July 30 congressional call-in campaign
All of your phone calls, emails, faxes and petitions may be beginning to pay off. Yesterday in my post 99ers Strike Back! – Call, fax, and email; Reid, Pelosi, Schumer and Stabenow until they help 99ers, I highlighted a 99er call in campaign that was aimed at the staffs of Senators Reid, Schumer and Stabenow and also Speaker Pelosi. Many of you participated in the call campaign and some of you left comments about how you contacted the staffs and that many of you received an out-of-office reply, as I did. Don’t be too discouraged because when they get back to work on Monday they will have overloaded fax machines, full mailboxes and tired ears from listening to phone messages. In fact, Rob C sent me an email conversation between unemployment advocate Tee Bear and Alex Levy of Sen. Schumer’s office. EMAIL #3 should make you all smile knowing that your message is getting through loud and clear!
EMAIL #1
From: Alex_Levy@schumer.senate.gov
To: teebear39@msn.com
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:50:51 -0400
Subject: Re: 99er's
Please stop e-mailing me. I'm in receipt of your message.
-----------
EMAIL # 2
From: Tee Bear
To: Levy, Alex (Schumer)
Sent: Thu Jul 29 23:57:28 2010
Subject: RE: 99er's
Sorry to bother you, but this is a very important for those of us who are facing eviction from our homes.
Tee
----------
EMAIL # 3
I know, and it's a very important issue to the Senator. That is why we are teaming up w/ Senator Stabenow to provide relief to the 99ers.
I have an early morning flight today and the flurry of over 100 e-mails buzzing on my BlackBerry between 11 and midnight woke me up twice. Hence my curt note below. I apolgize for it.
I’m very sorry to hear that Mr. Levy did not get a good night’s sleep, but now he knows what it’s like t be a 99er – benefit exhaustee – and how they can’t sleep over worrying about where they will get the funds to pay for rent, utilities, vehicle, food and medications. Mr. Levy just had a restless night that has been repeated millions of times by those on the edge of financial destruction; the long-term unemployed.
Rep. Berkley may now write 99er focused unemployment legislation
Rob C has been a very busy person of late and is a driving force behind much of the media attention being focused on the long-term unemployed. Rob told me that Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) has had a change of heart and she will now take the initiative and be an author of unemployment benefits legislation aimed at 99ers – unemployment benefit “exhaustees.” The reason for this change of heart is that she was brought to the carpet by a local Las Vegas reporter who asked why she was backing away from the push to add a Tier 5 or other unemployment benefits option:
JOBLESSNESS: Nevada lawmakers call for new level of jobless benefits
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., previously said she would back an additional 13 or 26 weeks of jobless payments in a new tier.
"Given the situation in the state of Nevada, I think it is going to be the difference between surviving and not for many Nevada families," Berkley said. "Perhaps we can do something for the hardest hit."
Then according to a conversation Rob C had with Berkley’s staff, and reported by LaDona King of San Diego Unemployment Examiner: Congresswoman Shelley Berkley dumps fight for 99ers
Rob C. had a phone conference only a few minutes ago in which Urey said: "Representative Berkley declines to write the requested legislation to help the 99ers. It is ‘too tough of a fight’and she is not willing to get into it. The American people do not have the will to help the 99ers and do not want to add anything to the deficit. I am so sorry we cannot help you,"
Now according to Rob, Rep. Berkley is back on board and may write benefit exhaustee legislation. The issue is that the House is now on recess and unless a special session of the House is called, any legislation will have to wait until mid-September. That is the issue that’s now being addressed between Rob and Rep. Berkley’s staff. I’ll have more on that situation as it develops.
The Rob C Report
I should have called this piece the Rob C report, since the following section of this article deals with Rob’s latest advocacy adventure on RT TV – The Alyona Show. Here you call all meet Rob C, Rob Curtis, and listen to his presentation on just why 99er legislation is so important.
As Alyona points out in the beginning of the piece, “The unemployed are fighting back. Sick of being told by lawmakers that they are lazy and that they are dumb; they don’t deserve an extension to their benefits. Groups are now popping up to start lobbying for their cause.”
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlyonaShow#p/u/6/kqxOQympjPg
.jpg)
The unemployed can be a political force
When Annie Lowrey interviewed me for her story on organizing the long-term unemployed The Unemployed, Organized Online, Look to the Midterms, I told her: “You have millions of unemployed people out there. If even half of them voted, they could swing a nationwide election.”
From there Annie took that statement and ran with it to the Rachel Maddow Show where she explained how the unemployed could be a force to be considered during this fall’s election. Then the following story at the Economist pushed that thought forward.
The Economist: unemployed people are exerting political pressure on government
Yes, the unemployed are becoming a force to be reckoned with. Another article about the unemployed and their concerted efforts for justice was printed in the Economist. It’s a short piece, but it covers a lot of ground:
It shouldn't be surprising that unemployed people are exerting political pressure on government for benefits and jobs programmes. It seems obvious that people suffering hardship would organise to demand relief. But in fact, it's a truism of political science that the poor and downtrodden are rarely capable of effective protest or mobilisation. The poor generally lack the resources needed to engage in effective political action; they're too busy worrying about where the next meal will come from. To mount a successful movement, you need large numbers of people with the time and skills to mobilise; they need to self-identify as a group; and they need to have a motivating ideology or clear goal, often a negative one. What's happening now, with the increase in duration of unemployment, is that you're starting to get large numbers of people with good organisational skills and lots and lots of time on their hands. And they're spending enough time without jobs that they are beginning to self-identify as unemployed, and to form bonds with others in the same situation. This is a phenomenon that I don't think has been seen in America since Martin Luther King's marches against poverty in the 1960s, if not since the Depression, and it will be interesting to see what comes of it.
Political pressure is what’s needed to get political action from a Congress that is simply ignoring the matter of long-term unemployment.
The author of the piece states;
“The unemployment netroots appear to be able to generate a tremendous volume of phone and letter response, and are making a name for themselves with congressional staffers and representatives.”
Making a name for themselves in this regard is a good thing! Congress does not act out of kindness and it doesn’t act out of any desire to do good; it acts on demands of its constituents. If acting mild and meek, constituents will not see Congress act in their interest, but if those same constituents are forceful, persistent and knowledgeable, they will get the legislative attention of Congress.
The author finds it difficult to classify the unemployed movement:
“But much of it has a tea-partyish feel that renders it unclassifiable in partisan terms.'
While the unemployed movement may have a tea-party feel, I see it as much more than that. The Tea Party is made up generally of white, older Americans and it dismisses most government action. The unemployed movement is black, brown and white; it covers every creed, ethnic background, income level, career history and education, it is national in scope and wary of government inaction. Another important difference: The Tea-Party is funded by wealthy current and former Republicans such as Dick Armey, while the unemployed movement is not funded and is a mostly a volunteer advocacy group.
You’ll find the articles comments section interesting and at times entertaining. The following is one of the most important graphs regarding the long-term unemployed. It shows, unfortunately, that their ranks are increasing dramatically. While that’s handy when it comes to political influence, it is not a trend that any of us want to see increasing:
Why Democrats need to be thanked and criticized
I want to address a comment left by Susan:
Susan - To all of those lambasting Shumer and other Democrats, keep in mind that right now Democrats are the only ones who are doing any fighting for the unemployed. Perhaps your anger should be more directed at the Republicans who repeatedly do not support any unemployment bill. Without some Republican support, Democrats can not get anything passed - understand all the frustration here but place your anger on the ones who are doing nothing, not the ones who are still trying.
Thank you for your comment, Susan. Senator Schumer has been one of the strongest advocates for the long-term unemployed and he is deserving of respect and admiration for those stands, but what is needed is action. Benefit exhaustees need to know that their congressional advocates are working to add additional weeks of unemployment benefits to the current maximums. Democrats must come forward with an unemployment benefits package that can be passed. Just because it will be difficult due to Republican’s nonstop obstructionism, even to bills they like, doesn’t mean the Democrats can just sit back and wait. Millions of unemployed Americans can’t wait any longer. Either put them to work or add additional weeks of benefits.
How obstructionist have the Republicans been? According to Arthur Delaney’s latest piece: Senate To Vote On State Aid Monday
Previous domestic aid bills have gone down in flames because Republicans and Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson have insisted that the cost of helping the poor, old, and jobless not be added to the deficit. This bill is fully offset with spending cuts and tax increases on U.S.-based multinational corporations, but Republicans have not signaled whether they will support it.
99 is simply a number
It’s not that 99 weeks is the longest that benefits have ever been offered. As you can see from the following graph, kindly provided me by LaDona King, the San Diego Unemployment Examiner, during the job crisis of the 1980s, unemployment benefits were extended for up to 33 months. I’m not sure of the maximum weeks allowed at that time, but I’ll look for that information this coming week. Regardless, it shows that 99 weeks is simply a number that seems comfortable to congress, but it is taking the lofe out of those that are exhausting these necessary benefits.
Ed Schultz makes the case for continued benefits
And I don’t want to forget the support provided by Ed Schultz. On Ed’s Thursday show he laid into the Democrats and Republicans for their inability to forward legislation that helps benefit exhaustees. It’s worth a look:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/38495031#38477005
Keep the pressure on Congress to act responsibly and quickly for the long-term unemployed and especially benefit exhaustees. It’s a sometimes painful, frustrating process, but you are getting through…………….
Additional benefits?
The Denver Unemployment Examiner, Kelly Wiedemer, has been looking into possible extended benefit options available to benefit exhaustees. Her latest piece,
99ers potentially not eligible for an additional 7 weeks of (SEB2) unemployment benefits, gives us some further details.
Here’s the daily list
Subscribe to Rochester Unemployment Examiner articles. If you want to help out my site, I would appreciate it if you would subscribe to my posts. This is a simple task of clicking on the Subscribe button above, which is located directly below the title of my post, and then entering your email address. When I add a new post, you will be notified at the email address you enter. You won't receive any spam, just my posts. Thanks.
How has unemployment affected you and your family? Have you applied for hundreds of jobs and received no job offers? Have you been rejected for a job because you are unemployed? Have you been rejected for a job because of your credit score? Has age discrimination played a part in your job hunt? Send your letters to mike@layofflist.org.
Due to all the unemployment news that I'm trying to cover, I have fallen behind in responding to all the email I have received, but I will do my utmost to reply to each and everyone of you.
Congress.org has a great media contact list:http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/
Another media contact list is located at:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_oet&address=358x1903
Keeping the Tier 5 and extended unemployment issues alive is going to be up to you, so be sure to contact your congressional representatives as often as you can. You need to continue to pressure Congress to act responsibly and to extend benefits for those unable to find work. Send your representative a fax using FaxZero.com. As has been mentioned in the comments section, you can send up to two free faxes a day.
Here's a great site where you can find both state and federal contact information: http://conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm
Please send your comments and questions to mike@layofflist.org.
I’ll post updates as they are made available. You can also view my updates and new posts at Twitter: http://twitter.com/layofflist
You can also follow numerous unemployment issues on Facebook. My profile is located at Rochester Unemployment-Examiner (dash between Unemployment and Examiner).
Comments
NO tricky FED-EU by state!!
This has to be a FEDERAL extension!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mike, another great post! I can always count on you to talk about the things that are most important in this fight. And yes, it is a fight - a fight for our very survival!
I thought Rob C did a great job in articulating the problem. He is right about this nation becoming a have-have not society with no middle class. Just this week, the have-nots almost lost one person and saved another person from the same fate. There are so many people who are in such a panic mode due to imminent eviction and the lame-stream media is not even reporting it!
Just this past Sunday, the Chicago Tribune ran a story about what the 99ers should do when their benefits run out. Mind you it was in the middle of the Business section, but included such gems as using your 401k or pension money, giving up all of your possessions and asking friends or family for loans. How many of us can even do that - and why should we have to?
Exactly. Why should WE have to give up everything because Congress screws up?
Thanks, Mike for all of the hard work and great information.
It really is invigorating to know we are finally being heard.
That kind of information re-energizes me during the times when I need really need something to make me keep moving forward.
No, I will not give Schumer nor his staff any respect. They have done nothing but lie to us for months. Schumer has never ever, ever advocated on behalf of the 99ers.
Schumer puts out press releases but actually, he never does anything. Call any day of the week and you get a different story from that staff.
Mike, you had SO much ground to cover in this particular piece regarding the unemployed movement and what we're all seeing happening here--and you really did it so well. Congrats.
I for the first time in two years feel some hope and thank all the wonderful people such as yourself for helping us 99er's. I personally E mailed Berkley when I read the piece where she says " it's just too tough of a fight" I saw red and E mailed my disgust and I also reminded her how Las Vegas was once a nice place to live. I raised two children as a single parent and lived there from 1981-1996. It was thriving at one time and she has turned her back on them and all of us. I'm glad she decided to get tough and help us.
Michael Thornton,
Thank you so much for this great news. And I truly believe if you had not kept on this Tier 5 issue so long and persistently the unemployed would not see this come about.
Mike you are our hero along with the others who have worked so long and tirelessly on this issue.
Mike your Long Term Payments chart is really informative, by the age of most in congress they should remember all of those times! I remember the early 80's thats when my dad lost his union job of 33 years and his pension! I was laid off during that time as well, however personally I've never endured it at the level that were in now! I will be sending berkley some words of encouragement, along with schumer, stabenow, snowe, collins and the rest of the gang! We need to put an end to these filibusters!!!!Thanks and God Bless ALL!!!!!!
Mike - Thank you from the bottom of my heart for working so diligently on these super informative articles. It's been so hard to keep going, but evertime I see a Rochester email in my mailbox I find the strength for one more day.
Mike, Thank you for all the effort you have put forth pertaining to the 99er's getting help that is desperately needed. The only thing that really gives me hope is knowing we have the backing of someone who has gone above the call of duty on our behalf...Thank you and thank you again.
Staff Salaries
LegiStorm remains the exclusive online home of congressional staff salaries. This is the only spot on the web where you can find out who's making the big money on Capitol Hill and who's toiling for peanuts.
google legistorm for info
It looks like a truckload of the unemployed will be 99ers by the end of the year. And although it's difficult to maintain a sense of humor anymore, picture this piece of irony: Most of the houses, condos, & apartments will be empty due to forclosure or eviction. And we will all have to live in tents & cars . . . sittin' on the curbs outside in the evening, lookin' up at what once was. 30 million people ought to be able to collectively do something about that. One last comment here. Not to kick a gift horse in the mouth, but it's hard to figure out what to do with groceries (provided by food stamps) when you have no kitchen, no stove, or no fridge anymore.
THANK YOU Michael, for being such a HERO and image of HOPE for so many of us 99ers.
You are a bright light for all of us 99ers. Thank You for being so deligent in helping us down trodden Americans. It's a sad state of affairs when we have to come to all of this to get the attention and help we Americans deserve. I hope in November we can vote in more Pro American Representatives we need them. How did this country get so far off track? It must be Greed! Thank You, maybe you should run for office?
THANKS MIKE.........it is time that the people stood up for themselves. We were hard working people before we lost our jobs and our dignity.
Mike thanks again for YOUR tenacity in behalf of the Unemployed as a whole and the 99ers in general. A Tier V to Survive is needed asap! We have to make sure we are NOT being played and this is NOT directed towards those who benefited from HR 4213 later down the road to coincide with their return to Washington in September. Those EUC Exhaustees that ended Tier IV in March & April have nothing and have begged/borrowed/and stole to SURVIVE in a wealthy country such as it is in America! Keep up YOUR good works in our behalf. P.S. Something doesn't feel right with ONE week left before the Senate goes on summer break & I just want to be sure this isn't for SHOW to introduce a bill for TIER V and have it tabled as scripted then do it again in September for the MORE Millions of unemployed and it passes of course along with a Jobs bill ALL to make the Democrats and their commercials look good for the November elections! Thanks Mike for your low-key fight with the pen for the 99ers!
As hundreds of thousands of unemployed/underemployed are added each month to the 99ers.....WATCH IN NOVEMBER!Even if it's not YOUR turn yet, legislators.....it will be your turn soon. Come join us in the unemployment line!
PELOSI---OUT!VOINOVICH---OUT!NELSON---OUT!ALL OF YOU OUT-OUT-OUT!
You "legislator" just sent BILLIONS to Haiti.....are you kidding me?
Millions to the PLO---billions to Pakistan---are you kidding me?
AMERICANS FIRST!
Illegal immigrants protesting in the streets.... are you kidding me? Get the hell out of our country! Brush off your platforms anyone who wants to run against these idiot legislators.... you have a real chance of getting elected via grass roots campaigns! All you have to do is promise to help Americans FIRST!!!
AMERICA FIRST!!!!!
Dear unemployed/underemployed---let's not forget that these "legislator" work at the pleasure of the AMERICAN PEOPLE> WE are their bosses. Would your former employer allow a six week vacation for you when there was still work to be done? Would your former employer allow you to disreguard a problem, because it was just "too hard?" I think NOT!
We are a group to be dealt with, and don't let them forget it! The way I feel, it doesn't matter WHAT they do now.... it's too late for so many of the lives they have ruined! Think about how much time and effort it will cost to rebuild our lives. VOTE THEM OUT!
Mike under the long term payments charts there were both republican and democrats holding majority during the different recessions! How did those past extensions get funded by pay-go? If we knew more, there might be something there we could tell our congress on how it was done before (and use it against them)! Just a thought!! Thanks, GOD BLESS!!!
During the most recent recession, after the collapse of the stock bubble in 2001, Congress created federal unemployment benefits to supplant state programs, and kept them until the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent. During the much more severe recession in the early 1980s, Congress let extended federal benefits expire when unemployment was 7.2 percent. Even the most optimistic forecasts do not suggest the United States will see that unemployment rate again until 2012 or 2013, at the earliest
Maybe the reason why the economy stalled is because millions are without benefits to feed their local economies not the handful of people that didnt buy $8000 dollar purses and $200,000 dollar cars! Their so IGNORANT!!
As spending by wealthy weakens, so does economy
By JEANNINE AVERSA, AP Economics Writer Jeannine Aversa, Ap Economics Writer – 1 hr 20 mins ago
WASHINGTON – Wealthy Americans aren't spending so freely anymore. And the rest of us are feeling the squeeze.
Its GOP propaganda like this that makes the brainwashed vote for them! In this particular article the people that shop at saks and bloomingdales are the drivers of the economy! Buying high end foriegn products like goochi and ferraries( I know their mispelled) is what keeps our local grocery stores, gas stations, and american companies like kraft in business! It doesn't make sense to these ignorant baffoons that selling 100 cheaper shirts spurts more job growth than selling 1 expensive one made in france! How screwed will we be if saks and bloomingdales goes under!!!
You're right - wealthy, but relatively very small niche markets that sell foreign-made labels don't drive the economy, except in the Republican voo-doo economics mind-set.
I really feel for the 99ers as I approach being unemployed for over a year. My question is this - what about me when I become a 99er (pray that does not happen tho)? Will there be extended legislation for me -- should Congress help the current 99ers? Just very curious about there being equal treatment for all unemployed.
@ Musician, Its supposed to go by the current rate of unemployment at that time, not political gaming! Unless someone does some serious hiring like millions in the next quarter its not expected to reach better levels until 2012, from things I've read! Oh, and it depends on the state you live in also!
Live in Ohio - high unemployment rate - I am unable to move either.
Thanks, too, to Mike for this column - excellent resource on the latest.
Musician, I'm in MI, we were the leader in unemployment until Nevada knocked us of the top! The first thing to take out of the budget is entertainment, sorry Las Veagas, survival comes first!
off the top,sorry typo!
Thank you Mike, it is like a refuge to come to your sight with all the information pertaining to the 99er's that you provide. Keeping us updated and informed is a big help for us, and knowing somebody is really on our side and fighting for our cause just makes me want to send you a big Thank You!
Thank you for your help on the unemployment. I got the back pay today. The 99ers need this too. They are in wirse shape than I was because they have been out of work so long. Mike, they need to look at the insurance too. If I am right it will cost me a $1000.00 just to keep up to date with cobra. The 99ers, I am sure do not have insurance either. OMG what a mess. The people that are unemployed did not do this. The fat cats did.
Help us all
Thank You Michael so much for your support!!!! I have emailed them several times with no reply must be nice to be heading into a nice financially stable month long vacation. I wouldn't be able to live with myself and enjoy it knowing 4mill americans are suffering.
For those who like to send mass emails, here is a list I copyed off of another site GLUCK:
paul_wilkins@baucus.senate.gov, dick.meltzer@mail.house.gov, brooke_jamison@gillibrand.senate. gov, jack_danielson@levin.senate.gov, Michael.mucchetti@mail.house.gov, toby.whitney@mail.house.gov, Derek_miller@harkin.senate.gov, danny.cromer@mail.house.gov, tamara_fucile@merkley.senate.gov, sam_goodstein@whitehouse.senate.gov, ben_olinsky@franken.senate.gov, Eleanor_dehoney@brown.senate.gov, kim_love@stabenow.senate.gov, Karen.agostisi@mail.house.gov, david.cherry@mail.house.gov, Katie_beirne@schumer.senate.gov, dayle_cristinzio@reid.senate.gov, dena_morris@durbin.senate.gov, rob_epplin@collins.senate.gov,ron_lefrancois@snowe.senate.go
I missed Ed, I had to go with my landlord to the vet, did he mention us again, I hate missing him!
They need to unbush everything, the tax cuts, the wars everything! During the reagan recession they gave out 33 months of benefits, thats 10 more months than they gave out now! It was not paid for either! FN republi-cants!!!
I know it's easy to say and believe that Congress is going on "vacation", but that's really not how their jobs work. Since they represent their home state constituents, they are basically working from home instead of in DC during that time.
It's our time to see them face-to-face and let them know what they have done and how we want them to fix it as soon as they return to DC. I know that's not a lot of comfort to all of the 99ers and anyone else who has run out of benefits, but maybe it's time to think about sleeping in their local office doorways or parking lots. Or even to go into those offices during the day and ask to spend the night there since you don't have anywhere else to sleep!
Be creative, but make sure you make your voices heard this month!
stilhurtin, All-
You can see the Ed Show from his archive.
Google "The Ed Schultz Show" and select the link with "bigeddieradio" in it.
Then select "View EDs Audio/Video Archive"
You will see old show links there.
Also, Michael Thornton's work was mentioned on the ED Schultz Show tonight.
Mikes work was also mentioned in The Economist magazine a few days ago as well.
Way to go Mike, Thanks!
Thanks Peter, I just saw a news flash that the senate blocked a bill that would have offered 26 billion in state aid! Im sure it was more republican obstruction! They are rying to make it look like the dems can only help other countries instead of ours and their brainwashed idiots in their party will believe it!!!!Bunch of mindless ezzholes!!!!!!!!!!
Ed Schultz link...........
http: //www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/38529633#38529633
take out the space between : and / to make the link work.
@ stilhurtin
STOP TAKING UP FOR THE DEM
Oh yes the Dems bailed out GM and Banks because it is where they had stock
This is a fast easy way to get some attention on a TIER 5 bill call the WHITE HOUSE PRESS CORP.@ 866.872.0021 then press 2 it’s easy and free just leave a message for the press.
Obama in his own words the Stimulus will keep unemployment under 8%. This guy is another Jimmy Carter
The Dems have more then half BILLION of the Stimulus money left in the pot which has not been spent. Why are the Dems not using it for you all.
Where is Obama on the View.
I will vote against the DemoRats in Nov. because they have the money but will not help
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!