eliot Rosewater]

102. The racism is DRIPPING off this board

[NurseJackie]

103. It's making me sick. Can anything be done about it?

[Eliot Rosewater]

104. Welcome to America.

[NurseJackie]

105. I know. I just wish it was less common...

... in online forums that ought to be "sanctuaries". But, it's entirely possible that I have set my expectations and my standards too high. If I lower them (depending) then I'm less likely to be disappointed, surprised, shocked or disgusted by the things I read.

[Eliot Rosewater]

107. It is really disgusting, INDEED!

Seems almost cant be escaped anywhere.

[taught_me_patience]

106. Are you calling me racist?

Why don't you reply to me directly and tell me what is racist about my post.

[BainsBane]

111. or cold-hardheartedness anyway

[Eliot Rosewater]

114. That whole "personal responsibility" bullshit started by whites against blacks.

Racism, pure and simple.

[AtheistCrusader]

30. It's not that, it's that it's an entry level job.

You get in when you're a kid living at home, pick up some skills and move on.


The problem is, school/economy aren't keeping pace, so the higher skills and the higher paying jobs aren't necessarily available for these workers to slot into, when they've absorbed those skills and are ready to move up.

Personally, I don't think tinkering with the minimum wage is the answer, as it will drive up inflation and make everything suck for everyone. We need meaningful higher education (and access to it) and upward job mobility.

We're getting both in SOME sectors of the economy, but not all, and perhaps not enough.

[obamanut2012]

49. Yes, it is -- with supplemental help from the government

The woman needs accountability, but the corporations and their CEOs getting rich off the poor do not?!

Shameful to read this on here.

[taught_me_patience]

56. Minimum wage never has been nor never will be a living wage for a single mother of two

and corporations have no obligation to provide a wage that high. For one thing, corporations are forbidden to ask marital status, age, or child status during interviews.

[sharedvalues]

84. It's society's (read government's) role to give poor people like her a chance

When GOP billionaires' wives post stuff like this:

Link to tweet

There's plenty of room to tax her wealth more so Marion can support a family on 50 hours a week of work. Government is society's way of working together to give everyone a fair shot.

[white_wolf]

100. How very Republican of you.

[Eliot Rosewater]

101. It sure as FUCK is otherwise there is NO Reason for it to exist.

Accountability?

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Corporations by their very existence and design, should be abolished.

They state as their goal to maximize profit regardless of how.

Wall Street must go, corporation model must go.

[Hieronymus]

28. Started with Reagan.

[moondust]

32. CEO wants a bigger bonus.

Just an extra million or two this year.

Shareholders want a bigger ROI.

Gotta come from somewhere...

[MichMan]

33. Is the father supporting his kids? nt

[TexasBushwhacker]

58. I wondered about that too n/t

[steve2470]

61. I'm guessing not on a regular basis, if at all nt

[Tatiana]

72. Thank you. The children weren't immaculate conceptions.

Yes, the mother has some responsibility for providing for the children, but so does the father.

Did this mother have access to birth control or family planning services? Look at how Planned Parenthood is being attacked, as well as federal assistance for family planning. I have observed (as a volunteer) that when poor or low-income people have access to family planning services, they use them. When they don't have those services, unplanned pregnancies often result.

Instead of judging, I'd like to express my appreciation for someone who gets up and works hard at multiple jobs each day. I hope that we can work on creating a society where she can improve her education and/or skills and make a living wage.

[Initech]

34. I call it "economic terrorism".

And that's exactly what it is - terrorism. The uber wealthy CEOs in this country are terrorists. They work you to death while they live in mega mansions with private golf courses. But their latest bonus isn't enough, so they keep you voting against your best interests while they run off with all the fucking money.

[obamanut2012]

52. Many of the comments on this thread sicken me

1. So, only people above a certain income and with certain jobs should have kids, if not, they made bad choices and have accountability.

2. It isn't the duty of a corporation to pay a living wage.

3. Poor people need to get better education and better jobs to raise themselves out of poverty, if they don't, well.... see 1 & 2.

Y'all should be ashamed of yourselves and check your privilege at the damned door.

[jalan48]

54. +!

This woman is trying to do the right thing, work and support her family. Maybe she shouldn't have had children but she did. Does that mean she or someone like her is supposed to spend their lives in jobs so stressful it will probably compromise their health?

[leftstreet]

55. +1

I agree completely

This is the kind of shit I'd expect to hear GOPers spewing out

[SMC22307]

63. Yep. Thought I had ventured into FR for a moment.

Bernie has it right -- these folks deserve a living wage!

[BainsBane]

70. +infinity

[Nevernose]

75. It's fucking horrifying

And shameful. Just fucking shameful.

[raven mad]

87. +1

[Humanist_Activist]

91. Some people have broken moral compasses, instead of attempting to shame them...

which will not work, because they have no shame, the most we can do is pity them.

[stranger81]

92. I concur.

This thread is a fucking dumpster fire. If some of these responses bear any resemblance to what the Democratic Party thinks as a whole on these issues, we're doomed.

[phylny]

95. You said it so much better than I ever could.

Thank you for your clarity and kindness.

[HughBeaumont]

97. +10

The Tent is Too Damned Big.

Some of these comments are nothing more than a kinder and gentler Facebook/Yahoo/YouTube trolling.

[Orrex]

98. Absolutely correct

And this has been the case on DU for many years, alas.

[oberliner]

53. Interesting that this is being covered in a British newspaper

As opposed to an American one.

[steve2470]

60. harsh realities are downplayed or completely ignored by our media

the UK media is not afraid of talking about it. Even the Telegraph will have critical articles occasionally.

[liquid diamond]

69. Marion just needs to work hard

like Beyonce. Beyonce works hard. She works so hard she just purchased a home worth almost nine fucking figures. Just work harder Marion.

[sharedvalues]

77. We need a higher min wage. $12 or $13. And we must require 40 hrs/wk w/ benefits.

[LittleBlue]

90. It's only going to get worse for these people. Fast food jobs are being phased out

Fast food workers do repetitive tasks that can be done by robots and kiosks. McDonald's just adopted kiosks and robots exist that can prepare 200 meals in a kitchen. Ultimately I think Fast Food could be Red Box'd, ie made entirely in large, automated machines to avoid the overhead and wages of a full restaurant.

Fast food employment is dying. I hope she trains for a different line of work before it's too late. Raising wages for these kinds of jobs is moral, but from a practical standpoint only hastens the demise of the profession by incentivizing automation.

[mvd]

93. Everyone should earn a livable ($15+/hr) wage

It's just putting stress on people to have to work multiple jobs or work and still be below the poverty line. It demoralizes the workforce.

Eventually I'd like to go to a Universal Basic Income (with the safety net still in tact - how large depends on how high the UBI can go). That would help ward off automation concerns.

[HeartachesNhangovers]

115. The real tragedy here isn't Marion's situation,

it's her children's. Even if Marion gets $15/hr, gets 40 hrs/wk and gets normal benefits, including healthcare, where does that leave her children? They would have a stable home and the other necessities of life, but would they have parents that are motivating them and helping them to get out of poverty and into the middle class? It doesn't sound like it. Perhaps they can rise above their upbringing - lots of people have - but it's getting harder and harder to do that with college getting more and more expensive, with competition for college admission and for jobs getting stiffer.