Poverty Advocates Hold Out Hope For Unemployment Extension Tomorrow

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IPR News Features

Date:

July 19, 2010

More people in Michigan lost their unemployment benefits over the weekend. That's because the U.S. Congress failed to approve an extension of the benefits.

The Congress is scheduled to return tomorrow, and lawmakers are expected to approve the benefits extension after swearing in a replacement for the seat left open by the death of Democratic Senator Robert Byrd.

Karen Holcomb-Merrill is with the Michigan League for Human Services. She says many families are waiting anxiously for tomorrow's vote in the U.S. Senate.

"Yeah, I think people have been literally holding their breath during this time, wondering how they're going to make their mortgage payments, and how they're going to pay their bills, and how they're going to feed their kids. And there's just been a lot of uncertainty around this, and there are a lot of families relying on this money here in Michigan," she says.

About 104,000 people in Michigan are waiting to see if their unemployment benefits will be renewed tomorrow.

Holcomb-Merrill says the loss of unemployment benefits also means a hit to Michigan's economy. She says the state would see a $200 million dollar reduction in consumer spending for every month without an unemployment benefit extension.

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Comments

Job-Benefit-Welfare

Submitted by Winston Court (not verified) on July 20, 2010 - 2:28pm.

Look, it is simple. Business and jobs are now overseas. There is an abundance of 3rd world labor here. The rich powerful and well connected will have first dibs on any decent jobs. Your chance of getting a decent paying and desirable job has fallen to about zero. If we don't place ultra-high tariffs on imported goods and kick out illegal aliens, along with placing a very low cap on legal immigration, we are doomed. It is in the cards, read 'em and weep! An extension of time, a block of more weeks of job-benefit-welfare, is simply pointless! Don't allow yourself to go from a Proud American Worker to a deplorable welfare recipient! It is going to take everything we have got, to insure every American has a decent job!

Uninformed America

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on July 19, 2010 - 9:35pm.

Well, Republican hypocrisy still at its finest. Remember, a large portion of the current deficit is due to tax cuts the Repubs. provided to the wealthy over the course of the Bush Administration. They had no concerns with the deficit at that point. Let us not forget that the U.S. was operating with a surplus prior to the Republican mess during the Bush Admin.. Yes, the war added to the deficit but so did giving the wealthy a tax break. It sure would be great if more Americans paid attention. Democrats and Republicans are at political warfare due to upcoming elections. It's that simple. I'm all for decreasing the deficit (I don't see either party laying out a plan on how to reduce it!) but the urgency of the current unemployment situation needs to be dealt with now. The unemployed don't give a damn about the deficit at this moment in time. They have much bigger concerns. Trust me, anyone who is employed now would be whistling an entirely different tune if they joined our ranks.

Use you f-ing heads

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on July 19, 2010 - 9:25pm.

You can not say there is Emergency Unemployment situation for one group of people but not another. The unemployed are unemployed and looking. If you don't think we are looking then the unemployment office can simply request our work search records. I also never hear that mentioned in these stories. We 99er's are in desperate need to survive as well. I have done 100 times my required work searches and still have no job. We can not be left to the streets. Biggest fear now for us is the general public are going to think we have all been releived and have a chance again after this extension tomorrow. The news stories are not going to tell them about the rest of us left homeless. Tier 5 MUST BE CREATED AND NOW!

Senators Pass unemployment extension

Submitted by Daniel (not verified) on July 19, 2010 - 9:23pm.

Dear Senators I am a 54 year old Mexican-American, Arizona State resident and United States Citizen, my ancestors, family and I have worked hard here, and I need you to vote for a Tier 5 Unemployment extension. I need this extension to pay my mortgage. Please note that of the 99 weeks I have been out of full time work that I have worked 26 of those weeks as a part time worker. During that time I earned as little as $200 a week (less money than I have earned in my whole life). My unemployment check (at that time) was $186 a week. This means I made $0 dollars in unemployment benefits for the 26 week period. Please also understand that if I could find a job I would work it. You on the other hand have a job (a good paying job) so do your job and pass a bill that will benefit not only me but millions of unemployed hard working and deserving Americans! Sincerely, Daniel E. Reyes III, M.S.

It comes from our contributions!

Submitted by Paul (not verified) on July 19, 2010 - 9:18pm.

Unemployment benefits come from public contributions (employers) through a compulsory program (by federal law). Those funds are taken into consideration during your interview along with your salary requirements and other costs associated with your position (health insurance, social security, income tax and so on). All of these things add up to a total which is the cost of hiring "you." If, there was no income tax or other compulsory costs, then every employee would likely have more money in his bank account, would be better able to save money and would not need compensation during unemployment periods. In other words, the Government has us out here begging for money that should already be in our pockets! And now "Hillary" wants to aid Pakistan with $500 million American dollars. That would pay the tier 3 members of the unemployed for four years instead of the three months the planned extension "might" offer. Just keep that in mind in November.

wow

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on July 19, 2010 - 9:07pm.

do you honestly think that people have not cut their expenses. thats the problem we are cutting into are rent , food for are children , light bills , gas bills , water bills. - you say that we need a fiscal conservative in office right now - you should be ashamed of yourself , how do you fix this problem , do you just let people starve , are do you help NOW ? I know you cant see pass your on situation - so i welcome the day you loose your job , and cant find any job to hire you, i welcome you to explain to your children that they cant go on a field trip with there classmates because your cutting expenses. i know you feel like your better then people , or that you have some kind of voice becuase your in a better situation and you like feeling that way - but i prey that change your views. For you to act like OBAMA is doing such a bad job , just remember who mess he is cleaning up - your type of guy bush -IS HE FISCAL ENOUGH FOR YOU

Hello! I have never paid

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on July 19, 2010 - 8:50pm.

Hello! I have never paid someone to mow my lawn, we rarely eat out, we have no cable bill.These are not realistic budget cuts to the unemployed. Its more like choosing phone service or electricity. Ever been there?

where is the money coming from

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on July 19, 2010 - 5:54pm.

I agree with helping people who are unemployed. However, we have to make cuts in other things to get the money. If I lose my job, the first thing I do is start cutting my budget. No more eating out, no more cable TV, mow the lawn myself instead of hiring, etc. But that is not what the US Government is doing under Obama. They are using the money-tree approach. Our deficit is rising and we are setting ourselves up for a collapse. We need a fiscal conservative in office right now, not a spend-thrift liberal.

is bush fiscal enough for you

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on July 19, 2010 - 9:09pm.

is bush fiscal enough for you , help is needed now , not later ,