American Winter Page #2

People are just stunned that

they are suddenly in a position

where not only did they get laid

off, but their unemployment

is running out or has run out

because they cannot find a job.

They think, "Well, I had money

in my retirement account

and I had a savings account

and I used to take vacations

and I had new cars, and now

I am struggling

to put gas in my car. "

Pay attention to Daddy, OK?

- I need your help.

- Nope.

Yeah, I need your help.

One more.

You did it.

It was

about 8:
00, 9:00 that evening

when the doctor came in and told

us that he had Down Syndrome.

You know, I tell you what,

something that will knock you

on the floor, that... you know,

that initial reaction

and everything.

You know, you just... "Oh!"

OK. Ready? Here we go.

- You ready?

- Ready. Ha ha!

Oh!

I was working

for Columbia Sportswear,

making oh, about $55,000,

$56,000 a year

as their cost accountant,

and then I got laid off.

OK, come on. Back up a little.

Back up a little.

My parents,

they live about 490 miles away.

They run a cattle ranch up there

in North Central Washington.

We take the horses

and train them,

and then my parents use them

up in the Cascade Mountains.

I've been working since

I was 10, 12 years old.

Anyone worth their salt

wants to work.

I'll scrub toilets.

I'm not too good to do...

you know, I'm not above

doing any kind of work.

I cannot

tell you how many people

have told me how they were

the successful people,

they always did well in school.

And so they had families

and they bought homes

and they had mortgages,

and then they started to

find that they were

being laid off.

No matter how well-educated

they are or how experienced,

the fact that they're

older, above 50,

they can't get other jobs.

They spent their retirement

trying to, you know,

survive long enough,

and now they have nothing.

All right, you guys.

I got certified as

a medical assistant,

cardiac technician,

and phlebotomist.

I worked for

the Alpha Plasma Center

and they laid off 1,500 people.

I went and I got into a field

that I thought was practical.

If you become a medical

assistant, it's a growing field,

but they don't tell you

that you're gonna become

a medical assistant and still be

making minimum wage.

- What?

- I got to go.

Scrapping is basically

when you recycle metal.

On this scale, you're

recycling refrigerators

and stoves and washers

and dryers.

On a good day,

if 4 of us go out,

then we have to split

the money 4 ways.

So if we make a hundred

dollars that day,

it's $25 for everybody.

When you literally put in

more than 8 hours,

you're not even making

minimum wage.

People do what they have

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