White House Petition - 99ers and ALL Unemployed

Sept. 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Full text of the petition is here:
www.bud-meyers.blogspot.com/2011/09/official-white-house-petition-for-99ers.html

The lnk directly to the actual White House petition is here:
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/extend-unemployment-benefits-past-99-weeks-all-long-term-unemployed-americans-99ers-and-any/xTXWP818?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl

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Thank you,
Bud Meyers - 99er and advocate for the unemployed in America.

                                       ------------------------------------------------------------

Very soon, by January 2012, an estimated 10 million Americans and their families will have exhausted all 99 weeks of their unemployment insurance benefits (or whatever their State's maximum qualifying weeks were).

Many people are living in horrendous conditions in tent cities (Hooverville-like shantytowns) throughout the nation. Suicides and homelessness is rising across America.

As of June of last year there were about 5 million Americans receiving State unemployment benefits and another 5 million receiving federal extended benefits for a total of 10 million unemployed Americans collecting some form of UI assistance. We've only had a net gain of 1 million jobs since that time because of budget cuts and layoffs in the public sector.

To date (September 2011) there are approximately 6+ million Americans who have already exhausted all their unemployment benefits, and by January 2012 another 4+ million will have lost theirs as well. That's a total of over 10 million potential families (half of them with children) who will have no income at all. If only the FUNDING for these benefits are extended in the American Jobs Act, it only helps those who have not already exhausted their qualifying weeks, and does NOTHING for the "exhaustees" and "99ers".

There are not enough jobs for 14 million unemployed people because there are another 14 million Americans who are "under-employed" and already have most of these part-time low-paying jobs, and are barely making ends meet as it is. New jobs that become available, usually go to the younger, more physically fit, and more educated people just entering the workforce for the first time and/or after graduating from school. There is no great demand for middle-aged folks (" experienced workers"), especially if they've been unemployed for 2 or 3 years.

Many have already been without any income at all for a year or longer. Many of us barely subsist on food stamps and on the charity of others for a roof over our heads (if we're lucky). And it's still very difficult to get heath-care (State Medicaid), and in many States the Republicans have cut these programs back too.

An additional 13 weeks of federal extended unemployment benefits (a Tier V), while helpful, would not be the solution. It would only be a temporary stop gap. Most will need a semi-permanent income for some time to come - until such time when there are actually enough jobs  (or until those who are old enough can apply for early Social Security).

The UI exhaustees and 99ers can no longer wait for 14 million new jobs to suddenly appear, let alone to gradually come online over a protracted period of time....we've already waited as long as we could. Many of us (who have survived this long) have been jobless and struggling for 2 and 3 years.

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Bud Meyers writes about the economy, corporate out-sourcing, labor statistics (the REAL unemployment rate), government and corporate corruption, and the plight of the long-term unemployed.