We the long term unemployed of America want to work. We understand that working at a job, any job pays better than benefits. We just would like to ask you all: what are we supposed to do without benefits until the jobs you let Corporations outsource return to the USA?
We are hard working Americans that you let down. Sure healthcare is important, but you should have spent the first part of the Obama administration creating jobs rather than pass the Health Care Bill. Since you did not, we are suffering in mass and now you let us run out of benefits while you take your third vacation of this congressional session. Republican or Democrat, you should all be ashamed of how you have let this country and it's citizens down.
Of course, you would have to first understand how horrible it is to watch your children suffer as they do without the food and medical care every parent should have the right to provide. You have no clue what it is like to get your power turned off, live in fear of being evicted from your home or even what it feels like to go hungry. You could not possibly understand the pain and failure we all experience after months on end desperately looking for jobs that simply do not exist.
Making a six figure income, you are all way out of touch with those who pay for that handsome salary and your benefit perks. You really need to go to the empty food banks or spend some time talking to families either on the streets or in homeless shelters during this break time away from Washington, but I doubt that you will. You will be far too busy campaigning for your reelection, or spending time with family to think about the destruction you have caused by your unbelievably callus, cavalier obstructionism (Republicans) or your lack of urgency (Democrats) on this and all matters.
You know full well that you are to blame for the recession, either by allowing our Banks to collapse the economy, rewarding big companies for shipping our jobs overseas or by cutting taxes for the wealthiest among us so they pay only a small fraction of what is their fair share of the burden. By these and other misdoings of Congress, you are turning America into a third world country and transforming us into transients. It makes me sick.
We may be down but we are not out. We intend to make your lives as uncomfortable as we possibly can until we get the help we need and the jobs we want and deserve. In fact, we think you need to be fired for doing such an incompetent job all around.
If you are an incumbent, be afraid. Be very afraid. It will not be the healthcare issue or the deficit that takes you down in November. It will be millions of angry unemployed Americans who cannot feed their families. We may be homeless but we will vote if it is the last thing we do, if only to fire our tormentors who did this to us.
If you are a Democrat with a primary challenger, we may well vote you out earlier than November. If you are uncontested in your party this election year, then we will back one of your third party challengers perhaps. If you are a Republican, your fear should be the greatest, as you have proven yourselves completely unworthy of public office, period!
We want to return to being the hard working Americans we always were and not the transients that you are forcing us to become. We need your help not cheap talk and a half-assed effort. We are literally dying out here. ***Recession related suicides up 75% nationwide, our children are going hungry, we are scared and very angry at Washington for doing NOTHING to help us.
In fact you are hurting all of America by refusing to stimulate the economy the best, fastest way you can. The economists agree the millions of unemployed without UI benefits to spend into their communities over the past several months, now has us perched on the verge of a double dip recession. Thanks again for all of your hard work, not! It isn't easy to ruin a great country like America, but you are doing one hell of a successful job at it, I must say.
The recession has been ongoing some 180 weeks. The 99ers, for the most part have been without benefits for the past 4 to 5 months of this year. Add that to the previous 3 to 4 months without benefits last year (during the fight for tiers III and IV) and you have millions of jobless who over the past year have gone a total of 7 and 9 months out of 12 with no income whatsoever.
In the past 12 months, Congress has taken more weeks off than the weeks granted to the unemployed in both of the last tiers combined. This is an outrage. The recession is not taking any time off and we do not want any more time off from working. We have had more time off work than we can handle, but none of it has been a vacation I can assure you.
You need to add a tier 5 UI benefits amendment to whatever bill will pass in the Senate when you return for the good of America and the survival of millions. If you do not, then you are directly responsible for any additional job loss, suicides, hunger and homelessness that result due to your failure to get the job done and done right. If not, the next round of job losses will be most of you come November.
***Source: The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
Comments
Could not have said it better... Suicide has always been in my mind if the eviction notice goes up HOMELESS is out of the question.. after 32 years of working and everything but the roof over my head is gone when that goes so do I.. GET BACK TO WORK AND BE A GOVERMENT WE CAN LOOK TO NOT ONE THAT PLANS VACATIONS AND FIGHTS OVER PETTY THINGS LOOK OUT FOR THE AMERICAN WORKER I WILL VOTE YOU OUT IF I MAKE IT TO NOVEMBER.
whoa! thank you from the bottom of my heart for speaking out so passionately for us! you have said it all! thank you,thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU...finally someone has spoken the truth! Well said..I just pray to God someone listens! Even if I win the lottery tomorrow..I will spend the rest of my days trying to take out the political trash...I/We are at the lowest points in our lives right now and once again cast aside for a backyard barbeque..probably with an open bar we paid for. I cannot wrap my mind around this and I honestly will never forget it.
Well done and well written...this message must be looked at seriously by all politicians! Thank-you.
Is there any way this can be turned into a petition or email that we can send in mass to our congressmen?
@Judi, if for no other reason, hang in there till November to vote the blankety-blank jerks out!
This is so true! Thank you for writing this great article, Donalee. And the image you selected to go with it speaks volumens.
Brilliant as always. It could not have been said any better. You are writing what is in all of our hearts. I wish you were one of our elected representatives - then we might stand a chance of getting help. Hang in there everyone - the fight is not over yet.
TO: To the point
Well the only way I see doing that and being effective is to find out who the "PRESS SECRETARY" or "COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR" is for your Congress Rep and State Senators and get their direct email when you talk to them then send them the link.
It is easier than you think to get to talk to them. Just tell the staffer who answers the phone you want to know who handles their press inquiry matters. Tell them about any really bad press they are getting.
I do this all the time and it is surprising how easy it is to get hold of them especially if the person they work for is up for reelection.
To all of the readers who took time to thank me and compliment the article: I want you to know that I am very happy that my articles are read and liked by so many of you. I sure hope they do some good to get us all the help we need.
Stay strong and fight on. Also listen to my Radio show and call in if you can to speak your mind. Google JoblessTalk and follow the link:
Paladinette | Internet Radio | Blog Talk Radio
Quit your whining, begging, and laying a guilt trip on America! I am just back from active duty in Afghanistan and am shocked to to see the groveling by the unemployed and others who don't have or don't want a job! So you think you have it so bad here in the States, then move to a third world country!
Like they say in the Corp. . . Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome!
Sempi fi we won't have to move the us is turning into a third world counry, since you are just back from overseas take the time to look around this country and compare the two and you will see that we are very much on the way of being a third world country. But thank you for protecting what once was a great nation..... I wish there were no wars
Robin, you are correct. Watch this;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=joKLb6qjuMM
The fact is that our industrial base has faded, our resources nearly depleted, and a failing auto industry. China holds half our debt and the other half is on the verge of default. About the only thing we have left is the tourism industry which is being polluted with garbage and oil spills!
Semper Fi,
The problem is that our country is not a third world country and never was, so it makes no sense to compare it to such! It's understandable that there is suffering, and material lack in those countries and we must sympathyse with that, but is this what you want our country to turn into because it's how other countries are and therefore it's "OK" for America as well? Nobody is whining in here, people is fighting for what they think it's right for them and for America. If you feel comfortable with the third world kind of lifestyle, man, then settle yourself for life in one of those countries. The American people will continue fighting to not to allow this country to become just another third world country. Those who do not join this fight are surely not true American in heart!. Duh Captain the smart talk guy who surfs the entire web jobless forums, who are here again, hu, bashing on the unemployed. I already told you before, get lost! Who is really paying you for doing this?
Semper Fi, move back to Afghanistan and stay there, are you a real American, anyway? Just because you are in the military does mean a crap, does not prove that you are a true American! I was just recently in the Marines and do not think like you dude! Shame on you!
duh Captain, I'm gonna voodoo youR ass...told ya man.
semper fi,uh, are you not a government employee? what I did in my military service has no bearing, other than an opportunity for big money to rape America.The fight is just beginning on American soil. See your local vfw hall, we are choosing up sides. CHOOSE WELL, YOUR VERY LIFE IS IN THE BALANCE!!!
This extension provides NOTHING for 99ers. The misconception is that if these bills are passed it will help the 99ers - WRONG. There is NOTHING in these bills to help anyone who is more than 99 weeks unemployed. We need to create a Tier 5 or extend Tier 4 and help those with 99+ weeks!!! THAT is the longterm unemployed.
Jack needs to quit his whining and Bobby needs to go back to Trinidad and sell his VooDoo Dolls! :>) You guys need to be more resourceful! Like Semper Fi said; "Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome!" and quit groveling for handouts!
Semper Fi: I'm betting the only way you could get a decent job in this economy was to join the military, and fight in an illegal, immoral war (one that is DRAINING the hard-earned incomes of American citizens). So please get off your pedestal: it's toppling.
All I hear in these blogs is what can my country do for me and more selfish demands! Have we forgotten the famous Kennedy speech of January 20th 1961
"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. "
Until Congress gets a job of its own, be assured that the role of government here will never rise above reassigning the debt for your well-being to domestic operating business interests and your already employed neighbors, and that only after skimming from the top of what government can extort for its own well-being. Maybe you should take your plea directly to your benefactors and excise these very expensive middlemen from your formula. That would be considerably more honest and cost effective.
ReadyToWork should sign up with the army! They need "cannon fodder" over there! No experience necessary!!!
BTW, if you don't know what that is, I've provided a link.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannon_fodder
I used to live by that Kennedy quote as some have written about BUT hello...I didn't ask to lose my job...Why should I ask my country what I can do for them when they are the reason I worked 40 yrs.,lost my home,a car,my life savings and everything else I've worked for AND they have done nothing to create new jobs so we can get back to work.Get off your high horses and come down a pedastal and put yourself in our shoes.If someone came in and told you ,you were done tomorrow after being employed there for 25 yrs and you are now 60, tell me you wouldn't have any hard feelings towards the ones that are responsible? Now if they created jobs and we aren't working,then, and only then do anyone of you who are against the unemployed have a right to say one word about us.It was a great article Donalee and I'm thankful that you stand up for us!We appreciate your hard work every day!
@Duh Captain - VA
How can we do anything for our country when we cannot even feed ourselves, keep a roof over our heads and find the gas $ to go to an interview? You are way out of touch too - perhaps a Republican GREED OVER PRINCIPLE GOP dude.
Kennedy Was not referring to the most impoverished Americans when he gave that speech. He was in favor of enabling the poor to thrive so that when they could they would give back into the society that made it possible to do better.
You need a history lesson and to try and find some compassion for those of us nearly in the streets or worse through no fault of our own.
People getting endless benefits shouldn't be allowed to vote.
Hey duh captain, if I were you I would leave other people alone and stop adding up to their problems, what's that you are doing here in this forum and why are you bothering other people? Do ya really feel good about what u do? And why? No Trinidade man, I ain't going back nowhere, YOU are the one who should go back to wherever the hell you came from because I bet you are not an American person. At least you don't act like one! Get back man, to where you really belong! Don't lie! You friggin impostor, who is really paying you, you friggin "Judas", to be harassing the sttrugling unemployed people? How much are you being paid, you low life? Be ashamed of yourself for your low character, you think that the unemployed is some sort of trash and uneducated people who you can look down to simply because they got caught in an unfortunate situation? What you can you do for your country? This: Exterminate all the A-Holes like you who try to turn it into a third world country because "it's OK"!
Angela, who do you think that you are to be judging others? Go to sleep woman, it's sad that your name is Angela, you must have nothing of an Angel, unless from the darkness. What a cold hearted friggin woman!
I despise people like Duh Captain who talks a ton of crap about unemployment benefits issue. I had a crappy July 4th and my upcoming holidays will get worse unless I find a job. No Dah Captain, I did not asked to be unemployed, and if you are employed, you should be freaking happy. Since you like to talk crap, do you mind revealing your address so that my family can join you for Thanksgiving? That is the most patriotic thing to do especially since you like to talk a ton of crap. Prove your loyality!
STARVE for your country? DON'T ADD TO THE DEFICIT - STARVE INSTEAD.
LIVE IN THE STREETS - SAVE YOUR COUNTRY - DON'T ADD TO THE DEFICIT.
As JIM MCDERMOTT SAID - THEY BLUE DOGS AND OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE WAGING WAR ON THE WORKING CLASS.
REMEMBER REAGAN CALLING POOR WOMEN 'WELFARE QUEENS'? NOW THOSE WHO WANT US TO BELIEVE THE WAY OUT OF A RECESSON IS TO AID THE WEALTHY AND SOME OF THEIR WEALTH WILL TRICKLE DOWN TO WORKING PEOPLE (WEALTHY DO NOT WORK - THEY GAMBLE WITH STOCK TRADES).
TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS FEEDS THE GLUTTONOUS WEALTHY FREE-LOADERS AND CRUMBS TRICKLE DOWN TO WORKERS.
ANOTHER WAY TO PUT IT IS - YOU WORKERS BE DOGS SITTING UNDER THE TABLE WAITNG FOR CRUMBS AS THE WEALTHY FEED THEIR FACES.
SHARRON ANGLE DOESN'T EVEN WORK A REAL JOB. WHAT GOOD DOES SHE DO, AND WHY ARE THE PEOPLE OF NEVADA PAYING HER?
REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR ANDRE BAUER SAID HIS MOM TAUGHT HIM TO NOT FEED THE STRAYS BECAUSE THEY WILL REPRODUCE.
ANDRE BAUER IS PROUD OF HIMSELF FOR LETTING STRAYS STARVE TO DEATH.
ANDRE BAUER WILL NOT FEED A HUNGRY, HOMELESS STRAY. MEAN ANDRE, VERY MEAN.
ANDRE BAUER, DON'T YOU EVER CLAIM TO BE A CHRISTIAN. YOU ARE A CHILD OF SATAN.
Well it seems that the working class are getting kicked from both sides. The Dems don't seem to be interested in creating jobs, maybe because it isn't a sexy enough issue. The GOP/TeaParty won't be happy as long as there is one working class American with a living wage job.
Too bad nobody cares about those who actually built this country.
It is not government's function to provide jobs to its citizens. However, government is responsible for providing an econcomy that produces jobs. Government cannot force businesses to hire people. I suspect a lot of businesses have layed employees off simply because they've caught on to the idea of forcing remaining employees to do the work of 3 layed-off people. Its called 3 for the price of 1.
I also suspect many of the lay-offs are done in the interest of making this administration appear to be ineffective. Couple that with the antics of the Party of NO and we can't help but suspect there is a conscious effort on the part of business to bring this administration down in favor of the opposing party. If that is so, we are dealing with the most unethical businesses in the world.
Two years ago, I read about a large department store chain doing mass layoffs and when asked why, the answer was it was done in "anticipation" of a recession. Total insanity!
I despise people like Duh Captain who talks a ton of crap about unemployment benefits issue. I had a crappy July 4th and my upcoming holidays will get worse unless I find a job. No Dah Captain, I did not asked to be unemployed, and if you are employed, you should be freaking happy. Since you like to talk crap, do you mind revealing your address so that my family can join you for Thanksgiving? That is the most patriotic thing to do especially since you like to talk a ton of crap. Prove your loyality!
I need help!!!!!
I need help!!!!!
To: Bill of New York
If the situation were different I would have no objections to a small extension for you and the millions like you. However, this country has very limited resources. Yes, there is a little money still in the T.A.R.P. fund but that is part of the deficit spending package which has proven to be of little value.
Now we are faced with really hard choices. We can either direct what little is still available toward job creation or we can sustain UI extentions maybe another 26 weeks at best.
Now I ask you, what do you want? A limited prospect for the future or an increased chance of finding employment? In other words; Is it ME NOW or US Later, you decide!
The Democrats and Republicans are both hopelessly corrupt. They both receive THE MAJORITY of their funding from corporate sources, and MAINTAINING CORPORATE PROFITS IS THEIR FIRST PRIORITY.
By voting for either of these corrupt parties, you are working against your best interests.
The Green Party doesn't accept ANY corporate money, and represents CITIZENS' interests. The headline in the latest issue of Green Light was "TAX THE RICH!". You'd never see one of the corporate parties saying that!
5% of the vote will get the Green Party matching Federal funds, and will be a good first milestone to replacing the corporate parties, with their "business-first" agenda.
I realized voting Democrat was playing a rigged game in the mid-90s, when they passed NAFTA. I've voted mostly Green since then. It appears the rest of the country is now waking up to the corruption. It's about time!
VOTE GREEN!
Congress fails to realize that there are more people reaching the end of tier 4 than tier 1 since the peak of job losses occurred in Jan 2009 (at 741,000).That means there will be more '99ers' than the rest of the unemployed.
Also, many of the so-called 99ers did NOT get 99 weeks. IF your last job before being laid off didn't last long enough, you don't qualify for the fed-ed and the length of benefit weeks differ from state to state. So, in reality many people received less than the 99 weeks to start with.
Passing a bill to extend benefits except for the '99ers' is DISCRIMINATION.
Ideas:
CUT the foreign worker visas until unemployment rate drops to 6%.
Heavily TAX companies that sent (and continue to do so) jobs overseas.
Give incentives to companies to hire and train displaced workers (with verification of training and unemployment status of hired person), not just for hiring, since many companies hire people switching jobs or have been recently laid off.
ALSO, DO NOT FORGET THAT SINCE 2001 OVER 1 TRILLION DOLLARS WAS SPENT IN IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN !!!!!
I read today that our wonderful president appointed a Doctor to be in charge of health care. He did this while the senate was out so they couldn't vote against the Doctor. He also appointed two other people into government he wanted in but cannot sign a executive order for the 99ers. This is really sad.
Check the national debt history by president in the following graph. A picture is worth 1000 words.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_by_U.S._presidential_terms
CP, you did not read anything about how executive orders work.
By law, the President cannot give a tier 5, even if he wants to.
CP, you did not read anything about how executive orders work.
By law, the President cannot give a tier 5, even if he wants to.
I recieved my last UI check on June 13th and I'm going to spend my last $10 to go to my last job interview tomorrow. Thank God I don't have a family to support. May God help us all.
They just do not care. I've been out of benefits since March. Praise God that I do not have children to feed.Lost my home..I have gone from 5 figure income to being a live-in Care Giver for free room and board. I've lost my pride, self-esteem and confidence.Depressed.How could they let this happen, when I say "they", I blame the Repub's for allowing this to happen while they had control. I'm sick of the Demo's acting like scared rabbits...sickens me. Be careful when you vote...remember, the Bush Administration got us into this mess, & yes, remember Obama didn't do a thing to get us out. How he expects us to pay for the "Low cost" insurance is beyond my comprehension...we don't have money....can't get blood out of a turnip...Bush and Cheney are to blame, as well as Obama...he could sign an Executive Order and has chosen not to.. Watch closely who votes for what, The Repubs or Dems... whomever vote NO, vote them out!!! Obama has made it clear he only wants 1 term!!
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