In your previous book, Chutes and Ladders, you told the stories of two groups: the "high flyers," who succeeded in climbing out of poverty, and the "low riders," who didn't. What was the main difference between them?

For the most part the difference is explained not by their desire for upward mobility but by their family circumstances. Everybody wants a better job and everybody is willing to work for it. But women who had children and no one to help them with those kids were much more likely to get trapped--they couldn't get more education, which limited their job options; their contact with the labor market was more fragile and episodic. Whereas the people who could afford childcare or ...

In your previous book, Chutes and Ladders, you told the stories of two groups: the "high flyers," who succeeded in climbing out of poverty, and the "low riders," who didn't. What was the main difference between them?

For the most part the difference is explained not by their desire for upward mobility but by their family circumstances. Everybody wants a better job and everybody is willing to work for it. But women who had children and no one to help them with those kids were much more likely to get trapped--they couldn't get more education, which limited their job options; their contact with the labor market was more fragile and episodic. Whereas the people who could afford childcare or who worked out elaborate arrangements with extended family members were able to stay on the job, get more training and move upward.

That sounds like an answer conservatives would love--it's all about family.

But when we say it's about family, we're really talking about the burdens people face in simultaneously trying to combine family responsibilities with the demands of the labor market. And we don't make it easy for them to do that. In Italy, you have access to full-time, high-quality childcare from the time your child is an infant. Similarly in France. A lot of families I studied who didn't make it out of poverty were the ones where the childcare options were so dangerous they couldn't leave their kids, so they ended up dropping out of the labor market, which isn't good for them or for their children. I don't think conservatives have much of an answer to this. The only answer I hear them giving is that POOR PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE CHILDREN AT ALL!
...AND THAT MY FRIENDS, IS DOWNRIGHT LOATHSOME!!

All thanks to the rich and greedy, (these people have millions sitting in their banks kicking rocks around doing nothing) Why? Because with lots of money comes lots of power. Why do millionaires not seem to get imprisoned as much as the lower class.
What is Lower/Higher Class?
Are we born to be like that or are we pushed into the classes we have?
I have been in a position with so much money i didnt know what to do with it (and i felt f**king fantastic), next thing i know i had no income whatsoever for well over 4 months. I survived on cheap hot dogs, bread and water.
I had no money for that time because i didn't have a home (the government won't give u money unless you have a home i was to...

All thanks to the rich and greedy, (these people have millions sitting in their banks kicking rocks around doing nothing) Why? Because with lots of money comes lots of power. Why do millionaires not seem to get imprisoned as much as the lower class.
What is Lower/Higher Class?
Are we born to be like that or are we pushed into the classes we have?
I have been in a position with so much money i didnt know what to do with it (and i felt f**king fantastic), next thing i know i had no income whatsoever for well over 4 months. I survived on cheap hot dogs, bread and water.
I had no money for that time because i didn't have a home (the government won't give u money unless you have a home i was told).
How in any way the work i do, is less than the work many millionaires do?

94 % of Americans are happy? That's one of those FOX NOISE polls, isn't it? Oh, that's right it's the Republican rag, THE NEW YORK POST, owned and propagandized by none other then, that adorable little wrinkled up guy named, Rupert Murdoch... Here is another one of those ROSE COLORED GLASSES POLLS:

FINISH THE JOB, STAY 'TIL WE WIN IN IRAQ, SAYS NEW POLL - by The Public Opinion Strategies Firm and The New York Post

'Post' Pushes Problematic Political Poll
So that poll that the Post touts on its cover today? Pretty interesting, given what seemed to be the national mood during the recent elections. Still, you can't argue with an impartial survey of the American people, right? We want t...

94 % of Americans are happy? That's one of those FOX NOISE polls, isn't it? Oh, that's right it's the Republican rag, THE NEW YORK POST, owned and propagandized by none other then, that adorable little wrinkled up guy named, Rupert Murdoch... Here is another one of those ROSE COLORED GLASSES POLLS:

FINISH THE JOB, STAY 'TIL WE WIN IN IRAQ, SAYS NEW POLL - by The Public Opinion Strategies Firm and The New York Post

'Post' Pushes Problematic Political Poll
So that poll that the Post touts on its cover today? Pretty interesting, given what seemed to be the national mood during the recent elections. Still, you can't argue with an impartial survey of the American people, right? We want to thank Public Opinion Strategies, (POS) the firm that conducted the poll, for clearing things up. Also, we'd like to learn a little more about them. Like, what's on their home page right now? http://www.pos.org/
Oh, and one of their co-founders is one of the "Republican Party's leading political strategists." Ah. That might explain questions in the survey like (SAMPLE POLL QUESTION BY POS) "Which one of the following would do most to hurt America's reputation as a world power... To pull our troops out of Iraq immediately ...or... To leave our troops in Iraq for as long as it takes to restore order?" Guess it's all in the way you ask.
HERE'S MORE ON POS: So, how did Public Opinion Strategies come to their conclusions? It has everything to do with how the questions are worded.

James Joyner published a .pdf version of the survey, which offers helpful insights into the methodology. Poll respondents were asked whether they AGREED or DISAGREED with a series of statements regarding the war in Iraq. Here’s a sampling: (continued)

* “Even if they have concerns about his war policies, Americans should stand behind the President in Iraq because we are at war.”
* “The Democrats are going too far, too fast in pressing the President to withdraw the troops from Iraq.”
* “I support finishing the job in Iraq, that is, keeping the troops there until the Iraqi government can maintain control and provide security for its people.”
* “A stable Iraq is the best way to protect America from the nuclear threat of Iran.”
* “Republicans in Congress have gone too far in their criticism of the war and the President.”
* “I don’t really care about what happens in Iraq after the US leaves, I just want the troops brought home.”
It’s lik...

* “Even if they have concerns about his war policies, Americans should stand behind the President in Iraq because we are at war.”
* “The Democrats are going too far, too fast in pressing the President to withdraw the troops from Iraq.”
* “I support finishing the job in Iraq, that is, keeping the troops there until the Iraqi government can maintain control and provide security for its people.”
* “A stable Iraq is the best way to protect America from the nuclear threat of Iran.”
* “Republicans in Congress have gone too far in their criticism of the war and the President.”
* “I don’t really care about what happens in Iraq after the US leaves, I just want the troops brought home.”
It’s likely a conservative would look at the wording of these “questions” and believe they’re objectively worded, but they’re clearly not. These are basically the White House’s carefully-worded talking points. They’re designed to register certain responses, which naturally brings the validity of the poll into question.
Indeed, 42% of Americans believe Republicans have criticized Bush too much on the war? Does anyone really believe that?
Apparently, it doesn’t matter. The results tell war supporters basically what they want to hear, and as a result, conservative outlets like the NY Post, among others, are touting the results. “See?” the right says, “All of the other polls are irrelevant. We finally found a good one.”
YEAH, LIKE 94% OF AMERICANS ARE HAPPY? GIVE ME A F***ING BREAK!!

I have been forced into a situation where I can see my family falling into the abyss of poverty. After working 25 years - 14 years with the last company. I find myself unemployed. Two of my four children are out on their own now and the other two are in high school. The wife has medical problems that prevent her from working full time and for any length of time. I have medical problems that contributed to my unemployed status. My unemployment benefits run out in about a month and there is no jobs in the area. Its over 20 miles to the nearest town and the city is almost 60 miles away. My car has 250,000 miles on it and needs a lot of work. My rent is $375 @ month and the going rate for a 3 be...

I have been forced into a situation where I can see my family falling into the abyss of poverty. After working 25 years - 14 years with the last company. I find myself unemployed. Two of my four children are out on their own now and the other two are in high school. The wife has medical problems that prevent her from working full time and for any length of time. I have medical problems that contributed to my unemployed status. My unemployment benefits run out in about a month and there is no jobs in the area. Its over 20 miles to the nearest town and the city is almost 60 miles away. My car has 250,000 miles on it and needs a lot of work. My rent is $375 @ month and the going rate for a 3 bedroom is $750 @ month plus they need a security deposit up front. The electric bill is $175 @ month and we are paying off back bills so our levelized account is $320 @ month. The phone/internet bill is $90 @ month but its the only way I can get phone and emails on prospective jobs. I am being sued over old hospital bills, My car may be repossessed and I could be kicked out of my rental at any time. I am in constant pain and my health is deteriorating rapidly. My self-confidence is shot and life is just not worth living.
I could be bitter, I could be mad but what I really am is numb. I have been to other countries and I know that USA is the best place to live. As long as you have the money.

I know from where you are coming... I have seen this in my own family... My husband was forced retired from AT&T after 28 years of service... We moved rural because it was cheaper and also to be near our daughter... I don't know what she and our two grandchildren would do, if we weren't here... It was touch and go for 8 years until we were able to collect SS... For the first time in my life I feel like I have a safety net... that is if we don't get seriously ill...

I am sure the stories of hardship, like your own, are numerous... but aside from a book or two describing the gloominess of unemployment and poverty in the USA... no one hears and no one wants to hear. If the rich start losing...

I know from where you are coming... I have seen this in my own family... My husband was forced retired from AT&T after 28 years of service... We moved rural because it was cheaper and also to be near our daughter... I don't know what she and our two grandchildren would do, if we weren't here... It was touch and go for 8 years until we were able to collect SS... For the first time in my life I feel like I have a safety net... that is if we don't get seriously ill...

I am sure the stories of hardship, like your own, are numerous... but aside from a book or two describing the gloominess of unemployment and poverty in the USA... no one hears and no one wants to hear. If the rich start losing their wealth THEN YOU'LL HEAR... All hell will break loose. If this happens, I believe, they will suffer greatly because unlike the rest of us who hover above or below the poverty line... THEY WILL NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO LIVE. I guess, you and I will have to give them some lessons, the POOR things.