The 99ers need a Tier 5 unemployment extension now, but is Congress listening? Despite hopes that Debbie Stabenow's Americans Want to Work Act S3706 will make its way through Congress and to the President, currently this bill is not even on the Senate docket.
We are dealing with an election year and there could be many distractions along the way. One thing is certain, it cannot become law until it gets to the floor for a vote.
99 weeks are not enough for millions of unemployed Americans and so Stabenow's bill will add an additional 20 weeks. This, of course, is only a temporary measure. To combat the long-term problem, Stabenow suggests offering tax incentives to businesses who hire long-term unemployed workers.
This bill is vital for the basic survival of millions of Americans, so be sure you fight hard for S3706 if you need the Tier 5 unemployment extension.
August brought reports of a decreasing job market, increase in new claims for unemployment benefit and reports that the economy is slowing with the possibility that our country could be on the cusp of a double-dip recession. All this has left many economists asking can we afford to extend benefits to those whose benefits have run out, but can we afford not to?
Whether or not the extending unemployment benefits will help the economy is a hotly debated subject, arguments on both sides have merit, but what about the human cost of not extending their benefits, what are families to do, starve to death?
One side of the debate believe that 99 weeks of unemployment is already excessive and as it was only 26 weeks for many years and the nation survived, so why extended it now. Another argument is that extending the benefits will encourage people wait until they find that ‘perfect job’
That perfect job theory is ridiculous and flawed, when it comes to the 99er Nation. The 99ers have not had any benefits since March 2010, so it is not as though they are waiting around for the perfect job. The fact is, if jobs were available for the 99ers to take, they would not have to beg Congress for a Tier 5, a fight that so far has been ongoing 7 months.
The other side of the debate believes that extending the benefits will have a far greater impact on the economy than what is being publicized. As the unemployed are still consumers, they have bills to pay and groceries to buy, which ensures their money benefits local business thus helping to stimulate the economy.
With 5 million Americans in the 99er Nation, if you use an average UI weekly benefit of $300 dollars, that would put 1.5 Billion dollars into the American economy immediately! Anyone who cannot see the merit in implementing the Tier 5 extension now, just does not understand economics.
The debate needs to end soon and action needs to be taken, with a shrinking job market and employers seeing upwards of 8 applicants per new job offer, means the reality of a job for everyone is history and being on unemployment benefits for years has become the new reality in America. With millions of American 99ers going hungry and homeless every day, Tier 5 MUST be treated as the true humanitarian issue that it has become.
What can you do to help? Contact your Senator and every other Senator you can to demand we get this Tier 5 bill (S3706) voted on NOW. A complete list of legislators can be found at: http://joblessunite.yolasite.com/legislators-list.php
Call the White House comments line to demand the same. White House Comments Line 202-456-1111 Comment line is only open 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday thru Friday EST. ***REMIND the President that this is an emergency.
Do not forget the Jobs with Justice Rally in Chicago tomorrow, September 15th! Sound interesting? Give them a call at (312) 738-6161 or send an email to susanh@jwj.org! You can visit their contact page to get in touch! http://www.chicagojwj.org/contact
Or just show up! JWJ Rally Wednesday September 15th Meeting up for a press conference and rally at GOP HQ at Randolph and Wells at 4 pm. Be there!
Nope, they are not listening.
ReplyDeleteI have been working for free for a few month now hopping that I can get some money some day. It looks like is not going to happen and I need to work free just to keep my mind sharp.
ReplyDeleteI believe the 99's need an extention. I am a 99'er. I have had NO offers for employment. I believe it is either due to my age..55, or because I don't receive food stamps, etc.. and they Don't get a TAX break to hire me! Sad, sad. I have so much to offer. Getting very close to becoming a street bum. Wonder how we will vote when all of us 99's who are needing a job, and very willing to go to work, are FORCED by our loving congressmen to live in the streets! Oh yes, WE can still vote!
ReplyDeleteSame here at age 56 with 29 years solid business experience-Corporate but am considered EXACTLY what companies no longer want.
ReplyDeleteYears ago what I had was worth thousands due to my experience NOW? Its a complete liability and a reason why like many I get no call backs on anything. The TZ bridge nearby looks better every day!
Its causing alot of stress and another middle class American family is about to implode because of it.
You know the bums in there now will be voted out and WE here have that power if they sit and do nothing.
BTW ALREADY lost my COBRA/ARRA medical benefits (they ran out too and Congress did not do anything for the ARRA!) and have no coverage and God help us if anything goes wrong now!
Well im going to be officially homeless come November. im actually scared, im college educated and cant get a job in a god damn super market.
ReplyDeleteA Tier 5 Extension to Unemployment Benefits is a matter of survival! It is difficult to believe that our Elected Officials are acting in such a horror manor(s) and delaying/ignoring a life line to millions of voters! Voter who have the power to change the direction(s)of our government.
ReplyDeletePlease do the right, correct and just thing...Pass the Tier 5 Extension/Americans Want to Work Act S3706.
the dems are not listening to us, they care more about thier jobs then they do about us, vote them out! they act like they live on a different planet, they are not in touch with the people who elected them. all incumbants need to go!
ReplyDeleteI've been out of work since 2007, when I first got laid off, and I received unemployment benefits for the past couple of years since then, All of my EUC tiers have run out, so I, along with many other 99ers out there are hoping that a Tier 5 extension is passed so that we can receive more unemployment benefits and hopefully help boost the economy and get Americans back to work. This is the worst economic crisis since the great depression, and millions of Americans are out of work. Hopefully an extension gets passed soon so we can get pulled out of this recession.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to eat my leg if this continues. Then nobody will want to hire me for sure.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, at least you'll be able to collect disability then.
ReplyDeleteI am 58 years old and have been out of work since 2007. I am having the same problem as the rest of the 50 plus year old's. I worked since I was 16 and now all my worth is gone. Ease the pressure and pass the tier 5. It would be a slam dunk for the Dems come Nov. If they don't pass it quickly we can say by-by to the Dems.
ReplyDeleteIf they don't vote and pass it vote against everyone that took no action to get it passed. Vote against them as long as they are in politics and vote against anyone they endorse. These guys care about what makes them get fatter and richer simple as that. Vote them all out and put anyone in there that has no connection to any current senator or congress man/woman!
ReplyDeletePLEASE PLEASE, PASS TIER V FOR 99ERS I'M ALSO A 99ER AND I'M VERY DESPERATE ALSO, I HOPE MY FAMILY WILL NOT BE HOMELESS COME NOVEMBER.
ReplyDeleteSTEP UP TO THE PLATE AND HELP THE 99ERS!
WE NEED HELP NOW NOT IN NOVEMBER IT WILL BE TO LATE!
People should put more pressure on politicians, as this is also election year, Need to do some thing for our fellow men who are jobless.
ReplyDeletePlease pass tier 5 for the 99ers, I too sent out hundreds of resumes and here from no one, including Wawa,walmart, shoprite. I too think it's my age 49. I am a diabetic and have no health insurance for my medicine. So I'll either die from no meds or from living in the streets.
ReplyDeletePlease pass this tier 5 ASAP.
please pass tire v i will be homeless in 2 weeks if i dont get tire v or a job......
ReplyDeleteNOTE TO ALL 99ERS:
ReplyDeleteI have some BAD NEWS…….OUR DEMOCRATIC party seems to be trying to allow filibustering to continue so as to ASSURE THAT we VOTE THEM back into office FIRST…before they consider passing TIER V…...THEN and ONLY THEN will THEY …..~PASS~….tier v!!!.....SORRY for this, at least we have been try hard to receive Tier V before the election! But don’t give up also…THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT AT LEAST WILL GET IT!!! (IF WE VOTE DEMOCRATIC ‘ONLY’……and also if we keep up the Rallies BLOGS and GREAT comments’)
Watching cspan2, yay the senate just passed a bill to give 30 billion dollars to people that are already millionaires yay for the millionaires. Now that the people that can afford to give money to the politicians have gotten their kickback maybe Washington can think about the people that are hungry and have lost their homes!!!!!
Dear Mr. Reid please put tier 5 on the table before the Election date… I only need a couple hundred dollars or a week of unemployment insurance to turn my CELL PHONE BACK ON!!.so I can continue my JOB search and put GAS into my car.....
Nearly 300,000 people have exhausted all benefits in California yet I don't see a California Senator as a sponsor. What is all that about Vote them out!.
The reason for the recession decline started with the pop of the housing bubble. This pop was caused after housing costs rose to unaffordable levels via predatory lending, and corporate greed and PINSTINE was supposed to be regulating this for the president bush, but didn’t do his job!
The economy is getting worse for 99ers but when our filibustering Republican politicians have millions in their pockets – they don’t care about the 99ers, calling us unemployed bums, lazy etc.
We 99ers are trying to find jobs but it seems that we are OVER QUALIFIED for the jobs that are AVAILABLE! Like Mc Donald’s for example! and most of us are under qualified for jobs we have no experience with!…..not to mention we have a huge GAP on our resume NOW!!….’CATCH 22’… everywhere we look!
ReplyDeleteRepublicans have said they will support unemployment extensions if fully funded. Put their feet to the fire. See if they would filibuster a fully funded bill which would just make them look petty and vindictive
99ers can place the blame on BUSH and PINSTINE for the economic collapse when Hedge Funds took extraordinary risks and they started to collapse, and one by one the “House of Cards” started to fall, causing the mortgage industry to be hit the hardest then like a domino effect bank would not give out anymore residential housing construction loans witch intern effected retail shopping center design and windows metal studs wood stud plastic concrete and many other industries related to any form of construction NOW effected!
99ers were caught in the crosshairs. We 99ers did the hard work necessary to build up everything that greedy corporations, governments, and executives tore down
The way things are now, the new low mortgage rates being offered are being wasted cause only the WELL to do people with good jobs are getting to take advantage of it. Only individuals with unblemished credit reports are able to qualify. Obama’s loan modification program doesn’t help because most people do not qualify. If the morons in DC don’t start considering some alternatives that could really help benefit the unemployed we will see real destitution sweep America!!!!!!!!!!!!
If they do not extend UI tier 5 and even more if needed then watch out for drop in housing again. The current government loan mod program offered to banks is this. If getting UI they can get mortgage holders into a low interest loan mod and greatly reduce mortgage. . 99ers that still have no job won’t qualify and without UI checks will lose house. More foreclosures lead to foreclosure sales by banks. These are greatly reduced selling prices when sold. That drive down home prices and leads to more foreclosures. So unless Congress understands the need to keep extending UI the economy and how jobs get created just won’t happen. Helping unemployed is a stimulus when it prevents foreclosures and when people use money to buy products. Sales and growing sales is only thing that gets companies to considering hiring. As 99ers numbers grow it just delays the recovery. We are still in a recession and it no double dip if it gets worse. Just more of the same we have seen for years. It’s not like Congress can tell us no money. Look at all the billions the give to other countries or waste with every spending program. Instead of stimulus being wasted use it to help unemployed. That will lead to more jobs being created than anything else. We do buy products if we can.
ReplyDeleteThere is NOW a new FAD which factors in to the equation, A survey by the Institute for Policy Studies found that CEO’s at the companies that laid off the most workers averaged 42% more than the average CEO pay. For them, cutting the workforce to the bone and grinding more production from those that remain is very profitable.
The competition for these companies normally have no choice but to follow suit in order to compete.’99ers have to live with the fact that they may have been laid off simply to increase profit a few more percentage points, and fatten a CEO paycheck at the same time, not necessarily because the company could no longer afford to keep them on the payroll.
Many of these companies offshore jobs as well, further fattening the bottom line for the company at the expense of not only the ‘99er, but the exploited worker in the cheap labor country where the former American job was shipped. While shareholders rejoice,
ReplyDeleteBelow is the address link to see all the companies that have moved out of the U.S taking all the jobs from us Americans. All these companies were making millions or billions in profits but that wasn’t enough. How much money is enough. Where is all that extra money going to the ceo’s, blue collar and bonuses they already have more money then they could ever spend. Greed!! Those companies that have moved out of the U.S should not be allowed to sell their products back to the place where they cut millions of jobs because of GREED!!
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/popups/exporting.america/content.html
As things stand today those posing as our representatives in government will admit that 13 million of our American jobs so desperately needed by we 99ers are being worked for substandard wages by 13MILLION illegal’s and another 3 million are being worked at substandard wages by foreigners who have come to our country on work visas.
As for the workers here on foreign visas if you do not see a problem maybe you better look again. On June 23, 2008 before he left CNN, Lou Dobbs reported that Nielson TV Rating Company is bringing in foreign workers from India on work visas to replace the Americans working for their company. AND T-MOBILE THE BIGGEST CELL PHONE COMPANY IN THE WORLD HAS OUT-SOURCED 99% OF ITS CORPORATE OFFICE TO THE PHILIPINES -including customer service and tech support …….BRING THESE JOBS BACK TO AMERICA or TAX the PHILIPINES and that TAX will eventually pay of our NATIONAL DEFICIT……
The big credit card reform bill that was passed by Congress and signed into law last year by President Obama was designed to end abuses and deceptive practices in the consumer credit market. It did not apply to the business credit card market. However, there’s nothing stopping credit card companies from marketing their business cards to individuals. After all, anybody can be a sole proprietorship, and it’s up to the card companies to decide who qualifies. According to USA Today this is exactly the loophole card companies are using to dodge the new consumer protections
ReplyDeleteWhen will congress STOP taking so many recesses and start fixing the economy?
Cant believe how they just live it up and send Michelle Obama to Spain for an expensive vacation what wasted money that could have gone into the pockets of desperate Americans.
Companies are not required to hire anybody, much less ‘99ers, and the current administration in Washington seems incapable, at least thus far, of creating jobs.
That leaves Tier 5 ‘99ers on their own with the knowledge that they may be living a lower standard of life for at least the foreseeable future.
The number of applicants continue to far outnumber the number of job openings. Private sector employers in August added a net total of only 67,000 jobs in August. Job gains would need to be more than three times that to drive down the unemployment rate.
Our motive is no to just try and collect some kind of WELFARE! People pay into unemployment insurance to use it when an emergency arises. It’s not our fault the condition of the economy hasn’t gotten better, faster. Now is it? So, we need to use those insurance funds to stay afloat while we search for jobs.
They can solve this problem by creating jobs, which is what we prefer. However, they have failed to do this so extend our unemployment insurance, plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteWe have paid taxes for years and watched the money go out for many causes; some we agreed with and some we did not that’s just the way it goes. So tell them to shut up, already. Additionally, we pay into the social security but we will not be getting it so how fair is that? Some people who are against a Tier V are collecting social security that we paid into but are we blocking them?????? NO, WE ARE NOT!!!!
Thank God for the EDD/ONESTOP work centers that allows us to use the computers to email our resumes and do different helpful things to find a job, but I don’t think we are spending conservatively meaning; there is a work center at the Santa Ana Ca train/bus depot that has over 50 employees and 19 of them are on the floor at any given time and all they do is talk out LOUD to one another and joke with each other all day long! These employees are paid with our tax dollars and are supposed to be their to help us however none of them know anything about the computer or even about WORD …and it frustrates me!…Why do we need them????….I cant believe it!!!
I even found out that one of these workers her name is Maria who’s been working for the EDD for over 20years gets paid $30.00 dollars an hour and all she does is sits you at a computer, a job that I could easily do myself!….I really don’t think we need that many people on the floor! We could get by with 1 or 2 and send that saved money to the unemployed job searching/starving individual instead don’t you think?
After 8 years of Busch, America lost 9,024 factories. Obama has brought back 103 of those factories in just 17 months.
VOTE. VOTE. VOTE. VOTE.
ReplyDeleteRepublican greed has been destroying our wonderful America the last 10 years.
Republicans just want to move MORE American JOBS overseas, cause they get a huge un-talked about financial kick-back!!!
Please vote Democrat for continued change away from these non-humans.
Thank you and God Bless the Democrats for supporting the little guy and America
It is obvious now that Republicans never intended to help us they just allowed 3706 to be introduced and the house bill so that we would take a break from pestering them during their summer vacation.
99ers need to Google 2 times a day when going to certain web sites like; opencongress.org…. I know its easier just to type in stuff at the command prompt… but please use GOOGLE ‘to get you there because the media checks the Google logs to decide what to REPORT ON..so if you are Googling TIER V all day – guess what gets chosen?….
Here is the link…if you want to see the Google log for yourself http://www.google.com/trends?q=unemployment+extension&ctab=0&geo=all&date=ytd&sort=0
The MEDIA is what causes the most influence!!!!
I am 64 and have been out of work for over 2 1/2 yrs. I have worked my whole life and lost my job due to the loss of business by my company. I worked in the same field for 45 years, supported our government causes,voted,paid my share of taxes, gave to charity, and did everything a good American does. Now that my husband and I need help our country has turned against us and the millions of other Hard working Americans like us who lost their jobs. I sometimes wonder how the politicans can look at themselves in the mirror in the morning. If I treated people like they do I would be ashamed to even look at myself. Let's get this tier 5 in the works and give us our dignity back. This is still a good country compared to a lot of others but we need to keep it that way.
ReplyDeleteI am a 99er. whats going to happen when we don't get help. Well I can tell u, a'lot more crime. We will resort to this because it will be the only way to keep going.
ReplyDeletePart of the problem is that I have heard several times by the news media that we are the new welfare group. So now every one is looking at us like we are looking for a free hand out instead of just trying to survive. It's like if they don't achnowledge us then they can pretend like we just don't exist. Wait until January when we are all turned away from homeless shelters to freeze due to over crowding. Maybe then they will say What Have We Done.
ReplyDeleteI am like the rest. My unemployment is gone and I am a single mother. My son and I will be homeless in a month if something is not done. The government doesn't mind helping other countries but have a problem helping their own country. What are they going to do with all the homeless families?
ReplyDeleteThats right if those lame asses dont give us a tier 5 exstension ask them this. what are they gonna do when crime goes up as we will have to steal and or shop lift at our local supermarket for our next meal . Pathetic ignorant republicans
ReplyDeleteExperts say 120,000 people left Ireland last year, how many Irish will leave the USA for work in 2011?
ReplyDeleteHOBO UP……Foxy TAX CUTS for the RICH and
BOX CARS for US.
Kick off Hobo Stew (Mulligan Stew) for Thanksgiving – Get your HOBO UP game down!
Have all your family and guests be involved. Make it a cooperative effort where each person contributed a separate ingredient to it. This improvised dish was the main stay of the American Hobo camps. Mulligan Stew first appeared in print in The Yukon Midnight Sun in 1904.
Ask any Hobo about economics and they say a good can opener and a water proof flint box is essential. These will be provided by the 2011 GOP TEA PARTY house.
This holiday season, expect congress to depart without passing any unemployment tier extensions. The launch for the next hobo generation of 5 million begins before Christmas.
Prefect your Hobo Up skill set….
campfire (Foil Dinner) over coals adding in leftovers. Use your flint box and no lighter fluid. Remember the fire coals must be on the ground not in a barbecue.
•Build fire with wood
•Clean potatoes and slice potatoes
•Clean and peel carrots
•dice onions and peppers into about ¼” pieces
•Spread butter on foil
•Crumble ground beef into small pieces and spread out above potatoes
•add in leftovers
•Sprinkle seasoning
Some Happy Holiday – Hopefully you too won’t have to HOBO UP!
99er Country Carl, Artist of the ”99ER New Depression Blues” Video – youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM6CuCjUTdk
I too am on extended benefits and I am 54. I continue to earch. Exhausted any finances in savings just to continue to keep up with payments and bills. Ther is nothing but the unemplpyment check each week. Mid January, I am all done. Benefits run out fpr me too. I am appalled at the lack of compassion that republicans are showing. They are using us, those who need the unemplpyment benefits to survive, have a place to live, food on the table, and the basic necessities only. The republocans in the Sentate and in Congress are using us in this position as a tool to barter with the President so that taxes for thjosemaking 200,000 plus every year will not have their taxes increase. This will benefit each and every one of them. IF the President gices them their demand, then and only then will they pass the votes for the extention. I am shocked still when I heard this. Hoe sad is that. NO concern or care for any of us who could loose everything we have left. HAve any of them have ever faced what we have or will face throough the loss of our jobs and income? I don't think so. They have plenty of money in thier accounts, fancy homes and cars, When life is good, others who are hurting are not in th forefront of poeple minds, Only when you ahve gone through something like this can we identify, have compassion for, wnat a spolution for, want to help those who are in the same situatiuon we have been in. People are desperate for change, people are desperate for making sense out of all of this, people are desperate to make ends meet, to have to make choices like buying medicine or keeping fuel in the home. Paying bills or payng the rent or mortgage. Too many hard decisions have to be made, and then there are some that are made for us. Like forclosures, homelessness, and the like. When is it going to change? We need change now., We need compassion from our govenemtn officials now. God help us all who are struggling for survival during these days. The uncertainty is unbearable. What will tomorrow be should nto be a quesiton mark for any one. We need to stop helping other countries, poeple who are illegal aliens in the US and begin to help our own people, Americans. So many churches are supporting missions in foreing countries as Americans are dying every day, lack of monye, lack of food, lack of medical attention, no home to live, shelters are full, tents up in cities and towns everywhere in America. Every city. They hide in the woods, and under the bridges with nothing more than things in black garbage bags of what they can carry with them. They had to leave all othere things behind. This is unspeakable. We need God's help here. There is nothing else that can help us now, The governemnt, our government is not listening and has grown cold and hard to those who are in desperate need in our country. It is a sad time for us all. God Bless Us All..
ReplyDelete