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BEHIND THE NUMBERS

* Unemployment rate lowest since 2007. But........

I was a well paid carpenter in two thousand eight
then due to the banks' mistakes
I became a victim of cruel fate

I ran the newest textile loom
zero defects was my theme
NAFTA led to my job's doom

I was a solar cell technologist
thinking my cutting edge job safe
then China bought the company...guess you get the gist

I mined coal, I sold homes, I forged steel,
the list goes on and on.....
of things the numbers don't reveal

Unemployment benefits ran out
retirement savings spent to live.
It makes me want to scream and shout.
They gave all they had to give
then they had to "settle"
......Do you want fries with that?

Style / type: 
Structured: Western
Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Editing stage: 

Comments

I can sense the anger and frustration in this poem. You potrayed them well.

Alid

Present administration keeps crowing about the jobs number but doesn't mention the fact that a lot of the jobs are low paying jobs which people are only taking out of desperation. Nor do they say that those whose unemployment payments have run out are not counted.............stan

author comment

Your angst is well descriptive here. Well written. Images of your frustration is like a lightening bug in the night. Lol.
In my head Clinton created the low wage class of ppl when he put welfare and potential welfare moms to work. Now that the middle class has been dismantle the were force to join the low wagers. Maybe somebody should take account of the all low wagers that were middle class and see what percentage they fall under. I made a A in economics 101. We had to figures out how Clinton got a surplus and I came with that senario Lol.

*Collaborative Poetry Workshop* American Version of Japanese Poetry ~ Renga ~ Haiku, Senyru, Tanka.

Neopoet Community

I just wish this admin. would stop acting as if we;re out of the slump we are in and , for just once, tell the truth..........stan

author comment

If jobs paid living wages things would be better bc job are being created just ppl not getting paid enough to eat, pay Dr bills, hospital bills and make ends meet. I've noticed with every job creation there are job loses by companies doing whatever it takes to save and make their profits.

*Collaborative Poetry Workshop* American Version of Japanese Poetry ~ Renga ~ Haiku, Senyru, Tanka.

Neopoet Community

that's the Real story behind the lowering unemployment rate. People are taking Any job just to try and get by and often at wages far below what they once made. NAFTA sounded like a good idea but the problem is the other countries don't operate on a level playing field. They don't worry about pollution, green house gases or workers' health so their costs are lower. And we keep letting them do it........stan

author comment

Things are much the same here in Britain - a lot of the jobs are only part time, many of them taken up by Polish, Romanian people Etc and just about all of the manufacturing jobs have gone abroad. The poor are really struggling - it's as bad as it was in the 1930s. Most people are in debt up to there eye balls.

Macdonald's still seems to be doing well though! Despite the recession - it's one of the few jobs our local youngsters can find - and many of those are university graduates. ( including a young lady who is training to be a brain surgeon - I can think of a few brains that could do with being sorted out - I expect you can too )

Really loved your poem Stan - comisorations from this side of the pond.:) xxxxx

Love Mand xxxx

helped build up other countries' economies thinking it would widen markets but didn't realize that they would then not trade in a fair way. They block us from their markets and we allow them free access to ours...........stan

author comment

Over the years some of our family gave their lives to make a better world.
It is them that cry for us in our corrupt world.
I feel that as I am old now and the weaver needs my thread in a place somewhere, that my children and their children are continuously being let down by those ass holes politicians..
I best go roost before I swear,
Night all, Yours Sparrow

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be surprise if the day comes amen politicians are appointed by corporations instead of elected by people......stan

author comment
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