The Lost American Dream | Our America with Lisa Ling | Full Episode | OWN

Ling: THIS IS LAKE BLUFF, ILLINOIS, JUST NORTH OF CHICAGO. THE HOUSES ARE HUGE. THE LAWN, EXTENDED. BUT EVEN HERE, IN ONE OF THE RICHEST SUBURBS IN THE UNITED STATES, PEOPLE ARE BEING HIT BY THE DOWNWARD ECONOMY. THIS IS THE LOCAL FOOD PANTRY HERE. IN RECENT YEARS, THEY HAVE SEEN A HUGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO NEED FREE FOOD. THE FALL IS PRETTY DRAMATIC. YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS FEAR AND TREPIDATION, AND MANY TIMES PEOPLE BEGIN TO CRY. Ling: THIS IS BOB... HERE WE GO. ...A MAN WHO WENT FROM EARNING SIX FIGURES ON FOOD STAMPS VIRTUALLY ONE DAY TO THE DAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THERE IS NOTHING YOU DO IN LIFE THAT CAN PREPARE YOU FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS. Ling: YOU CAN'T OPEN A NEWSPAPER NOW WITHOUT BEING BOMBARDED WITH STORIES ABOUT AMERICA'S DECLINE. IN THE WORST ECONOMIC CRISIS SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION, MILLIONS HAVE BEEN REDUCED, OUTSOURCED AND FIRED. THESE WERE WORKERS, SKILLED WORKERS. IT IS A GREAT CORPORATION. AND I FEEL LIKE THEY JUST ABANDON US. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WORKING CLASS. THEY ONLY WANT TO MAKE MONEY. Ling: SOME CAN'T EVEN GET THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR, LIKE RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES WHO CAN'T FIND JOBS.

Anette: I'M ONLY 25 YEARS OLD. I HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER CAREER. I HAVE NOTHING TO REMEMBER. Ling: TONIGHT WE MEET PEOPLE WHO WORKED HARD IN PURSUIT OF THE AMERICAN DREAM, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT DREAM NO LONGER EXISTS. Tink: SUDDENLY, YOUR PRIORITIES BECOME YOUR BELLY AGAINST YOUR SPINE, AND YOU TEND TOWARDS THAT MOST OF THE TIME. IT'S DISAPPOINTMENT. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS COUNTRY? Ling: AMERICA: IT CAN BE INSPIRING AND BEAUTIFUL... IT CAN ALSO BE DARK AND UGLY. THERE ARE MANY THINGS... BUT IT IS OURS. IT'S... Bob: IT'S A REALLY NICE NEIGHBORHOOD. Ling: IT'S BEAUTIFUL HERE. THIS IS MY OLD STREET.

I HAVE NOT RETURNED SINCE WE WERE EVICTED FROM THE HOUSE. I DON'T WANT TO EVOKE THOSE MEMORIES. THAT'S THE HOUSE WE LIVED IN, RIGHT THERE. WHEN WE MOVED TO THAT PLACE, WE HAD THE BRIGHTEST FUTURE FOR OUR FAMILY YET. SO, WE THOUGHT THIS WAS THE FIRST STEP TO REALLY MAKING A NEW LIFE HERE. Ling: BOB, 56, HAS LOST HIS JOB, HIS HOUSE, HIS DREAMS. HOW DID THIS MAN WHO ONCE LED A COMFORTABLE, MIDDLE CLASS LIFE END UP FALLING SO NOW? ALL THAT WAS NEEDED WAS A SIMPLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. FOUR YEARS AGO, BOB EARNED SIX FIGURES WORKING AS A COMMERCIAL LENDING EXECUTIVE WHEN HE AND HIS FAMILY LIVED IN NEW JERSEY.

Bob: WE HAD A NICE LITTLE THREE BEDROOM VICTORIAN HOUSE. WE SPEND THE SUMMERS AT JERSEY SHORE. THINGS WERE WELL. Ling: THEY WERE LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM: NICE VACATIONS AND CHRISTMAS WITH PRESENTS UNDER THE TREE. LIFE WAS GOOD AND ABOUT TO GET EVEN BETTER. BOB'S COMPANY PAID FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY TO MOVE TO THE RICH SUBURBS OF LAKE BLUFF, ILLINOIS, A 1% NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT LITTLE BOB KNEW THAT THE AX WAS ABOUT TO FALL. Bob: IN AUGUST 2008, THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THEY WERE ELIMINATING MY POSITION. THREE OR FOUR WEEKS LATER, THE MARKET CRASHED. AND FROM THERE, THE ECONOMY HAS GONE TO HELL.

Ling: BOB IMMEDIATELY STARTED LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY, BUT AFTER AN EXTREME SEARCH, HE CAME EMPTY-HANDED. AND AFTER A FEW MONTHS, HIS COMPENSATION PACKAGE RUN OUT. WHEN THEY COULD NOT PAY THE RENT, BOB AND HIS FAMILY WERE EVICTED FROM THEIR HOME. THE SHERIFF AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BANK WAS THERE, AND THEY PUT US ON THE STREET. Ling: That was almost four years ago, and Bob's unemployment benefits have long since disappeared. I maxed out at 99 WEEKS, WHICH IS AS FAR AS THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM WILL TAKE YOU. So that money, basically $500 a week, now looks like a million dollars a week.

Ling: DESPITE CONTINUED EFFORTS, FOR BOB, LIKE MANY PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 55, IT HAS BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A JOB AFTER HE WAS FIRED. THE BEST HE'S EVER BEEN ABLE TO GET IS A PART-TIME CONSERVATION JOB AT A LOCAL CHURCH FOR $11 AN HOUR. Bob: I LIFT BOXES AND TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE. IT'S WORK. IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO DO AND FEEL SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE. Ling: WITHOUT THE HELP OF BOB'S MOTHER AND FATHER-IN-LAW, THEY COULD NOT AFFORD THE MODEST HOUSE THEY LIVE IN NOW. IS IT DIFFICULT TO COUNT ON YOUR IN-LAWS FOR THE RENT? YEAH. I mean, I'm supposed to be the provider, you know?

AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IN A LONG TIME. DO YOU THINK THEY ARE FRUSTRATED WITH YOU? I DON'T THINK THEY ARE FRUSTRATED. I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. I KNOW THEY DO IT FOR HIS DAUGHTER AND FOR THE CHILDREN. WITHOUT THEM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WOULD BE, FRANKLY. Ling: BOB'S MOTHER AND DREAM HAVE RUN OUT OF SYMPATHY. As long as they keep paying rent, they won't even talk to Bob anymore. Bob: WEIRD INSIDE. YES, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO CUT TOO MUCH. BOB'S WIFE, LISA, IS ALSO FED UP. IT'S HOT. I KNOW IT'S HOT.

Lisa: IT'S BEEN TOUGH. YOU STILL THINK IT'S GOING TO CHANGE. YOU WANT TO SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. Ling: TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, LISA HAS SPENT THE LAST FIVE YEARS FIGHTING BREAST CANCER. FINDING A JOB AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE FAMILY INCOME WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION. EVERY MARRIAGE FACE CHALLENGES, BUT THIS IS MORE THAN LISA EXPECTED. THINK ABOUT THE VOTES: "FOR THE RICHEST, FOR THE POOREST." WE HAVE THE POOREST. "ILLNESS AND HEALTH" - WE HAVE THE DISEASE. "BETTER OR FOR WORSE": WE HAVE THE WORST. I mean, it's like, when do the positive things come?

Ling: LATELY, BOB HAS BEEN RETREATING TO THE BASEMENT. Bob: THAT'S A NICE FINISHED BASEMENT. Ling: DOES ANYONE SLEEP HERE? ME. THIS IS MY MAN CAVE. HAS ALL THIS PUT A GREAT STRAIN ON YOUR MARRIAGE AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM? IT HAS SEVERELY FRACTURED OUR RELATIONSHIP. We... don't get along very well. FOR NOW, BOB DOES HIS BEST TO KEEP THINGS MOVING FORWARD. GOOD MORNING MY LOVE. HOW ARE YOU? Girl: Hello, dad. THEY GO OUT, THEY FINISH THEIR LUNCHES from him, THEY GET THEIR WATERS from him AND THEY GO TO SCHOOL. So I just keep everyday life as routine as possible, trying to hide the fact that I'm not making any money.

Or, well, you know, I'm very underemployed. LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY. THE LUNCHES ARE FINISHED. Ling: IT'S A SURVIVAL TOOL FOR BOB AND HIS FAMILY: TRYING TO MAKE LIFE LOOK AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE FOR THE KIDS. BUT BEING SURROUNDED BY WEALTH CAN MAKE KEEP UP APPEARANCES MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. BOB'S FOUR CHILDREN STILL ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE EXCLUSIVE LAKE BLUFF NEIGHBORHOOD, WHERE MOST OF THEIR FRIENDS ARE STILL POWERFUL. THE TYPE OF CAR YOU DRIVE HERE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, SO... YES. Ling: WHILE MOST OF THE KIDS AT SCHOOL ARE BEING DROPPED OFF IN SHINY NEW SUVS, BOB'S CAR IS SO BEAT UP THAT THE KIDS ASK TO BE LEFT IN THE BACK.

BYE BYE. It's okay sweetheart. WAIT. THE DOOR IS CLOSED. OH, I HAVE TO... ALL RIGHT. WELL. I WILL SEE YOU LATER. Ling: AS MUCH AS BOB WANTED TO RETAIN A SENSE OF NORMALITY, HE HAD TO IMAGINE THAT THE CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES WERE TAKING A TOLL ON HIS CHILDREN, LIKE 16-YEAR-OLD MADISON. Madison: I'M A LITTLE SKEPTIC ABOUT ANYONE GETTING BETTER. I mean, I'm not saying that to be a negative person. It's just hard to think it will happen, when it's been happening for so long. Ling: BOB'S YOUNGEST SON, AEDAN, 12, SEEMS THE MOST DEEPLY AFFECTED BY EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENED.

Ling: SO, AEDAN, DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOUR FAMILY WAS EVICTED FROM THE OLD HOUSE? HE WAS PROBABLY 9 OR 8 YEARS OLD. IT WAS A DIFFICULT DAY? MM-HMM. YEAH? WHY WAS IT SO DIFFICULT? It's okay sweetheart. The movers, they... took everything and threw it on the grass. It's been a rough couple of years, huh? YEAH. You feel that she has become closer to your family, or you think that it has become more difficult. IN SOME ASPECTS, IT HAS BROUGHT US CLOSER. BUT IN OTHERS, IT TEARS US. SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS. AND I HAVE TO SPEND THE REST OF THE DAY THINKING ABOUT THAT.

Ling: TO BOB, HAVING HIS OWN CHILDREN WORRYING ABOUT THE FUTURE HEARS HIM. IT MAKES YOU QUESTION YOUR OWN WORTH. NOW I BELIEVE THAT A FATHER AND A HUSBAND ARE WORTH A LITTLE MORE THAN THEIR PAYCHECK. AND WHEN THAT PAYCHECK DISAPPEARS, THEN ITS VALUE GOES DOWN. AND THIS IS HOW I FEEL. I CAN'T KEEP MY... ...FOR MY CHILDREN. SO I MAKE THEM LUNCHES AND DO WHAT I CAN FOR THEM. Ling: BOB AND HIS FAMILY ARE HOLDING ON BY A THREAD. FROM A COMFORTABLE AND SECURE LIFE, SHE NOW FACE AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE. BUT THIS IS THE NEW AMERICA, AND BOB IS JUST ONE OF MANY.

I AM ABOUT TO MEET OTHERS WHO ARE STILL REMEMBERING THE IMPACT OF DRASTIC CHANGE. Ling: MORE THAN 2,000 MILES AWAY, IN THE CITY OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON, ANOTHER AMERICAN FIGHT. TERESA, 47, HAS JOINED THE RANKS OF MORE THAN 13 MILLION WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED. LESS THAN A MONTH AGO, SHE WAS FIRED WHEN THE PAPER FACTORY WHERE SHE WORKED FOR 27 YEARS CLOSED ITS DOORS FOREVER. Teresa: IT WAS PRETTY DEVASTATING NEWS. They are going to take a lot of machinery and send it abroad, to China or Brazil. AND 800 OF US HAVE NO WORK. THESE WERE WORKERS, SKILLED WORKERS. IT IS A GREAT CORPORATION.

AND I FEEL LIKE THEY JUST ABANDON US. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WORKING CLASS. THEY ONLY WANT TO MAKE MONEY. THEY'RE KILLING AMERICA, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING. Ling: IT IS AN ECONOMIC REALITY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF A TOWN Teresa: ONCE KNOWN AS THE CITY OF CHIMNEYS. HERE PEOPLE WORKED IN PAPER AND WOOD FACTORIES. THAT WAS THE INDUSTRY IN THIS TOWN. DEFINITELY NOT ANYMORE. THEY'RE ALL GONE. THIS WAS THE LAST OF A DEAD RACE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SEE THE CHIMNEY WITHOUT STEAM OUT AND THE PARKING LOT IS COMPLETELY EMPTY. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO RETIRE FROM HERE, LIKE MY MOM DID.

Ling: A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, TERESA WAS EARNING UP TO $90,000 A YEAR AS A FORKLIFT OPERATOR, A UNION JOB WITH ALL THE BENEFITS. Teresa: I COULD HAVE MANY CARS, A MOTORCYCLE. I WENT ON VACATION AT LEAST ONCE, TWICE A YEAR. IT WAS A COMFORTABLE LIFE. Ling: SECURE IN THE BELIEF THAT HER WORK WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE, TERESA LEFT NO SAFETY NET. I SHOULD HAVE SAVED MORE. I COULD HAVE SAVED MORE, BUT I DIDN'T. I LIVED FOR THE MINUTE. Ling: EVEN WITH UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION, TERESA HAS HAD TO MAKE A RADICAL ADJUSTMENT TO HER LIFESTYLE, LEAVING HER HOME AND A NEIGHBORHOOD SHE LOVED BEHIND.

Teresa: HERE I LIVED, WHEN I HAD MONEY. I LOVED. BEAUTIFUL, SMALL, FENCED YARD, THREE BEDROOMS, DOUBLE GARAGE, THREE BATHROOMS. BUT IT WAS A LOT OF RENT, YOU KNOW? $1,200 PER MONTH. I CANNOT AFFORD THAT ANYMORE. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO SEE IT. Ling: NOW, FOR $715 A MONTH, HE RENT A ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT IN THE BASEMENT OF A YOUNG COUPLE'S HOUSE, SHARING THE SMALL SPACE WITH HIS SON AND THEIR THREE DOGS. Teresa: I KNEW I HAD TO REDUCE THE SIZE, AND EVERYTHING I FELT I HAD TO KEEP, I PUT IN STORAGE. MY STORAGE IS FULL. IT'S CALLED. IT'S REALLY FULL.

THERE IS SIMPLY NO SPACE. Ling: TERESA SHARES A SINGLE BEDROOM WITH HER 17-YEAR-OLD SON, KYLE, A SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL; ITS SMALL SPACE IS DIVIDED BY A THIN DIVIDER. SHARING THAT BEDROOM WITH MOM IS TERRIBLE. I SPEND ENOUGH TIME WITH HER AS IS. I DON'T LIKE SPENDING MORE TIME WITH HER. Teresa: HE'S A TEENAGER. YOU NEED YOUR SPACE. WHAT TEENAGER WANTS TO SHARE HIS ROOM WITH HIS MOTHER? Ling: THE APARTMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE A KITCHEN, SO TERESA CREATED AN IMPROVISE ONE. Teresa: IT TAKES FOREVER TO MAKE DINNER. YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING BIG. YOU DON'T HAVE SPACE TO DO ANYTHING BIG.

LIKE A BIG OVEN THAT COULD MAKE A BIG TRAY OF CHICKEN OR SOMETHING. YOU CAN NOT DO THAT. I HAVE TO MAKE A LITTLE PAN OF CHICKEN. I HAVE TO WASH THE VEGETABLES IN THE BATHROOM SINK, WHICH IS A LITTLE GROSS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I KEEP THEM PRETTY CLEAN THERE. Ling: BUT WITH JUST ONE SMALL SINK, DIRTY POTS AND PANS ACCUMULATE. AND WHEN SHE GETS BORED, TERESA HAS TO TAKE THEM UPSTAIRS TO USE HER LANDLORD'S SINK. Teresa: IT MAKES ME FEEL A LITTLE DEGRADED. I mean, here I am, 47 years old, and I take my dirty dishes to someone else's kitchen to wash them?

I mean, it's just... NO, IT'S NOT EASY. Ling: TERESA NEVER THOUGHT SHE WOULD NEED TO DEPEND ON GOVERNMENT HELP, BUT IT'S A HARD FACT OF HER NEW LIFE. Teresa: EVERY WEEK YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, AND IF YOU DON'T APPLY, THEN YOU DON'T GET PAID. NOW I HAVE TO LOOK FOR A JOB. I'M LOOKING FOR ANYTHING. I mean, whatever, as long as it pays half decent, that's what I'm looking for. OH, HERE'S ONE: "ASSEMBLY INSTALLER, CABLE CONTROL SYSTEM." "DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE READING AND INTERPRETING ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS OR DRAWINGS?" WELL... I HAVE PUT A LOT OF THINGS TOGETHER.

DOES THAT COUNT? UM, LIKE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS AND STUFF? AND YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO PUT "YES." Ling: THERE ARE NOT MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR A 47-YEAR-OLD FORKLIFT OPERATOR. TERESA KNOWS IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO GET A JOB THAT PAYS CLOSE TO WHAT SHE USED TO EARN. YOUR INDUSTRY HAS COME UP AND GONE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT WON'T COME BACK. IT IS A PROFOUND CHANGE FOR A COUNTRY THAT PROMISED REWARDS FOR COMMITMENT AND HARD WORK. I DON'T THINK MY FUTURE IS THAT BRIGHT. NOT REALLY. THE LIFE I HAD IS OVER. MY ENTIRE LIFESTYLE IS GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE, AND SO IT IS.

I WILL HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE MONEY. I'm going to have to run out. MY SON WILL HAVE TO BE WITHOUT. AND THAT'S DIFFICULT. I try not to think about things too much. I'M JUST TRYING TO LIVE DAY TO DAY AND BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT I HAVE. Ling: BACK IN THE RICH SUBURB OF LAKE BLUFF, IN THE RENTED HOUSE PAID FOR BY HIS IN-LAWS, BOB GOES BACK TO THE COMPUTER TO LOOK FOR A JOB AGAIN. IN TODAY'S WORLD, MOST JOB SEARCHES ARE CONDUCTED ONLINE, A SIGN OF THE CHANGING TIMES. MY CV IS FROM COAST TO COAST, FROM OREGON TO FLORIDA AND FROM MAINE TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN.

Ling: BOB IS NOT ALONE.WITH NEARLY 13 MILLION PEOPLE UNEMPLOYED IN THE UNITED STATES, THERE ARE FOUR APPLICANTS FOR EVERY JOB. Bob: FOR EVERY EXECUTIVE POSITION THAT WAS OPEN, THERE WERE, ON AVERAGE, 400 APPLICATIONS FOR A SINGLE JOB. Ling: IT MAY BE TEMPTING TO BELIEVE THAT THE UNEMPLOYED ARE NOT ENOUGH, THAT THEY ARE JUST BEING LAZY. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT SAY, "THERE ARE JOBS AVAILABLE. "WHY CAN'T YOU WORK IN A SUPERMARKET OR AS A WAITER?" IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET THOSE TYPES OF JOBS, EVEN AT MINIMUM WAGE. I WORK AS A PART-TIME CUSTODIAN AT A CHURCH .I'M EMPTYING CONTAINERS.

OBVIOUSLY, MY PRIDE DOESN'T GET IN THE WAY OF ME TRYING TO DO THINGS AFTER HITTING THE CURB FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS, IT'S EASY TO SEE HOW A MAN LIKE BOB GET DISCOURAGED. Bob: EVERYONE SAYS, "OH, YOU HAVE TO. STAY STRONG. YOU CAN'T QUIT." BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LETTING QUIT AND KNOWING WHEN YOU'VE TAKEN ON ENOUGH. I COULD SIT HERE ALL POSITIVE AND BUBBLY AND QUOTING ALL THESE GREAT INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES, AND AS SOON AS I HIT "SEND," I KNOW IT WILL BE IT'S DONE, OKAY? Ling: BOB HAS NO IDEA WHEN HE'S GOING TO WORK AGAIN, BUT HE STILL HAS TO FEED HIS FAMILY SINCE THE UNEMPLOYMENT CHECK STOPPED, THE ONLY PUBLIC HELP THEY GET IS $950 A MONTH.

FOR SIX PEOPLE, SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED, HUH? I HAVE VERY LITTLE TO REMEMBER Bob: IN THE LAST WEEK OR 10 DAYS OF THE MONTH, WE ALWAYS RAN OUT OF FOOD STAMPS AND IT'S NOT FOR NOT BEING EXTREMELY DISCRETIONARY IN IT. OUR SHOPPING IN A SUPERMARKET, I'LL MAKE SURE 19 OF THEM ARE ON SALE. SO THIS IS THE MEAT SECTION, WHICH CAN BE A CHALLENGE BECAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE WE TRY TO EAT MEAT LIKE TWICE A WEEK MAYBE. The last time I had lobster tail for dinner. BELIEVE ME. Ling: IF BEING WITHOUT IS NO LONGER DIFFICULT ENOUGH FOR SOMEONE LIKE BOB...

HI, JANIE. HELLO BOB. HOW ARE YOU? ALRIGHT. ...IT'S EVEN HARDER TO GIVE FOOD STAMPS AT CHECKOUT. Bob: I COME AND TRY TO HIDE THE "LINK" CARD, IT'S CALLED -- ILLINOIS LINK. IT WAS HARD TO THINK SOMEONE WAS STANDING THERE, LOOKING AT ME, THINKING, "OH, LOOK AT THIS..." THIS GUY SUCKING WELL-BEING, YOU KNOW? THANK YOU SO MUCH, SALLY. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. THANK YOU. YOU TOO. VERY WELL? THANK YOU Ling: LIKE BOB, ONE IN SIX PEOPLE IN AMERICA DOESN'T ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THEIR NEXT MEAL HERE, GALE STRENGER WAYNE HAS SUPERVISED THE FOOD PANTRY SINCE 2002. AND FOR THE PAST THREE.

YEARS, YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES HOW MANY BOBS THERE ARE IN THIS COMMUNITY: PEOPLE WHO WERE MAKING SIX-FIGURE INCOME WITH FAMILIES THAT ARE NOW WITHOUT INCOME I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER, BUT I KNOW IT'S A GROWING NUMBER, THERE ARE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE. THEY WOULD NEVER THINK THEY WOULD NEED TO ACCESS THE PUBLIC TO GET HELP. IT SEEMS VERY PRIVATE. THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE INTENTIONAL BECAUSE THERE IS FEAR AND TREPIDATION, AND A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE START CRYING. PRETTY DRAMATIC. THEIR LEVEL OF PREPARATION IS MUCH LOWER THAN PEOPLE WHO COULD BE GENERATIONALLY POOR OR IMPOVERISED.

THERE IS THAT PRIDE THAT CAN BE A REAL BARRIER FOR PEOPLE. HOW OFTEN DO YOU COME HERE? I COME HERE USUALLY ONCE A MONTH, TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH, BECAUSE BY THEN THE FOOD CARD IS USUALLY SOLD OUT. WE SAY THIS IS LIKE OUR EMERGENCY FUND. Ling: BOB RELYS ON THE PANTRY FOR A VARIETY OF SUPPLIES, INCLUDING ITEMS THAT FOOD STAMPS WON'T COVER, SUCH AS TOILET PAPER, TOOTHPASTE, AND SHAMPOO. BUT MOST THINGS ARE DONATED, SO YOU ONLY RECEIVE WHAT IS AVAILABLE. HERE WE GO. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Why don't we go around the corner and one more time?

HERE WE GO. THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. YOU ARE WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THESE PEOPLE REALLY LIVE DAY TO DAY, YOU KNOW, THEY GO TO THE FOOD PANTRY, NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU. IT'S A DIFFICULT WAY TO LIVE, AND THEY ARE A FAMILY OF THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW WHO ARE GOING THROUGH A SIMILAR KIND OF FATE. IF ONLY THE CASE OF BOB AND HIS FAMILY WAS UNIQUE. BUT THE LONGER THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMIC CRISIS LASTS, THE MORE PEOPLE WILL BE AFFECTED, INCLUDING AMERICA'S NEXT GENERATION, LIKE BOB'S ELDEST SON, 18-YEAR-OLD ALEXANDER, WHO IS ABOUT TO GO TO COLLEGE NEXT YEAR.

IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR HIM TOO. Alexander: I KNOW, PERSONALLY, THAT FOR ME I'M GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST APPRECIATE PEOPLE. Every little thing that most people take for granted, I'll know that I couldn't be there tomorrow and I'll just be grateful for what I have that day. Ling: IN THE SUBURBS OF PHILADELPHIA, 25-YEAR-OLD ANETTE WAKES UP TO AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE. SHE IS STUCK IN THE REPETITION OF UNEMPLOYMENT, LOOKING FOR WORK DAY AFTER DAY TOO. Anette: THERE IS NEVER A DIFFERENCE IN THE RESULTS. IT JUST MAKES YOU FEEL: WHY GET UP? WHY WATCH? WHY BOTHER?

Ling: THERE WAS A TIME IN THE UNITED STATES WHEN COLLEGE EDUCATION GUARANTEED A PROMISING FUTURE. THAT'S WHAT ANETTE THOUGHT SHE WOULD HAVE WHEN SHE GRADUATED LAW SCHOOL. BUT LIKE MANY RECENT LAW SCHOOL GRADUATES, YOU NOW FIND YOURSELF AGAINST A BRICK WALL. Anette: "DEAR ANETTE," AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF YOUR APPLICATION from him, WE "HAVE DETERMINED" THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROCEED FURTHER WITH YOUR CANDIDACY from him. "YOUR CREDENTIALS ARE IMPRESSIVE, "AND WE WILL KEEP YOUR CV ON FILE, SHOULD OUR NEEDS CHANGE." Ling: FOR THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS, ANETTE HAS RECEIVED ONE REJECTION LETTER AFTER ANOTHER.

YOU'RE COMPETING WITH FIRED LAWYERS WHO HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE Anette: EVERYTHING THE ISSUE IS SO FRUSTRATING, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN'T EVEN GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR AND IT'S NOT THAT I'VE ONLY BEEN LOOKING FOR LAW JOBS LIKE THAT, I'M NOT GETTING THEM BECAUSE I'M COMPETING WITH PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE EXPERIENCE. FOR GOOD REASON HE HAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF DEBT, AN ESTIMATED $250,000 IN STUDENT LOANS. I BORROWED THE MONEY FOR SCHOOL, IT DOESN'T SEEMS A RISK, BUT LAW STUDENTS OFTEN LAND IN FIRMS WITH A SIX-FIGURE STARTING SALARY, BUT. THE DAYS OF A GUARANTEED POSITION HAVE PASSED AND NOW, THE LENDERS WON'T STOP CALLING TODAY, THEY CALLED ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX...

THEY CALLED SEVEN TIMES TODAY. I HAD TO START BLOCKING THE CALLS, JUST SEND THEM DIRECTLY. TO VOICEMAIL, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH. Ling: ANETTE FACE AN UPHILL BATTLE. EVERY DAY THAT HE IS OUT OF A JOB, HIS MASSIVE DEBT MULTIPLIES WITH THE INTEREST. HERE'S ONE FOR $3,700 IN 2007. IF I MAKE ALL MY PAYMENTS, I WILL PAY YOU OVER $10,000. THIS WAS $4,000 ON THE NOSE WHEN I BOUGHT IT IN 2005. NOW IT'S $7,000. Ling: ANETTE NEVER imagined it would be so difficult. She WAS THE FIRST IN HER FAMILY TO GO TO UNIVERSITY AND CHOOSE LAW NOT FOR THE MONEY, BUT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

DO THIS NOW. HIS INSPIRATION FROM HER WAS HER LITTLE SISTER. WHAT IS THE HOT DOG? ADRIANA, ANETTE'S 9-YEAR-OLD SISTER, HAS SPECIAL NEEDS, SHE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH NON-VERBAL DOWN SYNDROME. WHAT ABOUT THESE? SOCKS? Anette: WHEN MY SISTER WAS BORN AND I SAW THE STRUGGLES MY PARENTS WENT TRYING TO GET HER NECESSARY SERVICES, I JUST SAW THE DIFFICULTIES FACED BY FAMILIES AFFECTED BY DISABILITY, AND I REALIZED WHEN THERE WAS A SPACE FOR LAWYERS TO PRACTICE IN THAT AREA. I just felt like this was what I was supposed to do. I COULD NOT WANT ANYTHING MORE. I COULD NOT WISH FOR ANYTHING MORE.

I COULD NOT WORK FOR ANYTHING HARDER THAN I HAVE WORKED FOR. I'M ONLY 25 YEARS OLD. I HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER CAREER. I HAVE NOTHING TO REMEMBER. THE ONLY THING I'M REALLY QUALIFIED TO DO, BY EDUCATION, IS BE A LAWYER, AND I CAN'T DO IT. Ling: THIS WAS NOT THE FUTURE ANETTE IMAGINED WHEN SHE STARTED BUILDING A LIFE WITH HER LONG-TIME LOVE, JOSEPH. AWARE OF ANETTE'S DEBT, JOSEPH WAS PREPARED TO TAKE THEM BOTH UNTIL HE FIND A JOB. BUT ONLY FIVE MONTHS AFTER ANETTE GRADUATED, JOSEPH WAS FIRED FROM HIS IT. CONTRACT. Joseph: IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US BOTH.

SHE HAS HAD TO RELY ON ME THIS WHOLE TIME, AND I REALLY WANTED THIS TO BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FOR HERSELF AND HELP PROVIDE FOR ALL OF US. Ling: FOR NOW, ALL THEY HAVE IS JOSEPH'S UNEMPLOYMENT CHECK, A LITTLE OVER $500 A WEEK. AND ANETTE STRUGGLES WITH THE FACT THAT HER DEBT from him HAS BECOME HER OWN TO TAKE HER AS A PARTNER. IT'S NOT FAIR FOR HIM TO HAVE TO TAKE ME. AND I KNOW PART OF MARRIAGE IS THAT SUPPORT, BUT I JUST FEEL REALLY GUILTY. LIKE, LIKE, I FEEL HORRIBLE. Ling: LIKE MILLIONS OF STUDENTS DROWNING IN DEBT AND FACING A JOBLESS MARKET, ANETTE IS STUCK ON THE "GO." HE HASN'T EVEN LEFT THE STARTING LINE.

Anette: I JUST FEEL LIKE I'M LOST. AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE I SHOULD GO OR HOW I SHOULD GET THERE, BUT I HOPE THERE'S SOME KIND OF DESTINATION AT THE END. AND I HOPE I'M NOT CRAZY FOR THINKING THAT. Ling: THE ONLY THING ANETTE HAS ON HER SIDE IS YOUTH, IT'S TIME TO GET OVER THINGS. BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE AMERICANS WHO HAVE RETIRED? HOW ARE THEY DEALING WITH BANK ACCOUNTS PERMANENTLY EMPTY DUE TO THE RECESSION? Ling: As high unemployment rates continue across the United States and politicians squabble over how to solve the problem, two unlikely retirees deep in the heart of southern Oregon appear to have it all figured out.

THIS IS BARB, 59 YEARS OLD. IS A CHARACTER. COME ON. Ling: AND HIS DAMAGE PARTNER, TINK. BARB WORKED AT FOLSOM STATE PRISON FOR 10 YEARS. AS A GUARD, HE LEARNED TO BE RESISTANT TO SURVIVE THE CHAOS OF MAXIMUM SECURITY. 11 YEARS AGO, BARB INVESTED MOST OF HER RETIREMENT IN A HOUSE WITH 20 ACRES OF LAND. HIS SAVINGS from him WERE depleted, but he had a roof over his head and a place to call his own. SHE WANTED TO HAVE MY HORSES, SHE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO RIDE, AND THAT'S JUST WHAT SHE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DO. Ling: TINK, 62, WORKED IN STEEL AND RAILWAYS FOR 30 YEARS.

HE WAS A UNION MAN. I STARTED BASIC - DRIVING RAIL SPIKES - FROM THE BOTTOM OF THAT WORK LINE. AND I WORKED MY WAY TO TRAIN MASTER. OH, GOOD LIFE. YOU COULD EARN MORE THAN $100,000 IF YOU WANT TO SPEND THE TIME. Ling: LIKE MANY AMERICANS, TINK WORKED HARD. HE RETIRED WITH A MONTHLY PENSION OF $3,500, MORE THAN ENOUGH TO LIVE COMFORTABLY ON THE ESTATE. But when the stock market crashed, Tink's pension went with it, leaving him and Barb scraping by with just $950 a month, half of which had to go toward the mortgage. THIS HOUSE WENT INTO FORECLOSURE AT ONE POINT.

YEAH. HOW DID SHE GET INTO THAT? WE HAD TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS, SO WE CHOSE TO FEED OURSELVES AND THE ANIMALS AND TAKE CARE OF THE HOUSE PAYMENT LATER. UNLIKE SO MANY OTHERS IN THE COUNTRY, BARB WAS ABLE TO RENEGOTIATE WITH THE BANK TO SAVE THE HOUSE. BUT HE LEFT THEM ONLY $400 A MONTH TO COVER ALL THEIR OTHER EXPENSES OF HIM. YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE SOME OF THE THINGS WE GO THROUGH, JUST WITHOUT MONEY. WE SPENT A MONTH WITHOUT TOILET PAPER. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH AT THE WORST POINT?

FOOD WAS THE MAIN STRESS POINT. THAT WAS THE HARDEST PART. THAT WAS THE HARDEST THING. GIVEN THEIR AGE AND THE REMOTE PLACE THEY LIVED, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR ANY OF THEM TO FIND WORK. THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE CONFIDENT WITH THE LITTLE THEY HAD. OH! YES, THAT'S MONTY. SO YOU ARE LIVING VERY SMART. YOU HAVE TO. IT IS NECESSARY. YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE. Ling: BARB AND TINK ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES, ELIMINATING EVERYTHING THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY, GOING BACK TO THE BASICS TO SURVIVE. They discovered that the key was total self-sufficiency. Tink: IT WAS A SYSTEM THAT BARB, AN AMAZING GIRL, CAME UP TO AND MADE US OVER.

Ling: A FLOCK OF 10 CHICKENS AND 10 GEEESE PROVIDE EGGS WHEN THEY ARE LAYING, AND A LITTLE INSPIRATION FOR HARD TIMES. Ling: OH, HE HAS NO FOOT. Barb: NO FEET. OH. HE HAS LEARNED TO SURVIVE. DO YOU SEE THAT FEETLESS CHICKEN? THEY KEEP AN ANGORA GOAT CALLED REBA FOR THE WOOL. AND THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TRIAL AND ERROR, THEY HAVE DISCOVERED HOW TO GROW THEIR OWN GARDEN. HERE, IT TOOK US FOUR HARD YEARS TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET SOMETHING TO GROW PROPERLY AND WHAT CROPS TO GROW. IT'S A LOT OF SWEAT. IT WAS WORTH IT. Ling: NOW THE GARDEN PROVIDES ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH THE WINTER: CARROTS, BEETS, SPINACH AND EVEN RASPBERRIES.

MOST OF US WOULD PROBABLY CONSIDER GROWING AND CREATING OUR OWN FOOD TOO IMPRACTICAL, BUT PERHAPS WE HAVE A ONE OR TWO TO LEARN FROM BARB AND TINK, WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING THIS WAY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS OUT OF NECESSITY. WITH THE COST OF GAS AT ITS HIGHEST, EVEN ITS SUPPLY DEVICES HAVE TO BE RATIONED. YOU HAVE TO PLAN YOUR TRIP TO THE CITY ONCE A MONTH BECAUSE OF GAS PRICES. That way, you can survive with the $60 you have allocated for gas, with the $120 you have allocated for food. WHAT YOU CANNOT GROW ON THE FARM MUST BE PURCHASED AT THE SUPERMARKET.

BARB BUYS ONLY WHAT SHE NEEDS: NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS. I AM NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING THAT IS NOT ON THE LIST. I made the list for that specific purpose, so I wouldn't go off track and spend extra money, not even an extra penny. COULD I GET A BOX OF ORANGES, PLEASE? Ling: BARB WILL TURN THIS ENTIRE BOX OF ORANGES INTO JAM, JUICE AND NUTS FOR UNDER $20. ALRIGHT. HAVE A NICE DAY. THANK YOU. YOU TOO. AND WHEN YOU CAN, BUY IN BULK. IT IS THE BEST WAY TO SAVE MONEY. PRICE CHANGE ON THAT - $5 REDUCTION. Ling: BUT STRETCHING A DOLLAR MEANS MAKING SACRIFICES ALONG THE WAY.

Barb: THEY RAISED THE PRICE OF HONEY BY $6. NOW IT COSTS $36.Ling: WHEN BARB TAKES IT ALL UP, SHE HAS SPENT LESS THAN $120, THE MONTHLY ALLOCATED AMOUNT FOR FOOD. Barb: BYE, PEANUT BUTTER. Ling: BACK HOME, BARB MAKES HER FRESH BREAD: A SAVING OF $3 A DAY OVER STORE-BOUGHT. WE GO THROUGH ONE LOAF OF BREAD A DAY. Ling: AND BARB USES THE BREAD SHE MAKES TO EXCHANGE GOODS SHE COULDN'T OTHERWISE AFFORD. HEY. HELLO. I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD TWO LOAVES. WOW. Hey, this is the salmon I caught in ALASKA. OH, IT LOOKS EXCELLENT. Ling: BARB EVEN COOKS ON THE WOOD STOVE IN THE WINTER TO SAVE ELECTRICITY BECAUSE EVERY PENNY COUNTS.

THIS THING IS SO HOT. And I've had to learn to be an absolute budget freak. EITHER THAT OR YOU JUST RUN OUT. AND CERTAIN THINGS YOU DON'T WANT TO KEEP, SO... Ling: OUT OF NECESSITY, BARB AND TINK HAVE FOUND A WAY TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES, ALL THEIR FARM ANIMALS, AND A GUACA NAMED RITA. IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK, BUT I THINK THERE ARE LESSONS HERE FOR ALL OF US. WE LIVE IN A DIFFERENT TIME WHEN WE NEED TO THINK WHERE THINGS COME FROM AND HOW TO KEEP THEM AND BE MORE RESOURCEFUL WITH THE THINGS WE HAVE.

And while the way they live may seem a little extreme to some people, there are certainly parts that I think we could all benefit from. So, is this your homemade mayonnaise? MM-HMM. OH, THAT'S DELICIOUS. Tink: I KNOW BARB AND I WILL BE FINE BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DO. BECAUSE YOU CAN LIVE OFF THE LAND. ABSOLUTELY. IF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND STOP WHINING and start getting back to the basics, that would make your dollar bill last a lot longer, because there are too few of them for all of us today, you know? Barb: IF WE CAN DO IT, ANYONE CAN.

BUT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY HARD ON YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE TO DECIDE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT NO MATTER WHAT, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO THE END OF THE RACE. Ling: BACK TO THE CHICAGO SUBURB OF LAKE BLUFF, THE VACATION IS HERE FOR BOB AND HIS FAMILY. BOB FOUND SECOND SUITCASE SUITCASES THAT NEED SOME REPAIR, AND THE KIDS ARE BUSY PACKING FOR THEIR CHRISTMAS VACATION: A TRIP TO HER GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. OH! OH, I'LL FIX IT FOR YOU. DON'T WORRY. I HAVE THIS. WAIT. BUT THE TENSION BETWEEN BOB, HIS WIFE AND HIS IN-LAWS HAS BECOME SO BAD THAT THIS YEAR, BOB WILL SPEND CHRISTMAS AT HOME ALONE.

Bob: MY IN-LAWS PAID THE BILL FOR LISA AND THE KIDS TO FLY OUT ON SATURDAY. AND THEY WILL BE THERE FOR TWO WEEKS, AND I'M STAYING HERE WITH THE CAT. Alexander: IT WON'T BE THE SAME WITHOUT HAVING DAD THERE. YOU ARE USED TO WAKE UP AND HAVE HIM NEXT TO THE CHRISTMAS TREE. IT WILL NOT BE THERE ON ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DAYS OF THE YEAR. Ling: EVEN IF BOB FINALLY FINDS A JOB, THE DAMAGE HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. Alexander: THE OPTIMIST IN ME WANTS TO THINK THAT MY DAD WILL GET A JOB VERY SOON.

THE REALIST IN ME THINKS HE IS A 56 YEAR OLD, UNEMPLOYED EXECUTIVE, AND THERE IS NO BIG MARKET FOR THAT. AND THE PESSIMIST IN ME THINKS THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE FOREVER. Ling: IT'S A HIDDEN REALITY OF OUR ECONOMIC TIMES PROBLEMS: FAMILIES CREATING AT THE SEAMS. Ling: WHAT KEEPS YOU TOGETHER? Bob: THE KIDS. I KNOW THEY SAY THEY SHOULD NEVER BE TOGETHER BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN, BUT I WOULD DIE WITHOUT MY CHILDREN, AND SO WOULD SHE, SO WE'LL FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK. NOW COMES THE FUN PART. Ling: AFTER ALMOST FOUR YEARS OF UNEMPLOYMENT, IT'S ALL BOB CAN DO TO KEEP ALIVE WHAT HOPE HE HAS LEFT.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE KIDS, "DADDY IS GOING TO START GOING TO WORK AGAIN ON MONDAY MORNING AND I WILL HAVE A CHECK FOR YOU." LET'S TRY IT AGAIN. Ling: BUT HOW LONG CAN BOB AND HIS FAMILY KEEP ON HIM? Bob: HOW LONG WILL IT LAST? I DON'T KNOW. NOBODY KNOWS. SO YOU JUST TRY TO KEEP HITTING AND KEEP YOUR MOOD UP AS BEST AS YOU CAN, WHICH, FOR ME, IS GETTING MORE DIFFICULT EVERY DAY, FRANKLY. Ling: AND WHERE DOES IT LEAVE THE NEXT GENERATION: YOUNG ADULTS LIKE ANETTE? FOR THEM, THE FUTURE IS EVEN MORE UNCERTAIN.

THERE ARE NO LONGER GUARANTEES. Anette: I FEEL LIKE THE WORLD WHERE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WORK HARD ENOUGH AND THEN YOU GET SOMETHING IS GONE. Ling: BURIED IN MOUNTAINS OF STUDENT DEBT AND UNABLE TO FIND HER FIRST JOB, WHAT IS ANETTE GOING TO DO NOW? MANUFACTURING USED TO ACCOUNT FOR A THIRD OF ALL JOBS IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT IN THE PAST 12 YEARS, 40,000 FACTORIES HAVE CLOSED. AFTER LOSING A JOB THEY MAY NEVER COME BACK, PEOPLE LIKE TERESA WILL HAVE TO DISCOVER NEW WAYS TO SURVIVE. THIS IS THE MOBILE HOME PARK I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT.

THAT'S MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY NOW: HOUSING. IT'S JUST TRYING TO FIND A PLACE YOU CAN LIVE RELATIVELY CHEAP. Ling: AMERICANS ARE NOT USED TO REDUCE THEIR SIZE, TO COMPROMISE, BUT THIS IS WHAT THE TIMES REQUEST. THAT AND FINDING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO STAY Afloat. Tink: IT'S HARD. It's hard to admit the fact that you're so screwed up that you can't have an enjoyable life anymore. NOW EVERYTHING IS BASIC SURVIVAL. Ling: IT'S CLEAR THAT THE PROMISE THAT AMERICA ONCE KEPT IS CHANGING AND THAT WE MIGHT ALL HAVE TO GIVE UP A BIT OF OUR OWN AMERICAN DREAM AND EVOLVE WITH THE CHANGING TIMES JUST TO GET AHEAD.

IT'S REALLY A CHANGE IN THE WHOLE ETHOS OF AMERICA: YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT IN THIS COUNTRY YOU CAN BE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE. I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE COULD SAY THAT'S TRUE. YOU CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BE, BUT YOU CAN LOSE IT SO EASILY IN A MOMENT. THEY ARE DIFFERENT TIMES.