A Conversation With My Neighbor (N).

My neighbor is a neat guy.  Single dad who is raising his two daughters, one of whom is not biologically his but he decided to raise her because she is his daughters sister.

He lets the girls play outside with the other kids but is careful to watch them and call them in when the sun starts to set.  The girls always have their hair brushed and clothes match. (Which, as a girl who was raised by a single dad, I can tell you this does not always happen). Their apartment is way cleaner than mine can ever hope to be and he holds down a pretty simple job at a box chain store.  Most Saturdays I see him washing and waxing his car.

We don't talk a lot but this morning we met at the steps and walked to the parking lot, chatting about the recent crime spree in our neighborhood, the weather and wondered why our water was mysteriously turned off last night. Then he said this...

N:  If I don't pay my rent, then the apartment manager reports my debt to the collection agencies, right?  But I am trying to save and buy a house next year, so I went and told the manager, 'I have payed my rent on time to ya'll for the past 5 years.  Never been late even once.  Have you or can you report that to the credit agencies to help improve my score?'  They told me 'No, that is not something we can do.'  So you see?  They will hurt me to try and get my money if I am late but they refuse to help me if I am a good renter because it doesn't benefit them in any way."

Do you see how the system is stacked against those who are in poverty?  If he had a mortgage then his timely payments would be recorded to improve his credit score.  But he would already have had a good credit score to begin with to obtain a mortgage;  Because once you already have something it is much easier to get more "somethings."

But he began as a renter in a sketchy apartment so his good payment history does him no good.  Tell me again how the capitalist economic system helps those in poverty more than any other economic system.

Actually, don't tell me, try and convince my neighbor.