Now is the Time to Extend Unemployment Benefits

Submitted by Chris Lugo for ... on Mon, 06/23/2008 - 18:50.

America is in the midst of a recession largely attributable to the economic policies of the Bush administration and the Republican party. As a result of this recession, millions of hard working Americans have been put out of work. Almost every family in this country has been touched by the current recession. On top of this consumers are being forced to pay record high gas prices and hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes due to foreclosure. Now is not the time to cut tax paying American citizens off of their unemployment benefits.

Since the beginning of this year nearly 325,000 people have lost their jobs and the unemployment rate is rising. As of May the unemployment rate stands at 5.5%, up nine percent just since April. With the cost of gas, food and medicine many families are suffering. As a candidate for federal office I support House Resolution 5749, the Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act, which will provide an additional thirteen weeks of extended unemployment benefits in most states. This means that 3.8 million citizens will continue to receive benefits through March of 2009.

I fully support the intentions of this legislation and would support companion legislation in the US Senate if elected to public office. It is only the first step towards a clear path out of the current economic recession, but it is a sign to the American people that our representatives and those candidates who are running for office believe that the government is there to serve the people. We know that families are suffering right now under the high cost of food, medicine, fuel, housing and other basic goods.

The reason that we are in this economic crisis is clear. The Bush tax cuts which provided tax breaks for billionaires and wall street bailouts have broken the back of the American treasury. Hundreds of billions of dollars thrown down a hole in Iraq has not helped the situation any further and the mushrooming federal deficit, which currently stands at nine trillion dollars, have all played their role in the current situation. It is clear that what is needed are policies and legislation which supports working families and puts Americans to work.

Now is not the time to take away unemployment benefits for people who have worked hard and contributed. The cost of extended these benefits is just a sliver of the billions we are wasting on death and destruction in Iraq. Let's reinvest in America and let' start by investing in the American people. By doing so we will ensure a more secure and prosperous future for everyone.

For more information on HR 5749 please visit: Link...

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Struggling? I could settle
Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 06/24/2008 - 15:39.

Struggling? I could settle for struggling at my house we have a sinking ship, and I know that there are at least 10 families on my street that are in the same boat. We sooooo need this extension and then we need some jobs and our cost of living cut in half and this economy needs to be completely overhauled.

I don't claim to know all the answers but everything feeds into this cycle of doom. Healthcare is killing business and the common man. Free trade is killing jobs and American businesses. And did they ever think that you need a job to pay taxes?? Student loans, ha well lets just say those are not getting any attention from me, No job no pay.

This has got to be fixed and the Unemployment extension is just a Band-Aid, a badly needed Band-Aid where a tourniquet may be a better choice. We need to stop the flow of our US citizens jobs out of our country. Free trade needs to be stopped and healthcare needs to be completely reworked. I just want to make this clear I have a 4 year degree and an associates both business related and I have never had a harder time finding employment as I have after I got my degree. I feel cheated. I once lied and removed my degree from my resume, I was hired within 24 hours had the job before I left the interview. So now I should have to lie to get a job after I just worked so hard to earn my piece of paper and did all the things I was told would get me a good job? Never got in trouble, never did any drugs, very motivated, I interview well AND AS YOU CAN SEE I EXPRESS MYSELF WELL. So where is my job that will allow me to keep my bills paid and own my house?? Instead I can't go to the doctor cause we can't pay the doctor bills!! The list goes on. And I am supposed to make sure my kids stay in school so that they can have a job just like the one I DON'T HAVE.???!?!?!??!?!!!!!!?????!

I live in Michigan and I have been unemployed since Feb 2008. This is the second time in the last 4 years I have been unemployed. I have been applying to nearly everything. Putting out over 60 resumes and applications every day. I go from one website to another applying and I know that there are some employers that are getting my info almost daily.

So you can't say I am not doing my part to seek work. There are some that say unemployment benefits do not motivate people to retain their jobs or to seek jobs quickly. I have only had 3 interviews in all this time. I have signed up with nearly every temp agency within 50 miles of my house. Honestly, what else is there for me to do??? My benefits are expired now. I have no savings to fall back on. I am not in debt, no credit cards and no carloans, only mortgage and utilities, and no 2nd mortgages either. If we had these other debts I would have been homeless before now.

So what else are we supposed to do??? What gives?

unemployment
Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 06/24/2008 - 15:50.

I think that unemployment should be extended. We the people put the congressmen and women in that office.By that I mean we the working class which most of us are not working now. You congress people try to make it on what we do and worry if you lights will be shut off cause you dont have the money to pay your bill because unemployment ran out. You congress people worry that you wont have food to feed your children because of unemployment--and dont say go to the food stamp office..normally you wont qualify because they go by your past income not your present which is pretty freakin stupid and needs to be changed also.
You cant afford gas to go job hunting because you have no money or what you have you must make it last instead of wasting $4.00 a gallon on a maybe job.
Instead of forking over money to other countries all the time its time for the US to step up and take care of its own for a change. We the working class built this country so help us out...

Unemployment NEEDS to BE Extended in ALL States!
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 18:31.

I highly agree that it needs to be extended. Myself and many are facing losing our homes, cars, health care, etc. Many have already lost this!

We hear far to often how our country is helping other countries. Great! However, what about our own. It seems we are in higher need right now, so why not provide the assistance.

I have created a petition on Rally Congress in hopes to get our voices heard. Please sign it as the notes to go to Senate, Congress, Representatives and the President. Perhaps if they hear more from us, they will understand the impact this has caused already.

Link...

Thank you,
Kathy S.

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