Written by Alex Newman
Thursday, 09 July 2009 00:00



Until about a year ago, 28-year-old Nicholas Rudin and his family were living the American dream. He had a well-paying job in North Florida, with health insurance and a 401k to support his wife and two toddlers. Eating out and buying toys for his two- and four-year-olds was a part of everyday life. Then he lost his job as a line-leader and forklift driver, and everything changed.

Now, he said, he is forced to decide whether to buy groceries or pay the electric bill. His wife, Sirena, has begun delivering mail part-time to help the family afford essentials, but it isn’t enough.

Since he was let go, the company he used to work for has hired several people who don’t even speak English — all at lower wages. “All I want is to be able to do honest work and support my family, I don’t want welfare or handouts,â€