From Hero to Zero: A Brief Look at Poverty in the Middle and Upper-Class Spectrums

            Late last year, I remember watching an offbeat Hollywood film that initially did nothing for my imagination, nor did it tell me anything I didn’t already know about family, morality, and having hope for a better tomorrow.  As of late, I was reminded of the film during a graduate level classroom discussion of poverty in America where the core of the dialogue centered upon the ever-changing “face” of poverty and why such a change is significant to the art of combating against the phenomenon.  Based on the discussion alone, it seems to me that in recent years, poverty is not only taking on the identity of the underclass and working poor, but is also taking on the identity of both the middle and upper-middle class sectors of society.  As a result, the current poverty line is blurred, distorted, and less concrete than in years past.

The title of the film that subtly references this assortment of “hot button” issues is Homeless for the Holidays and it tells the heartfelt story of Jack Baker, an upper-middle class business executive who inadvertently loses his job one day after having an unexpected fall-out with his boss.  Soon after, he finds himself working as a cashier at a local fast-food chain, an establishment that replaces his business attire with a highly unflattering penguin suit as part of the company’s policy.  Ashamed and utterly distraught, Jack fears for the future of himself, his wife, and his two children as the utility bills begin to pile up with no end in sight.  Eventually, Jack and his family are evicted from their suburban home and are forced to live in a nearby homeless community just in time for the holiday season.  

 Regardless of the movie’s poor acting talents and incredibly low budget, the film succeeded in what it set out to accomplish, mainly to remind those feeling the brunt of harsh economic times that dark days tend to grow darker before the light finally decides to seep through.  Even though Jack’s situation takes a turn for the better by the end of the film, it does not erase the fact that his family once lived the “American Dream”, a dream that was tarnished far too easily and quickly.  Pondering this idea further led me to think about the current state of the economy and how those knee-deep in poverty have been living in dark times for years (even decades) without any sign of light.  As represented in the film, some of the more staggering events that lead to poverty involve people who have college degrees, a six-figure job, and are overly successful.  In truth, it is hard to believe that in a country riddled with opportunities to make a name for oneself, there exists the essence of poverty that, like a virus, infects not only the bottom half of the economic ladder, but the middle and upper-middle halves as well.  Granted, the recovery period for the latter may be shorter, but that does not excuse the fact that they still experienced a taste of what poverty has to offer, something that should not happen in the supposed land of the free.  

A real life example of this particular face of poverty involves a 50 year-old woman by the name of Alexandra Jarrin who, even with a college degree and a job as an independent contractor, is part of the working poor and has been unemployed for three years as of 2012.  Jarrin argues that if potential buyers of her work had the necessary funds to begin with, she would not be in the situation that she is currently in, implying that a faltering U.S. economy is partly to blame for the spread of both actual poverty and “poverty-like” experiences across the social spectrum.  More importantly, she describes the government’s safety net as having holes so large that everyone falls straight through, with the exception of a few lucky individuals who get “caught on the sides."  Even if one is caught in the netting, there are specific “guidelines” that must be met to ensure one receives sufficient healthcare, childcare, housing assistance, and so on.  Recently, however, President Obama has made a successful attempt at ending the discrimination against the longtime unemployed by encouraging large businesses and corporations to focus their energies on hiring them.  If such companies manage to keep their word, this “initiative” may not only lead to a drop in the unemployment rate, but also a decrease in the likelihood that those in Jarrin’s situation will no longer find themselves scrounging to get by as an "honorary member" of the working poor.    

In an ideal world, it is safe to say that poverty should never strike the heart and soul of any individual.  In the real world, it is safe to say that poverty should never have the opportunity to infect those who are hardworking and financially stable, especially in a land that supposedly bears no resemblance to characteristics of third world countries.  In the end, the U.S. must return to its roots of promising a zero to hero transformation for all who seek it.  Come to think of it, since when have we ever asked for the reverse?

http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/184741-what-percent-are-you/

This audio clip features author David Shipler who discusses what the blurred line between the middle class and working poor truly means, along with Alexandra Jarrin who speaks of her experience as a member of the unemployed. Both discussions provide a much needed source of depth to the overall fight against poverty in America.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/01/us/politics/big-companies-join-obama-in-initiative-to-help-long-term-unemployed.html?ref=us&_r=0

This news article reports on the Obama Administration’s successful attempt at encouraging big corporations to focus on hiring workers who have been unemployed for years. A video of President Obama’s speech supplements the article.