What's going on with you, part II...

[sbarrera]

(07-06-2020, 11:20 AM)David Horn Wrote:

(07-06-2020, 09:00 AM)sbarrera Wrote: My big life event is that i have moved in with my long-time girlfriend. I had been keeping an apartment about half an hour from her, but since the pandemic lockdown started, I basically moved in with her anyway, while still paying rent on the (unused) apartment. It was obvious this made no sense so after much effort reorganizing, we got my stuff into her house and I have fully moved in. The apartment lease expires shortly.

She is out of work, since she is in the theater business. It's been tough on her. I am able to WFH in my cushy tech job so I can take care of her.

Interestingly, as i look around at all the people close to me - extended family and my close friends - everyone is doing fine. All my siblings are still able to work, my friends are all either WFH in their white-collar jobs or, in a few cases, continuing to be employed as "frontline essential workers" (for example at a big-box retailer). I'm thinking this is because most of the people I know well are college-educated office worker types. I just don't seem to know anyone who is a restaurant worker or a small business owner - the people most likely to be out of work. My gf is the exception, but I don't need to worry about her b/c she is close by. 

But that gets me thinking that if you are in the class of worker that is affected by the Covid recession, it might be that your whole safety net is down, since everyone tends to aggregate into social groups of people with similar backgrounds.

Your last comment is highly important, because the tide-you-over money is running out.  The Paycheck Protection Plan is already ending and the enhanced unemployment is done in 4 weeks.  What then?  If the GOP holds true to form, they will only help those in need if they can also help their rich friends.  Will the Dems go along with more money for the already comfortable, or will they sacrifice the poor for principle?  It's a given that, other than government, no entity can get the job done.  Charities and churches are not going to be saviors.

Yeah, those who really need that paycheck protection are going to be in big trouble soon. Those who have the luxury of working from home, like me, are doing fine - if anything better, because we are spending less money. I used to spend $100/month on gasoline - now it's more like $25. I used to eat at the cafeteria at the office- $50/week I am saving. For those in a certain economic class, we are fine. But who will help the others? I hope they have family who care, because I don't have much faith in government handling this. We will probably just end up letting the virus spread - basically already are.