Meet the Americans Who've Lost Their Unemployment Benefits: "I'm Thoroughly Petrified"

[xchrom]

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/01/unemployment-benefits-stories


Job applicants line up at a new Target store in Albuquerque ZUMA/Dean Hanson

***SNIP

Name: Anonymous

State: New York

"My benefits run out this week. I'm thoroughly petrified…I am the nice girl you went to high school with who was in the advanced classes, graduated with an A average, and went on to college. I'm the girl who always worked through high school, college, law school, and grad school. I never thought I would end up a welfare mother, but here I am. I want you to know how I got here and why I can't get out. I want you to realize that your nasty comments on social media about the losers demanding entitlements and benefits and hand-outs as compared to your 'hard-earned money,' hurt more than you know. Those comments may also be hurting your friend or colleague or relative. I'm not alone in this situation. I do not want benefits, or hand-outs, or entitlements. I want a job. I want to be able to pay my own way. I want to be self-sufficient again and earn the money I receive through hard work. I don't want to lose my house or have to talk to another debt collector. But in the meantime, I am grateful that some of our lawmakers saw fit to protect the vulnerable in times of need."


Maureen "Momo" Kallins


State: Washington

"I am 65 years old. For three years I worked as the General Manager and the Business Manager of a small public access television station in Washington State. I lost that job in January 2013, which supported half of our household. (I have two sons, 26 and 24, and I live with my husband.) I was awarded unemployment insurance of less than half of my salary that month, which was extended after six months. I have applied for numerous jobs but never even get an interview. A friend of mine in the film business said recently, 'When you apply for a job at 50 people laugh at you. When you apply for a job at 65 people just look at you like you are crazy.' Presently I am adding to my video resume and trying to build a business. I sincerely hope that the members of Congress can agree to extend these benefits and throw us a lifeline."


***SNIP


Name: Tara Dublin

State: Washington

"I was a very popular DJ on the radio in Portland. When I lost that job, I could not find another job in local media. The radio station that fired me has not replaced me. As a single mom of two sons (15 and 10 years old), it was imperative to me that I show my kids that we don't roll over and die when bad things happen; we fight. And I've been fighting for the last four and half years. In the time since I lost that dream job, I've had small opportunities, but nothing long term. I'll get a voiceover gig just when a bill is due…I worked holiday retail sales at Nordstrom but wasn't rehired for this season, and despite applying for every retail and waitressing job I can find, I have yet to be hired. I'm on the verge of losing my house yet again, and I am terrified, I don't ask for a lot out of life—just to be in a job that makes me happy and pays my bills."

[KG]

1. you know who really feel bad for? all those democrats that were forced to vote for it

[jtuck004]

6. Yeah it must have been horrible. I can't imagine.

Probably had excuses, but being outed as traitors, and thrown out of the Party. That had to be humiliating...I mean, who would even want to be seen with them after that?

I haven't heard much about it though.

[xchrom]

2. US economy losing 'up to a $1bn a week' after jobless benefits cut

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jan/03/us-economy-losing-1bn-jobless-benefits-cuts

The US economy is losing up to a billion dollars a week because of the “fiscally irresponsible” decision to end long-term unemployment benefits, a Harvard economist said on Friday.

Professor Lawrence Katz based his assessment on official forecasts of the impact to the economy of 1.3 million jobless Americans losing benefits

The benefits, which apply to people who are unemployed for longer than six months, expired last week after a bipartisan budget deal on federal spending for the next two years failed to include a reauthorisation of the program.

Democrats have launched a sustained push to reintroduce the federal program, and a Senate vote on a bipartisan bill to restore the benefits for three months is expected early next week.

[RainDog]

3. k&r n/t

[LuvNewcastle]

4. I'd be petrified too.

They can apply for more food stamps, which have already been cut, but how will they pay the bills? If Congress is trying to foment a rebellion, they are doing a good job of it. A lot of people are going to have nothing else to lose.

[reformist2]

5. There aren't enough jobs to go around, and it will only get worse.

The real solution isn't the extension of still temporary unemployment insurance, but the creation of a permanent basic income, no matter your employment status or history. If you're in America and you're breathing, you get a basic income. Period.

[Chico Man]

8. Yes we can be like Qatar

Sounds amazing.

[alphafemale]

13. Then what idiot would work?

Astoundingly bad idea.

Employing people to repair bridges and other basic things?

Yes.

Even disabled people could be employed to sift though the mountains of backlogged stacks of VA disability paperwork.

Shipped a box a week.

More free child care. Pay people to do that.

I think most people WANT to be useful. Not sit around the house like a slug and breathe.

[lake loon]

14. That's why ...

a new WPA or CCC or 21st century public works job bank is imperative. Yet the whores in congress refuse to even provide work and people WANT TO WORK. There just aren't enough jobs anymore - even when the economy is good - to support the population. Real statesmen see the problem; Koch-paid corporate whores in DC do not.

[alphafemale]

16. How many more bridges have to fall?

Our infrastructure is collapsing and there are people wanting to work.

Hello?

[CFLDem]

21. A-freakin-men!

Think about how much further along our infrastructure could be if a WPA was formed in 08' fixing bridges, laying gigabit internet lines, and upgrading our power supply system, etc.

To me the failure to create a WPA shows us who our congress-critters' true masters are.

[Helen Borg]

7. Why do people laugh

When you apply for a job at 50? I mean, at 50, most people are pretty much at their peak in terms of expertise and competence. Are we talking about sales jobs or jobs that require one to be young-looking? This is really dangerous.

[winter is coming]

20. One day, you're at your peak. The next day, you've been laid off because the company's

downsizing or evaporation and instead of being an "asset" you're "overqualified" which is a nice way of saying "untouchable".

[Demo_Chris]

9. Hopefully this nonsense bites BOTH parties in the ass...

All the finger pointing in the world doesn't mitigate the truth, both parties have been smacking and spinning these poor people like a ping pong ball at a Chinese gym. They've been batting them back and forth for years now, always with the threat of the next deadline looming. Somehow they can manage permanent tax cuts for the affluent, and permanent spending for the NSA and Wars and Drones, but when it come to the desperate funding is always measured in weeks.

[livingonearth]

10. All Republicans in Congress need to experience unemployment,

tea baggers and libertarians too. It would be good for them to know what they're talking about, good for this country as well.

[marmar]

11. k/r

[SHRED]

12. This is what corporate America wants...

Desperate people willing to work for next to nothing.

Very sad.

[newfie11]

15. Exactly

American workers at China wages.

[1000words]

17. Little by little, we approach critical mass

What's concerning, is it seems that is exactly what the power elite wants.

[Liberal_in_LA]

18. k&r

[Jefferson23]

19. Unfuckingacceptable...IMF 2013, we rank 6th richest nation on earth.

This is insane.

K&R