The problem is this - we are in the final weeks of the lame duck session. This means that after Congress adjourns, then it will be the newly elected Congress that will need to pass the extension of unemployment benefits.
The problem with that is that the newly elected Congress is that they are dominated by members of the GOP - not surprising in its entirety because of criticisms of the current government, and the Obama Administration. However, they aren't exactly for the unemployment extension - not because they don't want to help those without a job but because they want to curb government spending.
Obama has proposed ways to cut the budget - he's going to freeze civilian pay for federal government workers. Of course, this move has to be approved by Congress.
I imagine that there will be a lot of upset federal workers, but they should be grateful to have jobs...with benefits...although I could understand that knowing that you aren't going to get your customary raise would be disconcerting, at best.
There are a lot of things to hammer out. However, the unemployment extension - no matter what the cost - should be of the utmost importance to legislators.
OK here is another writer who either doesn't check out the facts or just writes for the hell of it!
ReplyDelete1st of all there has never been a Tier 5 so it can't expire!!! We, the 99ers, are fighting to get a Tier 5 added to the current FOUR TIERS of benefits!!!!
OMG...get your facts straight!!!
i am homeless now because i ran out of unemployment but i did take advatage of the grants they offerd. so i graduated and now i have all the time in the world to look for a job because i dont have to pay rent now. i guess i am a homeless educated person now. dose that make sence?
ReplyDeleteStart accepting low wage jobs and don't leech off government crumbs - you welfare bums. You'll jump for joy for a Tier 5, but shrug at a job offer - pathetic,
ReplyDeleteI think it’s time we the people started over with the current government.
ReplyDeleteElected officials are to represent the people not assert their own opinion or agenda for personal gain.
If the ballot has two idiots then most people elect the lesser of the two. This isn’t working.
Following an election I have yet to see or hear of any representative polling for a majority relative to how he/ she should vote on issues in either the house or senate.
If offered I would choose “no confidence”.
Hey you idiot calling unemployment welfare, I think after working 26 years and paying unployment insurance, the least I deserve is 99 f'n weeks of my money back! Do you really think we'd rather be on the crap they call unemployment over our old lives with our old salaries? Can't wait for the day you
ReplyDeletefind yourself in some of our shoes!
Join us at USMOA.ORG
ReplyDeleteYou know people always talk about the over qualified that can't find a job cause of their over education, or about the ones in late age that are turned away for younger workers. I feel for them I really do, but even they will be picked over me. I have the opposite problem I am relatively young (30) and not over qualified, yet with the same result.... I can't seem to find a job anywhere. I have over ten years that I changed my life and payed my debt to society but when it comes to getting a job that counts for nothing. I believed that what I was doing was wrong and that if I followed societies rules I would be accepted again. Well I even believed so much that I married and brought two beautiful little girls to this world (ages 4 and 3). Now I was in heaven and the dream was alive till this recession hit. My construction job despaired from under my feet, I woke up and starting falling from the cloud. I woke up to see that what I used to do was nothing compared to the criminals that have the power and put future generations in jeopardy with their greed. The only thing is that I see my girls in the free fall with me. I just hope we can find a parachute before we hit the ground and my girls find out that the fall is not a game and that the tricks I do are not to entertain them but to save money. That when when I make toys for them for Christmas... it's not cause I am being creative its because we are poor. I have the temptation to go back to making easy money, (cause at least I will be making money) yet if I get caught I know what will happen (and the government doesn't cut spending when it comes to our prisons). I just can't believe an ex-cone cares more about his children and America's future generations, than our people that are in power that supposed to be the cream of our crop, our moral elite, our leaders. I know that you people see us 99ers as lazy but we are the opposite. Some of us fight every day to keep our values in place, our honor, and our dignity. I know that my past mistakes are my fault, but I tried to fix it, paid for it, and made up for it. When I lost my job it was not my fault so why wont the responsible for it vanishing do something to fix it, pay for it, and help who they have victimized.
ReplyDeleteIt's winter! Are their any homeless shelters for families. No.. just for the addicts and drunks. Unemployment extensions are necessary. We give all the tax breaks to the very rich and don't care about Americans that lost their jobs. The only jobs are semi drivers, or healthcare professionals. The on line system of applying for jobs is a joke. You only get generic e.mails back. I worked 31 years and have been honestly looking for work every week. What do I blow through my 401K to live until someone decides to grant me a precious interview.
ReplyDeleteto the sob thst thanks unemployment is walfare.we all cant live with or depend on someone else.i cant afford to go and get a $7.00 an hour job but i will if i have 2.like most of americans we have house payment kids and ect.i have worked for 12 years and payed my part i just started my first extinsion and will lose it in janurary if not extended but thats fine.i went from makeing $1800 a week to $415 a week on unemployment now tell me i dont have the right to get what is mine...........
ReplyDeletePeople stop using the excuse that YOU paid unemployment insurance. YOU did't pay it, your employer did. Also, take a lower paying job and work your way up. I'm so damn tired of the notion that the world owes you a job. My brother in law brags about the fact that he can sit at home making more than he will once he goes back to work. He also lies about job interviews, applications, etc. Until the states can monitor for fraud, I do not want MY tax dollars used for bums who are too lazy to work because it doesn't pay well enough.
ReplyDeleteGovernment of the people - for the people? Land of the free and home of the rich! And our rich politicians now want tax breaks without giving two sts about the unemployed who lost their jobs because our greedy bankers got bailed out with borrowed funds. Mr. Obama - make a difference and issue an executive order to pass the unemployment extension.
ReplyDeleteYES WE DID PAY UNEMPLOYMENT WITH ARE TAX DOLLARS ALL THE YEARS WE DID WORK SO SUCK MY BIG TOE AND IF YOU THINK I
ReplyDeleteWANT A 275 AWEEK FROM THE GOVERMENT INSTEAD OF MY 750 AWEEK JOB YOUR A FOOL AND YOU WILL GET YOURS TO ITS NOT OVER YET
Firts of all you do not pay into your unemployment. The company you work for pays for the unemployment based on a tax liabilty % from the wages you earn each quarter.
ReplyDeleteTo the rich people who put the unemployed down. I can't wait till your buddies the republican have to go after your money and put you in the street. being middle class and poor is a smaller fall than being rich. you all are just a bunch of assholes anyway. To all the unemployed rally and protest the republican party to be eliminated from the U.S. government they illegally started a war. Iraq, where are the weapons of mass production. Even Bush admitted he was lied to. remember Osama bin Ladin was Ronald Regan's ally in afganastan and was trained by the CIA. Is that why we can't find him. GET THESE BUMS OUT OF GOVERNMENT!
ReplyDeletei am on my 2nd extention and i am currently in school. I had a cardiac arrest 3/2009 and was fired from my job because i could not work the hours and do any type of lifting so i HAVE to be selective in the jobs that i take due to my health. Thats why im in school working on an Associates in medical billing. We may as well take advantage of some of the eductional opportunities while they are there like the "no worker left behind" program.
ReplyDelete99ers hold on the unemployment extensions are not dead yet ! The individual states are putting
ReplyDeletepressure on the respective State Senators to push another extension before December 5 2010.
They passed the last extension at the last minute. This one will be linked to the Bush tax
cuts. They are holding the unemployed at bay
until they get to extend the Bush tax cuts !
The republicans want the Tax cuts to continue
and will cut the Government 1 Trillion dollars
in lost taxes. The give back will be 12 billion
for the unemployed. Reopen your claims now.
Keep calling each week. They will count. We have
to be counted.
Hey asshole! Unemployed people are not leeching off the government! we have paid for unemplument our whole working lifes! We can not even get a $7.00 hour job! You freaking ass wipe! Hope you keep your job and are never in our shoes!!! I have not had one job offer in 17 months! YOu make me sick!!! I was making over $50k a year and you think I rather live on $275 you are pathetic!
ReplyDeleteTo those who keep flapping their mouths about unemployment being government welfare, and unemployed people should just go get a Job instead of collecting "government Welfare",well Where the heck have you been? There is NO JOBS you idiot. If there were jobs, then the ENTIRE world would not be talking about how there are NO JOBS. You sound like a flippen idiot running your mouth like that when you don't even know what you are talking about. If you actually believe what you are saying, then when you lose your job, you won't need to collect unemployment right? and if you do then you are just a smack talking, hipacritic bastard. You need not to be waisting your time chatting about things you know nothing about and spend more time educating yourself!
ReplyDeleteI personally think that there are a lot of unemployed people that are not looking for work, However there are some that truly are, and cannot find work. I think that some people say they want a paycheck, but they do not want to WORK. There are jobs to be had, but people will not accept. Many people get jobs as Over the Road truck drivers, Holiday jobs at the mall, and so forth, but some people are TOO GOOD for those jobs and would rather get $400 a week to stay home rather than WORK at $8.50 an hour, as if they worked, they would have to pay daycare, gas, and so forth. 8.50 X 40 hours a week = $340. Less than the 400 they get from UI. Then when there UI gets ready to expire, they magically get work! See the recently falling, marginally -- UI rate as proof. Extension ending? Oh no better accept that job after all.
ReplyDeleteI favor the following idea from a web user : ""I understand that TARP monies are still not being spent on the scale promised. Perhaps as a solution, now would be a good time to free up some of those funds."
ReplyDeleteI guess we need a lot of help from politicians that really understand what is going on in America. A small break is better than nothing at all. This is the worse economy I ever experienced. I hope something comes along for everyone who is in need.
ReplyDeleteThe jobs at the Mall pay about $8. They won't give you the hours because they give it to regular employees, but if you can offset it with the unemployment at least you are back working at something. They were leaning towards the experienced worker. Hope things get better.
ReplyDeleteI believe only the first 26 weeks is paid by the employer.
ReplyDeleteI know that there are some people who take advantage of unemployment, there are always a few that make the majority look bad. Having said that though, I think that it is a shame that people judge all of the unemployed by the bad apples. I have been unemployed for over a year now and there are just no jobs out there. My son at 19 can not even find an entry level job. I have returned to school and also use my time looking for work and volunteering. There are many of us out here like that. It just makes me sick to hear people talk about their fellow Americans like this. We all have WORKED before, that is how you get to claim the benefit. We are not lazy. We are your neighbors, family members and friends. Many of us would be glad to take a lower paying job and work our way back up the ladder. Do you know what a blow this is to your self esteem? No, many of you do not. Before you condemn people for being picky, or lazy walk a mile in our shoes. None of us want to be here tapping into our savings and losing everything we have slowly. It is ignorant to make comments like that. Educate yourself and think before you speak.
ReplyDeleteit time that congress get off the ass and do somthing about the state of the country remember we the american taxpayer didnot cause this problem it was the wall street greed that caused this to happen but the banks and wall street got bailed out how about bailing out the american people that are in dire straights remember the goverment used are the american taxpayers money to bail out the banks wall street the car companys etc us gov wake up if you dont this country on the way to total colapse oh also wait till china startes calling in its loans that they give the us goverment at high interest rates we are in debt very long time and will never get out of debt because america likes to live way above its means china dont do that but we the american sucker gos back to the well in china to ask for more money shame on the us goverment
ReplyDeleteHi ya all, This is hobo up Carl. Just wanna let ya all know there won't be anymore benefits for ya all. So you can all suc on my big toe. no more bennys yeee haaaaw
ReplyDeleteGreat comment Carl, I just hope we can organize some sort of rally for the 99ers. I don't want to work very hard anymore. I just want to sit on my 430lb butt and milk all you tax paying idiots out here. Hugs, Barbara
ReplyDeleteto the anonymous a-hole, do you think I rather get unemployment? I like to have my position back, but I cant, therefore stop your BS, you probably sitting on a substantial position and dont know you a from a hole in the ground. You stupid s.....maybe one day you will stand in the unemployment line, or loose your home or if you have kids(hope not) do not how to feed them........stop stop stop your BS
ReplyDeleteLet's put FACES on raw unemployment statistics. a Wall of unemployed people: http://iget2work.com/stories/unemployed-quilt/
ReplyDeletethe UNEMPLOYMENT CLOCK:
http://iget2work.com/unemploymentclock.html
and these peeps have a 15 minute movie, too, if you wanna get a REAL taste of what people are going thru while unemployed. it's rough out there. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!