Thousands of Maine men are missing from the workforce, and no one really knows why
Jon Hunt, or Twitch as he’s known, isn’t much of a talker. He isn’t much of anything, as he sees it.
That’s because, at 26, Twitch has never held an official job. He’s worked as a roofer, a blueberry raker and a construction worker — “backbreaking shit,” he said — but always under the table.
When he’s not working for cash, he goes to the Bangor Public Library to chat with friends on Facebook Messenger using the free wifi; smokes marijuana at friends’ apartments; and listens to music — usually rap on his earmuff-sized headphones.
In addition to occasional pocket change gleaned from odd jobs, Twitch lives off a monthly $750 disability check he gets for his mild schizophrenia, which he says he was diagnosed with around 2011.
Read more: http://bangordailynews.com/2017/04/11/mainefocus/thousands-of-maine-men-are-missing-from-the-workforce-and-no-one-really-knows-why/?ref=The%20PointBox
= new reply since forum marked as read
Last edited Sat Apr 15, 2017, 04:58 PM - Edit history (1)
You sound like someone with little life experience and none on the margins,.as they say.
The fact is, one can be turned down for Welfare and Unemployment benefits for the smallest thing....So what should they do?...Starve on the pittance they can make working here and there under the table?
The social welfare benefits I'm speaking of include Welfare, Unemployment Insurance, Social Security Disability benefits -- all of it. We have the smallest, stingiest system in the developed world,.and our Republican leaders are working to make it smaller yet 
Some of us kick back.
White people can't handle the racial discrimination I've faced. Constantly being told you don't deserve to work with Americans in good stable jobs with benefits. You're not entitled to anything, not even to apply for such jobs. You don't get to interview and you're stupid for even asking about it. Learn your place and not be so uppity. Good stuff is for other people, not you. I've heard this my entire life. You probably heard something different in your life.
So when I see able bodied white males who don't look too disabled to me, not even apply for jobs. Don't move. Don't take advantage of community job training resources. Don't read books to self train. Don't really want it enough. And claim that they can't find jobs. It's too difficult. And they don't have the blatant discrimination I have.
Then maybe immigrants stealing jobs are not the problem.
To be absolutely clear, I'm ONLY talking about the ones with negative attitudes who are lying to themselves and to the claims administrators. This should not be encouraged. I have NO ISSUE at all with people who really are disabled and need benefits for the necessities of life. I'm still a liberal.
I'll admit I'm opportunistic. Even though I despise that orange racist troll in the white house and everything he stands for. You best believe that when that shithead won the election I started applying for jobs in fields that will do well when Republicans are in charge. Just like I worked in healthcare/benefits fields when Obama was in charge. I don't care what anyone thinks of me. I still want everyone to have universal single payer health care. If I don't get lynched or deported, then maybe I might like to see what's good with these tax cuts. 
some are not, and some are able at some points in their life, and not others....As for discrimination, I'm white, but female and that comes with discrimination...When I started out in the workforce, there were two sets of jobs listed in the newspapers: One.for Males, one.for Females...My niece, who may be around your age, was absolutely shocked to learn this, lol.
Look, here's the thing -- I DO admire your independent, ambitious attitude..and yes, everyone should try and help themselves. Generally speaking, it's the best situation all.around and I think most would prefer the sense of self-respect they get from it. That being said, I try not to be too judgemental...The job situation IS lousy and I'm pissed at the way that jobs have been shipped overseas, leaving LESS opportunity for those who may not want, or be able to, go to college.
Those white guys your seeing -- some may be scaming, but others may be mentally disabled with PTSD or something...Mental illness rarely "shows" like a physical impairment, but having suffered from severe depression in my younger life, I can assure you that it's real and filled with suffering. See, I'm probably older than you, Lion..My dad grew up poor,during the Great Depression -- Even though, he was granted a scholarship to a private school he had to quit high school in his first year to work in a factory to help support the family....Thing is, he had a factory to work at and it was unionized...He worked two jobs for most of his life, but he never begrudged those who were in need and he was a strong, liberal Democrat all of his life. . Back then, they hadn't started sending all the factories overseas yet in search of cheap labor...In those days, before "globalization" if an American country went abroad in search of cheap labor, the US taxed the hell out of their products when they tried to sell them back here, a situation I think was much more fair.
I do appreciate your explaining your situation more thoroughly...I doubt we're very "far apart" in our views, and I'm glad you shared your story. 
I appreciate you explaining your situation too.
I get that mental health and even chronic pain (coal miners) is harder for someone to see. But they need treatment. My original post was that it looks like the GOP and Trump will use the scamming stories as an excuse to cut benefits for people who need it. Out of spite.
Disability is not for unemployment. It's for the disabled. Just like emergency rooms should be for emergencies only, not for people who can't afford insurance. Our military should be used for defense only, not for oil or profiteering or boosting poll numbers. and so on.
Arguing can get really exhausting.
Can I ask how old you are, Iron?...I'm in my sixties and, if I may say, have seen a lot of changes in this country..Knowing some one's age kind of gives me a view of "which" America" they were born into. I'm 67.
Last edited Mon Apr 17, 2017, 06:02 AM - Edit history (1)
Glad to hear that you were at least able to grow up without facing all that bigotry. Sorry (and surprised) you had to contend with so much later . Sounds like you beat them in the end, though....Cheers ton you for it. 
to someone in my family. Seems like someone should be able to sue one or more parties for that. 