North Carolina’s Jobless Face a Double Whammy of Aid Reductions...

[Indi Guy]

Source: Washington Post

...North Carolina is joining the growing ranks of states that have decided they can no longer shoulder the growing financial burden of the unemployed. But it stands alone in violating a law that disqualifies its jobless from collecting federally funded unemployment benefits, which would allow the state’s jobless to collect up to 47 weeks of additional aid.

The reason is the way North Carolina — which at 9.2 percent has the nation’s fifth-highest jobless rate — went about slashing its benefits.

Not only did the state reduce the maximum number of weeks someone could collect state benefits from 26 to 20, it also reduced the maximum weekly benefit from $535 to $350. On top of that, North Carolina is reworking how unemployment benefits are calculated, which advocates say will reduce the average weekly benefit from about $296 to the low $200s.

“It is a self-inflicted wound,” said George Wentworth, senior staff attorney of the National Employment Law Project...

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/north-carolinas-jobless-face-a-double-whammy-of-aid-reductions/2013/02/14/6e32fa2c-7601-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_story.html

---

Change.org is hosting a petition against NC's actions to:

• Cut the maximum benefit amount by 1/3 to $350 per week: No state has ever made such a severe cut.
  
  
• Cut all benefits by changing to a formula no other state uses.
  
  
• Cut the maximum weeks of benefits from 26 weeks to a sliding scale of 12-20 weeks. Only two other states (Florida and Georgia) do this.
  
  
• Cut benefits for workers who lose their job because of health reasons or family reasons.
  
  
• Cut off federally-funded extended benefits completely to 80,000 North Carolinians as of July 1, 2013. NO STATE HAS EVER DONE THIS.

Petition -- https://www.change.org/petitions/stop-north-carolina-s-attack-on-it-s-unemployed-workers#share

[Smilo]

1. And I bet as they are signing these bills into law

they are singing "Onward Christian Soldiers.........."

Signed.

K&R

[yardwork]

2. The Tea Baggers are cheering this on in North Carolina. Our state has been taken over by the Kochs.

You can't imagine what is going on here right now unless you're here. It's like a nightmare that doesn't end. This is what happens when the Koch Brothers take over a state.

[busterbrown]

5. And yet the sheep gather together in the corner of the field and wait in fear.

I find it amazing how little the people being hurt, fight back. this is just not a N.C.problem only....But I’m just saying..

[yardwork]

6. The people being hurt worst by these bills are not cowering in fear - they are cheering.

The people who voted the Republicans into power in North Carolina are the same people who are now being kicked in the teeth and they don't even realize it. They listen only to Rush and hate radio, watch Faux News, and think that this is all about protecting their money from welfare cheats. They are blinded by racism and resentment. They are taking the rest of us down with them.

It's like watching the end of civilization.

[busterbrown]

9. Yea, I get it.....

I’m not so sure any period of history didn’t have this problem. Hateful God vs Loving God.

[WCGreen]

51. The media doesn't care....

And there in lies the problem.

[busterbrown]

52. Actually they do care. Presenting the most ridiculous ignorant politicians and policies makes money

And isn’t that whats its all really about

[SaveAmerica]

8. It also shows what happens when people stay home on election day

Democrats need to be as passionate about voting on those non-presidential election dates.

[yardwork]

13. Democrats turned out in great numbers but the Republicans gerrymandered the districts.

Many of the people who voted the Tea Party into power in North Carolina are registered Democrats but their political and social views are hard-right.

I'm tired of hearing this blamed on left wing Democrats. We vote! Unfortunately, so do the conservatives.

[SaveAmerica]

15. In '10? Numbers were pitiful and I couldn't get anyone to volunteer

It was a mess.

You're talking about Dixiecrats when you bring up hard-right dems. Moderates and leaning Democrats in NC get some stuff done ('08).

[yardwork]

20. The Democratic Party behaved stupidly in 2010.

I voted and I contributed money, but the state and national party undercut me and everybody else by running a primary opponent against Elaine Marshall and then having the incredible stupidity to subject her to a run-off primary! She should be our other Democratic senator and she would have been if not for the stupid stupid stupid behavior of the party.

This bungling characterized the entire Democratic Party apparatus in NC lately and they bear quite a bit of responsibility for getting us here.

Again, I vote. I contribute.

[KoKo]

28. Same experience here... Elaine had Progressive Support

but the mainstream of the Party never gave her the exposure or the money she needed.

The indictment of Dem Governor Easley, and then the allegations that our first term Dem Governor (Beverly Perdue) who decided at the last minute not to run for second term because she had some problem with campaign funds used for travel left Dems scrambling.

Add to all those woes for our Dem Governor... the Dem Executive Party Chair (who was from outside NC) had a sexual allegations scandal and had to resign but then the Party Chair refused to resign over the scandal himself and served as a weakened Party Chair coming into this election is what helped cause ALEC and Art Pope to be able to take charge.

We Progressive Dems were doing good (in the Howard Dean years) but the Party Old Guard decided it was "business as usual" and thus we have Repugs GONE WILD...and it's going to be a tough time for us. We just have to hope the Repugs implode in their own glee over what they done by such over-reach that they will be voted out in 2014...but, we still have the Governor and Art Pope. Sad to say but, if there's anything scandelous out there about either that it comes to light sooner rather than later.

[yardwork]

30. I so agree! It burns me that progressives are being blamed for this when it is the Old Guard

that dropped the ball. They got corrupt over the years.

[zazen]

35. nor did OFA come into help Elaine either

I think they calculated that Dalton wasn't worth investing too much into either.

And of course the mainstream here rallied behind David to edge a national leader in consumer financial protection out of his 10 year seat when he could have had a safe incumbency for the next 10 years in the 4th district and given even more hell to the banks. But that was the point, which was why the mainstream Dems gleefully pushed him out through some pretty ugly means.

[yardwork]

41. That is correct. You will get your head scratched for saying it.

[KoKo]

46. more than that....

you'l get your "butt kicked," for daring to mention the lack of support.
(and I've heard this from some of the Party Insiders.

Whatever....it's so bad here in NC...to read the newspaper just about explodes head...so hopefully folks will wake up and realize that this is NOT the North Carolina they thought it was. It's been INVADED!

[SaveAmerica]

19. And I didn't say anything about left-leaning, I said Dems.

Talking about our pitiful lack of ability to remember local and off/year politics are as important as the big elections.

[obamanut2012]

12. They are cutting their own throats

Art Pope and the Kochs are running and destroying our beautiful North State.

The people who voted for these idiots are the ones who will be most affected by all of this.

Bev wasn't exactly a liberal, but she was pragmatic and intelligent. I miss her.

[loudsue]

31. And now the republicans have approved FRACKING for natural gas exploration in NC

So the repukes are about to ruin the groundwater, along with everything else.

[obamanut2012]

32. And, oil exploration off of Wilmington is next

I just read about it yesterday.

[wildeyed]

42. NC is going to have to hit bottom and learn what happens when they vote R.

Or when they stay home. It is a shame that people have to learn the hard way, but there it is.

[obamanut2012]

53. People didn't stay home

Too much Koch money, and the Dems didn't field anyone good in time.

[R Merm]

34. Not the Koch Brothers, but by Governor Art Pope. wom

[loudsue]

43. Art Pope is director of finance or some such...wingnut/teapartier extraordinare.

He's repuke thru and thru.

[yardwork]

50. Art Pope is the Koch's boy in North Carolina. He's their minion.

[Indi Guy]

38. Don't forget about the petition in the op... n/t

[nobodyspecial]

3. Why would they cut federal benefits?

What do they gain from this?

[yardwork]

7. The legislators are doing what the Koch Brothers tell them to do. That's it.

This is all about making NC "friendlier" for business which will supposedly magically result in more jobs. They don't even bother to fill in the blanks - they know it is a con.

[obamanut2012]

21. Wiki Art Pope

He and the Kochs are, literally, controlling the Governor and most of the legislature. They threatened Bev and her family enough, she choose not to run again. I don't blame her.

Even Jesse Helms wouldn't be doing these things, and that's a helluva thing.

[Indi Guy]

47. Here's the deal...

(from the op article)

"During the economic slowdown, at least 35 states have exhausted their unemployment insurance funds and turned to the federal government for loans. With those loans now due, at least eight states have moved to trim benefits — although they did not run afoul of federal law (like NC has)."

[Igel]

57. They don't cut federal benefits.

Here's an analogy. Let's say you routinely spend $50/month on things like books and school supplies for your kids. I come along and say tht if you spend $50/month like that I'll give you another $25/month for more of the same. Great, you say. Then you lose income and other expenses increase so you can only spend $40/month on your kids. I respond by saying, "You don't qualify, no more $25/month for you."

Now, did you cut the kid's benefits? Did I? Right. It's a tough call, but you're likely to say I did it. I have the money, but I've decided not to give you something you're used to considering steady income. If I let my standards slide, then others would want the same deal and before you know it I'm the primary provider of books and school supplies to your kids, and when your income increases you'd put that increase elsewhere. Bad policy on my part. Now, strictly speaking, you reduced the spending, but it was under duress. You might have cut spending elsewhere. You might have asked for help from relatives or taken out a loan. You might have decided to get a minimum wage job cleaning toilets or driven to the boonies to harvest tomatoes or beans for agricultural wages on your days off. Instead, you cut spending.


NC cut state unemployment benefits that the federal government say have to be in place to qualify for the federal unemployment benefits. If you don't offer X weeks of state benefits, you can't get some kinds of federal funding for the unemployed.

To maintain the state benefits, NC would need to take out more loans or put more state money into the program. To put more money in they'd have to cut someplace or raise taxes on somebody. They're not willing to do this. Should the feds revise their policy and pass either new law or find some clever way to disenfranchise Congress?

[valerief]

4. The Get Dead With Red Model. nt

[SaveAmerica]

10. If we in NC don't change the GA and Gov in the next 2/4 years

we're toast.

This is only a small part of what the General Assembly has done along with the Governor since they were sworn in. We will soon be able to claim #50 in everything if they keep this up.

[obamanut2012]

23. They are already going after public universities and the environment

[Indi Guy]

60. I don't know how doable that change is right now...

Has NC been severely gerrymandered (redistricted)?

[SaveAmerica]

61. Certainly can be done, it takes thoughtful study of the

NC State and Senate races and concentrate the effort on those that are winnable. So much easier than a presidential race and all the dollars that are thrown in there. Man power, boots on the ground and votes make it happen in those non-presidential year races.

[loudsue]

11. I live in NC. The big money tea party $$$Slammed this state & took over

This is a warning to other partly red/partly blue states. YOU ARE THEIR NEXT TARGET! They are taking one or two states at a time and turning them completely red. Not just red, but tea party red.

DU posters who keep talking about republicans are going to lose elections for a long time to come, aren't seeing the republicans' long-term plans, which are working!

Michigan, Wisconsin, now North Carolina. It is going to get worse and worse with Citizens United.

We really need to do something to fix this.

North Carolina had not had a republican majority in congress for over 100 years until the 2010 election. In 2012, they also got themselves a republican governor. This is the bush years revisited for us....governor, house & senate, all tea party.

[yardwork]

16. Well said. Problems, we got them in NC.

[dgibby]

27. You are so right.

Virginia is a prime example of what it's like to live under republican rule. This country is circling the drain.

[littlemissmartypants]

14. Welcome to my world...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251284209


http://www.democraticunderground.com/10691561#post6

[yardwork]

17. Kicked and recced your thread.

[littlemissmartypants]

26. Thank you. n/t

[barbtries]

18. those bastards

makes me want to cry. i'm in NC, fortunately employed, but this frustrates me so much! WHY?!

just plain mean.

[SaveAmerica]

22. Mean is right, they don't care. They'll tell people to pick

themselves up by their bootstraps and ask a neighbor for help, or their church. Unfortunately the neighbor will be out of work too and churches and non-profits are tapped.

[barbtries]

25. a co-worker just woke up to that

since pope & company took over the state. before, she believed republicans were acting in good faith. now she knows better.

[Indi Guy]

58. Republicans pander to their financial supporters...

...who don't give a damn about the well being of workers.

[forthemiddle]

24. That stinks

That stinks, but as an aside, I guess I never realized how different each State was in compensation.
Wisconsin has never been over $375.00 a week. For the longest time it was $350.00 but I think during the first stimulus package it was upped to $375.00. I don't know if it went back down or not.

We also never had a waiting period, now you must wait a week.

What does each State pay? $535.00 a week seems like a lot (but $375.00 doesn't seem enough).

[JusticeForAll]

56. Try Arizona at $240...pre-tax

[Jimbo S]

59. $363 a week is the max

Was $388 under the federal stimulus.

I think more states than not have a lower benefit.

And the new "waiting week" sucks. This was never explained to my satisfaction.

[alarimer]

29. I hate Republicans

These people are despicable assholes.

[Le Taz Hot]

33. Jesus!

That's draconian! There will be more families literally out on the streets if this is allowed to go through. This is criminal.

[zazen]

36. they just eliminated 500k NC citizens' chance at Medicaid coverage

or thereabouts. We were going to get money from the feds to extend it to up to 750k individuals who would qualify, but these are just lazy mooching people who need to stop taking handouts and learn how to help themselves (an amalgam of the drivel from GOP state legislators).

Some people (mostly poor and Black) WILL DIE because of their policies, which is, frankly, what I think at least a handful of them secretly want.

[Le Taz Hot]

37. Does NC

have a referendum process? From what I understand, your state was pretty decimated via gerrymandering which has led to the overwhelming R presence. In CA, we got a proposition on the ballot that gave over redistricting to a committee and it passed. The committee was formed and the lines redrawn after the 2010 census. The new districts now are more "boxy" and less "fingery" (???). We went from CD 19 to CD 22. Anyway we were able to achieve that via the referendum process which is why I asked. Here's a link for more information on CA redistricting.

http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/commission.html

[zazen]

39. I know a lawsuit's been afoot since early 2012

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/politics/86138/gerrymandering-congress-elections-2012#

And I just went to some articles via Google to try to get an answer.

That's awesome for CA.

I'd think ALEC and Pope would fight this brutally but if either the "initiative" or referenda option are available it's worth starting it in advance of 2020. Reasonable Republicans (at least before this year) have said they'd be interested in a non partisan committee doing it, since they felt the 2000 process (which the successfully targeted Brad Miller (D) led, and which gave him the 13th district until last December) was very unfair to them.

I'll look into it. Thanks! L

[KoKo]

48. Yes...that "lawsuit." I couldn't find out where it went...hopefully

you will be more successful. I thought Justice Dept. would instigate some investigation since this was a civil rights area where minorities were disenfranchised and I remember the NAACP and others started a lawsuit ....but, never heard any more about it.

thanks for the reminder about that one. This gerrymandering should never have gone uncontested in NC since NC went for Obama in 2008 and the Party PoohBah's picked NC for the Dem Convention, FGS! Yet we lost so many good Dems in NC House & Senate and look at the rest of it losing Brad Miller in the House on Banking & Finance.

What a MESS!

[Nika]

40. This is just insane.

Congressman DeFazio in the Oregon 4th has already been hitting us up for campaign cash as he has been targeted for elimination and I worry about Oregon and other states.

We need a counter movement to this that IDs the problem in states they are taking over and focusing on them to help counter this cancerous momentum they have in destroying the autonomy and voter control of a targeted state.

[John2]

45. I have some ideas.

Why do citizens of these states in urban areas have to consent to the rules of those in rural areas? Urban areas have their own jurisdictions. Believe it or not, Democratics won the popular vote in North Carolina but still lost the legislature. I noticed a phenomina on the National Level when Congress supported the Apartheid Government of South Africa and label the ANC a terrorist organization, but the municipalities of urban America ignored the U.S. Congress and didn't do business with the Apartheid Government of South Africa. That same principle can be applied to rightwing local governments in this country that only serves the interests of rightwing extremists. So why can't city governments ignore their state Legislatures alike. They maybe holding office, but it does not mean the people have to consent to their laws. What will they do, send in the state militia?

[KoKo]

49. The Urban Areas should have a larger voice, I believe.

Since America is no long a rural Agrarian Society (Factory Farms owned by Conglomerates do most of the Agricultural stuff in most states like NC these days) and so they can sway the votes of the Rurals just like "Big Global Business Interests" sway the votes in the Cities.

Still...the CITIES still have large populations of immigrants mixed in with kids from the Rural Areas who need jobs...along with the rest of us who move to the cities because we have Degrees and trained to work in Cities where the ACTION is.

We've got to find a way that the Diversity of Cities outweighs the Rural gien the New America, realities.

Gerrymandering Districts to fit people who don't fit dilutes the people that we Dems can find to run. Cigar and Hockey Stick shaped districts are NOT Representative of the Electorate in a Fair and Balanced way..

How to move forward... I don't know. We've got to beat back the corporate money....but, they rule in both cities and rural...so there's that ...which seems almost insurmountable give the Supreme Court's decision to allow FLOODs of Money into our Electoral System.

[John2]

44. People knew

what Pat McCrory was going to do before they punched the ballot for him. He promised to rubber stamp the rightwing Republican agenda. We had corrupt individuals in the Democratic Party, but the wrong thing to do was elect a rightwing Government. The whole local Demcratic Party was associated with bad apples. A lotta of them were just selfish. One example was John Edwards. People are beginning to understand what they elected into office. I don't think McCrory will be re-elected after the damage he causes to people's lives. I see this comming. People will just have to wait it out or better yet try some legal way to recall or impeach him if he screws up legally.

[blkmusclmachine]

54. Worthless Eaters. Burden to the "job creators."

[littlemissmartypants]

55. The Lost Colony...

lost again.

Love, Peace and Shelter. lmsp