No fierce urgency of NOW for unemployment extension....

There is no fierce urgency of now for those on their last tether for unemployment extension, in fact, congress seems to be happy with just letting 200K slip from the unemployment rolls, a week to compensate the deficit.

Is that right? Just?

No, it is not.

It is uncaring, unethical and immoral. How some can sleep at night is beyond me.

With Republicans citing concerns about the growing national debt, the House rejected a bill Tuesday to extend unemployment benefits for people who have been out of work for long stretches.

The House, however, is expected to vote on the bill again as early as Wednesday.

Without an extension, payments would continue to phase out for more than 200,000 people a week. The last extension expired at the end of May. House Democrats said more than 1 million people have already lost benefits.

Who is in charge in the House? Democrats? And how is this getting rejected? I must ask because of this:

Congressional Democrats have been trying for weeks to pass the extension as part of a larger tax and spending package, but the larger bill stalled in the Senate. On Tuesday, House Democrats brought up a standalone bill on unemployment benefits.

Democrats brought up the bill under a special procedure in which no amendments were allowed and debate was limited. Under the procedure, the bill needed a two-thirds majority to pass. The vote was 261-155, short of the two-thirds needed.

This goes along with the continued premise of congress doing whatever is necessary for the next election to retain their seats, instead of doing what is best for millions of Americans who are unable to FIND A JOB, because unbeknown to congress there are NO JOBS OUT HERE.

My take on this, I will be surprised at any unemployment extension. Why? Because there is no heat to extend unemployment. These politicians only care about November and then after that, they will look it over. These politicians will turn a deaf ear and cover their eyes at what throwing millions of families off unemployment will hear or look like. The Republicans will continue to believe there are jobs out there and tell you to go find one, Democrats will holler about it, but won't be able to move their Blue Dogs to vote for it.

In other words, all we are hearing about is reducing the deficit, while the unemployment rate is 10% in this country and the June unemployment numbers are out Friday. The June numbers can be 100K jobs created, but does that dent the unemployed numbers ACROSS THIS COUNTRY? We are about to see people thrown out of homes, apartments, families on the streets because of politicians trying to keep their jobs and give "ALL OF A SUDDEN" concern about the deficit. Yet, I have failed to see any real concern on that fucking defense budget, with 2 wars draining this country dry, along with continuing to put ourselves at the feet of China, while faux paper is being created at the Federal Reserve, in lieu of 2 wars costing 8-10B a month. What about that? Sure don't hear congress concerned about that across the board, but helping citizens who have worked their whole lives, while unable to find jobs that have continued to be outsourced in this country, and needs help, this congress turns a deaf ear.

Lastly, where is the bully pulpit about unemployment? I know President Obama is giving another speech on the economy tomorrow, but what about this President, well, GOING THE FUCK OFF on congress for the millions being thrown off unemployment in the next week? What about shaming congress ON BOTH SIDES, because that house vote to deny benefits was not WITHOUT SOME DEMOCRATS crossing to the dark side!!! What about that? President Obama crossed this country when CANDIDATE Obama and knows about jobs out here. The stimulus did one thing good, it helped states keep their employees employed (for now, because these states need more money to keep the same people EMPLOYED), but for the private sector from large to small businesses the growth has been anemic.

Right now, Washington, D.C. expects us just to deal with unemployment at 10% for a long time, expect us to accept throwing millions of hard working Americans off unemployment. The speeches will continue with the same mantra of "we must work harder at the unemployment numbers", while not much will be done. And the anger grows as we see Wall Street get away with wrecking this economy, the housing situation in the country continue to crumble, and folks still unable to secure a job; as the divide of rich and poor continues to evaporate the middle class, if there is one anymore.

Source

Update [2010-6-29 17:52:14 by icebergslim]:

h/t to RFK Lives from Bob Herbert:

Employment is the No. 1 issue for most ordinary Americans. Their anxiety on this front only grows as they watch teachers, firefighters and police officers lining up to walk the unemployment plank as state and local governments wrestle with horrendous budget deficits.

And what do these worried Americans see the Obama administration doing? It’s doubling down on the war in Afghanistan, trying somehow to build a nation from scratch in the chaos of a combat zone.

By nearly 2 to 1, respondents to the most recent New York Times/CBS News poll believed the United States is on the wrong track. Despite the yelping and destructive machinations of the deficit hawks, employment and the economy are by far the public’s biggest concern. Mr. Obama is paying dearly for his tin ear on this topic. Fifty-four percent of respondents believed he does not have a clear plan for creating jobs. Only 45 percent approved of his overall handling of the economy, compared with 48 percent who disapproved.

Direct Link to Bob Herbert's column

Update [2010-6-29 19:19:5 by icebergslim]:

Here are the Democratic members who voted NAY in the House:

Adler, Baird, Bean, Berry, Bright, Childers, Cooper, Donnelly, Herseth Sandlin, Hill, Kratovil, Markey, Marshall, Minnick, Nye, Shuler

Contact the House of Representatives, here.

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

Home Page