We Deserve Better (Response to President Bush's SOTU Address)

Raquel Mack, a 22-year-old member of SEIU Local 32BJ, is a full-time security guard for Allied Barton Security on K Street in downtown Washington, D.C. Raquel also works part-time in retail and plans to re-enroll at the University of District of Columbia (UDC) this fall.

Last night Raquel joined SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger and five other SEIU members to watch the president deliver his last State of the Union address. Below is Raquel's response:

I work two jobs and live pay check to pay check. When you look at your child’s face and they say they’re hungry and the only thing you can feed them is hot dogs and pork and beans, it hurts. You have to live below the poverty line to put your kids in day care. Politicians don’t see that.

I work hard to provide a better life for my child. This fall, I’ll be working two jobs, going back to school, and caring for a newborn. It’s killing me to work two jobs just to make ends meet. You look at your paycheck and think, ‘What am I going to do with this?’

They need to walk in our shoes, see what we see and experience what we experience. They should see what it’s like to get up everyday at 6 a.m., come home at midnight and not spend time with your child. My son literally waits up to see me every night when I get home.

On education:
No child left behind? Bush talked about the DC opportunity scholarships to enroll in private schools and increasing Pell Grant funds across the country. Pell Grants don’t cover entire tuitions—only a percentage. People can’t afford that. He said nothing about college tuitions either. I want my child to get the best education he can get. This year, DC schools scored amongst the lowest in the nation. We’re in the nation’s capital — we should be scoring highest in the nation!

We need to prepare the next generation. We have to rebuild school systems, show children positive things, keep them involved so they don’t feel left out, so they understand how to make changes in their future.

Hopefully the next president will step up and try to implement programs for the youth. The Bush administration and states cut out funds for extra curricular activities. We had all types of things growing up, free of cost for the parents. Kid used to have things to do and places to go, but now it’s terrible and paying for anything is tough. Kids don’t have anything to get involved in but hanging out on the street corner.

We deserve better.