Reposting in the New Year “2015” – Nothing much has changed as we go into a new House and Senate.

UNEMPLOYMENT: Has the Unemployment rate “actually” gone down, or have the 1.3 Million Unemployed Americans simply been abandoned?

It’s tough out there. People are still losing their homes to foreclosure, unemployment is very high, income and job stability is low, student debt is staggering. So when the government can do something substantial for the unemployed by extending emergency (EUC) funding WHY aren’t they?

[This is an excerpt from 12/2013; Benefits ended 1/2014; it is Now 1/4/2015]
Originally blogged in August 2014…….

Renewal of Federal Unemployment Benefits Blocked in the House of Representatives
– Posted by: Mitchell Hirsch on Dec 13, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-8UWmvCYHA

” …….In the Senate on Wednesday, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) attempted to bring up his bill for a full-year renewal of EUC on the floor for a vote, but his unanimous consent request was blocked when Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) objected.

On Thursday, following the Rules Committee chairman’s rejection of his amendment, Rep. Levin took to the House floor, along with other House Democrats, imploring the House to allow a vote on an EUC extension.”

“We want to vote. And you misunderstand if I might say so the issue. If we don’t act, on December 28 1.3 million people will lose every cent of unemployment insurance. These are people who have exhausted their state benefits. They have exhausted them. These are people who have been laid off through no fault of their own. They are looking for work,” Levin said.

“Historically we have never, never ended these emergency provisions when long-term unemployment has been as high as it is today, 37 percent. We have already reduced the average number of unemployment insurance weeks in this country to 54. I want to point out to the gentleman and everybody else if we don’t act it, another 1.9 million unemployed people will lose every cent of their unemployment insurance the next six months.”

“So, under this bill SGR is now extended for three months. We asked the Rules Committee to make in order an amendment paid for to extend unemployment insurance for three months. Here’s what we said. If we can prevent a 25 percent cut to doctors’ pay, surely we can prevent a 100 percent cut for 1.3 million unemployed. And so what’s been the response? The answer from House Republicans is this — an empty box.”

On this day in 1974, labor activist Karen Silkwood died under mysterious circumstances.

1974

The younger generations may not know who she was or why she died – but this single incident sparked a Nationwide acknowledgment to Nuclear terror – hidden within the towns,
families and jobs in the “Good Old U.S. of A.”

It was a time when: If the people, the press or news uncovered corruption/evil THEY spoke
and the people of the USA listened.

We had outlived the Hearst’s and our Nation was seeking truth and liberty. We were expanding our brains beyond what we’d been told and we sought to become enlightened people.
It wasn’t without risk, but it was courageous and true.

TODAY evil/corruption is at home again and deeply nestled within all of the news –
and sound bites are everywhere.

It has escalated since the Karen’s and Watergate to where this nation is uninformed and held hostage to “entertainment” coverage for ratings, financial and political gains.

Nixon – Vietnam (Desert Storm, Iraq War, Afghanistan) – Enron –
OH MY!!

Information today is so polluted that I feel we will never
again be truly knowledgeable.

LOSS….I’m tired and I’m sad….and it just keeps coming……

When they say loss comes in “3’s” – they never mentioned that it comes, at times, as an unending current.

“The stars are not wanted now; put out every one, Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun, Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood; For nothing now can ever come to any good.”
– W.H. Auden

So many…way too many…. loved ones that are facing life and death obstacles right now – and I can’t do a thing that concretely affects the final outcome.

However, I can feel guilt – that I’m healthy. Or guilt for not having had that last luncheon or phone call or birthday cupcake…………..