Staying Positive.

A topic on the #99erAid Twitterchat a couple of weeks ago was ways to stay positive.  A positive mental attitude is essential for 99ers to survive. H.R. 589 would go a long way to helping with positive thoughts. A jobs creation bill would also be helpful.  Both items need to pass Congress, so 99ers must advocate for their passage. Political action alone can't maintain positivity, so long term unemployed need to focus on daily/weekly items to stay positive. In the course of preparing for my life beyond H.R. 589 and 99erhood, I have found two sites that will help maintain a daily positive outlook

In Seth Godin's roundup of SXSW, I was introduced to Gretchen Rubin. Ms. Rubin is the founder of the "The Happiness Project". The name is self explanatory. I get the daily "moment of happiness" to remind me to stay positive.

This past Friday night I met Nate St. Pierre through Gini Dietrich on her blog, "Spin Sucks".  Actually, Nate was introduced to me and technically the introduction was on Twitter but either way I found "It Starts With Us" due to my participation on "Spin Sucks". Participation in "In Starts With Us" is simple. Each week you commit to spending 15 minutes on a prescribed project delivered via email. 15 minutes isn't much time, but 15 minutes X 1000's of people has a very positive effect.

Both "The Happiness Project" and "It Starts With Us" are new activities for me. I'll let you know how it's working, but given the name and portfolio I expect positive results from both. So, how do you stay positive?

The Hidden Ball Trick

The Major League Baseball season is here. For those of us that enjoy a hearty mix of baseball and politics this season is especially welcome. The onset of the baseball season provides a daily welcome distraction from everything not going on in Congress.

A favorite play of sandlot ballplayers is the hidden ball trick. The hidden ball trick is a ploy by which the pitcher pretends to hold the ball when in reality another position player has the ball in his/her possession. The aim is to trick a base runner into taking a lead off and the base runner is then surprised (embarrassed) and tagged out by the position player holding the ball. Organized baseball rules are designed to minimize this type of subterfuge and the hidden ball trick is rarely employed in Major League Baseball. The last successful hidden ball trick in the major leagues was either 2007 or 2005 depending on how you define the execution of the play. Congress has no rules against their version of the hidden ball trick and it is currently in play in another attempt by the minority to enforce their vision on the majority.

Allow me to explain: The GOP use foot soldiers like Allen West, Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann. West, Palin, Bachmann and others serve two funtions: 

1. They rile up the "base" (low information voters, those voting against their economic self interest, kloset klanners, etc).
2. They provide fodder for media to either lionize or minimize their musings. These musings rarely reflect a policy discussion, further masking the ongoings in government.

All the while the GOP is able to further their policy objectives by "moving the middle." For example in the ongoing 2011 Congressional budget battle, The Dems have already conceded GOP budget cuts of $30 billion but that amount of budget cuts continues to increase. No one is sure whether the Dems will compromise (capitulate) further or government will shut down (temporarily) but the GOP has already achieved their goal of shifting shared responsibility for the commons away from those most able to participate.  While the jesters have America's attention, Americans are being tagged out. Surprisingly no one is embarrassed, but we are all diminished.

Nothing can be solved overnight, but you can begin to take back the discussion.  Please join the #99erAid Twitterchat, Tuesdays 8 PM EDT.

Please Add These Events To Your Calendar.

If the 99ers message of jobs, jobs, jobs and a safety net in the interim is ever going to be heard, 99ers must act together. In this light please participate in this event today and tomorrow to your to the full extent of your ability.

Monday and Tuesday, March 28 and 29, 2011 is a call, tweet, email and fax rally to advocate for H.R. 589. There are many sites, groups and individuals supporting this action. All are doing great work. These two links provide sufficient if not complete information for participating in this event. You can also access the information for this action via a Facebook event . Please help keep the pressure on for the passage of H.R. 589.

As always, the #99eraid Twitterchat Tuesdays at 8 PM EDT is appointment tweeting.  Bring your ideas and enthusiasm. See you then.

These People Are Allowed In Public?

Minnesota GOP lawmakers want to make it illegal for anyone receiving state aid to have more than $20 cash. OK, so how about anyone with net worth over $250,000 and money offshore to avoid paying taxes be stoned to death in the town square? Actually, I'm surprised at the Minnesota GOP for invoking a half-measure. Why not end state aid to the poor and reestablish debtors prison?

I'm a fan of the 1st Amendment but I'm weary of the eternally hypocritical (yes, you Newt Gingrich and your patriotic flag pole) and the criminally stupid (too big a list to specify anyone) attempting to drag the US back to the antebellum era. Shouldn't someone have a track record of at least 75% truth and coherence before we continue to shove a microphone in their face? Did you ever think Emily Litella (RIP, Gilda) would become a model for GOP communication directors across the country? Can't you do better? Yes, you can.

Share your thoughts with the Twitterverse.  Join tonight's #99eraid Twitterchat, 8 PM EDT. Don't forget to add your state tag (#99eraid_IL) so you can find local tweeps and organize. See you tonight.

Why People Hate Government and Why They're Wrong.

There are so many people that hate government. Those on the right think government does too much , those on the left think government does too little and those in the middle think government just doesn't do. The fact is government isn't the problem, people that hate government are the problem.

We live in a representative democracy. In other words everybody has a equal vote in electing the people that govern, but those elected officials determine policy i.e. tell us what to do. I can't speak for you, but I'm not enamored with the idea of a stranger (even a stranger I helped elect) telling me what I'm allowed to do. Additionally, government must represent the electorate as a whole, even those that didn't bother to vote. Since I voted, I deserve priority consideration.  Finally, government is charged with balancing competing interests, maintaining a level playing field and giving voice to those unable to speak for themselves (e.g. future generations). Succinctly, government is a referee and whether it's a sporting event, art exhibition, bake off or even a pro wrestling match, no one ever like the ref. The best that can be said about a referee or umpire is they went unnoticed. Government rarely goes unnoticed.

So when government legislates a compromise at best 40% will be happy, and that's on a good day. Quite often, almost everyone dislikes being governed, so government can't win even when doing an outstanding job. It's wrong to hate someone for merely doing their job, which is why people are wrong to hate government.

Something you can't hate and should absolutely join is the #99eraid Twitterchat, Tuesdays 8 PM EDT. Just search the hashtag #99eraid.

An Ongoing National Natural Disaster.

I had a day of commitments Friday. I got up early and went online to investigate the latest attempts of d(D)emocracide by the GOP in Wisconsin and across the land. Much to my chagrin the news was owned by a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.  Actually, devastating is an inaccurate description of what occurred in Japan, but the English language doesn't have the words to accurately describe what occurred in Japan. Whole families disappearing, neighborhoods destroyed, homeless sleeping in makeshift shelters, 100,000's with no sustenance, electricity or running water.  It will be years, maybe decades before the full toll will be understood and some generations may never recover.

Almost immediately fund raising for rescue, recovery and rebuilding Japan began.  I was particularly moved by Seth Meyer's appeal for the Red Cross at the end of the SNL update since SNL rarely takes anything seriously. I am proud to live in a country that takes suffering to heart and reaches out to help victims of acts beyond control of the victims. Of course, I am also occasionally bewildered by this country's response to disasters within our borders.

In September, 2008 the USA experienced a financial earthquake and tsunami. As in Japan the results were devastating and aftershocks have continued in the form of unemployment for 30 months. Whole families are affected. Neighborhoods are destroyed. Homelessness increases which means people are sleeping in makeshift shelters if any shelter. 100,000's have no access to running water, electricity or any source of sustenance. It will be years possibly decades before the full toll is understood. Some generations will never recover.

I'm not asking why Japan and not the 99ers. I am not saying  us (or U.S) first. I said I am proud to live in a country that takes suffering to heart. I would like to know why we are so callous to suffering within our own border. Why do we refuse to act appropriately to correct a disaster that is salvageable?  Anyone have a thought?

Please remember #99erAid Twitterchat Tuesdays 8 PM EDT.

99ers Communication Problem.

It's been about a year since the first 99ers realized a title was need for their status. Some non-99ers thought the classification already existed: lazy, soft, coddled, unambitious, but those characterizations are wrong. No one realized last year, but the first 99ers were the canary in the cave that history will recognize as the Great Depression of the 21st Century. Unfortunately if 99ers wait for history to prove that they were unwilling victims and not passive participants of this modern financial disaster, their grandchildren will still be feeling the effects of this cataclysmic period in the early part of this century.  Better to start changing the course of history today.

I started blogging in July, 2010. I was dumbfounded that the Senate could adjourn without appropriating funds to pay extended unemployment benefits they had previously approved. I had pointed out that the long term unemployed had been hampered in generating support because there was not a clear unique message. Long therm unemployed were talking about jobs, safety nets, equity, humanity and social justice. In the past 9 months 99ers have crafted this easy to understand/easy to explain message...Oops.

This morning's thread at the #99erAid hashtag is a reminder about tonight's #99erAid Twitterchat (8 PM EST and companion 99erAid Facebook page) and a suggestion to bring ideas about types of protests. Specifically the types of protests that communicate the message of the 99ers. The message of the 99ers being...?

I am not being negative. I believe we need a clear message and a means of organizing or the protests will not provide the desired results. Fortunately, this is a situation where the cart can proceed the horse. So bring your ideas about protests tonight (#99erAid, 8 PM EST and Facebook Page 99er Aid. Did I mention that already?).  Together we can tackle message and ways to organize in the coming weeks.  See you tonight.

Life Lessons: Beyond H.R.589

In my professional capacity as a funeral director, I was called upon to serve a family this last week (A friend is out of town, so I'm filling in). Some funerals are easier then others. This funeral was tougher than most. I was assisting a family with the funeral of a full term stillborn. No warning before delivery. No complications during pregnancy. Nine months in utero, filling a family with hopes and dreams. Not only do those hopes and dreams come crashing down, but this family must find a way to continue on. This particular family has another child. Having another child forces the family to focus, a reason to get out of bed. Still, nothing numbs the pain they feel and nothing will for a very long time.Yet the family finds a way to carry on.

It's March and March, 2011 has a uniquely perplexing, frustrating sad anniversary. 99ers will begin to celebrate their 1st full year of being a 99er.  52 weeks without unemployment benefits; nearly 3 years without full time employment.  Folks out of work due to the offshoring of jobs; over 3.4 million manufacturing jobs lost in the 1st decade of this century. People unemployed through no fault of their own with little hope for reemployment any time soon.

There has been almost no help for 99ers in the last year. A couple of failed attempts at adding some weeks of unemployment insurance, the last being H.R.6556 which is now reincarnated as H.R.589.  If H.R.6556 didn't get through the 111th Congress, I don't see how H.R.589 is passed in the 112th Congress. A bill to establish incentives for creating American jobs and penalizing offshoring couldn't overcome a GOP Senate filibuster in the 111th Congress (I'm shocked, shocked I tell you to find gambling in this establishment). So what should a 99er do? Find a way to carry on.

Close your eyes and consider this: With a wave of my magic wand, H.R.589 is expressed through both chambers of Congress today, signed into law tonight and checks start to roll tomorrow.

1. What is your plan for Wednesday?
2. What is your plan in 14 weeks, the day after the last benefit check arrives.

Don't answer, you haven't gotten over the shock of H.R.589 passing so quickly. Seriously, should (when?) H.R.589 pass(es), what then?  There is no one size fits all answer. However, with the understanding that 3.4 million manufacturing jobs will not reappear in 14 weeks, what is the next step? What is the advocacy action for 99ers as a group? How will you take these 14 weeks of additional benefits to prepare for week 15? If 99ers can't answer these questions H.R.589 has no effect. When 99ers answer these questions, the agenda is set for today, because 99ers can't count on H.R.589 and must find a way to carry on.

 I have a personal plan in place and will share it in the coming days. If you have a plan or some ideas why not share them? Either way please include the weekly forum for the long term unemployed, #99erAid via the #99erAid Twitterchat, Tuesdays 8PM EST or the corresponding Facebook page 99erAid. Getting involved in the 99er community should be part of the plan.

Twitterchat Takeaways: The Lesson of Wisconsin.

I'm posting here from scenic Rockford, IL the winter home of the Wisconsin Senatorial Democratic Caucus. No need for them to hurry back, Governor Walker ordered the Capitol closed. So much for tourism.

On last Tuesday's Twitterchat, I saw some tweets suggesting the pols get with the 99ers agenda or face the 99ers wrath in the 2012 election. For those considering the threat of revenge at the ballot box: Stop yourself. No one cares.

Just look at the last week in Wisconsin. 10 days ago the public employee unions in Wisconsin had conceded all financial demands in Gov. Walker's budget to retain the right of collective bargaining. "Thanks, but no thanks" was the governor's reply. A few days later, Governor Walker was punked. A liberal blogger posing as a Koch brother had a frank conversation with Gov. Walker about his plans for combating the ongoing strike, including planting troublemakers. The list of things wrong with the conversation is too long to delineate here but: 

• Why is the Gov. talking about State's business with someone that has no standing in Wisconsin?
• Why is the Gov. spending more time talking to an outsider than he is negotiating with the Union?

Thursday, Night despite over 2 weeks of protests the Wisconsin Assembly may have broken procedural rules  to hastily ram through the controversial bill in the middle of the night. Sunday, Gov. Walker ordered the Capitol closed for cleaning (cleansing?), despite the fact that the 100,000's of protesters have not impeded day to day operations in any manner. Monday, Gov. Walker threatened layoffs if his budget is not passed by Tuesday March 1, 2011. Gov. Walker's message to voters: You don't matter.

Speaker Boehner was able to show why he has earned the right to be a GOP leader. In just three words, Boehner was able to express his contempt for the electorate. It has taken Gov. Walker over two weeks to express the same level of disregard for the public he purports to represent.

As the party of Lincoln, today's GOP may believe they can fool enough of the people enough of the time. Perhaps Republican officeholders think that with the Citizens United decision, enough hidden money can be dumped into any campaign that their voting record won't matter. Maybe it's a combination of the two. In any case, when it comes to the will of the public the GOP just isn't that into your vote, yet.

As for the Democrats, I understand 99ers frustration with lack of progress. I felt the same way in August, 2010 and went on record. As time passed, I saw the bat crap crazy lineup of marionettes, crooks and asylumates from the GOP. I couldn't let my anger allow these idealogical intransigents near elected office. Unfortunately, I found myself in the minority and today we are faced with potential puppet dictatorships starting in Wisconsin and spreading across the United States.Yuck.

I apologize I took the long route when I could have used 4 sentences. If ballot pressure worked, S3706 would already be law. The GOP can't be threatened with votes, they count on the stupidity of the electorate being bamboozled by the cash of the Koch Brothers and friends. The Dems aren't much better. The Dems realize if you vote GOP you elect the Governor Scott Walkers of this country.

In short you can't change anything by apathy or anger voting. You can make a bad situation worse. So stop talking about the ballot box. But please join the #99erAid Twitterchat, Tuesday March 1, 2011 8PM EST. Bring your ideas and your passion. As for your threat to not vote, leave that elsewhere.

Twitterchat Takeaways: Don't beat up your friends.

During last Tuesday's #99erAid Twitterchat, there were some complaints about Rep. Lee's presentation of H.R.589.  H.R.589 was proposed in a manner that would not allow it to be an amendment to another bill, making it's path to passage even more difficult. There was similar conversation when S3706 hit a wall last summer. Going back to June, 2010 the same tone was used for Rep. Jim McDermott. Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack Obama are also popular targets because of a lack of results for 99ers. All these criticisms are fair, but...

99ers are also vociferously dumbfounded at the consistent lack of media coverage. Understandably so, since the continued inaction fuels a downward spiral of hunger, homelessness and suicide. But as long as the "Jersey Shore" means more than a destination to cool off during a hot summer, good luck finding a scintilla of common sense in what the media chooses to cover.

Were it not for the insufficient meager attempts at legislation to support the long term unemployed, media coverage would be even less. So continue to tell our legislative "friends" that they need to do better, 99ers deserve real help. That's where a (daily) phone call, fax or email is appropriate.  In public, 99ers need to stick to air kisses.  In public we must remain unified. You may think, with friends like these politicians, who needs enemies. Without friends like these all 99ers have are enemies.

Tuesday's Twitter Brainstorming.

Tuesday night's #99erAid Twitterchat was a 1 hour+ brainstorming session for thoughts on helping and supporting the 99ers. Due to the nature of Twitter the ideas came through randomly and quickly with multiple conversation threads during the hour.  Some takeaways:

• 99ers must continue support for H.R.589 by any means possible. Even though another legislative roadblock for H.R.589 has emerged 99ers must continue to phone, fax, email and educate elected officials from both parties to create groundswell support.
• Advocacy must reach beyond Congress.  There was a debate on the merits of local vs. national demonstrations. Some proposed reaching out to business and celebrity sponsorship for subsidized transportation to D.C. for a mammoth rally. Others favored multiple local rallies while acknowledging the challenges of locating and connecting with local 99ers and unemployment advocates.
• All pretty much concurred that press coverage was at best sparse and inconsistent.

I had the privilege of connecting with reporter Kat Aaron (@kataaron) during the Twitterchat. She organized the Twitterchat this way, no small task since the brainstorming session totaled 89 pages and 15,000 words.

There appears to be a demand to continue the conversation.  99erAid II is scheduled for Tuesday, February 22, 2011 8 PM EST. The hashtag will again be #99erAid and there is also a Facebook event page, #99erAid. Please mark this on your calendar and join the conversation.

H.R.589, Job Creation and Rape.

On Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011 Representative Barbara Lee introduced H.R.589, "The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2011." The bill calls for an additional 14 weeks of Tier I unemployment compensation to be made available to those currently receiving unemployment compensation and to those that have previously exhausted all benefits. Rep. Lee introduced similar legislation (H.R.6556) at the end of the 111th Congress, which failed to pass the resolution.

In other Congressional unemployment related news, the 112th Congress has to date put forward 23 bills regarding jobs. 10 call for investment to create jobs, 4 deal with repealing health care reform, 3 concern the effects of federal regulation stifling job growth and 2 propose suspending environmental regulations to protect jobs. Less than 50% of the legislation for job creation actually involves job creation. Why does this matter? Without significant job creation, the additional 14 weeks of unemployment benefits proposed aren't any more helpful than a lottery ticket.

In other Congressional news, on Feb. 8, 2011 Rep. Christopher Smith introduced H.R.3 "No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act" which among other things further victimizes rape victims. The bill would limit federal funds for rape victims to cases of "forcible rape" thereby excluding victims of "casual rape", "recreational rape" and the ever popular "consensual rape".  The bill has 205 cosponsors. Why does this matter? You can't talk the common sense of job creation and safety nets to 206 bat crap crazies that would take ownership of a bill using the term "forcible rape".

Simply put, all 99ers need to get behind H.R.589 via fax, phone, email and/or carrier pigeon. Beyond that it is incumbent on 99ers both individually and collectively to have a plan in place to go beyond H.R.589, so that the work Rep. Lee, 60 cosponsors and countless advocates is not wasted.  In this light, please join Jason Tabrys and other for 99er Aid tonight at 8 PM EST for the #99erAid Twitterchat.