Anger Over No Tier 5 in Unemployment Extension 2010 Deal

[Joanne98]

The deal hammered out between the White House and Republicans saw all the Bush era tax cuts extended for 2-years, but only 13 months of emergency federal unemployment benefits added to the expired Tiers 1 – 4. This 'cave-in' to the GOP's demands has not only angered many Senate and House Democrats, but also those that missed out on any income relief – the 99ers. The term 99er refers to those who have used up all the available tiers, totaling 99 weeks, and are now left without any income support whatsoever.

Sharon from Georgia had this to say about President Obama's deal:
"This is all just so bad and so wrong that I'm having a hard time processing it. I can't figure, how can they not see? (Is this what comes from living in a different reality than the rest of the world, in their fancy, expensive homes separated from the rest of humanity?) From one of the other posts, people are having to give up their children to foster care!!

My Lord in Heaven, how can our Gov't let this happen to people who have been contributing, working, taxpaying, responsible people who have hit hard times through no fault of their own, and with limited help from our Gov't, and once hitting 99 weeks (if you're lucky) NOTHING, in an economy and job market that are NOT improving, but are actually getting worse?

I can't process. I think maybe we went to sleep in one country with one Gov't, and woke up in another! This isn't the country I know. I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but how in the hell can this happen? – how can this be allowed to happen? How can millions of people be set adrift?"

Another reader wrote:
"The millions (millions) of 99ers who had no choice between Dem or Rep in the Midterms and stayed away were hanging on every word of this presentation. We're out the longest, have lost the most, and have been with zero income since March and we cannot get mentioned as one of his lines in the sand that he dares the GOP to challenge.

You can't ignore millions of Americans who are just as unemployed, desperate, and adrift in this country as someone (those) who just got fired 8 months ago or a year ago. A foreclosure is a foreclosure. A car repo'd is a car repo'd. A college student who has to stop an education in progress and try to find work instead is the parental nightmare throughout the Tiers and 99ers who've already had to end a dream or five.

A simple call to the DOL would have produced the data, by state, to show where/number/date of end of UI for 99ers (by Dem/Rep, too, from Election Commission).

The enormity of the longest-termed unemployed would stagger the ordinary politician and citizen. We are votes squandered or lost forever, regular "normal" taxpayers (house, utilities, tuition, food, shoppers, drivers, etc.), and unable to stop the complete obliteration of the lives we once knew not so long ago."

From reports coming out of Capitol Hill, it's becoming increasingly clear that the Democrats that are unhappy with this deal may torpedo it completely, unless the emergency unemployment insurance is extend for 2-years and either extra weeks added to the Tier 4 or a fifth tier is created, to offer much needed assistance to those that are long term unemployed - the 99ers.

http://www.rantrave.com/Rant/Anger-Over-No-Tier-5-in-Unemployment-Extension-2010-Deal.aspx

[StandingInLeftField]

1. And the SpinMeisters make it seem the "deal" applies to all.

~Ahem~....





Except to those who really need it.

[madrchsod]

2. i think over a million lost there unemployment this week...

and next week and then the week after that.....