The Conservative Fantasy History Of Civil Rights
Leslie Odom Jr.: We Are Not All Artists the Same
Because the average person collecting unemployment gets a paltry $300 a week, it's fair to say nobody's getting rich or stashing this money away for a rainy day. On the contrary, most collecting unemployment spend it immediately on the aforementioned necessities. This of course helps our struggling economy tremendously.
None of this logic seems to matter to those on Capitol Hill, however. We've watched for weeks as Democrats who still had a majority in both the House and Senate at the time allowed Republicans to hold the benefits of formerly-employed Americans hostage. The GOP has repeatedly held up the extension of benefits, whining about their insistence on paying for them with budget cuts rather than borrowing money.
There is also the looming issue of the expiring Bush-era tax cuts for the rich. The GOP is essentially refusing to provide vital cash for struggling Americans unless these tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans are preserved. In the middle of this cluster is President Obama who talks softly and carries no stick at all, as he simply refuses to force the issue, all in the name of some mythical concept of bipartisanship which will never come to fruition.
Sadly, if you're one of the millions actually depending on unemployment benefits to help you make it through the holidays, you are simply out of luck. I've long pondered just when people whose lives are being treated as political footballs would finally get angry and speak up. That time seems to be near:
As Democrats and Republicans wrangled over tax cuts for the richest Americans, time ran out for millions of people who have been unemployed for up to 99 weeks. Congress has failed to agree on how to extend benefits for the long-term unemployed and some 2 million people who have been out of work for 6 months or longer face being cut off before Christmas, NPR reports. Tempers and protests are beginning to flare over the pending crunch. Unemployed New Yorkers in Santa hats protested the benefit cut-off at the Rockefeller Center tree-lighting ceremony.
The parties blame each other for the failure to reach agreement on extending benefits. Democrats accuse Republicans of ignoring the plight of the unemployed, while the GOP says it would be happy to vote for an extension of benefits, as long as the money comes from budget cuts elsewhere.
In a separate, but equally sad story, elsewhere:
Tempers flared at an unemployment office in Louisville, Ky. as the end nears for federally-funded extended jobless benefits. Local CBS affiliate WLKY captured a bit of the scene on Monday -- amid some commotion, a man can be heard saying in a raised voice, "What did you just say to me?" WLKY reported that "at least two people were escorted out" of the office. With the threat of benefits expiring for 100,000 Kentuckians, WLKY reported, "tempers are flaring."
It's the type of scene that contributed to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development's decision to add armed guards to each of its 36 field offices where workers can file unemployment claims (previously only some of the offices had armed security).
It is truly a sad day when elected officials are either so selfish or so timid that they fail to ensure the basic welfare of the very constituents who pay their salaries and send them to office. Perhaps reducing Congressional salaries to $300/week would give these folks a new perspective on life outside Capitol Hill. The rage over this clear injustice is starting to build. Let's hope it takes our country to a more equitable place.
Merry Christmas, America. Stay warm if you can. And if you are finally ready to speak up and fight for your rights, there are organized ways to demand what you need.
Jay Anderson is a freelance writer from Washington, DC, whose work has been featured in the Washington Post and on NPR. When he's not busy talking smack here, he runs the award-winning blog AverageBro.com. Follow him via Twitter @AverageBro.
Comments: (27)
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By: Bob on 12/04/2010 3:55AM
WEll I don't know why the people in KY are upset, they got what they ask for. I sit & laugh at the fact that they wanted the republicans in office in KY & now they got them. They bad mouthed Obama who is trying to help them. Mabe Garth Brooks should write a song titled "Answered Prayers". You people in KY got what you prayed for sooooo live with it
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By: The Truth on 12/05/2010 7:34AM
All of this has little to do with politics and may have more to do with people getting comfortable with getting free money.
We ALL know there are jobs out there, but for some reason there are those who feel they are too good to work for minimum wage until something better comes along.
Sometimes one HAS to pull back and regroup.
Most will find if they give up their vices (Booze, drugs, cigarettes) they’ll have more available money.
Other wasteful expenses include magazines, newspapers, scratch tickets, eating out and anything else one just doesn’t NEED.
Just giving up that daily cup of (restaurant bought) coffee will save you 45 dollars a month.
One of my children recently asked me for money to help them pay their rent. I helped by letting them move back in until they regroup. I couldn’t throw good money after bad. My kid said but I’ll ruin my credit. I told her it looks like you shouldn’t have had that (Credit) to begin with and it most likely contributed to their current financial setback.
Leaving lights on around the house? Shut them off!
Is your TV on all hours of the day (It wouldn’t be if you were working)
Is the store just down the street? Try Walking!!
Common sense goes a long way.
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By: JAMES on 12/06/2010 11:53AM
You are right they vote in any that hated obama and cut their own necks. Certain people will always vote for people talk & preach hate.....
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By: soundoff on 12/06/2010 1:33PM
The truth you must not have read the article, I have for every dollar spent $1.90 in economic growth for I do agree 2 years on unemployment is far to long. Many do not have the bad behaviors as you make on your post who wants to leave lights on all day and pay a hefty bill thats absurd and the truth this has every thing to do with politics who is running unemployment.These are bitter accusations towards people.
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By: Cindy on 12/04/2010 4:43AM
It is outrageous that these Reliarkkkans come up with statements like "promised 6 years of AUSTERITY" and "Shared Sacrifice"
While they ask the RICHEST AMERICANS to sacrifice NOTHING. At a time where they know the jobs DO NOT EVEN EXIST, they once again BLAME THE VICTIMS OF GREED instead of attacking the GREED AT THE TOP that has put our economy in this state in the first place. Shame on them, and shame on the people who put them BACK into power. If we had a president who COULD lead, we'd get out of this mess too, why he surrounds himself with some of the WORST people to get advice FROM, is another mystery, I sure didn't think of TIM GEITNER as someone who could bring change ANYONE could believe in, worse...Summers, he needs to can them and get some STRONG PROGRESSIVE VOICES to provide the advice. He is waffleling instead of taking the stands that we voted for.
Protecting the most vulnerable citizens should have been the FIRST thing on the list, NOT LAST AS USUAL, and ultimately a bargaining chip.
LOL I am listening to one of the RELIARKKKAN windbags talk about how "MOST AMERICANS STILL BELIEVE THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE" who the hell is he talking to these dream killers don't even want American school children to have diets that stave off starvation and malnutrition. And YES it is the job of the GOVERNMENT to govern and ENSURE that if Federal money is given into school lunch programs that those meals are not the GARBAGE that some serve up to save money for their school district on the BACKS of the STUDENTS mandated to GO THERE.
They do seem to care more about Leona Helmsleys DOG than they do about the well being of Americans.
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By: State Control on 12/06/2010 10:28PM
The Government gives the money to the States, and the States decide on how they are going to disburse it. Then the States blame the Federal Goverment on not giving them enough funding to support them, and it goes back and forth. In California,the Govenor supports and the Federal Government supports charter schools. Although they are ran off private funds, having the public schools provide housing for them to get certain funding is a big expense off the charter schools. Your highest business expense is your housing. Please stop taking from our PUBLIC SCHOOLS,and start having the people that run these schools be more accountable with their funding. Why would someone charge $300.00 dollars for a door knob at a public school? Could they know that there is a lot of budget for construction?
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By: Pink on 12/04/2010 12:33PM
I've been a Democrat for all of my adult life; but I am sick of them saying one thing when they run; but doing something else when they get into office; including the president not standing up to the republicans. Anyone that has pay taxes, and paid into the employment system for 20 or 30 years should be eligible for a reasonable extension of unemployment beneftits if they need it. Also; anyone making over a million dollars doesn't need a tax break.
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By: JAMES on 12/06/2010 12:02PM
You are right 'but thats what type of govt we have now vote in by folks thinking the Guy really cares what happens to us poor and middle class folks.It would be joke but most people in the U.S. ain't laughing....
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By: kbroome1969 on 12/04/2010 2:42PM
the rep party does the same thing and worse.... they went on and on about the stimulus and how they voted against it and yelled out loud to anyone in public that they wanted nothing to do with it... and in secret behind closed doors asked for some of the money...
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By: Juanita on 12/04/2010 3:28PM
THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT GOING ON. BUSH IS THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO OUR COUNTRY. HE SHOULD BE PAYING THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THERE JOBS BECAUSE HE WANTED TO START A WAR AND WHICH WE SHOULDN'T BE IN. SO NOW EVERYONE IS BLAMING THE PRESIDENT FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS NOT GOING THERE WAY BLAME BUSH. THE PRESIDENT IS DOING MORE IN ONE YEAR THAN BUSH DID IN EIGHT.
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