What did you think of 'Two Americas'

Enough hate and judgment. I don't think that the Starrs smoking habit or taste for soda is relevant at all to their situation. I suppose if your unemployed you should not eat anything. These poeple came across as really good people to me and I think that it is supposed be a country were real people can work and make a living wage while created a tangible product. We have let corporate interests buy our government we are no longer living in democracy and the only thing our society seems to value is money and profit. They have us exactly were they want us judging each other over our lifestyle choices while they sell us out. This story totally hit home with me and I feel a deep connection to the starrs and I hope that things can be better for them and the millions of other americans in the same situation.

Profound difference here, is what can be seen across this nation- Someone who makes something with his hands- production- being robbed of work. While our society showers far too much money on someone who is doind nothing more then moving money.. Nothing is being made with the hands of the financial CEO..

Oh, I just had to register just to give my opinion of this show. It just did not work for me.

One thing I have always wondered about is what does Mr. Loya do that rates his super high pay? I was hoping Vanguard might show some insight into why he makes so much but I can't figure it out. It sounds like some kind of trading scheme but mostly he enters data into a computer. Yet he makes more than a doctor or an engineer would and those people have to deal with some pretty unpleasant situations at times that kind of makes them "worth" the pay. I mean, my father was a dentist, he didn't make what Mr Loya did and he had to go into someone's mouth! Even if Mr. Loya were a lawyer I would have more respect because they deal with high pressure and stress for their money.

Where to start on the Starr family? Well take the $50 for the TV, sell one of the trucks, have a yard sale, cut out the soda, and look for a less expensive apartment. Right there is enough money to pay the electric and phone bills and get Mrs. Starr to a decent hairdresser (after that she might have the job she interviewed for). If they receive Medicaid Mr. Starr might get some medication to stop smoking, cut out the beer, maybe pawn HIS wedding ring. And $689 for an electric bill? Maybe its time to air condition just a bedroom (I'll give them that, its hot in Texas). My gosh, I think I figured out how to make the Starrs have money even on the unemployment!

Okay I'm going to be completely honest, this was one of Vanguard's worst documentaries ever. Not sure what their motive was behind the plot (besides comparing two entirely different families), but it didn't really do what the rest of their documentaries have done to me, inspire.

I really don't think the people behind Two Americas did much research on their ideal family to portray this "struggling family." Who they chose actually upset and frustrated me. I mean here are two parents who made the decision to not get a full education, and we all know to get a decent paying job, we need a highschool diploma, some sort of education beyond highschool. Here's a family renting a beautiful HOME, for Christ's sake, I have some family in TEXAS (family of 4 as well) who are living in a one room apartment, without a big screen tv, without cable television, without internet, cellphones, decent cars, any type of worthy furniture, and who don't splurge on guilty pleasure (cigs, pop soda). They do not whine, cry, worry as done in the film. But they keep on working, keep on striving. UGH, this was just completely disappointing. OH AND MR. STARR, Good Lord! I just wanted to backhand this misinformed father and his complete ignorance!!! The only tear-jerking part about this family was towards the end of the film, when Mr. Starr had to leave his family for a job. Other than that, no ounce of sympathy was given.

And that other family...don't get me started. Mr. Loya, sad to say was the inspiring fella! Not sure if his story was a rags-to-riches sob story, but he went from parents who knew no english, had no good education, and flourished into the decent money-making man he is today. Not saying I am completely infatuated by his life-story, but he said it himself, he was goal-orientated, worked hard, and fortunately for him was offered an outstanding paying job after 9/11. His wife though, she is a little sham. She is ungrateful, selfish, and shallow. She is a tool, a complete TOOL.

Anyways, I hope this doesn't discourage anyone to not continue to watch Vanguard documentaries. Most of them are excellent and they usually drive their points home, but this one was just awful. Sorry if I was any harsh, but from a Film Analysis student's view, I meant every word.

I really hope that between this episode and The 99 Percent episode that more people open their eyes to what occupy is, and join their ranks when they see that they are fighting for the things they want too and not all dirty hippies.

To the Starr family,
We *are* your neighbors. I want to pay taxes to help others in need, for one day I might be in need, and because it's the right thing to do. I am lucky to be employed and have health insurance, and I believe that it's my responsiblilty to help others who are less fortunate.

I don't understand why, but I do think you are voting against your own interests, and I suspect that most republicans are. I think we should all come together for the common good, and that is what government and taxes are for. We can't rely on the 1% or big corporations to help. It would never be enough, and it would never be reliable enough.

I hope that one day we will have national health care and affordable college educations for everyone instead of wasting our money policing the world. I believe in helping the world, not just our own country, but we can't afford to invade and conquer every dictatorship, and I don't believe it's right, anwyay.

I don't judge you. I feel for you. Please help to make this country better for yourselves, your kids and everyone else.

It was a wonderful documentary- although it might not have been fair to put the Loya family as a juxtaposition to the struggling Starrs. I found myself annoyed and particularly felt the mother of the Loya family unbearable, vain and unauthentic- where she's probably a lovely lady and family.
As for the Starrs voting and agreeing with republican: maybe it's because they are from Texas and can't help it. They seemed to be racked with guilt about accepting minimal help from society during their hard times which was unnecessary stress. One bomb dropped on brown skinned civilians overseas is many times more expensive than however much they've ever received.

I have just saw two of the most miss informed people. Said that they believed goverment should not be helping people but both being unemployed cannot pay their bills gets food stamps gets unemployment .What would had happened to them without these programs.

I blogged my response:

http://blackroseheart.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/two-americas/

I agree with most of the comments on here about the poor family. That house was way beyond what was needed the big screen etc, all of it made think they were morons. When they started watching the debate and he said the someone else would take care of them if there was no employment I about lost it. "ya thats obvious because you guys are having so much luck find help now". Poor kids are being raised to go against their best interests.

The problem I had with the rich family was them feeling they didn't have enough. That made me sick. Three homes, more clothes then most Goodwills have, "crying sheep" and at least one chef, and they think they don't have enough? Give me a break!
Also, saying that they got where they are by hard work is total BS. I am sure they worked very hard and thats great but if he hadn't been LUCKY enough to get that first job to get into the right place and have the right people take notice of him they would probably be a lot closer to the poor family then where they are now.

My wife and I live in Wisconsin and make about 28K a year. We are comfortable enough to be fine. Would I like to have a bit more? Sure, but we would feel rich and completely happy and content with about 70K a year.

Some people might say I am jealous of rich people. That is not true.
I find the "I must have everything", and the "everything is never enough" mentality disgusting!
Consumption for the sake of looking cool (for example: people driving Hummers specially the H2s) is one the of reasons the rest of the world looks down on us.

Faith is great. Blind faith is not. The Starr's are hypocrites to the nth degree and are the reason why the United States of America is becoming a 3rd rate country. These folks vote a conservative agenda yet take handouts from everyone and their brother always believing 'the lord will provide'. Their ignorance permeates everything they do or say and delights the very conservative politicians they vote for who are busily enabling the wholesale transfer of our manufacturing sector to China at the behest of their billionaire Wall Street buddies. I pray that folks like these finally 'get it' and are able to look through the cloud of their religion before they find themselves living in a tent. Alas, I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for folks like the Starr's and their children, this country, and our future.

I am Mrs. Starr.
I was born to a Mother and Father who loved me and my sibling but just weren't ready to be parents.. So I thank God every day for my Grandparents whom raised me, I would be nothing without them. They were my inspiration in life.
My Granny and PawPaw worked for The Houston Post Newspaper for 33 years. They ran the largest district in all of Houston, TX and worked their bodies to death to put a roof over our heads. We were not rich, not even middle class... we were poor. But we had each other and in love we were rich as a family. I learned how to count by going with them on the paper routes and helping them count out how many newspapers each store or rack had to have. When I got older, I helped to put the papers together, take them in the stores, bundle them( and they were very heavy bundles, 50-80lbs each), loaded the bundles as I got older. The papers had to be put out at night.. so I would go to school.. come home bout 4pm.. do homework, eat dinner, shower, sleep til 11pm and then get up to go put out newspapers with my Grandparents.. Most of you people have NO clue that a newspaper does NOT come put together.. So we would go pick up all the inserts at the newspaper plant, go to an empty parking lot and put them all together, Thousands of them.. then go put them out. We got home by 3am, I slept a few mor hours and got up and went to school and strted the process all over again. They made about $1800-$2000. a month doing this. Not a lot of money at all for a family of 4. We worked as a family to have what we had and we loved each other. They never had a brand new car or truck, or a brand new house.. Our home was 3/2 with a garage and about a 1/2 acre. And they made notes on it for years.
When I was 15 and old enougt to go out into the world to work, I did so. I went to school, worked a part time job and helped put out newspapers... I kid you not, I don't remember sleeping.. But we made it. I had an issue with my teeth when I was growing up, when I was young they had to pull most of them because they were like chalk and broke easy.. When I got older, they told me I had a severe calcium deficiencey and I would fight with my teeth for the rest of my life.. So need less to say, I was always needing dental work.. No insurance.. we as a family could not afford that.. So I saved MY money and I paid to have a tone of dental work done.. About $15,000. worth.. So when kids at school were buying cars to drive themselv to school in... I was paying for a new set of teeth.
When I turned 18, my Granny had a masive stroke, it cause severe damage to her left side, cause paralisis, and put her in a coma for almost 3 months. My poor PawPaw did not know what to do.. The Houston Post Newspaper that they had worked for so many years sold out to another newspaper, The Houston Chronicle.. the workers inside the building all got severence pay, retirement and had 401k's... We got NOTHING!. Nothing but the boot, a phone call one day saying we no longer had a job.. What to do. My PawPaw had no clue, Granny in the hospital, I was working to help them pay bills, make the house note and such. I had to grow up real fast, didn't have much of a childhood. I quit school and got my GED, found a good fulltime job and started caring for my PawPaw while Granny was in a coma.. Didn't think she was gonna pull through.
She did pull through it, woke up and we brought her home. I then proceeded to make sure she got rehab. Took her to countless Dr's appointments, had to teach her how to talk, walk, eat, dress herself, groom herself.. It was like having an adult infant. Life was Not easy. I loved her so much though that I wanted to help her, Look at all they had done for me!!! I was glad to help them. We lost my PawPaw in 2001 to Cancer in his kidney. This sent my Granny into a state of depression that I cannot even conceive. They were married 46yrs.
Somewhere in there I was married and divorced from my first husband who treated me like crap and I was smart enough to get out. I met Paul and we married in 2004. I could not have asked for a better man, he took on the whole package, me and Granny, knowing it would never be an easy road caring for her.
( I love my husband with all my heart and soul.. I am very upset with the names that some of you are calling he and I. It is very hurtful. You don't know us and do not have any right to call us those things.)
We chose to move to Alabama cause both my Granny and my Husband are from there. Granny no longer wanted to live where we were due to the fact that she stayed depressed from all the memories from her and my PawPaw's life together. Paul took a wonderful job out of state making between $65-$75,000 a year.. (The documentary was wrong on their stats.) We were doing ok. Found the home of our dreams.. I started a buisiness of my own with the B&B and we were all very happy. AGAIN, OUR TRUCKS ARE NOT NEW! THEY ARE USED, AND WE DO NOT QUALIFY FOR NEW LOANS DUE TO THE FORCLOSER ON OUR HOME IN ALABAMA! So when the economy went to crap... Paul got laid off from his wonderful job, we stayed afloat for as long as we could with our savings and tried to find another position for Paul.. but it was just not there.
The last few months we were there, we found out Granny was now battling Luekemia. So we used what savings we had left and moved back down here to Texas. Sold everything we could sell to get us into a home.. Paul went back to work for his Dad's company, which was struggling now too and that lasted til March of this year.. And after fighting Luekemia from 2009- March 0f 2011, going back and forth to Dr's, going to the labs for blood work 3 times a week, chemo treatments among countless other specialists.. I lost my Granny March 30th. I could not afford a funeral, her body was in cold storage for two weeks until I could pay enough to get her cremated, but I am still paying on the rest of the cremation services and the funeral home holds her remains until it is paid in full... SO I CAN'T EVEN SAY GOODBYE FULLY YET AND I AM STILL MORNING HER.. MY BEST FRIEND, MY GRANNY WHOM I LOVED MORE THAN LIFE ITSELF!!!
So here we are, Paul has taken a job out of state where he has to be away from us, his family, for 6-8 weeks at a time for $560. a week. We are fixing to do a volentary repo on his truck so we can keep mine cause it is almost paid off... And I have taken a seasonal job cause it is the only thing I have been able to find that hired me. AND NO IT'S NOT CAUSE WE ARE STUPID. NO WE ARE NOT DUMB REDNECKS! DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT DOCUMENTARY WAS EDITED! THERE IS ALOT MORE TO US THAT WHAT YOU CAN VIEW IN ONE HOUR!!!
God bless all of you who have reached out to us! We do give back to our community, we were only on unemployment and food stamp 6 months... Paul is trying to quit smoking and he is on medication from a Dr. to help him do so.
NOW THAT YOU KNOW US ALL A LITTLE BETTER... TALK SOME MORE NEGATIVITY... I DON'T CARE! I HAVE BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN SAY THAT WILL HURT ME ANYMORE THAN I OR WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN HURT! Good Day!

I started watching this documentary totally predisposed to like the poor family and dislike the rich one, but I ended up in exactly the opposite spot.

Current would have driven the point home more effectively had they chosen a wealthy direct descendant of the Mayflower, instead of a first-generation Mexican American who through sheer determination and entrepreneurial spirit built his own company and is now a millionaire.

Conversely, they should have chosen a family living within their means, who through no fault of their own saw themselves in dire straits, instead of a couple of irresponsible morons. My sympathy for them went out the door when I saw the house (why aren’t they living in a two-bedroom apartment?), two seemingly new, full-size trucks, the flat screen tv, the cell phones, the dogs, the cigarettes, the soda…

Very revealing was the moment where the rich parents are talking with their daughter about her going to college. They speak about it as a fact. That girl will go to college not because her parents are millionaires, but because she will not be able to conceive a future without college. The poor parents did not have any sort of college discussion with their kids. The mom was instead in tears because she couldn’t buy a videogame for her son.

The kicker was when the poor father explains he’s a Republican. I wish the producers would have pushed him for specifics when he said that if government wasn’t providing for his unemployment and welfare benefits, “someone else would”. Who is that “someone” in his mind?

Don't get in a situation where you have to convince someone you feel sorry for yourself, because sooner or later you will. Don't rely on the government.

Of course this is what OWS is all about: the haves and the have nots, this was a mismatch of couples. The "haves" played their part perfectly. The "have nots" were a sad case. Not for being poor or unemployed, but for not being realistic about thier situation and reinventing themselves. They clung to a lifestyle and imaginary income they hadn't had for months. The man had graying hair, 45-50ish, how will they survive retirement if they can't survive 5 months? Instead of creating an fantasy life, they should have been living within their means, saving money, and planning for the future or hard times. I am the 99% and I have had very hard times in my life at times, but instead of crying, you have to change to survive. 5 months into unemployment and they still have: cable, phones in their ears, newer gas hog trucks, cigs, hair products, soda with dinner. There is living the dream and pretending to live the dream.

Times are hard and they are going to get harder, OWS or not. This is the time when all of us need to learn the difference between wants and needs. Save money and dump the distrations and BS. Get Real! Capitalism is like heroine for consumer junkies. We need to get clean and get our lives in order, of we will be sad, helpless creatures like the "have nots". Neither political party gives a hoot about the 99%, so stop voting for all of them. Cut up the credit cards and learn to live within our means and put money away for those very hard times that all of us have or will experience. More often than not, the have nots are their own worst enemy. This is a new time in America and we have to start depending on ourselves and our own ability to survive.

This is exactly the issue OWS is trying to address. Everyone should watch this.

This was a totally upside down slice of life. The out of work, down on their luck redneck family came across as just stupid and especially in the segment where the good ol boy dad was espousing the republicans and how if the "gubment" didn't help him "sumbody" would. The epitomy of those who vote against their own best interest and the heart of the idiocracy that IS the republican base.
The wealthy couple came off as hardworking and charitable people. Intelligent and caring and OF COURSE were watching a republican debate but at no point made remarks about paying more taxes or helping those less fortunate.
Truly a bizarro slice of life in America and showing the ignorance of the redneck right.

I feel like an awful human being for saying it but I lost all sympathy for the struggling couple once I saw they were paying for cable television and cigarettes in addition to a nice pickup truck. The fact they hold a view that "someone will always be looking out for them" and do not need government support is laughable as they have no means to provide for their children not to mention provide healthcare or to accumulate any meaningful savings for themselves. They are a lost cause but it is a crying shame their two sons will unfortunately not be able to achieve any type of success in this country and will have to pay for the horrible decisions of their parents.