Unemployment Extensions Are Needed
July 24th, 2010 Filed under: News — Contributing Writer
Unemployment Insurance that is what it is called, no one wants to collect it, but if you have to it is a comfort to know that it is there. You pay into it and you should be able to collect on it. Most states offer 26 weeks, and in past times that was sufficient enough until you found work.
Well times have changed and the economy is on a major downturn, with 5 applicant for every 1 job that is available, jobs are becoming harder and harder to find, so in the past The Senate has passed extensions known as Tiers…up to 99 weeks, but in the past month The Republicans in the Senate are playing partisan games with unemployed Americans ability to provide for their families.
There have been numerous attempts to pass and Unemployment extension bill, one as part of a bigger package, and a stand alone bill, each time it has come up for vote, the republicans have staged a filibuster saying that they can not vote for the extension because it will add to the deficit that is over 3 trillion dollars, they can find money to fight 2 wars, extend tax breaks to the wealthy, etc. But when it comes to the middle class that is hurt the most in these tough times, all we hear is “Sorry can’t help you”, “People on Unemployment would rather collect unemployment instead of looking for work” and the most insulting thing is “People on unemployment should be tested for drug use”.
First off as one of the 99er’s, I would rather have a job than collect unemployment, no one in their right mind will say, “Wow with this 300.00 check, I don’t need to go out and look for work, 300.00 dollars today is enough when you are unemployed to put food on the table, pay a bill or use towards rent.
At night when my children are asleep my husband and I sit down and look at our bills and decide what can be paid and what will have to wait another month, we have 4 collection agencies after us for medical bills from my son getting a biopsy of his knee and my daughter having double pneumonia, threatening to garnish my husbands meager wages, it is tough to not feel helpless and hopeless.
It is hard to explain to a 6 yr. old, when she sees a toy that she wants and we have to find a way to tell her that we cannot afford to get her that toy, it breaks my heart. This is the reason that a new ground swell is coming, 99er’s from all over the country are calling, emailing and faxing their senators, congressmen, and The President to pass a tier 5 extension for the long term unemployed.
the Majority of the 99er’s are people that are over 40, been unemployed over 2 years, and are over qualified and discriminated against. I have applied to so many jobs and never hear back from them, I have applied in person only to hear, that I am overqualified and not a good fit…I even got turned down at McDonald’s because I didn’t have a 6 month recent work history.
Things have got to change, and change now and if the republicans don’t act on a bipartisan basis and pass this legislation, November is going to be a very rough month for them..as midterm elections approach.
