The President Gets You All Hyped, But Then He Leaves You Hanging

Gloria Knight is a family child care provider and leader in SEIU Local 500 Kids First Maryland. She has been a provider for 8 years and cares for up to 8 children ages 2-12 at any given time. Gloria is a proud mom of 2 children and 3 grandchildren whom she raised in her child care center.

Here Gloria responds to what she heard in the president’s last State of the Union address:

Did he talk about the things that matter to me? Well, housing, wages, healthcare—I heard him mention them, but I didn’t hear solutions. He gets you all hyped up, but then leaves you hanging.

He talked about foreclosures, but he didn’t get to any real solution. I know people who couldn’t keep up with the interest rates and so now they’ve had to give up their homes and move into rental apartments. But he didn’t talk about the interest rates. He didn’t say how he’s going to help people keep their homes.

I have to record all my expenses and income very carefully for the invoices I make. At the end of last year, I did the math and I realized that my total income for the year—after the expenses I cover for my child care center—was the same as what I was making 40 years ago, when I was in high school. I have two children and they both help support me. If my children weren’t depositing money into my bank account, I wouldn’t be able to keep my center open. The president didn’t say anything tonight to make me think that this is going to change.

He said he wants to make healthcare “affordable” for all Americans. But what does that mean? I need a system where what’s deemed “affordable” is based on what I make, what I personally make. Because what’s an affordable share for another worker—even for another child care worker who brings in a steady $2,000 a month—is not affordable for me when I make 4- or 5- or $600 a month.

There were a few things I heard him get specific on, though. He said outright that congress needs to make his tax cuts for the rich permanent. He said congress must not fail to pass his free trade agreement with Colombia. I heard him say these specifics, so I know he knows how.