There Is News, It's Not Good.

While going through headlines, etc. some things jumped out:

1. Some Senate Republicans are planning to block all non-budget (and they mean non-budget cutting) bills.
2. Multiple events (having nothing at all to do with global climate change) have reduced overall food supply, driving food costs up-possibly forever.
3. Florida is going to reduce unemployment benefits. Do you think other states will do the same? I do.
4. The national unemployment rate may not drop below 8%, ever.

Connecting the dots: The only thing the US Senate GOP caucus is planning on passing is kidney stones and gas, unless social safety net programs are cut.  The cost of living (food,energy) is going up. States (primarily those with GOP majorities in government) are cutting safety nets and eliminating collective bargaining for state employees. The next step will be to privatize services, further driving wages down. The US will be facing  higher numbers of unemployed (increased supply) which will also put downward pressure on wages. Further, no one is talking about or proposing a plan for reacting to the "new" normal unemployment rate.

That's right. Costs are going up. The government is doing nothing to support wages or worse yet actively working on driving wages down, while cutting or eliminating safety nets. Well, at least spring is almost here.

More of the same.

It appears Congress and the White House have reached a compromise on extending expiring tax cuts that would includes funding current unemployment extensions for 13 additional months. 99ers will be left to fend for themselves.  Why have the 99ers been abandoned by everyone except Ed Schultz?

To understand the predicament of the long term unemployed during the Great Depression of the 21st Century, it's important to review some pertinent facts:

1. The unemployment rate is somewhere between 9.8% and higher. That makes the employment rate 77% or higher. It is very hard for the 77% employed to fathom why anyone is involuntarily unemployed for greater than 99 weeks, even in a weak economy.

2. The current model of issuing unemployment benefits via "weeks" is inadequate given current economic conditions. With five seekers for each job and an unemployment rate predicted to hover above 8% through 2012, a safety net for the unemployed should be tied to the unemployment rate.  Benefits should continue until the unemployment rate is down to 'X' not an arbitrary designation of weeks.  Unfortunately no one will commit to structuring unemployment insurance accordingly.

3. The argument in favor of adding a TierV has too often been made from the POV of the 99ers. (These people need the safety net to survive.) Unemployment advocates (I include myself) should have jumped on the Republican meme that small businesses are the primary creators of jobs.  The success of small business depends more on demand than tax cuts. Therefore it is vital that the unemployed have a minimal amount of money to support these small businesses.

What is left to do? The aforementioned compromise has not net been voted on in Congress.  Now, more than ever is the time to bombard elected officials. It is also important for all unemployed to stick together. Given the statistics above there are going to be more 99ers each week. Attrition (death and  homelessness) will reduce the amount of 99ers but not nearly by the numbers joining the ranks of the 99ers.  Eventually, something will be done. I am hoping for the best.

My family matters, so does yours.

I know why I should stay home on November 2, 2010.  The Democratic Party has grossly mismanaged a long list of priority agenda items. As a 99er, I am particularly furious about the quarterly Senate dance regarding funding extensions through 99 weeks. Since the fight becomes about funding current extensions the issue of funding beyond 99 weeks receives minimal attention.  Even when a Tier V is proposed as in S3706 it is nothing more than a band aid. Unemployment has been 9% or more since May, 2009 and is not projected to drop below 9% any time soon. A long term solution combining job creation along with a safety net is required and NO ONE is talking about that at all.  That's why I should stay home but on November 2, 2010  I am going to vote for every Democratic candidate on the ballot.

When citing their reason for not funding emergency extended unemployment benefits up to 99 weeks the moderate  Republicans spoke as one, "We cannot in good conscience add to the Federal Deficit and pass this burden onto our future generations." The mean spirited crazies said "We don't want to make the life of the unemployed too comfortable. They're going to have to suck it up and understand they may have to take a pay cut or relocate."

I am voting Democratic for the same reason  Republican deficit (chicken) hawks won't fund emergency unemployment extensions. I cannot pass on this burden to my future generations. "This burden" is the governance of the mean spirited crazies in the Republican party. A Republican Party too moderate for the 2000-2008 version that drove the US economy into the ditch and helped transform America from a country of shared vision to a country of "where's mine". Should the Republicans gain a majority of the House and/or Senate, success will be attributed to the "shit for brains" crowd of Palin, O'Donnell, Miller, Angle et al. It will take decades to undo the damage of George W. Bush, compassionate conservative. It would take centuries to undo the damage should the "Tea Party Trailer Troupe" gain control of government. And since no current Republican is willing to criticize the wingnuts, the wingnuts will be in charge if the Republicans win in November. Therefore I am voting for Democrats because my kids and (hopefully) grandkids deserve better. So I ask you act similarly and if you won't vote for the sake of your lineage, will you please vote on behalf of my future generations?

100 isn't perfect. It might be disaster.

I am one of the many long term unemployed in this country. Although I usually only speak for myself, I feel comfortable speaking for all of us in one regard. In no particular order, the 5 most important things we need are jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs and jobs. Job creation doesn't happen overnight. President Obama wanted a bipartisan stimulus, instead he got one too small. He thought after the bank bailout, the banks would repay the favor. Loan the 0% money they could get to small businesses. Instead the money was used to fuel their insatiable greed. So we must continue to be patient. Patience (in this case) requires shelter, food, utilities. Unemployment compensation beyond 99 weeks. Numerous officials have compared Wall Street to Main Street; Recovery is incomplete until it reaches Main Street. OK, put up or shut up.

Work began on the Bank Bailout in Sept., 2008. The unemployment rate in Sept., 2008 was 6.1% Today the unemployment rate is 9.5%. The unemployment rate has only been this high once in the last 70 years.

Put up or shut up. If the recovery is incomplete until it reaches Main Street, continue unemployment benefits until the unemployment rate returns to the level of Sept., 2008, 6.1% Or stop telling the world this is a priority. To help, I'll have suggestions of ways to pay for this next week.

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