Petition to Appeal Decision to End Unemployment Benefits Extension
American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010
Senate Republicans killed a jobs bill last week after Democrats trimmed over $20 billion in unemployment benefit extensions in order to appeal to Senate Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats. The defeat came less than a week after President Barack Obama issued a plea to Congress to pass a jobs bill, citing the nearly double-digit national unemployment rate. Long-term unemployment is hitting older workers especially hard and as usual, the poor, the elderly and the unemployed will bear the brunt.
However, while the GOP target funding for unemployment benefits, Medicare and Medicaid, neither party suggested trimming the 60 tax breaks worth $32 billion to special interests. Nope. Special interests retain their exalted status despite any evidence that any of these specials have created jobs.
In the hunt for ways to cut costs, neither party has proposed curbing the panoply of narrow tax preferences, which Congress has routinely extended each year.However, President Obama can sign an executive order to extend unemployment benefits, ensuring the survival of almost one-million unemployed Americans with exhausted benefits.
Instead, Senate leaders have proposed a $25 cut in weekly unemployment benefits; temporarily allowed a 21% cut in Medicare fees for doctors; and are planning to withhold or scale back $24 billion in payments many states expected to help pay for Medicaid for the poor.
Democratic leaders, who failed last week to break a Republican filibuster of the bill, juggled those options behind closed doors Tuesday in hopes of passing the bill before week's end. Although the final shape of the bill remained in flux, there is little doubt that the tax breaks — more than 60 of them — will be part of it.
Call to action links:
A call to action for Unemployed Americans- especially all 99ers
2010 Unemployment extension -- 99ers Appeal for Executive Order
People are desperate as some of these comments posted suggest.
"I dont know if anyone read this, but I am going on 3 monthes without a check, I have been unemployed for over 2 yrs and counting, I can not find a job, I have sold all that I have could to stay afloat, july is right around the corner and if I am lucky, I will only make enough to pay my electric bill and my phone bill. I will not have enough money to pay my rent!!! I do not have a car, I am at my end.. my only option if the goverment will stop f***ing around is to end my life! I am done with this mess, they need to fix it and fix it now.."
"not only will we not have money to spend at our local businesses, food, fuel, etc...) we will just have to take what we need. suppose it's a lose lose situation if they don't pass this extension. It's amazing what hunger will drive a person to do."
"I'm in my third week of having no money, and I'm on the verge of being homeless. They need to hurry up, and make a decision, not everyone on unemployment is lazy.... "
"Is there any chance that the President will be aware of our comments? Are we just doing this to type; or is this going to accomplish anything. I am praying daily. This is indeed a serious problem. I have been out of work since 2007 & have exhausted all extensions. This is why I need to have the President take it upon himself & pass the Tier 5 extension"
"Start calling your local news affiliates, not just your favorite...but ALL of them. Be ready and willing to let them interview you. Start assembling at your local workforce office or politicians. Until the media see's unity, they will not pay attention and you only get to be their darling for so long. Find economists in your area who can give credible information on how unemployment is affecting the area and how extensions help infuse the economy. Check want adds for companies that are only willing to hire employed people. Send these lists to the news outlets and MAKE THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
Many news outlets are owned by corporations these days. There is nothing that rankles a REAL journalist than the sales team or a general manager coming to their side of the building and telling them what to cover.
Bottom line: unify, unite and make people driving by want to call the news stations and ask, WHAT IS GOING ON AT .... ???? "
8 comments:
We all can agree that finding a job has changed forever. This Great Recession that we are in has destroyed the Middle Class as we know it. One of the largest groups of long term unemployed are professional people from ages 40 to 65. We are discovering that our previous occupations do not exist anymore. I do believe that extended unemployment benefits are necessary to help sustain the long term unemployed and our economy. However, a long term solution is also necessary. I agree that Government needs to draw a line as to when benefits should stop, but they need help us create our own solutions to our joblessness before they draw that line and curtail benefits.
I suggest that the Government provide stimulus funds to the long term professionals, who are unemployed by way of the Small Business Administration. These funds are available to anyone with a good business plan and excellent credit. That is the problem for many of us long term unemployed, who have lost their homes, cars, and have many of unpaid bills. All of which have resulted in the destruction of our credit ratings. We do possess the knowledge, fortitude, and skills to open our own small businesses and support ourselves, and create new jobs. We just do not have the credit. We want to be part of the solution – not the problem.
One reason that our professional jobs have disappeared, is the advancement of computers, cell phones, automated phone systems and software programs that do all the work. I am a 53 year old professional that has worked since I was 14 years old. The last 15 years, I have worked as a paralegal, where automation and smart software programs have taken over many of my old job duties. Going to the Law Library has been replaced with Westlaw and Nexus Lexis software programs enabling anyone with half a brain to do legal research. Also, many attorneys have become computer savvy. They write their own briefs, pleadings, and email their correspondence. They keep their own calendars using their Blackberries leaving few duties left for a trained educated paralegal. Attorneys can now get by with having someone to just answer the phone (which is also automated), make copies, and do filing. This goes for other white collar mid-level occupations as well. When the recession hit, many businesses took a harder look at their current employees - looking to cut their costs of doing business. What many companies found out is that many jobs no longer required the experience and expertise of their mid to high level employees. Automation and computer programs now provided the valuable skills needed today. They could hire fewer employees or employees with lesser skills for less pay and still run a vital profitable business.
I am a single mother of 3 with a college education. We moved to a low income housing complex last summer to defray costs and I currently drive a 1992 Ford van with over 200,000 miles on it. It is a clunker. But because I am a single Mom I do what I need to. I had a great job and the week after Christmas at the beginning of this year I lost my job without warning. I had never gotten in trouble; in fact I had excellent evaluations and filled in on days when I was scheduled off to help my Administrator. It came up out of the blue. I was able to begin collecting unemployment in January 2010 and it is about to exhaust in July. I have 4 weeks left. My apartment lease is up and so is my daycare scholarship. I am out of savings and I already receive food stamps and Medicaid. I do receiv Child support over and bove what my state could offer me for the size of my family for assistance with my rent--400$ and they would take my support. My rent is almost 700$ a month. I still have not found a job. I have over 100+ applications out there, I am registered with every temporary agency, every job hunting place and I have only had 7 interviews. I can not even get job at Walmart or McDonalds and be able to pay my family's basic needs of living. If the government can not extend unemployment we will be homeless. In my town the local shelter only keeps you 3 days. Then you need to go to either the east of town shelter or the south of town shelter over 25 miles away. They let you stay 30 days. What about the children? How can the government allow this to continue? I am sure there are plenty of cases like me. My degree did I mention is in Social Work? I am the person that is supposed to ,
help others in my situation. They need to stop helping the foreigners and start worrying about the people here in our country. The good ole USA. Accept help from other countries as necessary because we have already helped so many others. Let go of pride and help the American!!!!
I am a single mother of 3 and I concur with most of what these bloggers are saying. However, I honestly believe by adding a Tier 5 to unemployment benefits will just cause a domino effect as it as shown to do so in the past. Yes it does help the situation at hand, but after Tier 5, then what? Tier 6? If we are lucky they keep adding tiers? I want a solution to the problem. Create jobs. We have no positive outlook to the problem. They can only keep adding to the unemployment but that only throws fuel to the fire. The national deficit is already trillions of dollars. Why keep adding to that when we all know what can be done to fix this. WE IMPLORE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE FAMILIES THAT NEED HELP.
I am a seasoned IT professional with over 25 yrs in the field. I had never been out of work before, never laid off even in the 90's slow down I was able to weather the storm and succeed thru it with determination and hard work - the old American principles! Well not so much these days. I have been laid off since January. Have tried to find work and keep getting caught in a spot of being 'over qualified' or 'not having a Masters degree'. It seems while I could do my level position before without a Masters I now need one at 48 yrs old after doing the job for over 25 yrs. I get that answer on management level jobs and on non-managemwent level am told I am over qualified.
My unemployment runs out in 3 wks and I have no options for employment. This is unbelievable in the US! and yet how many people are still working in our country - many in the IT field - on work Visa from other countries - many of these countries are not even friendly countries to US. I have trouble seeing how this can occur.We have all these American citizens out of work and the government still allows corporations to have jobs to be visa from other countries?
what has greed and politics done to this country?! When do we start looking out of our own citizens for a change?
I am a seasoned IT professional with over 25 yrs in the field. I had never been out of work before, never laid off even in the 90's slow down I was able to weather the storm and succeed thru it with determination and hard work - the old American principles! Well not so much these days. I have been laid off since January. Have tried to find work and keep getting caught in a spot of being 'over qualified' or 'not having a Masters degree'. It seems while I could do my level position before without a Masters I now need one at 48 yrs old after doing the job for over 25 yrs. I get that answer on management level jobs and on non-managemwent level am told I am over qualified.
My unemployment runs out in 3 wks and I have no options for employment. This is unbelievable in the US! and yet how many people are still working in our country - many in the IT field - on work Visa from other countries - many of these countries are not even friendly countries to US. I have trouble seeing how this can occur.We have all these American citizens out of work and the government still allows corporations to have jobs to be visa from other countries?
what has greed and politics done to this country?! When do we start looking out of our own citizens for a change?
There is no doubt we've entered a new gilded age as the divide between the haves and the have-nots or used-to-haves grows.
To 10:36, You're right on the money. I just finished reading an article entitled "Behold the computer revolution" from 1970, in Nat Geo magazine, and in the article, Bank of America, was quoted as saying, "had they not started using computers a few years ago, they would've had to hire every single adult in the state of CA to help with the bookkepping". Jobs disappear on a mass scale as new technology is introduced, which, of course, make corporate profits skyrocket. Yet there has been no consideration at all re how this exponential growth in technology will alter the employment landscape. It's not hard to figure out why.
Since Reagan took office, we've been set on a course to blame the victim and the poor (Reagan's fake welfare queen), which served to distract us from the huge transfer of wealth that took/is taking place over the last 30 years. And now, government is so far up the ass of wealthy corporate interests that I'm afraid it's going to take a revolution to change that.
The only light I can see is that as the rest of the world continues to develop and their demand becomes greater, in addition to the new green technology, more jobs should be avail in the long-term. And let's just hope the short-term is short, but it doesn't look promising.
In the meantime, it's incumbent upon our government to not only sustain its citizens, but also work on retooling/reskilling the workforce.
To Lori and clgreen26, it's not only sad, but infuriating that people like yourself, with so much to offer, are in the terrible situation you're in. I really hope things work out for you both.
We need to take care of our own, BEFORE, we take care of others from other countries. Billions of dollars are sent yearly to countries we have never even heard of. Please Congress, you are treading on thin ice, even you Republicans. We are being outnumbered by people from other countries who are getting the benefits of our great country, and our people are getting the short end of the stick. There are no jobs for (English only) people. Look at the job postings....look at the application. Just be aware that we are being outnumbered by people who are able to speak Spanish. It isn't about qualifications anymore!
Truly that unemployed people needs to have benefits while they have no work as of the moment for them to make a living. And it's great to see that the people here in the country wrote petitions to the government for them to extend the unemployment benefits.
I'm also unemployed as of now because I got sick. But I got to enjoy worker's compensation claim management benefits from my previous company. And I do not worry of having no work if I get okay because they will help me get back to work fast.
Post a Comment