Millions of Unemployed Face Years Without Jobs

[brentspeak]

Source: The New York Times

BUENA PARK, Calif. — Even as the American economy shows tentative signs of a rebound, the human toll of the recession continues to mount, with millions of Americans remaining out of work, out of savings and nearing the end of their unemployment benefits.

Economists fear that the nascent recovery will leave more people behind than in past recessions, failing to create jobs in sufficient numbers to absorb the record-setting ranks of the long-term unemployed.

Call them the new poor: people long accustomed to the comforts of middle-class life who are now relying on public assistance for the first time in their lives — potentially for years to come.

Yet the social safety net is already showing severe strains. Roughly 2.7 million jobless people will lose their unemployment check before the end of April unless Congress approves the Obama administration’s proposal to extend the payments, according to the Labor Department.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/21/business/economy/21unemployed.html?hp

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The atomic-bomb-like effects of 30 years of Republican/DLC-nomics is just getting underway. A completely artificially-created atrocity. :banghead:

[aquart]

1. One bonus package from one exec could fund jobs for how many of them?

[Mari333]

2. they damned well better extend the benefits

if they can continue 2 goddamned wars for corporate profits and bail out those assholes on wall street they damned well better extend benefits

[rooftoprevolutionary]

3. why should they care?

they continue two goddamn wars and bail out wall street because we don't say a damn thing about it. we just bitch and moan about it to each other. if they can get away with this shit, they will, they have not reason to stop.
even if the benefits are renewed for now, how long before they shrivel? how much do you think you're gonna get out of social security?
unless we do something about it, they'll continue till their all kings of broken, poor people.

[Alameda]

4. So....what is your suggested tactic?

[rooftoprevolutionary]

9. ...to do something

my plan is to do something about it. i know many seem to think that this is an idealistic, lofty venture, but looking back at history (something many politicians have trouble doing), we can see that history is owed to those who had the fortitude and foresight to change things. we, the people, can do that, we just have to organize and move forward towards a common goal.

i've read a lot of your posts and think you have some great ideas as well - i'd love to hear more of them, as i'm sure would many others irritated and hopeless about the current issues. if you are free on march 6th at 5pm, pst, please join in on our skype chat and share some of your ideas.

if we're all so pissed off, let's hone that and use it.

[AlienGirl]

10. You need to get together with the VillageThinker. I suspect your partnership could be quite fruitful

http://villagethinker.wordpress.com/

Tucker

[rooftoprevolutionary]

11. thanks

thank you for the link, i appreciate it.

[ThomCat]

12. I think they consider the wars to BE the Benefits Package.

If you can't find a job, enlist and go die for whatever it is we're fighting for. They'll just keep lowering the standards until they're accepting everyone regardless of how old you are or how out of shape. :(

[Yurovsky]

5. Which is why we need a REAL stimulus package..

not some token effort like we've seen thus far. But now the GOP has somehow convinced the sacred "swing" voters that we can't spend any more money or we'll all end up in the poor house. Well, folks are already in the poor house (or headed there). Time to tap the assets of the uber rich and spread the goddamn wealth.

[anonymous171]

6. We need to start a new WPA and increase funding to the CCC.

Unemployment is bad for the soul as well as the bank account. If we want to save the nation's morale we must make sure that everyone has a chance to do something good for society.

[leftstreet]

7. +1

:thumbsup:

[NNN0LHI]

8. I was laid off for just short of two years once back in the 1980's

It wasn't a fun time.

Don