Texas unemployment system breaks down

[Robbien]

Unprecedented unemployment and political posturing by Governor Rick Perry have forced the Texas Workforce Commmission into a complete breakdown. . . . media reported on July 15 that tens of thousands of jobless Texans will not get their check and tens of thousands of telephone calls for help are going unanswered. Reporter Robert T. Garrett of the Dallas Morning News estimated that 82,000 unlucky Texans won't get the federal 13-week extension of benefits when their state benefits expire, and 150,000 telephone calls couldn't get through in one day, July 13.

The system may simply run out of money. The Texas Workforce Commission is required to keep a minimum of $858 million in the fund for unemployment benefits, yet reporter Garrett said that it only had $119 as of July 10.

They are negotiating for $643 million in federal loans, which is, ironically, almost as much as the federal stimulus grant money that showboat Governor Rick Perry forced the legislature to turn down in the recent session. He called a special session afterward, but did not allow the unemployment crisis on the agenda. In a press conference, the Governor bragged about having given yet another tax cut to businesses and a special tax tax dispensation for Chambers of Commerce.

. . .

The problem is not just in Texas. In "The Unemployed Will Roar," Washington Post writer Marie Cocco estimates that 650,000 long term unemployed Americans will run out of benefits in September.

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/16440/

[geckosfeet]

1. Perry will somehow deflect this and blame the feds (Obama - not the previous admin).

[southernyankeebelle]

2. WHAT A BUNCH OF NUMB NUTS - THEY DESERVE WHAT THEY GET.

I WOULD HOPE THE PEOPLE OF TX WILL PUT THE BLAME ON THE RIGHT PERSON PERRY AND THE REPUBLICANS. HOPEFULLY A DEMOCRAT WILL WIN IN THE STATE. WHEN ARE PEOPLE GOING TO LEARN THAT REPUBLICANS AND EVEN THE BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS DON'T GAVE A DAMN ABOUT THE MIDDLE CLASS ITS ABOUT BUSINESS. WHILE THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO HELP ALL THE PEOPLE. THESE ARE FACTS.

[OwnedByFerrets]

3. This will begin happening everywhere.

[truedelphi]

6. Yes, as forty five of the fifty states are

Facing major problems with the deficits.

A high number of Texans are running around while the poclie search for them - something like 8% of the state has warrants out for their arrest.

The police have even stated that they are being told to balance the lcoal economy's budget by writing tickets.

So there you are, going ONE MILE above the speed limit, and a Big Black and White w/ Red Cherry mobile targets you. So now you will get a heavy duty, financial penalty to pay out of the unemployment check you no longer to receive.

And should you end up not paying it for 90 days, you too will have a warrant for your arrest.

[Igel]

11. In this case, Tx turned down money that would have

extended benefits. The reason was simple: To receive the money they'd have to extend unemployment benefits to classes of people who haven't been included before, at least in Tx.

The federal money would cover these benefits for the first year or two, but after that there'd be a choice: continue the policy and make employers pay unemployment insurance for these people, which amounts to a federally-mandated state tax increase, or they could simply undo the law that included them in the first place.

[truedelphi]

14. I didn't know about the extesnion of bennies to

Classes of workers not previously covered.

[prole_for_peace]

4. A year or so ago they gave refunds to businesses

because the commission was running a surplus. At the time I thought it was a bad idea and that they should have kept the surplus in the fund in order to have more protection in case the economy went south.

[glinda]

8. Suspect they gave the "refund" to Republican based businesses such as the Chamber.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

9. THE REPUBLICAN WAY IS...

TO RAPE, PILLAGE, AND BURN

[jberryhill]

5. That's Just Insane

How can people let someone like that be a governor?

[mbperrin]

20. He only got 39% of the vote in a multi-candidate race. But there's no

runoff, so even a plurality of the vote is enough.

61% of us didn't vote for him, and 100% of the people in our household wish someone from another state would kidnap him! And keep him!

[bemildred]

7. As a Californian, this makes me feel better. nt

[Name removed]

10. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lexanman]

12. Perry

is an evil human being. And Texas epotimizes the idea of a police state. I guess people will vote for their racist interests over their economic interests.

[Aragorn]

13. not at all

although I am not defending the entire Tx electorate, the fact is DeLay et al gerrymandered (illegally IMO) the state so Rs stay in office, and Perry won with only 39%. The legislature meets every 2 years and because they fought over voter ID this last session, almost nothing else got done.

Wait until the next elections and we will see if Texans know more than the elected representatives think they do, or not.

[lexanman]

15. I do forget

sometimes about the gerrymandering. Also the touch screen machines help tremendously for the repubs too.

[Paladin]

18. I Guess You Also Forgot That 3.5 Million Texans Voted For Obama.

Your "police state" comment is way the hell out of line. Imagine what it's like, being a Texas DUer, and being subjected to that sort of prejudice here, day after day---from people who are supposedly on our side. Perry and his idiotic supporters are on the way out; irreversible population trends are going to make Texas a Blue State in our lifetimes. It would be nice if more Democrats were aware of that.......

[sonias]

21. I second your sentiments Paladin

Another Texan really tired of being "pissed on". It's one thing to call out that jackass Perry. It's a whole other thing to brand the whole state as "racist".

There are millions of good, hardworking, decent folks in Texas who are frankly just like the majority of people in the blue states.

:applause:

Sonia

[lexanman]

22. I'll apologize

there are racists everywhere. But many parts of Texas are a police state. Revenue generation. Money confiscated at stops. Immigrants and minorities profiled in a huge way. Yes Texas is over the top in many places. Not all places, such as Austin. So Im not going to apoligize for that. Im not pissing on anyone. I truly hope it becomes a blue state and I value the millions of people who are working towards that goal, including yourself and the previous poster.

[KakistocracyHater]

23. I see Texas as rotten because of the Right, & I remember them

rejiggering the electoral maps-something Arnie tried to do here. Someone in Texas sent bounty hunters out to corral the Tx Dems......From California it doesn't look good, we have Bechtel but dirty businesses set up shop in Texas under Dubya & practically EVERY story I read concerning business gone wrong seems to be based in Texas. I hope it turns Blue. I've never been there, born & raised in the Golden State, just watching/talking online.

[tomm2thumbs]

16. Perry Palin 2012 Bwhwhahahahahahahah

Still wondering when all the stories about Perry are going to come out - the GOP is waiting for its latest scandal

[Wednesdays]

17. K&R

:kick:

[ColbertWatcher]

19. Don't worry Texas: the rest of the country will help save you from your governor! n/t