Past due bills piling up: Scenes from 'Vanguard'

I agree with most of the previous comments

Where can I find the full episode online, I really want to watch the documentary in entirety

Someone please tell me where / post a link I can find full episodes online!

Thanks!

Agreeing with most comments. I volunteer at a family homeless shelter, so I have seen people going through difficult times.

And, somebody needs to educate Mrs. Starrs on her concept of taxes. She really needs to attend a tax class, and if after completing the class if she still thinks she pays the same amount of taxes as Rick Perry and others in his class, just turn the lights off anyway.

The unemployment benefits that kept Mr. Starr’s family off the street and food on the table is the same benefit that the Republican Party did not want to extend. In addition, the church that assisted the Starrs with their electric bill also gets some sort of government funding and/or tax exemption.

Mr. Starr also needs a class. If not the government, who does he know that would give him and his family enough money to live off of until he got back on his feet? Nobody! It is the governments place to temporarily assist people in need.

People like the Starrs vote like they have Mitt Romney’s money; which is completely out of their class. They must be in denial on how fast their life style changed after becoming unemployed. Mr. Starrs was only making $55,000 which is not a lot of money when you account for taking care of a family of four. And, don’t forget about the taxes, Ms Starrs, which come off the top. In all reality, the Starrs take home pay was approximately $36,000 annually, minus medical plan, minus 401K, if applicable.

I once heard a news reported pose the question, “After the recession is over, are people going to return to living above their means?” The Starrs needs to keep this question top of mind. Unfortunately, the Starrs are now among the new poor Americans.

There has always been two Americans, but now one of the Americans includes more white people than the other America.

Regarding the Loyas, good for you. Is your company hiring.

Agreeing with everyone here that the Starrs were far from the most sympathetic family they could pick for this piece. Not only did they own two, newish, gas guzzling cars, live in a home that was clearly above the income (an apartment would have a lower rent and inclue water and other utilities), but their financial issues obviously pre-dated Mr, Starr's layoff.

It now takes over a year or more to be evicted from your foreclosed home---even in a conservative state like Texas. If they had chosen a "walk away with dignity" program (again through the government whose money they spit on as they stick their hands out further) they would've received a payment of around $3K to start over. If their problems were from his layoff, they would've still been in that house---because all of this takes more than a few months.

Likewise, it takes awhile for your utilities to be cut off, especially if you are in such dire financial circumstances. What I see are people who had big $$$ problems for quite some time before any of this happened. Not to mention--he worked in construction. I'm amazed it took until 2011 for him to be laid off and he should've been considering this possibility for awhile. Construction is a highly volatile industry and they felt the recession much earlier than the rest of the country.

Not to mention, I get they both work in "casual" industries, but they looked like sloppy messes when they interviewed, And I say all of this as someone who has been unemployed/underemployed for almost four years, It's hard, but we didn't lose our home or were even late on any payments (other than the water bill).I now have a job that does pay less than my previous position, but it's also easier, lower stress, I can work from home and am appreciated.

For some reason, every time Vanguard tries to present "sypathetic" people, they seem to choose entitled morons.

This is a joke right? I see a large (what looks like a flat-screen) television, two newer vehicles, two cell phones, large house, chain smoking. I'm sorry I don't have sympathy for these two adults. SACRIFICE these luxuries/vices and think of your children. Cut expenses! It's not brain surgery.

It is beyond my imagination why people such as the Starrs continue to vote Republican and endorse the GOP's agenda of eliminating our country's social programs-the very same programs who are assisting the Starrs. Why do they vote against their own self interests and in favor of the top 1%?

I think this issue really needs to be explored. I have tried to figure out why this is happening. I used to live in Texas and have many, many Republican/Tea Party friends who I discuss politics with often. I have learned that many who identify themselves as Tea Party members don't even know who the Koch brother's are-no idea. This, to me, is unbelievable and unacceptable.

If anyone from CURRENT TV, or anywhere else, reads this comment, please look into this issue. Educate us, please. People need to know who the Koch brother's are and what they do, who they fund and why. The Tea Party is under the impression that their movement is to defend their liberty from big government-a very noble cause. But that is not the case-not hardly. The Koch brother's don't give a damn about people in rural America or anywhere else. Their interests are in their many businesses.

PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW. I bet if you were to ask Mr. Starr if he knew who the Koch brothers are, he would not know. And if he did, he wouldn't know the truth or the full extent of their involvement in today's politics.

Great documentary, by the way. Thank you for making it. -Valorie

I understand and have compassion for what many Americans are going through. However, I couldn't help being disturbed when I saw this family that was struggling to pay their bills, and yet they are driving two huge gas guzzling trucks. Why not sell those F-250's and get something more efficient? Hard for me to have compassion for people that are not willing to make the necessary changes to be responsible. On top of that, they are watching the Republican Convention and agreeing with them!!! Do they not realize these wealthy Repugs don't give a crap about them? This couple needs to get with the program.