The 99er Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act has new life.The American 99ers Union has just released the following statement:
REINTRODUCTION OF THE EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION ACT IS ON THE WAY....
THE AMERICAN 99ERS UNION WAS CONTACTED BY THE OFFICE OF REP. BARBARA LEE (D-CA9) ON 1/13/11 WITH RESPECT TO THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION ACT. WE ARE NOW WORKING WITH THEM TO ADVANCE OUR SHARED INTEREST IN EXTENDING THESE CRITICAL BENEFITS TO THE 99ER COMMUNITY.
PER REQUEST, WE ARE CURRENTLY DRAFTING AN OFFICIAL LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THIS BILL.
WE SHALL BE IN TOUCH WITH ALL OF OUR MEMBERSHIP, AS WELL AS PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS SITE BY THE END OF THE DAY ON 1/23/11. "
Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) have been working behind the scenes to help extend unemployment benefits to 99ers – those who have exhausted all unemployment benefits. These same representatives are the authors of H.R. 6556, which offered a 14-week lifeline to those who have exhausted unemployment benefits. That legislation did not move forward during the last session of Congress.
As discussed in H.R. 6556 by Rep. Lee could extend unemployment benefits to millions of 99ers
According to http://www.crewof42.com/, the bill contains the following provisions:
- Provides 14 additional weeks of emergency unemployment compensation in Tier I.
- This additional benefit will be available for those who have exhausted all their benefits (99ers and other exhaustees) as well as those who will be unemployed this year.
- This expansion is similar to the expansion in Nov. 2009 which provided an additional week of benefits to Tier II.
- Adding these extra weeks in Tier I makes them available for all chronically unemployed and not only those currently collecting unemployment benefits from a "high unemployment state."
The newly considered legislation is likely to be similar, but some changes should be expected.
Gregg Rosen also mentioned that Rep. Lee’s office contacted him because of his appearances on FOX. Gregg added, “Wouldn’t it be something if this bill becomes law and we would have Fox to thank for playing a role in all of this?” The moral of that story is it’s important to get the word out there, regardless of the media outlet and its support for 99er relief.
This legislation still has many hoops to jump through, including the fact that the House is now controlled by a Republican majority, who will likely fight to stop this from going forward. Supporting the efforts of Reps. Lee and Scott and the American 99ers Union is important.
More on this developing legislation and the involvement of the American 99ers Union will follow as news is released.
The importance of this legislation cannot be overstated. Millions of additional 99ers are in the pipeline in 2011. The graph at Calculated Risk tells the story and gives an example of what Oregon will experience:
Each week, about 600 Oregonians exhaust jobless benefits. In January, about 4,000 a week will lose coverage. And state officials expect those numbers to spike in April when more than 35,000 people will exhaust benefits in a single week.
(Full disclosure: I am a member of the American 99ers Union, which is a coalition of 19 individuals and groups advocating for 99ers.)
The Daily List
Congress.org has a great media contact list:http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/ as does http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=111
You can find your representatives contact information at: http://conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm, or at http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt.
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I'm looking for stories from people who have been rejected during the hiring process for being unemployed. Have you been the victim of a temp agency that won't give you an interview because you are unemployed? Have you seen jobs ads for "employed only" or "unemployed need not apply"? Have you lost a chance at a job due to a poor credit score? Send your job rejection experiences to mike@layofflist.org.
You can also view my updates and new posts at Twitter: http://twitter.com/layofflist
Huffington Post
Huffington Post is kind enough to give me a chance to post my work at their site. I hope to be able to spread the 99er word using their larger audience. You can see my efforts at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-thornton.
Comments
OK YES we are both members of the American 99ers Union... BUT MIKE... Are you a member of U-CUBED???? Union of the Unemployed... it is HAPPENING there!!!
Instead of contacting THE AMERICAN 99ERS UNION . Why didn't "THE OFFICE OF REP. BARBARA LEE (D-CA9) ON 1/13/11 WITH RESPECT TO THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION ACT"
contact, ABC, CBS, NBC and all other mainstream media outlets to call a press conference? I'm a little baffled as to just how much clout these well meaning people actually have. Behind the scenes is how Obama slipped that Sham of an unemployment extension over on the American public. How about someone working IN FRONT of THE SCENE, on national TV with a full explanation to the public that the 13 month extension is only a PARTIAL EXTENSION. That only covers some of the unemployed and not even for a full 13 months. Until I see help on national TV, none of these on line discussions gets my hopes up. Most average Americans are asking “why do they need another extension if Obama just gave them 13 more weeks?
Actually the country just saved quite a large amount of money by not paying anything to the 99ers since March 2010!
This is a positive development, however unless there is some mechanism to pay for it, I cant see it going anywhere while the debate in the House will be dominated by budget cuting in the comming months. First of all, the tax extension compromise (which included the last EUC extension) was obviously designed to take this issue off the table (as we know many erronious reports stated this extended benefits for 99ers, so to some degree its working). I dont think either side want this in the news. Unless there is some majic bullet to pay for it, unfortunately I think this will be a political football at best, and will go no where.
We have to do something. We can't let this be the 4th Bill that is just ignored. We need to work on solutions to get this bill passed. We need some demonstrations, some media attention. We need something. These bills are like a teaser on Prom Night. We have to work on solutions to make this reality. This is a good step and more middle class are becoming 99ers, every week and this brings this bill closer to passing because a lot are becoming affected right now. Let's get it passed.
IF THESE BILLS KEEP GETTIG IGNORED.....PLEASE REMEMBER THIS THE NEXT ELECTION............DO NOT VOTE FOR THE ONES WHO DID NOTHING FOR THE 99ers !!!!!!!!!
PERIOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack I hear ya,
However after reading the stories of desperation from the unemployed and the response by only a hand full of politicians to help they all need to be ashamed not only as Americans but as human beings. "Remember the next election". They should all be impeached (or even jailed) for allowing these atrocities to happen to their fellow Americans. They are all aware there are not enough jobs available and your constituents need your help, now! We as a country have the nerve to condemn or criticize the Chinese president for the treatment of his people and argue at our own immigration issues, close the borders, throw them out, but fail to treat our own with the respect and dignity that's needed by every human being.
People argue about this party or that party, or the costs involved instead of the lives ruined because of (I'd like to use a phrase frequently used) no fault of they're own!
When we're BACK TO WORK then we'll figure out how to work harder, pay more in taxes or cut out overspending and how to cut down large corporate profits. Now is not the time for arguing, it's the time for helping!
These long-term unemployed need and deserve the help of every politician from the President down the line. They are all responsible for the health and well being of their fellow countrymen.
Not one of us could have collected unemployment if we never worked! We are the people that built this country, not for the corporations or the rich but for all of us!
Mr. President, Senators, Congressman all of you please get up off your fat as**'s and help your fellow Americans together!
We shouldn't have this person or that person introducing a bill and having to fight to do so, we should have everyone signing a bill extending unemployment until a sufficient job creation has been accomplished in our country, period!
Thanks for the update on Tier V. We will all continue fighting for the 99ers who never should have been omitted from HR 4853 and very soon those ending Tier IV will be 99ers but hopefully Tier 5 will be in full play because any jobs creation bill or jobs bill will not show any dent in the economy and joblessness for several mos as prior Economist last year had expressed.
Donna Lee King. Who cares about UCubed except you who benefitted financially and is keeping you out there for a little while longer. Please leave this thread alone because Michael is a terrific advocate for the unemployed and especially the 99ers!
I agree, been to that site...sucks. Just another ploy to cash in on the 99ers. Folks to waste your time.
Thank you paladinette but we will stay right here, stop trying to plug another website.
Thank you for all of the info including you 2 DonaLee. It is appreciated.
Oh brother!
There are many, many bills introduced each session which go no further than sitting in committee. They never make it to the floor. They're never debated. They never pass one chamber and move to the other. They're never passed by the other chamber. They're never signed into law. And at the end of a Congressional session, much like we saw in the 111th session, they're done. Kaput. Cya. Bye bye.
As Mike said, "This legislation still has many hoops to jump through." Sponsorship of new legislation, the introduction of that legislation, is only STEP ONE.
For every 99er who in the coming weeks will go to an unemployment forum and post anything resembling the following:
"I heard there's a new bill. What's going on with that?"
"Can someone tell me if there's going to be more weeks for the 99ers?"
this means you're NOT DOING YOUR SHARE OF THE WORK. Because not everyone knows the everyday intricacies of what' going on, but if you've been getting involved, you know where the bill stands at the moment, and you're calling and writing your legislators to keep it moving forward.
Every 99er MUST do hard work to get this bill passed. They MUST. There's no other way to say it or do it.
I'm not sure what the point is. 14 weeks, after nearly three years of unemployment seems useless. Does anyone think that jobs will magically reappear in the next 14 weeks? What happens at the end of the 14 weeks when those jobs don't magically reappear? We go through the same thing all over of course.
Plus, does anyone think that this bill will have a snowballs chance in hell in this House? The Republican majority is following the same, same, old, old agenda that it has for the past 20 years - spending cuts, tax cuts for the rich, abortion ban, medical liability reform, and so on.
We need a jobs bill that will create new jobs. A good place to start is infrastructure. But that's not going to happen. The Republicans and their obscenely rich benefactors have no interest in the common good or the common American - only in lining their own pockets.
The bottom line is that when we stop asking for peanuts and start aggressively demanding that all the American people be taken care of will change occur.
The purpose of this extension is to supplement, and help CATCH UP on rent, etc.. while continuing to look for a job. Don't get the two mixed up.
Is there any chance we can stop introducing bills and advocating for a certain number of weeks only? According to ALL experts, regardless of party, in or out of the current Administration, this problem will not get better for several years - current estimates are running in the 4-10 year range. By only asking for a set number of weeks, we're only going to have to fight again then like we did in 2010. The benefits need to continue until the overall UI rate comes down to a reasonable percentage so that people are not left behind.
It's better to ask for what you want and negotiate a settlement than to go in with the least that you would accept and have to fight for more later when it's unlikely to occur. That's a lesson that Obama should have taken to heart before negotiating us away to give more money to the rich with his tax cut compromise last month!
I agree with everything you've said. However--and it's a big however--99ers are now at the point where they literally have nothing left. Not a dime. Not a roof. Not daily food. For a while, times were unbearably tough, but they had a little (and not much). Now many have absolutely nothing. So something has to be done to sustain them, whether that's a little (this bill) or a lot. We had another 99er threaten suicide last night. It's simply unacceptable that this should happen.
This country needs change. This country's masses need to revolt against what's going on, so they're no longer swept under the political rug at every turn. But we can barely get our own off their a--es to call their congressmen. If they make a call once every few weeks, and sign an online petition, they think they deserve a gold star. There's nothing that has motivated millions of 99ers to DO in order to get what they want. So to get what we TRULY need--people marching in the streets, en masse, to let our government know that AMERICANS ARE DYING and WE KNOW JOBS AREN'T THERE FOR THOSE WHO NEED THEM? That isn't going to happen. Until the point that millions of peoples' pain becomes stronger than their fear, it's just not going to happen. So what do we have? We have a new bill, with some weeks, to give people some money--and we have to fight our a--es off for it, while many still sit back and watch.
@chicagogal: Totally agree with you as well. There was a rate of 1.7 to 1 at the beginning of this recession in Dec. 2007. Most everyone who wanted a job prior to that time had a job. But in the political arena, who's going to come forward and say that that needs to happen again, that until we get true and legitimate massive job creation that brings us back to that mark, we need benefits to continue? The answer is no one. We can aim high and negotiate lower all we want. But no one's willing to step up to the plate and do that. I mean, look at us. We're rejoicing because some legislators finally got off their butts and are going to introduce a bill for 14 weeks. Yahoo.
Case in point: Where are Dick Durbin, Sherrod Brown, Debbie Stabenow, Chuck Schumer, et al--the ones who "cared so deeply" about the unemployed? You don't see them out there reading those constituent letters coming from the "other" unemployed. You don't see any Sen. Care So Deeply having a town hall meeting and reading a letter from Bob, a constituent from his state over on the south side of the state, an unemployed manager whose benefits ended in July? Not a peep from those who should be doing the heavy lifting. They can barely utter the word "99ER."
the term is played out. 99er = failure. Nobody wants to be associated with that.
yeah, all those who seemed to care took a walk. they all disappeared.
Can't wait for the State of the Union address. I plan on having cold beer ready and waiting to chug when I hear the president say the word "99ers."
Bet I'll have flat, warm beer by the end of the 2011 Spin of the Union.
Too funny. I have decided that if OBAMA does NOT say the term 99ers in this speech than I am COMMITTED to working even harder to make sure he is a 1 term President than I did to help get him elected!
There will be no handouts past 2 years. Its been almost a year (and probably longer) that these whiners have been on this case. Don't you think by now something would have even been debated seriously if it even was a realistic topic. Thats why you're being ignored by the decision makers -- they know you're only in it for one thing. More free money. Do you even know how bad that even sounds for your cause?
It's attitudes like yours that have been spread across the country by people like Palin and Beck and Limbaugh. It's called eliminationist rhetoric. It's used primarily by Republicans, and their operatives. Those include extreme conservatives, Tea Partiers, conservative talk radio and TV. It’s surreptitiously supported by the greedy ultra rich who don’t feel that they have a duty to pay their fair share into the country and its citizens. They have lost their humanity, and they are taking yours with them as well.
Eliminationist rhetoric is designed to belittle and instill indifference toward peoples that this group doesn't agree with. Belittle them, make them less than human and make them go away. Make them so unworthwhile that we will reject and refuse them the simple right to live and survive and get by.
It's a hateful form of communication. It's been used for years toward minorities and ethnic groups. It has no place in human society. We are people, we are human beings. And we deserve to be treated like human beings. Not left in the gutter.
Troll (Internet)
In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into a desired emotional response[1] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.[2] In addition to the offending poster, the noun troll can also refer to the provocative message itself, as in "that was an excellent troll you posted". While the term troll and its associated action trolling are primarily associated with Internet discourse, media attention in recent years has made such labels highly subjective, with trolling being used to describe intentionally provocative actions outside of an online context. For example, recent media accounts have used the term troll to describe "a person who defaces internet tribute sites with the aim of causing grief to families."[3][4]
Dash seems to be a regular on here.I wonder who's paying him for all his time he spends on here
There will be over a thousand protesters in Washington D.C. tomorrow, protesting against abortion. There have been over 35 million abortions in America. I, for one am against abortion and would attend the pro-life protest if I were not a 99er.
Maybe someone can answer my question. I would like to know why we the 99ers have not protested in our cities and Washington against the discrimination we have been facing since last year. We have no income and called lazy bums and good-for-nothings. Some reports have indicated over 6 or 12 million people are unemployed without any income. Why haven't there been any mass protests? A candle light vigil or a group of 20 protesting in New York (in front of Wall Street) got us no where. If we don't protest and show Washington we are serious, no Tier V but death to our lives and effort. We cannot blame anyone except ourselves if we do not get Tier V.
JCS makes a valid point - how is it that we can't even get a handful of people together to march and protest about our situation?
Make that happen, and you can be sure that people will sit up and take notice.
Thanks for the good news good to know they did not forget we are still out here. Donalee King what does ucube have to do with this?
Donalee - so who will you vote for instead? Sarah Palin? Newt Gingrich? Mike Huckabee? Mitt Romney? Tim Pawlenty?
None of them are interested in helping us. You're just shooting yourself in the foot.
We need to get Obama's attention and force him to act on our behalf. There are a helluva lot more of us than there are Tea Partiers or obscene rich people pouring untold millions (anonymously, for that matter) into attack ads and Republican politician coffers.
We have to take on Obama and make him start working for us, and we have to take on those micro-minority powers that be. I don't know what it will look like, but it's time to take the power back from those folks - by any means necessary.
You had better start doing it for yourself, because nobody else is going to. I would think you would know this already.
Good article Mike. I too am wondering why this bill is only for 14 weeks. The 99er's are going to keep growing and depleting their extensions because nothing is being done about job creation - especially for a living wage. They need to extend this for the rest of 2011 - to give job creation a chance and to extend a life-line (not a handout) to tax paying Americans who have worked all of their lives. And I would also like to know what the heck U-Cubed is doing for the 99er's. It was Gregg Rosen of the American 99ers Union that Representative Lee chose to contact about this bill. That says it all right there.
Gregg is very articulate, not easily thrown by what comes his way...and I thank him very much for his hard work.
I've seen that dude and know some people that have had run-ins with him. He talks in circles and no one really takes him serious. Hes just a front man (which probably makes him more productive than most of you), but he his still a long way from being credible.
Unlike some of those politicians in the past, who sponsored a bill and then left it to rot on the shelf. Rep. Barbara Lee seems to be more sincere about pushing for a bill for the 99ers. You know she has to be sincere to go to those lengths of contacting the The American 99ers Union and asking them for their support to help pass this upcoming bill.
No one else has done that before. And I have also heard they are trying to work out a way to pay for this bill. The Republicans keep saying if someone can find a way to pay for a benefit extension, they claim they would then pass one. Well now it will be time to see if the Republicans keep their promise on this. And if they want a Republican president in the White House in 2012, then they better keep that promise. Other wise millions of unemployed across this nation will be voting for another Democrat for president.
Well Said, Carol.
Thank you Shannon.
And pdsnickels I do believe this bill this time is different.
I think these Representatives this time are sincerely trying to help the 99ers. And would have a good chance to pass. That is if the Republicans don't pull some political game again. And like I say we need to hold the presidential election over their heads and let them know there are not just a few jobless out there but millions of potential voters. And they will vote for whomever votes yes on this new bill. And we need to make sure the Republicans get that message from all of us.
Here we go again with the NOVOs. Lesson not learned on 11/3rd it appears. Well I'm not playing your games you and paladinette and your crew. Vote for the best person doing the job they were elected to do and concentrate on that. Pocket the crap it serves NO purpose. You ladies have your own agenda it appearsl.
First of all, (unofficially; don't quote me) I believe there is a method suggested to pay for this bill and it is The Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-252, H.R. 2642), which was signed into law on June 30, 2008. It is an Act of Congress that appropriated $250 billion for ongoing military operations and domestic programs.
As to it only being for 14 weeks, we all know UI extensions should be extended UNTIL UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS BELOW 7.5% or something like that. However, there is just absolutely no real chance of getting anything like that through Congress at this time. Even if people had voted Democrat in Nov., which might have helped us, I doubt such a bill to extend benefits until the % drops below 7.5% would be able to get passed.
So I am guessing that the 14 week extension is what they believe they can fund and get passed.
I hope all individuals and groups - whether members of the A99U or not will support this bill. We have reason to believe that this is a REAL attempt to get extensions for 99ers and we feel every 99er - in fact EVERY UNEMPLOYED PERSON - should support this bill with all the energy, time and resources they have available to them. Try to meet personally with your Rep. and ask him her to please support any bill that comes down the pike for 99ers, and mention that Rep. Lee is working on this bill to add 14 weeks to Tier 1 and ask your Rep. to please support this.
Some people are so full of themselves and their egos that they could care less about the 99ers they just want to keep the funding coming HER way right paladinette! President Obama 1 termer if he doesn't dance to your music well nice try because you are already not popular so go after President Obama you and your ladies.
Clever that way she can quietly join forces with the conservatives and become another paid blogger. Put nothing pass some ppl and what they will do for money.
Here's a suggestion! We can pay for the 99er unemployment extension by asking Obama to borrow the money from the tax cuts for the rich!
I am not sure what the inference here is but Carol and I are not one of Donalee's "Ladies". Nor are we "Novo's". For the record I am a registerd Democrat and always vote for my party and did so in November. Unfortunately we have a completely ineffective Presidenet whom I do not want to see re-elected. What I do want to see is another viable "Democratic" Candidate who will actually try to do something for the poor and the unemployed in this country. I would never vote for a Repblican period. Carol and I are admins for UWAG -which is a site dedicated to helping and informing the unemployed. You can check this out and see what actions have been taken this last year. We don't solicit donations ever, and do not have a "paypal" button on our site. What I would like to see here is all of the 99er's banding together to get this bill passed. This type of infighting is pointless and destructive and does nothing to further along any kind of legislation.
Shannon,
Thank you for clarifying this.
Amen to that.
Some people jump to the wrong conclusions.
And then go spouting off about something when they do not even have the correct facts about the matter.
Plus this is just a waste of time when we should all be working together with one goal in mind. Getting help for the 99ers.
The trolls are getting scared that help might be coming and are coming out in droves to thwart people from contacting their reps! Don't waste your time engaging with them, they aren't worthy of civil discourse (or uncivil)! Use your anger towards them as fuel when you contact a reps office who opposes any further extensions is the best thing to feed the trolls! God Bless
As President of UWAG I just want to clarify any misconceptions:
*UWAG is not nor never was for NOVO
*UWAG has never taken one cent from anyone nor have I personally, for our work. I paid to maintain the web site out of my own pocket and do all work on a volunteer basis.
*Shannon and Carol work on a volunteer basis as well
*I personally have advocated voting out all incumbents who do not actively support 99ers, though not all UWAG members agree with this policy. We are bi-partisan as a group though I have always been Democrat. However now the Democrats seem too much like Republicans, for the most part
*I don't think Donalee is a member of UWAG though we do interface at times to support the 99er cause
As to the Obama comments:
The FACT is, Obama has never once publicly mentioned the 99ers in a major speech (maybe not even in a minor speech), and he has done NOTHING for us whatsoever. He could have fought for us during the tax cut negotiations but he chose not to, instead he just caved to the Republicans.
I am not advocating we vote for a Republican instead. However I would like to see a REAL Democrat run instead of Obama in 2012.
You have my vote we should get together to make sure this gets passed. Thanks mike and if donalee king is a member of the 99 union or for us shouldnt she be talking about what's going on?
I, too, want to see a REAL Democrat, instead of Obama, run in 2012. What a let down Obama turned out to be after all his campaign BS about "Hppe and Change".
He gave hope and TONS of change to the wealthiest people but did NOTHING to aid millions of unemployed people during the longest period of high unemployment since the Great Depression.
Obama and the rest of the pampered politicians in DC are DISGUSTING!
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