Unemployed voters are left in a predicament when it comes to the November elections

As one of the long term unemployed workers in CO who supported Andrew Romanoff (and who has been all but ignored by both Michael Bennet and Mark Udall in repeated requests for assurances regarding their position with respect to those who have exhausted all UI benefits and the continuing lack of private-sector job creation), I find myself in a very disheartening predicament as a result of Bennet's Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate. 

For those who know me, it's no secret that I don't want to support Bennet and am discouraged with the entire Colorado delegation to Washington when it comes to leadership for the long-term unemployed.  I've made two calls in the last week to Bennet's campaign office (I've given up calling his DC & District offices) and both times was told someone would 'call me back'.  Nothing - no call back, no response, no comment - nothing, as usual.

Mark Udall is only interested in the 'Colorado Wilderness' - the only issue that dominates his so-called newsletters. I've decided that maybe the Wilderness 'issue' really should be his #1 priority because soon the long term unemployed will be living in, and on the Colorado wilderness.  It's a good thing the mountains in Colorado are such a peaceful and breath-takingly beautiful place to reside.  Great leadership Senator Udall, thank you.

On the other hand, if the Republicans take control of one or both chambers, and if Ken Buck wins the Colorado Senate seat, the outlook for the long term unemployed gets much more bleak than it already is. 

In addition to calling Bennet's campaign office, I called Buck's campaign office and had a rather lively discussion with one of his staff members earlier this week.  At the end of the day, the position taken by Buck is, not surprisingly, the same position taken by Mitch McConnell & Co. on Capitol Hill in recent months.   

Buck's people only want to talk about how we got into this economic mess (referring not to the disastrous Bush administration & policies, but instead referring to the 'failed' Obama stimulus and other policies which, of course, everyone knows the Republicans have filibustered continually).   Buck's staffer told me the 'solution' is for all of the unemployed to obtain work - get jobs.  Really? - I didn't realize that until this guy gold me that; I am now much more educated on the matter, to be sure. 

Just like McConnell & Co., there was no definitive plan or proposal about how Mr. Buck would put the unemployed back to work, but this staffer did agree that it will take years to create the 8 million (plus) jobs lost in this (depression) and even longer to create the jobs necessary to put the 30 million unemployed and under-employed workers back to work.  When I asked, "In the meantime (meaning the years it will take to replace the lost jobs), what happens to the millions of people who will have exhausted all of their unemployment benefits and be living in shelters when the current UI extension expires in November?  The staffer, who seemed genuine in his response said, 'It would be terrible if it comes to that."  

He did, however, ask if I had any ideas about how to put the country back to work.  I laid out the usual:  Yes: stop allowing the outsourcing of millions of US jobs overseas, use the TARP money to fund UI extensions and job creation legislation, prohibit the exhorbitant executive's salaries and bonuses of the same banking insitutions that helped create this economic meltdown.  I even suggested that the millions of foreclosed homes could be used to house the middle class, unemployed workers who have lost everything and no longer have a home of their own to reside in (another idea not very popular with those same TARP funded, overpaid banking executives).  The Republicans not not only have no plan of their own, but when confronted about the unemployment issue, they are asking for ideas from those who call their campaign offices.  We are in trouble, folks.

These politicians and many (but not all) of their staffers, are not only callous, they are clueless.  There are tens of thousands in Colorado, and millions across the country who have already exhausted their UI benefits.  Many have already lost their homes, filed bankruptcy and are living in shelters.  The UI office recently confirmed they are receiving calls from claimants who are now living on the streets or in a shelter and are using payphones to contact the UI division to re-open claims or request payment as a result of the last extension passed by Congress.

To be fair, both Bennet and Udall have consistently voted in favor of all unemployment benefit extensions and related job-creation bills that Harry Reid has managed to be bring to a vote in the Senate.  In the House, only the so-called Democrat Markey,along with Republicans Lamborn and Coffman voted against extending UI benefits.  Yesterday, while I was in a meeting at the Denver office of Working America regarding the AFl-CIO's nationwide initiative to Mobilize the Unemployed, I was told that Markey stood in front of a group of unemployed workers and said with regard to extending unemployment benefits, "I'm concerned about the cost..."

I appreciate - and thank - those who voted in favor of extending UI benefits, including Michael Bennet.  However, the lack of direct dialogue to (and about) the rapidly growing number of long-term unemployed workers who have already - or will soon - exhaust all of their UI benefits and the lack of private sector job creation in Colorado, makes it difficult for me to believe anyone representing Colorado in the House or the Senate (with the exception of Ed Perlmutter) is 'working hard to assist the unemployed' in finding work and in staying off the streets or out of shelters.

Like many of the Romanoff supporters, I don't want to get boxed into the idea being pushed by the  Democratic machine that I "must to vote for Bennet because the alternative of not voting altogether, is worse"  (which is particularly true for those who are unemployed), but given the continuing economic deterioration, I don't feel as if I have a choice other than to vote for Bennet in the general election - which is exactly what the Democratic establishment wants and expects.

On the principles of politics only (ie: the investment banking style / deal making in restructuring DPS debt)  and the unwelcomed intervention of the WH and the DNC in the Democratic Senate primary the answer is clear.  Abstain, vote for a third party candidate, or write in 'Romanoff.'

However, for the long-term unemployed, the alternative answer is equally clear:  our day-to-day lives will literally become increasingly horrific if Ken Buck were to be elected and if the Republicans gain the majority in either chamber.  They have voted against every unemployment extension, against all measures to stimiluate private-sector job creation and will continue to do the same.  For the long-term unemployed, a win by Ken Buck is one step closer to living on the streets.

Why can't (or won't) Democratic candidates running for re-election, as well as those not currently up for re-election, step up and initiate dialogue with the growing block of unemployed voters who need help?  The unemployed are desperately looking for leadership - and assurances that they will not continue to be forgotten by those in Washington - but to this point have received no such assurances from our so-called leaders.

What are the Independent, Democrat and Republican unemployed voters to do?  This dilemma is reverberating across the state and the nation.

There are currently a total of 211,000 unemployed workers in Colorado (the total unemployed workers that are 'counted' according to the BLS definition in calculating the 'official' unemployment rate; even the pros will tell you this is an understated number).  The number of unemployed workers, many of which are middle class, registered voters, is substantially higher than the total number of votes Michael Bennet obtained in winning the nomination which came in at approximately 183,000.

This fact does not lend credence to, or explain the defeaning silence from Bennet's campaign on the issue of the long-term unemployed, but perhaps it does fully explain the AFL-CIO's intention to mobilize unemployed voters in an effort to elect ONLY those candidates who openly support the long term unemployed. 

There are 153,000+ Romanoff supporters to convince, many of which are certainly among the unemployed.  Regardless, there are currently a minimum of 211,000 unemployed registered (or potentially registered) Republican, Democrat and Independent voters in Colorado.  That is a big block of voters to get off the couch and out to vote, but it is a block large enough to determine the outcome in the November elections. 

All 211,000 unemployed workers have an unprecedented motivation to get off the couch, get registered and get out to vote.  And they will most certainly vote only for those candidates who initiate dialogue and provide leadership and assurances about their (immediate and long-term) economic future - a future which is currently very bleak.

Check back here often for updates regarding the AFL-CIO's nationwide initiative as well as local plans & actions organized by the Denver chapter of the AFL-CIO's non-union affiliate, Working America.  Events are being planned and will begin to take place in the near future.