2010 Unemployment Extensions - Americans "Up to Here"

2010 Unemployment Extensions - In spite of the media's muted recognition of the plight of the unemployed, the cries of the jobless - and now helpless - seem to have begun to break through in recent weeks. Congress spent several months debating unemployment extensions bills, then went off on their 4^th of July recess without passing a bill to help those already losing benefits.

So the unemployed have petitioned, phoned, faxed, emailed and picketed. They have even managed, at last, to get enough media attention for their American neighbors to realize they are out there and that their lifeline is being cut off.

But the response has certainly not been a mass flood of sympathy and understanding, nor a united cry from our working brethren to give us more help. On the contrary, concerns over the astronomical deficit and its impact on the nation, both present and future, seem to loom larger on most Americans' minds. Concerns over bad, job-killing economic policy also has Americans spooked. And a lack of understanding over why anyone should receive so many weeks of unemployment benefits has many of the employed pitted against the unemployed, who know that the reality is there simply aren't enough jobs being created for them to go to.

Clearly, just about everyone has had it "Up to Here" ...

"Up to Here" Over the Deficit -

Americans have good reason to be "Up to Here" over out of control federal spending and the commensurate out of control federal deficit. One of the primary reasons that jobs are not being created is because of the deficit. Employers know that that deficit bill will soon be coming due and that means either massive inflation or massive tax hikes or both. Some $1.7 trillion in corporate and business investment dollars are said to be sitting on the sidelines because of the economic uncertainty created by this administration's policies. Not knowing when the other shoe is going to drop and this rogue government is going to come after the money to pay for their unbridled spending, employers and investors are, understandably, keeping their money under the mattress.

"Up to Here" Over Bad Economic Policy -

And it's not like their concerns are unfounded. First of all, the Bush tax cuts are expected to be allowed to expire at the end of the year, resulting in the largest tax increase in U.S. history. This will eat into employers' revenues, preventing them from taking on additional payroll while investors won't have enough left to invest to stimulate the economy and support job creation.

Next, Obamacare taxes, fees and regulations begin kicking in, many conspicuously following key elections so as not to allow voters to feel the pain and disappointment until after Democrats - and Obama himself - can be safely re-elected. But these enormously burdensome laws are already putting the kabash on business growth, causing employers from all types of businesses as well as doctors and medical supply firms to downsize and already beginning to prepare many insurers for being put out of business. Another bad sign for employment.

Then, true to form, the Democrats are apparently already planning for a lame duck attack on the economy after the November elections. Unconcerned about the "will of the people" - or apparently the good of the people - they are expected to try to ram through Congress one job destroying piece of legislation after another.

Consider "Cap and Trade", which is nothing more than a huge energy tax that will raise the price of virtually everything, starting with all domestically produced energy like oil, natural gas, coal, etc., laying off millions of workers and sending their jobs overseas, potentially bankrupting whole energy industries such as coal (as Obama promised to do pre-election), and leaving us almost completely dependent on foreign oil. According to a Wall Street Journal article by John Fund, Obama and the Democrats may only seek to "pass a modest energy bill this summer, then add carbon taxes or regulations in a conference committee with the House, most likely during a lame-duck session. The result would be a climate bill vastly more ambitious, and costly for American consumers and taxpayers, than moderate "Blue Dogs" in the House would support on the campaign trail."

Add to these the Democrats' expressed intent to push for card check, fund more pork projects. Etc. and, thus, further cripple the American economy after voters have no means to voice their opposition or displeasure, and the Democrats stand to insure the double-dip recession beginning in 2011 that many economists are already warning about.

"Up to Here" Over Ninety-Nine Weeks of Unemployment Benefits -

Under the circumstances, you would think more employed Americans would be very sympathetic to the plight of the unemployed and, therefore, the need for long term UI benefits extensions - even beyond the current ninety-nine week maximum. But many working citizens have been shocked to learn that people who are not working can receive UI benefits for nearly two years. In their mind, it is far too long for people to be unable to find some kind of a job and they feel they are just funding laziness with their hard-earned tax dollars.

"Up to Here" About Unemployment Benefits Not Lasting Long Enough -

But for those living the misery of unemployment, having to try to survive on what is only a fraction of the amount they had built their lifestyle on and finding a mostly hostile job market that simply doesn't have enough positions for all that would take them, ninety-nine weeks of unemployment benefits are not always even enough. As it stands today, few will ever see that many weeks of UI benefits anyway. But until this government changes direction and frees the private sector to create jobs rather than just creating more government, more and more Americans will be destined to join the unemployed while more and more once hard working, tax paying, responsible and willing Americans will wind up losing everything, potentially subjected to a permanent life of poverty. This is the only outcome we can expect under the current policies. So unemployment benefits MUST be extended and not by putting some arbitrary date on them, but by removing people from the unemployment roles legitimately as new jobs absorb them back into the private sector again.

Clearly, millions of Americans are "Up to Here" about the current state of our economy and our nation. Whether you blame one party or another, one president or another, the one thing we all share is the knowledge that things have got to change.

Sources:

http://www.redstate.com/veronicaestrada/2010/07/02/historic-rise-in-taxation-in-6-mos/

http://www.uschron.com/unemployment-extension-americans-divided/111853/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704293604575343262629361470.html