Another Unemployment Extension Update: As Lemieux Blocks Bill, 99ers Rally for Tier 5

The unemployment extension doesn’t look likely any time soon.  The tier 5 bill for the 99ers, aka Americans want to Work Act was not passed by Congress before they left. Although Senator Stabenow, the Bill’s sponsor, tried to bring the measure to the floor it was blocked by Senator LeMieux.


The republican Senator from Florida is not up for re-election, so his measure doesn’t threaten his job for now. He claims that the “spend as you go” tactics for trying to deal with the economy aren’t working.


There’s no funding source of the bill, and as such the senator claims that it is not wise to pass the legislation. The conservative Heritage Foundation has given reasons why the bill is not economically sound, including that many individuals find work right after their benefits expire.


Yeah, right. Try telling that to the millions of 99ers who have been without work for well over the 99 weeks of current benefits. 


The American 99ers Union is rallying along with the One Nation Working Together Rally at Washington, DC tomorrow.  The laundry list of wishes from ralliers includes better unemployment benefits and higher minimum wages. 


Will the turnout at the rally tomorrow inspire changes? That will be hard to tell, as the Senate will not re-convene until AFTER the mid-term elections. Hopefully, at that time the unemployment extensions measures will be passed.

A 99er Tier 5 Benefit Unemployment Extension Update: 22 September Tier 5 Day?

A 99er Tier 5 unemployment extension update is needed about daily, because the way I see it - the main stream media is paying more attention to the circus that is Capital Hill than to those who seek change. Although not too much information is available out there, one news article (available here) indicates that today, September 22, is "Tier 5 Day"

It states “Our coalition under the banner of The American 99ers’ Union, has decided that the best way to convince the Senate to vote The Americans Want To Work Act into law is to ask all of our members to Take Action on Wednesday, September 22, 2010.”

Of course, there's a lot going on around Capital Hill. The Defense Act bill was not passed and therefore the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" legislation was not repealed. In addition the DREAM Act hopes have been squashed as well. Given that Congress cannot agree on even a Defense related bill, why would we ever imagine that the Tier 5 would get passed without the least bit of a fight.

The "Americans Want to Work Act" proposed by Debbie Stabenow would give benefits needed for the survival of Americans.

99er Unemployment Legislation: Stabenow Among Those Desiring Another Extension Bill

99er unemployment legislation could be in the works.  Debbie Stabenow, the Democratic Senator from Michigan is said to be one of the handful of Senators who are ready to get some help to 99ers in need of a benefits extension.  This comes as little surprise as she is the representative for the state with the second highest unemployment rate, which sits well into the double digits.

99er legislation would make jobless benefits available for longer than...99 weeks. This is the current time frame allowed under the bill that was signed into law last week.

Stabenow has also indicated that job creation is crucial to the success of the economy. It's true that the only way to truly solve the unemployment issue is to get people back to work.  Perhaps this should be the focus now, alongside a measure to help extend benefit to the long term unemployed.

In a letter to the public, Stabenow said the following regarding her support of Tier 5 legislation for the 99ers:

I wish that the bill we passed helped those who have been looking for work the longest – the so-called "99ers." I'm working on a bill to help them because, when there are five people out of work for every one job opening, it's the right thing to do.


Hopefully more politicians feel the same, so that a comprehensive measure can be brought to the floor to discuss.


Source: American Chronicle