reena

• better services to help immigrants adjust to the country
• stronger social security/retirement funding assistance
• affordable daycare
• wage laws
• ai protection laws for 'low-skilled' labor
• increased access to food
• greater disability advocacy

melinda

• more funding into special education programs/reform
• greater access to jobs for those who are disabled
• better disability social security

thomas

• more affordable healthcare
• wage advocacy
• immigrant advocacy
• creating greater access to food
• more affordable prescriptions
• numbing circumstances
• lack of transportation

grace

• potential unaffordable higher education
• greater support for mental health
• increased mental health support at school

the american dream is dead because people cannot climb up from the bottom of the socio-economic ladder. there is simply no leeway for people at the bottom to climb up. and there are so many more issues that aren't being addressed such as systemic racism, insane discrimination based on sexuality, and more. how do we increase flexibility for social mobility?

perhaps ubi? it would give people breathing room and give people their time back to move. Alaska dividend showed an increase in part-time jobs because ubi wasn't enough to cover everything. This could give relief to parents for daycare, relief for families for food, relief for rent, cover emergency costs, or it can just boost the economy by giving people more flexibility to purchase regular goods

things my family did NOT do: 'vacations' (only traveled for serious things/subsidized), did not buy usual goods (toys, nice clothes, organic food), did not spend money on excessive prescriptions, lived in a really bad house, everyone worked as much as they could to help, saved for any type of emergency funds, raise children properly, live in a mold-free house, destroyed income through repairs

some people can afford to be inconvenienced, and the people who will benefit will ultimately boost the bottom line higher

things to think about

• willpower of those who are struggling
• lack of future vision for those who are struggling (worried about today and tomorrow)
• manipulative marketing that wears down self-control
• capitalism that numbs people