Unemployment Insurance Update October 2009 - Sen. Kyl Stalls Third Federal Unemployment Extension
73Introduction
Correction - Updated October 16, 2009. When I published this article on October 9, 2009, I could have sworn the online Capitol Hills Report said the Senate agreed on the amendment for H.R. 3548. I don't know whether more was added to the report or I was too tired and didn't read down the page far enough, but I published the wrong information. In correction, the Senate did not vote on H.R. 3548. Apparently, Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D-NV) wanted to accelerate the usual lengthy process and take a quick vote, but Senator John Kyl (R-AZ) halted the process. Supposedly, he wanted more time to consider the bill and possibly add more ammendments to it.
The Sad Faces of Unemployment
H.R. 3548 - Not Fair to All States
The Senate recieved H.R. 3548 on September 22nd. However, it met with opposition from Senators of states with unemployment rates less than 8.5 percent. Only 27 states qualified under these terms, leaving 23 states out in the cold. Consequently, one Senator, Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, took a stand.
In response to H.R. 3548 excluding states, Senator Shaheen said, "Jobless workers in every state are facing the worst job market since the Great Depression...Until the job market improves, we have a responsibility to help unemployed workers continue to pay their mortgage, keep food on the table, and purchase other essentials." Although some unemployed workers wanted H.R. 3548 passed immediately, i applaud her. It doesn't matter whether your state has a high or low unemployment rate, if you're unemployed wth no benefits left, it is exceptionally difficult to make ends meet. In light of the bills unfairness, Senator Shaheen proposed an amendment to include all states in the bill.
In the amended version, unemployment benefits would be extended in all 50 states regardless of their unemployment rate for an additional 14 weeks. In states where the unemployment rate exceeds 8.5 percent, it would extend the benefits by an additional six weeks. It will be paid for by extending an annual $14 unemployment tax paid by employers for each employee.
Conclusion
Although many of the unemployed who had exhausted or were close to exhausting their unemployment benfits are understandably upset H.R. 3548 has not passed right away, I am glad Senator Shaheen stood up for the 25% of unemployed claimants that did not qualify under H.R 3548. However, I am not happy with Senator Kyle for stalling the bill again!
Since the beginning of this recession, 7.2 million jobs have been lost. According to the National Employment Law Program (NELP), 400,000 thousand workers exhausted their unemployment benefits at the end of September, and 1.4 million are scheduled to lose their benefits at the end of the year. Currently, five million Americans have been out of work for six months or more, and the nationwide unemployment rate doesn't seem to be abating. When this recession first began in December 2007, the national unemployment rate was 5 percent. In August 2009, it is 9.8 percent. And so far, it doesn't look like the unemployment rate is going to decrease anytime soon. Some economist think the unemployment rate will still rise higher, and many are beginning to believe the recovery is going to be a jobless recovery.
Unemployment Update - November 16, 2009 - How High Will Rates Go?
- Unemployment Rate 2009 Update November - How High Will Unemployment Rise?
Beginning in December 2007, we are two years into this recesssion, and unemployment is rising even higher. In Septemeber 2009, it was 9.8%. The new figure for October is 10.2%. It hasn't been this high since... - Unemployment Extension 2009 H.R. 3548 - Take Back Your Power
Everybody has heard of the stalls in Senate on the unemployment extension, H.R. 3548, while our nation's unemployed suffer because of the resistance of a few heartless senator. While they stall, many people...
See Senators and Representatives that Have Voted No on Unemployment Extension Bills
- Friend or Foe of the Unemployed? Nay Votes on Unemployment Benefit Extensions 2009
Has long-term unemployment affected you? If so, have you laid in your bed at night, tossing and turning, wondering how you are going to pay the rent or put food on the table? With 7.2 million people out of...
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Hi Steve
I agree! In fact in one report I read it said Kyle wanted to see if it was going to cost the government anymore. How is it going to cost the government anymore when the ammendment was to pay for it by extending an annual payroll tax of $14 per employee?
Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
I think it is very important to be fair to all the unemployed in all states. However this delay is costing many of us our homes and cars and personal possesions, and immediate relief is essential to the lifeline of many families. I have been a single mother for sixteen years and am taking care my elderly mother. I have worked very hard my entire life and all Ive ever hoped for is to make a living, food, shelter, clothing for my family. I lost my job due to no fault of my own and have been unable to find work anywhere. My situation, as well as many others, is deperate. When I was younger, I could collect aluminum cans or whatever I had to do to eat. Now I feel lost. We all need more time to get back on our feets. Please take this extension issue seriously and give us some hope for a better future. thank you
This extension should be thought of as an emergency, it should be passed by Oct 18th.so people can have it by Oct 25, Our politicians should think of how they would feel if they would have depend on an emergency unemployment benefit!
Perhaps the problem with them is that they still have their employment, and they could care less! I hope they come to their since, and really push this through quickly!
Why can't they pass the bill now as it stands then pass another ASAP for the rest of the states? Some people think the unemployed like sitting around collecting "easy" money. I would gladly take any of their jobs and give them my "easy" money; Let's see how they like it when the shoes on the other foot. Thanks for listening.
OF COURSE THE POLITICIANS ARE STALLING THE EXTENSIONS THEY HAVE A STEADY PAYCHECK AND DO NOT FACE LAY-OFFS. THE GOVT HAS BILLIONS TO BAIL OUT EXECUTIVES BUT NONE FOR THE TAXPAYERS. HOW CAN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC STAND FOR THAT
Hi Judy
I agree with you - the bill should be equitable to all states. However, it seems like it is always some delay with Senate. When it was stalled because Senator Shaheen wanted to include all states, I understood that, but now it being delayed again while the Congressional Budget Office figures out how much is it is going to cost is inexcusable when so many people are hurting.
Thank you for your input and stopping by!
Hi Violet
Although I understand why you would have preferred they passed it the way it read with the house, I am glad they didn't. Can you imagine if the bill is taking this long now, how long it would have taken for a second bill to pass if it ever did.
Thank you for your input!
Hi BW
I agree --- although some people may think unemployment benefits are easy money, they leave a lot to be desired. I don't know too many people that can pay all their bills on unemployment benefits.
Thank you for your input!
Hi LB
It's just like everything else --- if you're not in the situation you don't understand it. You know what worries me? Some economists are predicting this will be a jobless recovery. If they are right, 2010 will be much like 2009 or worse. As I said before, it seems like they're taking longer and longer to pass these extensions. How many more extensions do you think they will pass? I am worried that the unemployment, homelessness, and poverty situation is only going to get worse, and Americans will find themselves in a situation with no safety net and no job. Although unemployment extensions are helpful, they need to figure out a way to create jobs.
Thank you for your input!
It is funny how now job loss is less in mich, ohio etc. they are saying when people have lost their lifeline and can not be calculated or tracked in the system as we all should know if you have checked this from the sources. Now since people have lost their lifeline it looks as if things are picking up. The same old political routine to make things look like it is improving. We all want it too improve who doesn't but I guess if you know it is bad out there if they say it is improving enough you will beleive it. Yea Right! It is time to contact your representatives to get on the ball this is why we hope they do the right thing.
Hi Thisisenoughpolitics
Maybe things aren't really improving in those high unemployment states --- people could be moving out of those states to lower unemployment states. For instance, states like Nebraska and North Dakota have extemely low unemployment rates compared to the rest of the country. It could also be due to people giving up on their search for a job and people who have exhausted their unemployment benefits too. From what I understand, the national unemployment rate is calculated by what they call a Current Population Survey. However, the state unemployment rates are caluculated by the unemployment rolls. If I am wrong, someone please correct me. Anyway, as far as the unemployment rate, I am not sure whether the glass is half empty or half full, but what they're doing in the Senate right now is pitiful. They had problems with the bill once because of Senators from lower unemployment rates thinking it should apply for all states. I was in favor in that. However, the bill has been read in the Senate twice since then --- once on 10-8 and once on 10-13. Both times objections were made. Once by John Kyle and once by Orrin Hatch. Remember last year, when the House went on recess before the unemployment extension was approved. I wonder if the same thing will happen this year. I tried looking on the net to find out when the Senate goes on recess, but unbelievably, I can't find out any information.
Take care and hang in there!
Hi seamist,
I agree on the information you presented but it is a known fact after the lifeline has ran out the department of job and family services can not track those individuals. Which the numbers are most likely larger in this case if you are up on how they operate their systems in todays society and watch their commentaries. Also, moving out of states is not going to solve those states issues or running to states with lower unemployment rates based on the jobs in those states. If we continue to default on this we might as well close them down. This is not how you operate the states or the country fiscally. Thanks for your info update..
My unemployment is running out in two weeks.what do i do.the unemployment rate 13.8% in lee county Florida. How do i pay my must pay bills? The government needs to help us now. my next step i will be on streets and sell all my things that i own. someone need to get off there ass and help us now
My husband ran out of unemployment benefit extensions, back in July. We've been living on my SS disabilty check, since then and wondering if he will be eligible for this new extension. That is if it ever gets passed. The government people have a paycheck, we need benefit money now, living in NV & in a county highest unemployment in state. Government is spending dollars in the wrong places, our people need money to feed our familis and pay our necessary bills. Maybe the top government workers need to give up part of their incomes to help all others in dire need. I'm so tired of struggling every day and being on the edge of homelessness. While the top government people are getting way too much earnings, for what they really do..
Yes we have $$ to blow up the moon but none for our people We help the rest of the world with food,med supplies etc but we don't help ourselves. This country is headed for a Revolution and then the Congress can try to get their unemployment checks !!
I am about to run out of unemployment. We have already lost our home. What else is there? Waiting to pass this bill is a joke! What on earth are they waiting for? A few thousand more forclosures?
If you'd like to tell Senator Kyl how you feel about his stalling this bill click on the link and write to him.
I have said it since June 2008 when my job at an automobile dealership was cut because sales were slow, that the homeless, those who were struggling, and those already in foreclosure should go and camp out on the front lawns of the elected officials that we put in office. We as Americans paid the taxes that took care of the houses, cars, luxuries, and salaries that elected officials take for granted. If we camped out on OUR PROPERTY then the elected officials of this country would be more willing to have ended the circus act this country has become and actually help it's citizens instead of turning a blind eye. I believe it's time for AMERICANS to take back our Country and Government. "Government for the People, by the People"!
Its a shame that our goverment invest in other projects, instead of investement on american soil and provide employment for americans.We need JOBS ,so get out for a day form sitting down in the senate and go to any house of an unemployed family so you can realize the hardship we are going thru........
Perhaps, the senators think that the unemployment extension issue will disappear automatically by just not taking any taking no action.
I am an unemployed vetran of the USMC, I have worked and paid taxes for 35+ years. I have helped paid 6 figure salaries to all of these hypocrits, I am all done. It is so simple to sign a 7.4 billion check made payable to Pakistan, stall congress for a history making health care bill (huge history farce since Hillary Clinton and Kosovow).
Lets give them all a raise, lets all go to Copenhagen for an all expenses paid vacation for the new Mr & Mrs (not the kkids!) I knew we were in for a president elect, history making farce! Oh lets not forget the new dog, jewelry, gowns and god only knows what for state dinners. Let me guess they will have their car repossesed, "White house" forclosed upon, the children will go without food and clothing, let alone have their internet service, electric, heat, cable shut off! Oh and don't let me forget lets give it a couple of weeks thought to second guess the professional military to substantiate their requests for more troops to help and save our brothers overseas. You are tthe perfect example of the overpaid, professional "coward" Obama. Hope you have enough left to feed your family and keep our country safe. I will surely not vote for a "desperate change" again. God bless us all!
Kevin in Boston, MA
Welcome to the new world of a "jobless recovery" and the new economy. Give Obama a chance, please. We need extended UI benefits now AND health care reform to go along with it, since so many people will be "indefinitely" without medical coverage. Yes, I do believe we are headed for revolution if this crap continues. Giving money to Pakistan is absurd!
I live in Ohio and jobs are just not happining. I spend 3 hours a day on careerbuilder, monster and just looking up companies etc. I can even count how many resumes I have sent out. I have over twelve years of experience and a college graduate. The only jobs that are even sending back responses are commission only inssurance sell your family and friends type jobs. My benefits ran out in September. I have sold everthing worth somthing. I sold my car and bought another one at an auction that has since broken down and needing work to be done on it. I'm not a car person and I'm looking up how to replace brakes, calibers and routers to try and do it myself. I don't understand that if they know that there is a job crisis how can they let Americans that are tring starve. Before my unemployment ran out funds were hardly manageable. I did have savings that were slowly dwindling down. If they do pass it atleast I will be able give back something to the people that care about me and have lend a hand. I'm so sick of asking for help. That is so hard for me to do. It is a sick feeling for me to do. If there was something other than what I'm doing now looking for a job I'm all ears and eager to hear and also very greatful. Please pass this now! I haven't given up hope on getting a job. I do have excellent qualifications and I'm only 35. I know it's out of my hands. I will continue to Pray everyday!
To everyone who has replied since my last post:
I hear your pain, and I am in the same boat with you. My unemployment runs out in one more week, and unfortunately, they still seem to be dragging their feet. I searched on the senate sites today, and I see nothing about this bill being discussed today. As soon as I come across anything, I will write about it. In the mean time, write your senators. Short of a revolution, that is about all we can do. It's pitiful this is happening right before the holidays just like the way they did last year with the second extension bill. May God bless you all and hold you in the palm of his hand.
IT'S BILLIONS OF TAXPAYERS DOLLARS , BUT NOT FOR TAXPAYERS! WALL ST, BANKS,AUTO INDUSTRY ,IRAQ,PAKISTAN,NASA,AIG AND OTHER INSURANCE CO'S,ISRAL,THE ARTS, BUT THE UNEMPLOYED CAN GO TO HELL THATS WHAT THEIR REALLY TELLING US! GET RID OF THESE BOM'S IN NOVEMBER, LET THEM KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE NOT TO HAVE A JOB!
Just to pass this along Msnbc said republicans and few democratics are giving the majority and issue on extending unemployment to suffering states. I realize not all states might not be suffery as bad. But if you want to know the ones that could careless about you being in cold or surviving you might want to call these representatives listed below who voted on HR 3548 and speak to them persoanlly why they are voting NAY when we are in a serious issue in this country. Also make it a point to stop raising the unemployment base percentage rate on how they rate the states employment 8.5% next it will be higher so no one can get it because it falls under their political schemes. You should also let them know we put them in their positions and and they can be in the same situation as you if keeps up. The reason why these votes are is the special interest have them in their pockets. Here is why below. Call and find out.
Alabama
Nay AL-6 Bachus, Spencer [R]
Nay Arizona
AZ-2
Franks, Trent [R]
Nay AZ-3 Shadegg, John [R]
Nay AZ-6 Flake, Jeff [R]
California
Nay CA-4 McClintock, Tom [R]
Nay CA-21 Nunes, Devin [R]
Nay CA-52 Hunter, Duncan [R]
Conneticut
Nay CT-2 Courtney, Joe [D]
Nay CT-5 Murphy, Christopher [D]
Florida
Nay FL-1 Miller, Jeff [R]
Nay FL-14 Mack, Connie [R]
Georgia
Nay GA-3 Westmoreland, Lynn [R]
Nay GA-6 Price, Tom [R]
Nay GA-7 Linder, John [R]
Nay GA-9 Deal, Nathan [R]
Nay GA-10 Broun, Paul [R]
Nay GA-11 Gingrey, John [R]
Illinois
Nay IL-6 Roskam, Peter [R]
Iowa
Nay IA-1 Braley, Bruce [D]
Nay IA-3 Boswell, Leonard [D]
Nay IA-5 King, Steve [R]
Kansas
Nay KS-1 Moran, Jerry [R]
Nay KS-2 Jenkins, Lynn [R]
Nay KS-4 Tiahrt, Todd [R]
Louisiana
Nay LA-1 Scalise, Steve [R]
Nay LA-3 Melancon, Charles [D]
Nay LA-4 Fleming, John [R]
Minnesota
Nay MN-2 Kline, John [R]
Nay MN-3 Paulsen, Erik [R]
Nay MN-6 Bachmann, Michele [R]
Missouri
Nay MO-2 Akin, W. [R]
Nebraska
Nay NE-1 Fortenberry, Jeffrey [R]
Nay NE-2 Terry, Lee [R]
Nay NE-3 Smith, Adrian [R]
New Hampshire
Nay NH-2 Hodes, Paul [D]
New Mexico
Nay NM-2 Teague, Harry [D]
North Carolina
Nay NC-5 Foxx, Virginia [R]
Ohio
Nay OH-4 Jordan, Jim [R]
Nay OH-5 Latta, Robert [R]
Nay OH-8 Boehner, John [R]
Oklahoma
Nay OK-1 Sullivan, John [R]
Nay OK-2 Boren, Dan [D]
Nay OK-3 Lucas, Frank [R]
Nay OK-4 Cole, Tom [R]
Nay OK-5 Fallin, Mary [R]
Pennsylvania
Nay PA-16 Pitts, Joseph [R]
Texas
Nay TX-1 Gohmert, Louis [R]
Nay TX-2 Poe, Ted [R]
Nay TX-3 Johnson, Samuel [R]
Nay TX-4 Hall, Ralph [R]
Nay TX-5 Hensarling, Jeb [R]
Nay TX-6 Barton, Joe [R]
Nay TX-7 Culberson, John [R]
Nay TX-8 Brady, Kevin [R]
Nay TX-10 McCaul, Michael [R]
Nay TX-11 Conaway, K. [R]
Nay TX-12 Granger, Kay [R]
Nay TX-13 Thornberry, William [R]
Nay TX-14 Paul, Ronald [R]
Nay TX-19 Neugebauer, Randy [R]
Nay TX-21 Smith, Lamar [R]
Nay TX-22 Olson, Pete [R]
Nay TX-24 Marchant, Kenny [R]
Nay TX-26 Burgess, Michael [R]
Nay TX-31 Carter, John [R]
Nay TX-32 Sessions, Peter [R]
Utah
Nay UT-2 Matheson, Jim [D]
Nay UT-3 Chaffetz, Jason [R]
Virginia
Nay VA-2 Nye, Glenn [D]
Nay VA-5 Perriello, Thomas [D]
Nay VA-6 Goodlatte, Robert [R]
Nay VA-7 Cantor, Eric [R]
Nay VA-8 Moran, James [D]
Nay VA-11 Connolly, Gerald [D]
Wyoming
Nay WY-0 Lummis, Cynthia [R]
My question is: Is there something we can do about this? Can we go to a website and sign a petition? Are there meetings or something we can do as a group to get this point across? I'm sick of all these politicians having all this money and our country wasting money, helping other countries. We need help here at home.
Hi Thisisenoughpolitics
That was very kind of you to publish that information for everyone to see. Thank you! Actually, for the last week I've been working on an article about how the Represenatives and Senators have voted on the last three of the unemployment extension bills. It can be seen here http://hubpages.com/hub/voting-records-on-unemploy
I was under the impression this was still in the finance committee and there are 10 republicans and 13 democrats on this committee so these are who we need to be upset with there are 3 more democrats on this committee so why haven't they voted this out yet I have been hearing that msnbc is blaming the republicans but how can a minority hold up a bill they sure got the stupid obamacare through.They have put amendments on this bill so all states will get extra weeks not just the ones over 8.5 percent.This should be put to a vote before the senate and fast
POLITICS PEOPLE. I live in TN where Augusts rate was 10.8% they said last month it dropped to 10.6%. Unemployment numbers are going down but not because people are getting jobs. The fact is, people who use up their benefits are removed from unemployment lists that is a fact!!! They keep raising the qualification percentage so it will eventually be states under 30% unemployment rate wont qualify for EB!!! JACKASSES THEY CAN ALL GO F THEMSELVES. I have been on a "VACATION" since May 08' from the printing field that is all im qualified to do been doing it for 16 years but THAT FIELD IS HURTING JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.. I have called every printing company within a 200 mile radious of me and atleast half of them recently had layoffs themselves and the others are not hiring GEE I WONDER WHY????? That is ok they will get theres.. If i have to sell everything I own i know 8 things that wont be sold they are all stamped with BERETTA on them!!!!!!! The other problem with having to sell everything is finding someone with a JOB or the extra money that is looking or needing something i have to buy it...
I am in the same boat as many of you. I just finished an accounting degree, but as a career changer I have no direct experience in accounting. Although I have many cross-over skills that would be relevant, I have so far not received even an interview.
And I agree with another comment that said that many jobs are selling insurance to others. It seems that the quality of jobs available is quite low and often involves commission-based sales.
Let's hope that things get better soon.
I am glad I could provide this information for you this is straight from the horses mouth. Also, I talked to a few people I am friends with at a local Mall that works at ODJFS. Apparently individual who have run out of their lifeline has given up and not reporting their weekly benefits in the systems. People, I am NOT saying this is CORRECT information but do not give up keep calling in your claims and contact your local representation as others have said. If you do not do this it will look like things are getting better hwich in states that I have families in it has gotten worse like Mich,Ind, Ohio. Good Luck
I have written three times this week alone to the White House, the President himself, my Senators, and Congressman. I've already signed petitions. Mostly I have received generic responses i.e "we are working on ways to..etc...etc.." My state Senatorial staff directed me to State and County Social Services. Those services are good for people with small children. Disqualified there. Rental assistance is available AFTER you get the eviction notice but not guaranteed and they don't give all the rent. Out of work since June 2008. Took class using unemployment to change careers. EUC stopped b4 I could pay to take the National and State licensing exams. Must have those to work in my profession. I am so disgusted and frustrated like all of us that there seems to be nothing that we can do EXCEPT keep the list of the NAY votes and remember to vote them out. There is no excuse for this especially since the Senate just gave themselves a raise. What's worse, in Maryland, there is an emergency extension that could have been made into law but never was. Strangely enough, when I asked the Senatorial Staff about it the response emails stopped coming. Proof that no one is listening. How can we turn this around? Anyone?
you got to continue to apply every week even if you are not getting benefits. You must pass this on to friends and neighbors if not these politicians are going to continue to focus on issues that are not relevent right now. America can show these NAY votes what it is like to live on the streets.
Tennessea's system wont let you keep certifiying weekly if you have no benefits left. You are basically kicked out of the system and i think that is what is going on. TN's unemployment rate dropped .2% last month "so they say" that isnt cause those people all got work most of them lost there benefits cause they ran out or some people took "SEASONAL" work. Those in December will be back out of work cause the SEASONAL jobs will be gone and they will be back on the Unemployment rate so it will go back up after Christmas no doubt. SCUMBAG POLITICIANS Go F YOURSELVES
I always say "Full stomach person- can never understand hungry one"
Why would senate hurry or get things done fast, if they all live in Palaces and have $$$ in there banks and food? They have more food for there pets then WE do have for our children.
Why should they CARE? But who voted for them?
WE DID -YOU DID.
Hi Ryan, I did not know why they would not let you still file weekly claims. Have you contacted ODFS over phone or contacted your state representatives to resolve this issue ? This is crazy! This is another reason why it looks like things are improving. Hang in there Ryan!
Does anyone else have this issue since there lifeline has run out and can not continue to sumbit your weekly claims in other states ?
who voted for these people we did time to give them the boot.
The state of Fla.also denys you to claim weekly benifits after you stop recieving them...but if and when they pass a new bill,all of the wks. that have passed since your final check can be claimed.... By that time my kids will be having "ice cubes for dinner"..."Oh wait a second...By the time the bill passes our electric will be out!!!!! Thanx Congress!!!
HI
Great information.
Even if things improve, these people in Washington NEED to go! I don't care if I land a $100,000.00 job, I will still remember when I could not buy food or gas and how hard it was to pay my bills without my unemployment check! Mr. President, Senators, people are NOT stupid and we don't forget anything that made us hurt, cry or mad as hell. You WILL see come next election!
People we all are getting frustrated but continue on those people you supposedly voted to do the right thing during their running of offices and tell them that voting on non essential issues right now has you mad. Maybe finally when voting remember it does not matter who you vote for if you have not figured that out in Washington by now you have blinders on. Corruption runs farther to change those people you believe in when it comes to their pockets either democrats or republicans.
Day after Day I wait for news that they have passed the extension. My Benefit's ended at the end of September and what little I had saved is gone! Now what do I do? I have searched day in and day out for any kind of work and have found nothing. What I have found is hundreds of Mexicans who don't speak english working and living as though nothing is wrong! Every employment agency I have went to have no jobs for me but I watch them hand out what jobs they do have to Mexicans who walk in the door, often right in front of me after they told me they have nothing!!! I'm so pissed off at our Government that it seems we the people need to start considering a Revolution and take back our Country!! I also agree that we all need to remember the Senators who voted No come next election!!!! It would be a good place to start!!!!
Jerry, only one-third of the incumbent Senators are coming before the electorate in 2010, leaving two-thirds of the number presently infesting Mordor-on-the-Potomac to vote any damned way they please, confident that by 2012 and 2014, the majority of voters (defined as "smart enough to make it to the polling places and stupid enough to think that they're going to get any real choice when they arrive") will have droolingly forgotten conditions obtaining in 2009.
They don't care. They never did. Think biologically. These guys are the equivalent of great blue whales.
You and I are krill.
As for the preferential hiring of Mexicans, consider the possibility that employers conceive of Americans as troublesome, fractious, contentious types who simply know too much about how to "game the system" and take maximal advantage of the benefits packages that politicians force down the throats of said employers.
By comparison - particularly for "idiot" jobs rendered do-able by chickens conditioned to peck at buttons in return for alfalfa pellets - illiterate Mexican clods are vastly to be preferred. They're more tractable. They can be hired and fired without any real chance of rumbles for the employer because so many of them are illegals, and thus have no recourse to federal, state, or local government agencies for redress of grievances.
If you ran a business and were given the availability of such low-cost options in your search for warm bodies, wouldn't you avoid hiring Americans?
It's Government as usual. Budgets keep going up, pork projects are continually stuffed into every recovery bill, then the powers that be try to tell us all is well. Unemployment numbers only include those who are eligible to receive benefits. The "real" unemployment numbers are nearly double. I think everyone knows someone who is looking for a job. There seems to be little real recovery going on in the massive spending bills. Money is being shifted to the financial sector, but credit markets are not opening up. We hear about the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Stocks, and Banks. But we seldom hear about real people.
MikeNV, you're talking about fiat currency creation and its effects.
I'm a physician, and like Ron Paul (that "kook" who spent last year's presidential campaign season accurately predicting the horrible mess into which both nominally opposing factions of our political class have steered us), I'm entirely Austrian School in my appreciation of economics.
The Austrians - von Mises, Rothbard, Sennholz, etc. - are the only people who seem to consider economic systems in the same robust fashion that one employs in physiology. The Keynesians (like Krugman and the rest of the government-sucking incompetents who have achieved both popularity and catastrophe for the same reason) hand-wave their way through life like the man behind the curtain in "The Wizard of Oz."
Insofar as I understand it, the Austrian "take" on money is very simple. It drops back into the old traditional rhyme in the textbooks before John Maynard Keynes sold his line of snake oil into academia. It goes:
"Money is a matter of functions four, a medium, a measure, a standard, a store."
When government leaves it alone (the definition of "free market" is a market free from government screwing around with it), money functions as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, a standard of deferred payment, and a store of value.
But there's another important value of money as a concept, one which the Austrian economists have remarked upon and which the Keynesians (and such similar trash) wish to blot out of consideration.
When money is saved, it's because the people saving money have no better use for it at the moment they're putting it away. Thus increases in the aggregate amount of saved money in any economy is an indication that there's purchasing power - REAL purchasing power, and therefore demand - that might be lured out into the marketplace if the thoughtful, diligent, hard-working (or just lucky) entrepreneur can come across something that people are likely to spend their savings upon.
When a lot of money (including the obscene tsunami of "created-out-of-thin-air" fiat currency recently dumped into the U.S. economy by the Federal Reserve System) becomes available for lending, the interest rates charged - the cost of borrowing that money - tends robustly to drop.
This is true whether that money represents real productive effort on the part of the people who had banked it - a sort of distillation of purposeful, valuable human action - or just I.O.U. certificates issued by politicians whom you wouldn't trust if left alone in your living room with your children.
Or, come to think of it, with your dog.
This condition of the prime lending rate (and all secondary rates of interest) is a powerful signal to entrepreneurs that there is pent-up demand in the economy.
IF, that is, it's really the result of savings, and not simply because those skulking bastards in Mordor-on-the-Potomac are playing their usual games of fraudulence and theft.
So what happens when manipulative sons-of-many-fathers like Ben Bernancke and Chris Dodd and Barney Frank turn the presses at the U.S. Bureau of Printing and Engraving to Warp Factor Nine and start churning out "not-worth-a-Continental" federal reserve notes to flood the market with toilet-paper currency?
You got it. An entirely false "recovery" that manifests itself not in real investment - the purchase of capital goods, the creation, sustenance, and/or expansion of real businesses which operate to meet real consumer demand - but rather the ILLUSION of prosperity found in secondary market functions - speculation in the financial sector.
Bear in mind that while the mobilization of capital and the allocation of this resource to profitable (and therefore useful) enterprises is a key factor in the efficiencies of any market economy, when the financial sector is responding not to real demand but rather to a massive wave of government counterfeit, whatever goes on in the financial sector, it sure as hell is NOT the creation of real wealth.
Think of these currency inflation criminalities of Dubbya and of Barry Soetoro as yet another wonderful, brotherly bipartisan effort to gull, cully, and diddle the average American citizen.
They don't have to move their lips to lie, Mike. Or to rape, pillage, and kill. They just have to go on breathing.
Hm. Might be able to do something about that. They stop breathing....
I HAVE LEFT 2 VOICE MESSEGES ON JON KYL ANSWERING MACHINE. HE IS THE IDIOT THAT IS HOLDING UP THIS BILL. GIVE HIM A CALL AND EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS Phone: (202) 224-4521
Wow, there is just a public clamor as against this bill, I hope it'll be settled asap. Thank you for sharing these info.
John
HR 3548 Unemployment benefits
The senators today Oct 27th 2009 voted on whether to proceed to the extension of unemployment bill:
Senate version:
Extends for additional 14 weeks
Covers all 50 states
Allows extra 6 weeks hardest hits states (8.5%)
Here is the votes Nays and Yeas you might wonder why your senators would consider to vote Nay to proceed this bill and put you that voted for them on the street for them just to have a job for them only.
You might want to think otherwise when you vote for them next time and pass this along since you have the proof of the pudding. Check their site.
Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3548; Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009
U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 1st Session
as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate
Vote Summary
Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3548 )
Vote Number: 329 Vote Date: October 27, 2009, 06:00 PM
Required For Majority: 3/5 Vote Result: Cloture
Motion Agreed to
Measure Number: H.R. 3548 (Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 )
Measure Title: A bill to amend the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to provide for the temporary availability of certain additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes. Motion to Invoke
Vote Counts: YEAs 87
NAYs 13
YEAs ---87
Akaka (D-HI)
Alexander (R-TN)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Brownback (R-KS)
Burr (R-NC)
Burris (D-IL)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corker (R-TN)
Crapo (R-ID)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Ensign (R-NV)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagan (D-NC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inouye (D-HI)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kaufman (D-DE)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kirk (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
LeMieux (R-FL)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCain (R-AZ)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (D-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wicker (R-MS)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs ---13
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bond (R-MO)
Bunning (R-KY)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cornyn (R-TX)
DeMint (R-SC)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Hatch (R-UT)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Hope this helps some. Good luck..
Forgot three other senators on NAY votes:
Johanns (R-NE)
Sessions (R-AL)
Vitter (R-LA)
I'm not a US citizen but my country has faced the same problem for years, we don't rely on the government much right now, we just do our best to survive. Many Indonesian women go abroad (specially to UAE and other Asian countries) to work as a housekeeper, they're in hard conditions too. Many of my countrymen work on the street as parking attendant, selling foods, and many informal works. The most sad thing is many children under age are working and living on street as beggars, street performer, etc. Hope it won't happen to yours.
I think, one thing you could do as native English speakers is teaching English abroad such as my country or other Asian countries. You may won't receive the high paycheck, but due to our low-cost living expenses, your salary will be big enough. I hope the economic downturn will recover soon, because the US economy will reflect to ours too. I hope all of you will be okay and God Bless You all.
I'm fed up. I'm unemployed. I'm tired of talking, tired of listening to rhetoric and tired of waiting for my elected officials to remember me. Too soon, I'll be tired of thinking of myself as someone willing to just lay down and take it. Thomas Jefferson said that 'the tree of liberty occcasionally needed to be fed with the blood of patriots' - perhaps revolutionaries.
Here we go GDP is up which stock market numbers are up and things are getting better seen this before. Government trying to make false hopes again.
Get out in the cities and see. The jobs that are created now and have been going on for sometime if you have paid attention which are temporary which state (full time) only 3 months maybe little longer government contracting jobs.
This is really getting old if you have worked in society for years and have talked to others on their impacts.
I have no problem with political opinions on samll businesses job creation but it is getting very old the same old thing.
The common small business owner who hires in today's society DOES NOT pay a salary that a person can make a living today.
No matter how hard you work, education you take these businesses are management profit only and use experienced people as tools not a value added addition and reward based on experience, education and hard work.
A few may get paid enough to make it in todays society but very few. It requires two jobs in small businesses.
I am not saying small buiness is good they are a contributor but we need good paying jobs.
all i want to do is be able to pay the remainder of octobers rent, pay my electric and get some food in the refrigerator. i hope this bill passes soon, my benefits ran out on 09-01-09. if anyone has work for me that would allow for me atleast $600.00 in pay, please let me know and we can arrange to exchange contact information. thank you.
You know, people pay out of their paychecks for disability insurance and can collect disability for an indefinite amount of time. I know I've paid into unemployment insurance my entire career, and I can't believe the government can't see this as a "handicapping" of Americans! We're losing jobs by NO FAULT of our own! While some "can't work" due to disability; we "can't work" because there are NO JOBS! Don't give a silly time-limit on how long you're allowed to survive and when you're gonna lose it all...we paid in and we should be taken care of considering this economic crisis!!
It reports today that only 14 states now are under 10% unemployment now. Which putting politics aside we know is false. If we do not make a voice for these types of false informations they are going to make the numbers anything they want to make you beleive it.
It looks like we are going to be back from votes tonight and continue where we left off in 2008. Republicans are back !
Final Senate Passage of HR 3548 Bill NOV 5th 2009
Senate version:
Extends Unemployment 14 Weeks
Allows 6 more weeks to hardest hit states (states of average rate of 8.5% for three months)
Extends 8,000 first-time Homebuyer tax credit
Votes = 98 YEA NAY = 0
It appears they finally believe you based on the votes.
Good luck job everyone.
H.R. 3548 was passed in the Senate this afternoon with no nay votes!
---- YEAS 403 ---
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Adler (NJ)
Akin
Alexander
Altmire
Andrews
Arcuri
Austria
Baca
Bachmann
Bachus
Baird
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett
Barton (TX)
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Blunt
Boccieri
Boehner
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Brady (TX)
Bright
Brown (SC)
Brown, Corrine
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Cantor
Cao
Capito
Capps
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson (IN)
Carter
Cassidy
Castle
Castor (FL)
Chaffetz
Chandler
Childers
Chu
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Coffman (CO)
Cohen
Conaway
Connolly (VA)
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Dahlkemper
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis (TN)
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly (IN)
Doyle
Dreier
Driehaus
Duncan
Edwards (MD)
Edwards (TX)
Ehlers
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emerson
Engel
Eshoo
Etheridge
Fallin
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Fleming
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foster
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Frelinghuysen
Fudge
Gallegly
Garamendi
Gerlach
Giffords
Gingrey (GA)
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goodlatte
Gordon (TN)
Granger
Graves
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Griffith
Grijalva
Guthrie
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hall (TX)
Halvorson
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Heinrich
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Higgins
Hill
Himes
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hodes
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Hoyer
Hunter
Inglis
Inslee
Israel
Issa
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jenkins
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Jordan (OH)
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kilroy
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kirkpatrick (AZ)
Kissell
Klein (FL)
Kline (MN)
Kosmas
Kratovil
Kucinich
Lamborn
Lance
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lee (CA)
Lee (NY)
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Luján
Lummis
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maffei
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey (CO)
Markey (MA)
Marshall
Massa
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (CA)
McCarthy (NY)
McCaul
McCollum
McCotter
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McIntyre
McKeon
McMahon
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Minnick
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy (NY)
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Myrick
Nadler (NY)
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Nye
Oberstar
Olson
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor (AZ)
Paulsen
Payne
Pence
Perlmutter
Perriello
Peters
Peterson
Petri
Pingree (ME)
Pitts
Platts
Polis (CO)
Pomeroy
Posey
Price (NC)
Putnam
Quigley
Rahall
Rangel
Rehberg
Reichert
Reyes
Richardson
Rodriguez
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rooney
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothman (NJ)
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Salazar
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schauer
Schiff
Schmidt
Schock
Schrader
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sestak
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Simpson
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Souder
Space
Speier
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Sullivan
Sutton
Tanner
Taylor
Teague
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Titus
Tonko
Towns
Tsongas
Turner
Upton
Van Hollen
Velázquez
Visclosky
Walden
Walz
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield
Wilson (OH)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
---- NAYS 12 ---
Send these guys packing. Enough is enough here in America with struggling people that work hard to live and people like this not providing some lifeline in economic hard times. This is sad!
Broun (GA)
Burgess
Flake
Franks (AZ)
Garrett (NJ)
Linder
McClintock
Paul
Price (GA)
Radanovich
Scalise
Shadegg
I hope no one that has been harping about Obama being a socialist, is collecting from this socialist program. My stepson takes voluntary unemployment every fall and doesn't work for 5 months, even though he could. He gets almost 400bucks a week to sit home on his butt. If you really need it and are hurting ect.,then I certainly don't begrudge you the money. It might help to if we would start looking in the mirror as to who is contributing to this unemployment mess. We run to places like wal-mart because we think we can save a buck, while more and more of our jobs leave the country, and then we wonder why. Oh, it must be the governments fault because we are so dense. Gotta have someone to blame.
OMG... The latest blunder of an extension, is flawed, the six weeks extra can't be given to anyone because of a deadline glitch in the bill.
The great state of CA... Will not send out checks until January now!! Despite that unemployment ran out for many starting in Sept.!! No Christmas, no Thanksgiving, no food, and soon no shelter!!!
In almost every other state they will get checks before Christmas. Checks go out to other states as early as next week, but oh no... Not in Cali baby!! The governator.... According to his reps I spoke to on the phone... Knows that thousands more will be homeless by the holidays thanks to the E.D.D.'s blundering, but apparently he could care less, while he rests comfortably with a full belly in his many mansions.
This is just beyond disgusting. What the Heck is wrong with our government, all these tax paying citizens, who worked their whole lives and now can't find work for the first time in their lives, are now forced into homelessness, and starvation due almost entirely to incompetence at every level of our system.
There will be no holidays for any of us, and in fact, no food, and like I said... Probably no shelter.
I have one of the nicest landlords ever, which is the only reason I still have shelter now, since I lost my benefits in Sept, the first week. I promised to pay by Christmas, as I was certain that either a job or the extension would come through by then. So far, it seems there is no hope for either, and how can I job hunt with no car insurance and no gas because I've had no pay since Sept?? All I can do is cry and stress, and try to apply online for things, but not a single interview so far.
= *( I don't know what to do, please, anyone who reads this, apply pressure to our leaders and try and help your fellow Californians who are in this boat, or if it happens in your state. People are literally suffering each day that this precious lifeline is delayed. Yes, we make pennies on the dollar for what we used to working, but it is enough to at least eat and pay for a room for rent somewhere. Nothing at all will kill us, there aren't enough shelters to feed and house the already homeless, let alone all of us who are about to be.
Please don't tell me like a jerk that I can't be that hard up since I have a pc and the internet. My pc is a dinosaur and can't be sold I assure you in the shape it's in, and the internet is paid for by the lady I rent my room from. I used to buy a house for myself, but had to give it back to the bank because I couldn't afford the payment on unemployment. I can't cut my budget anymore than it is... I can't even apply for food stamps because the nearest office is about half hour or more away that provides the service, and I can't even afford the gasoline to get out there and back, or even bus fair... Though no busses go that way anyhow. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, and my clothes barely stay up from losing so much weight!! = (
Please help us all make noise and try and speed this up before we die. It's the only chance we have.
Sincerely,
Hungry and Hopeless
I applied for unemployment insurance in California. I never received a response or any unemployment checks. As a result I had to spend far too much time living in a homeless shelter. Nothing reduces your self esteem more than living in a homeless shelter.
Steve 2 years ago
If the government can piss away money flying rockets to the moon to see if there is water up there then they have the money for unemployment extensions.