Had to share this FB post from a friend ...

[justiceischeap]

43. Most of your points are true

for people that are fortunate enough to have decent paying jobs... however, there's a new sector of homeless and most of it is because or our economy and capitalism... let me explain:

In the 1980's the Reagan Administration began dismantling regulation in industry, thinking a "free" market would be better for the economy--they felt competition between companies, forcing said companies to have better products was bad for business. I'd imagine some pretty serious corporate lobbyists helped with those laws. Now look at all the conglomerate monopolies we have in the US... no price competition (except to see how high they can go before it pisses people off), no competition to offer a better product.

In the 1990's, the Clinton administration signed NAFTA into law, taking the concept of capitalism and the "free" market even further. All the somewhat decent paying jobs in America began to flee to Mexico and India where the corporations could avoid Unions, who fought for fair wages for their workers. Now the Unions are almost dead and most of our manufacturing jobs are in other countries where corporations can charge us 30k for a car that probably cost 5k to build--including wages.

In the 2000's, the Bush administration took us into two wars, one of which was unnecessary and caused a lot of unnecessary death (and debt)... however, friends of the administration in the private mercenary business (and oil industry) made out like bandits--not just in Iraq and Afghanistan but in New Orleans as well. How many people lost their homes in NOLA and were shipped to other parts of the country and offered no way to get back home? Lots. Those people not only lost their homes but their families as well (because they were shipped to other states in this country).

What does this have to do with some stupid graphic and hyperbole? Not much but the picture you're painting does not apply to most Americans. Most Americans don't have savings because they're too busy working two or three part-time jobs and trying to figure out how they're going to feed their families, pay their rent, afford public transport if they don't have a car, afford car insurance in they do have a car, or goodness forbid, if their car breaks down, how they're going to pay for the repairs.

And, oh my, if they can't get to work because they lost their transportation, they'll most likely lose their lousy part-time job which is necessary for their survival because who gives a shit about some part-time employee when we can live in some fantasy world that ALL Americans have the same rights... when clearly they do not.

Another point is about health care. Until recently, there was the worry of a family member getting sick and not being able to get care but of course the people that work 3 part-time jobs to survive can't take sick time 'cause they'll lose their jobs if they do.

Oh, and did I forget to mention this fictional (not-so-fictional) person I'm imagining used to be in middle management and owned a home and leased a new car every few years and sent their kids to private school and bought the kids new shoes whenever they needed them?

What you seem to be missing out on is that all Americans have the right to those rights you speak of but that doesn't automatically mean they have those rights or will ever get to a place where they can have a savings account or own a home or have good credit (because between eating and the electric bill... what choice do they have).

Take a wider look at this country and see that there are people that are struggling and it's because of capitalism that they are. Take a look at the information for CEO's and their golden parachutes and the same CEO's closing companies in the US because it's more important for them to make extra profit so they can get their parachutes.