US Congress fails to Extend Unemployment Benefits

[Tzonteyotl]

On top of the pay freeze Obama announced for federal workers, there's this:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2010-12-01-unemployment01_ST_N.htm


About 800,000 Americans are slated to be cut off by the end of next week and another 1.2 million would lose benefits by the end of the month, NELP says.

Why American workers aren't out in the streets yet like the Greek, French and other European comrades, I just don't understand.

[La Comédie Noire]

On top of the pay freeze Obama announced for federal workers, there's this:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2010-12-01-unemployment01_ST_N.htm



Why American workers aren't out in the streets yet like the Greek, French and other European comrades, I just don't understand.

Because everything's your own fault and you can do anything if you try hard enough.

-sigh-

I read an article from a few months ago that was talking about how demoralized and cynical Americans are now. The 2000 election was a shame, don't care, we're now fighting two illegal wars, so what?, the economy has collapsed you say? what's on TV?

Utterly broken as people.

We have to consciously build a movement almost from scratch. I don't even know where to begin.

EDIT:


unemployment extensions are nothing but welfare. the original benefit that they earned is exhausted; once beyond that point it's social entitlement programs. these handouts should have ceased a long time ago, there would be more people employed out there even if it was to displace illegal immigrants.

These are the comments of someone named "lefty green". While I don't want to assume things, these views are typically American.

[Tzonteyotl]

Because everything's your own fault and you can do anything if you try hard enough.

-sigh-

I read an article from a few months ago that was talking about how demoralized and cynical Americans are now. The 2000 election was a shame, don't care, we're now fighting two illegal wars, so what?, the economy has collapsed you say? what's on TV?

Utterly broken as people.

We have to consciously build a movement almost from scratch. I don't even know where to begin.

EDIT:


unemployment extensions are nothing but welfare. the original benefit that they earned is exhausted; once beyond that point it's social entitlement programs. these handouts should have ceased a long time ago, there would be more people employed out there even if it was to displace illegal immigrants.These are the comments of someone named "lefty green". While I don't want to assume things, these views are typically American.

Yeah, that's not surprising. Don't want to generalize, but yeah.

In one of my Native American studies classes Monday we were discussing the issue of the environment and the Native view of the interconnectedness of everything. We got into small groups and as we were discussing the reading our professor was talking about change and mentioned how change starts with us. He actually asked us to say "Change starts with me." One of the people in my group kept saying how "stupid" that sounded and mocking the idea, and insofar as the environment was concerned joked we should all be hippies, etc. I don't want to generalize either, but it was pretty frustrating. Again, not to generalize. But too many fail to see their own power or mock any idea of doing something to make a difference.


Side note: 100 posts!:cool:

[Robocommie]

I felt the exact same way when the Supreme Court ruled that cities had the right to exercise eminent domain on private property not just for public development, but for private development as well. Meaning a city could kick people out of their homes and tear them down to build a strip mall if it wanted to.

I'd like to think that 100 years ago, people would have rioted. But nobody did anything.

[Jalapeno Enema]

The unemployment benefits need a serious overhaul anyway.

Lemme tell you a quick personal story; I worked for the local branch of the largest ambulance company in the country. I was hoping to gain some experience, join the St. Louis Fire Dept (as paramedic), then move out to one of the counties.

I have a history of kidney stones. I cannot sit up, let alone try to save the occasional life when I have a kidney stone. When I had a kidney stone, I'd call off work, vomit for a while, then if bad enough ask for a ride to the hospital. One time, I ran into my supervisor at the Emergency Department with in IV in my arm. She was unaware that I wasn't at work until she saw me.

Every time I called off work, since it was "unscheduled" (I'm supposed to know ahead of time when I get a stone), I took an "instance" (the company's version of a 'demerit' or 'writeup'.) Even when one of my co-worker's house burned to the ground, she missed work and took an "instance".

Company policy was 10 instances within a year, and you're fired. I "instanced" out, and got terminated. So without a job, I made my way to the unemployment office. I figured I paid into it, and locally healthcare jobs are not opening up (a bunch of crap with medicare and Obama-care), so it would pay the bills until I found work.

The company I worked for told Public Aid that my employment "was terminated due to situations within [my] control", so I was denied unemployment (I appealed, and was denied again.)

[Tzonteyotl]

The unemployment benefits need a serious overhaul anyway.

Granted, your story is an example of how terrible things are for working people. But that's no reason to see this an opportunity to make those kinds of injustices a thing of the past, as your comment appears to imply. Cutting benefits to people is not the way to start an overall, particularly in a recession.

[Tzonteyotl]

I felt the exact same way when the Supreme Court ruled that cities had the right to exercise eminent domain on private property not just for public development, but for private development as well. Meaning a city could kick people out of their homes and tear them down to build a strip mall if it wanted to.

I'd like to think that 100 years ago, people would have rioted. But nobody did anything.

That's exactly what the "revitalization" plan for my city's downtown area was going to do. Poorest neighborhood in town and they want to build a large mall as part of an effort to bring in tourists and shoppers from across the border (US-Mexico). Plan is still on as far as I know (hasn't been much news about it lately), though the use of imminent domain is unsure. It's going to gentrify the area regardless though, so very upsetting.

[refuse_resist]

That's just sad and sickening.

There are going to be so many poor people out there in the coming years once this all goes through. :(

[Rusty Shackleford]

with the way things are going, there has to be a crack somewhere. I just wont believe that the american working class will just sit aside and drown themselves in entertainment when things start getting worse(and i believe they will).

Whats going on in Europe will spill over to here. something has to give. the 99ers may be the sort of spark. who knows. the Communist Party back in its hayday organized with unemployed workers in the 30s.

the threat of another war is still looming. either in the middle east or east asia.

the American bourgeoisie is beginning to enter into a crisis phase. the European bourgeoisie is pretty much there.

tuition is going up for students.

foreclosures are still a commonality.

racism is on the rise.

unemployment isnt getting much better.

the stockmarket is bi-polar/manic depressive.

for fucks sake something has to give.

[JohnnieGoodtimes]

I'm one of the 99ers. My last benefit check was in mid-November and I'm down to about 20 dollars and a couple pop cans that can be turned in. Thankfully my parents took me in when my apartment was foreclosed on, but now I am going to have rely on them for everything. At least with unemployment I was able to pay for gas to get back and forth to school and pay for my own food, now its like I'm a little kid. Very fucking depressing.

I think we will be seeing people taking to the streets very soon. Especially if the rich get their tax break extension.

[Victus Mortuum]

This will only make the recession worse, they are lowering the demand of consumers - part of what contributes to crises in the first place. I think I remember hearing somewhere that the democrats were trying to make a deal with republicans to get unemployment extensions in exchange for tax breaks for the wealthiest.

[mlgb]

This will only make the recession worse, they are lowering the demand of consumers - part of what contributes to crises in the first place. I think I remember hearing somewhere that the democrats were trying to make a deal with republicans to get unemployment extensions in exchange for tax breaks for the wealthiest.

which means unemployment wont get extended, the wealthiest will get tax cuts and the democrats congratulate each other for governing from the center. thats how winners roll baby.

[ZeroNowhere]

I read an article from a few months ago that was talking about how demoralized and cynical Americans are now. The 2000 election was a shame, don't care, we're now fighting two illegal wars, so what?, the economy has collapsed you say? what's on TV?I'm sure that that's exactly the reaction of the about 22% of Americans either unemployed or working part-time jobs against their will. They're almost certainly simply wondering what is on television.

[La Comédie Noire]

I'm sure that that's exactly the reaction of the about 22% of Americans either unemployed or working part-time jobs against their will. They're almost certainly simply wondering what is on television.

Until viable alternatives are found, that's all they can do or lay awake at night and stare at the ceiling feeling like shit. Drinking too, there's that.