The LA Times relates the story of Lisa and Stephen Furry, a bankrupt couple who epitomize everything that Americans do wrong financially. When Republicans talk about how over-reaching Americans helped bring on the financial crisis, the Furrys are the people they’re describing. (As you’ll see, though, they are almost surely Republican themselves!)

Though Stephen made only $62k a year at a freelance gig, and Lisa had no job at all, they bought a house for $575, 000. Now unemployed, Stephen collects $1800 a month from the government, which doesn’t cover the mortgage, or Lisa’s $275 a month in “beauty services,” or the $200 a month they spend on their pets, a mastiff and a rabbit. Though Stephen is 32 and Lisa 45, they have only $4300 in retirement accounts. Lisa once had to borrow $200 from savings account of their daughter, “Dillen,” to cover household expenses.

The couple has declared bankruptcy and is trying to short-sell—dump it for less than they owe on their mortgage—their house.

The reason that Lisa, until recently, did not have a job? Because she was home-schooling their daughter.

Something which just adds to my conviction that most people who home-school their kids are a little bit off.

Because if you’re not smart enough not to buy a $600, 000 house on a part-time, $62, 000-a-year job, what makes you think you’re smart enough to teach your kid?