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

[sbarrera]

(07-06-2020, 01:04 PM)David Horn Wrote:

(07-06-2020, 11:53 AM)sbarrera Wrote:

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

To be honest, I live in a bubble with other comfortable to wealthy retirees.  Here, Trump is a demigod.  Yes, I know that shouldn't make any sense, but for many of my near and distant neighbors, it's all about the stock market and money in general.  They've quaffed the Kool-Aid in full.  Only once or twice have I actually engaged any of them in a serious conversation about what's going on and where it will all lead.  One business owner actually stopped talking to me, which is fine.  In another case, just announcing that I was a liberal drove a dinner party guest away from the table until I left the building -- which I didn't btw.

In any case, these folks are concerned that the business community won't get some additional money, while simultaneously being outraged that more money for the less well healed should even be considered. Even pointing that out as an obvious dual standard tends to rankle.  We all live in our own version of America, apparently.

Sounds like a bit of Boomer entitlement going on there. 

From your profile, I see that you are in Central Virginia. The last place I travelled to was actually Scottsville, VA. It was to hang out with some old college friends (I went to Virginia Tech). We drank beer, played cards, and joked about the coronavirus. That was in late February. Then I came back up to Pennsylvania and we've been in lockdown ever since.

Stay safe and enjoy your retirement.