From Auto Exec To Paper Deliveryman

After The Loss Of One Job, Middle Class Family Now Living In Fear Of Losing It All

(CBS)  Grosse Pointe Woods is a serene, leafy suburb of Detroit. But the grass might not be as green as it looks.

Mike Remenar is losing his neighbors, CBS News correspondent Seth Doane reports.

"The house right there has been foreclosed upon, the one across the street," he said.

His wife, Ruth, is petrified that they might be next.

"I've actually had nightmares where I've woken up and gone 'Ahhh!' like that," she said.

Those bad dreams could very well turn into reality. Mike, a white-collar auto executive, was laid off almost a year ago.

"If Mike does not get a job as an automotive designer soon, I don't know what we're going to do," Ruth said.

Seventeen-year-old Michael, their oldest son, would sure like to help out - but can't.

"The thing is, a lot of adults are taking jobs that used to be filled by teenagers - because they can't find more professional work - so they're taking part-time $8-an-hour work," Michael said. "And kids just can't find work around here anymore."

And he should know - because his dad is delivering newspapers.

Seven days a week, at 2 a.m., Mike and Ruth wake up to stuff papers. They then zigzag through nearby neighborhoods.

It's the only job they could find - a paper route - and it doesn't pay much.

Do they consider themselves middle class?

"Not anymore," Ruth said. "We were."

What do they consider yourselves now?

"Lower class," Ruth said.

The Remenars used to love family vacations. But the closest they can get to one now is when they can book a ticket for someone else.

They turned their den into a travel agency to try to earn a little more.

"Nobody in Michigan is traveling right now!" Ruth said.

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Couric & Co. Blog: Fear And Losing In Suburbia

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Mike says he's applied for jobs at every business and every store around. Kroger's didn't take him - but they do take food stamps he was forced into in January.

"We can make the food stamps work," Mike said.

And without them, he said, "we'd be pretty hungry."

Using them is kind of embarrassing, Mike says, but it's worth putting food on the table.

"We should change our last name to The Worries," Ruth said. "I mean, because that's what we do best. I mean, he's worried about me, I'm worried about him, we're worried about the house, we're worried about the kids - we're worried about everything!"

Worried - about this September. With Michael hoping to go to college - and a lump payment that they don't have due on the house.

"All of my children but one were born here," Ruth said. "It's hard - it's just really hard."

Ruth says the paper route hours aren't so bad - because she really can't sleep anyway. For now, they're just hoping that some good news will be delivered to them someday soon.

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If you'd like to contact the Remenars, you can find their information on their travel Web site.

[ratchow1962]

This story is a reminder that for those of us who do have a job that we are all only just one paycheck away from living in poverty.

*** Scary!!!!!

[nothappyatall]

"If Mike does not get a job as an automotive designer soon, I don''t know what we''re going to do,"


Oh yeah what a career, I''m sure there were loads of jobs for such a narrow profession out there!
Time to do what I do, build an on-line business, web site and also do Ebay sales with it and just watch the Paypal payments come in.

[random_radar]

When immigrants start going back to their nations of origin because Americans are taking their jobs, we will know that times are tough.

When we start exporting goods to China to pay off our debts, we will know times are tougher.

When we collapse into a bankrupt chaos of anarchy, we will know we reaped what we sowed and the world will laugh at us as one more fallen empire on the scrap heap of history.

[cbsblogger]

We are all only one unlucky break away from the same outcome.

Get sick, lose job, have big unpayable healthcare expenses, go insolvent, go bankrupt, lose house, marriage, cars, everything. Get a shopping cart and big box and live under the bridge.

We need a national healthcare plan that is identical with the plan taxpayers provide for Congress. If it is good enough for them it should be good enough for the rest of the USA. If there are problems with such a plan be assured Congress will keep it functional and efficient for patients.

[cbsblogger]

We are all only one unlucky break away from the same outcome.

Get sick, lose job, have big unpayable healthcare expenses, go insolvent, go bankrupt, lose house, marriage, cars, everything. Get a shopping cart and big box and live under the bridge.

We need a national healthcare plan that is identical with the plan taxpayers provide for Congress. If it is good enough for them it should be good enough for the rest of the USA. If there are problems with such a plan be assured Congress will keep it functional and efficient for patients.

[patriot12436]

I do feel sory for the working class that worked all their lives and now are losing everything. The people who have made millions and did not spend coustructively, i have no sympathy for. They had their chance to pay off a home and bills.

[mcv57]

For decades the GOP hosted the middle-class as the sacrificial lamp.

In their time of prosperity, they lavished their good fortune on credit instead of shoring-up their wealth to secure their future. In their ignorance they played Republican when they should of entrenched their own political power to fight corruption.

YOU GET WHAT YOU REAP, MIDDLECLASS!

[mrright5]

From Auto Exec To Paper Deliveryman
After The Loss Of One Job, Middle Class Family Now Living In Fear Of Losing It All

Another double speak CBS headline

An Auto Executive they''re calling Middle Class Family

Was that after he became the newest Paper Boy?

Then for a real bunch of BS

Obama OKs Donors To Help Clinton With Campaign Debt

Do the Clintons really need Financial help what happened to the millions of dollars that were donated.

Millions of America''s are struggling to pay for basic living needs and Obama is going to throw his donors money towards the Clinton''s Campaign Debt.

OUTRAGEOUS!

[mcv57]

Posted by patriot12436

Your ignorance is obvious. The American middle-class had no chance when perverse forces of corporate and government corruption destroy ethics.

[mrright5]

The Two Party System is really one party

Look no futher than the Democrats compromise Wiretap bill

[mcv57]

.... another typo: lame

[mcv57]

... I did it again: lamb. I am going to bed.

[howzilla]

It is imperative that our government step in and stop these foreclosures. American financial institutions will just have to take a loss on this one. Our country is at stake. Rich people are benefiting from the misfortunes of hard working people who otherwise would not be in the position they are in disregarding the ineptitude of the current administration. Without a doubt the likes of *** Cheney are behind all of this. If YOU owned a bank and all you had on your side was time what would it REALLY cost you to allow a desperate family to go a little longer? NOTHING but your own greed for profit. Let''s be Americans, HELP your neighbor. WE have lost our way. WE want to succeed no matter the cost to the "little people." This stops NOW. Obama will drag us into the sewer and KILL this country. Don''t be mislead by the pictures the liberal media prints of his bold chin and piercing eyes. I would not put Obama in charge of a duffel bag in a bus station not to mention this great country. Solution points: 1) Stop late fees on accounts of all kinds. Interest on interest is enough. 2) Extend foreclosure proceedings to 12 months behind rather than 3. Americans holding onto their property is one of the keys to the recovery of this recession. 3) DO NOT put a democrat in the White House. Democrats do one thing: tax the very people/corporations that drive the economy.

[mrright5]

) DO NOT put a democrat in the White House. Democrats do one thing: tax the very people/corporations that drive the economy.


Posted by Howzilla at 12:05 AM : Jun 25, 2008


Republicans have put America where it''s at with an assist from the Democrats

You and your nutty tax rehtoric just don''t cut it anymore

[joe1022joe]

The unemployment rate for adult men in the USA in May 2008 was 4.9% and for adult women was 4.8%. Contrast that with the unemployment rate in the EU which is 7+%. Someone tell me what all this "Chicken Little" talk is about? It has nothing to do with our economy. We have the strongest economy on the planet. In a few months the media will be trumpeting our economic "recovery." As a whole, our economy is the envy of the world and we should stop wringing our collective hands.

[babooph]

An auto industry that depended on a political lobby to give their low grade auto a market.Our best engineers making waqsted weopons instead of consumer goods-now the results.

[patriot12436]

howzilla
I do not think obama is stupid, i do think he has an alternative agenda and do not trust the man. I do not want him or mccain for president. I would have voted for Hillary until she supported him.

[patriot12436]

mcv57
My ignorance about what ? If your going to criticize something do it with meaningful intellect. Name calling doesnt give you credibility.

[patriot12436]

mcvet57
I agree with the rest of your statement. So what do you propose as a solution ?

[patriot12436]

howzilla
I believe obam was planted and raised the way he was to put him in power at this time to destroy our coutry. I also think the facts show he is a racist. We do not need a racist of any color or anyone who is not for buildig our country back.

[patriot12436]

howzilla
I think 20 years of association with that church and those associated with it are proof enough he is a racist. I also think that readical groups will kill him if elected. I do not support racial hate groups from any side and would hate to see it happen. I will not support him but wish him no harm as well.

[occams_taser]

Bush''s economy is ruining America. Correction. Has ruined America.

[bleekercity]

In 2004, the Democrats promised relief from high gasoline prices if they won back Congress. They won it back, and prices have jumped about 75 percent. Thanks Nancy PelosLIE.

[patriot12436]

howzilla
I will never vote for obama, if faced with a choice of himn or mccain i will vote mccain. However i do not support McCain as i do not support the war in Iraq.

[hermitdave]

LET THEM EAT CAKE says Prince George. He and his friends have no cash flow problems. In fact George is thinking of renting another cow for his Texas ranch.

[brianbwb-2009]

Growing up in Detroit, as a naive child I wondered why someone would want a "job" as opposed to their own business, why someone should hang their fate on a corporation that obviously didn''t care about them.

Then as I saw thousands of people being thrown out of work every week, I marvelled at the politicians of both parties who during campaigns would scream "this is about jobs, jobs, jobs" and said to myself "no, this is about pimps, pimps, pimps, and hoes, hoes, hoes."

Americans have been beaten down so far that all they want now is to slave their lives away in a "job" at ever decreasing, already substandard pay.

For the couple in the story, there is very little likelihood that their living standard will ever return, the structure of the US economy has changed forever, and not even Bush''s war will help, gone are the times when major wars drove economies.

Seems I wasn''t so naive after all.

[toldyouso12]

howzilla
I will never vote for obama, if faced with a choice of himn or mccain i will vote mccain. However i do not support McCain as i do not support the war in Iraq.

Posted by patriot12436 at 02:09 AM : Jun 25, 2008


LOL--if you vote for McCain or against Obama--your mouth might proclaim you don''t support the Iraq war, but the way you voted--says --oh yes you do--and any new blood lost after the elections will be on your head, if McCain wins. Say what you will--talk is cheap--and actions speak louder than words--you say you would vote for a war monger--so what do your actions say about YOU? LOL

[patriot12436]

toldyouso12
I would only vote for mccain if it is a choice between him and obama, lesser of two evils. Mccain may destry our coutry, i am positive obama will. I became antiwar after serving in Vietnam. I am 100% disabled Viet vet, my oldest son was hurt on duty with army rangers and is 100% disabled, my youngest daughter just returned from Iraq and my youngest son is planning on joining army rangers against my advice. I think my family has given enough for our country.What abouyt you ?

[patriot12436]

brianbwb
I sill think we would be better off if you ran.

[patriot12436]

brianbwb
I sill think we would be better off if you ran.

[patriot12436]

brianbwb
I sill think we would be better off if you ran.

[patriot12436]

brianbwb
I sill think we would be better off if you ran.

[patriot12436]

sorry copmputer went haywire again

[patriot12436]

toldyouso12
Still waiting for a reply. You said talk was cheap, now your proving it.

[shanev137]

Do they consider themselves middle class?

"Not anymore," Ruth said. "We were."


----------------



Say hello to the New World Order.

Don''t be upset.....you voted for it.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by patriot12436

Nah, this post is now in the public, where I said the words "pimps" and "hoes". Te neocons would be driven to anarchy at the thought of one who says such things being president.

Besides, I''d have to have a VP even worse than me, to guarantee i wouldn''t be assassinated, and if he, or she was worse than me, I wouldn''t trust them.

I think it was the Great Groucho who said "I wouldn''t want to be in a club that would have me as a member" ; )

[oneworldusa]

This is why people should not outspend their means. To have a ''balloon payment'' for one, was not smart at all. Nobody should buy a home unless they''ve got 50% of the mortgage amount or more sitting in the bank, after the downpayment and closing costs, etc.

Furthermore, this man had to know that the auto industry, of big-ticket items is very cyclical. They should have planned better for the possibility of a job loss. And, what did the wife do before? The kids are old enough that all of them are in school, so for all these years, she could have been at least working part time somewhere for a good while, even if only to save up the cash for a rainy day.

[oneworldusa]

I could live on ramens, macaroni and water for a month if it meant feeding the rest of my family. Total cost, about $20.

[patriot12436]

brianbwb
See what i mean . You keep proving you are smart enough for the job, while smart enough to know better than take it. I don''t blame you. It isn''t a job i would want either. But i am considered a radical.

[patriot12436]

truusa
I was set to vote for Hillary, then she dropped out and now supports obama. I cannot support obama. Since she is supporting him, if she won the election wopuld she appoint obama as VP ? I am not willing to take the chance. I plan to wait till late in the day before voting. If i have to vote for McCain to keep obama out i will. I do not want McCain but consider him lesser of two evils. I am plannig to vote for Barr. I am hoping he will come out of nowhere and win. I was for Paul until he dropped out of the race.

[whatithink-2009]

"I was set to vote for Hillary, then she dropped out and now supports obama. I cannot support obama. Since she is supporting him, if she won the election wopuld she appoint obama as VP ? I am not willing to take the chance. I plan to wait till late in the day before voting. If i have to vote for McCain to keep obama out i will. I do not want McCain but consider him lesser of two evils. I am plannig to vote for Barr. I am hoping he will come out of nowhere and win. I was for Paul until he dropped out of the race.

Posted by patriot12436 at 06:05 AM : Jun 25, 2008"



I''m trying to understand your viewpoint, but it is a bit difficult. You were going to vote for Paul, before you wanted to vote for Clinton and now you want to vote for Barr? Although I might be able to make the connection between Paul and Barr, I don''t know where Clinton comes into the picture. Clinton/Obama have the exact same policies, so if you were planning to vote for Clinton the only logical other option is Obama. McCain shouldn''t even be a consideration, if you truly were going to vote for Clinton.

[jlagat]

Your ignorance is obvious. The American middle-class had no chance when perverse forces of corporate and government corruption destroy ethics.

Posted by mcv57 at 11:52 PM : Jun 24, 2008

The American middle-class had no chance when they elected King George twice.

Look on the bright side, at least you got a president you thought you could have a beer with, even though you have no shot in hell of actually having one with him.

[miami_21]

a view from behind bars; this is a sad story, one that will be repeated time and time again in the next five years. i am in the same boat however at least i have only myself to watch out for. best of luck folks.

have a nice day.

[berniepeders]

Can anyone tell me the dividing line between "lower class" and "middle class"? Is $50,000 a year lower or middle class? Kind of depends on who you ask, doesn''t it? Besides, I''ve met people who make over 200K who have low class, and people who make 30K who have lots of class.

[faith_in_w]

TruUSA, yes you do so and we will have President Jesus McCain and he will put an end to all the feminist shenanagans and you will be back in the kitchen where you belong.

[ianlou]

Try to imagine yourself a secret service agent protecting Obama. WOULD YOU PUT YOURSELF IN FRONT OF A BULLET?
Posted by howzilla

Obama Yes, Bush No, Cheney hell-No, Any Republican Congress Member No, any hard working middleclass American Yes.

[ov442]

Instead of low income newspaper routes and a bad idea for her trying to be a travel agent, maybe they should try their hands at the area most in demand right now - Entering, cleaning, securing, changing locks on Foreclosed homes. They might get paid to do their own. I hear that job type is highly in demand right now.

[ianlou]

Where is Reagan when we need him?
He had such innovative solutions to our problems like:
"Water and ketchup makes soup"
These are the kinds of ideas that prove that the Republican Party is our only hope.

[mediabrat60]

Is "lower" a class?
I think she put her foot in her mouth there.

[tootall10142]

THE DUMB SOB SHOULDVE SAVED SOME OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS HE MADE .DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH A AUTO DESIGNER MAKES? LOOK IT UP . SYMPATHY IN DICTIONARY BETWEEN SH===T AND SYPHILLIS