This is a 99ers News Alert: GOP leadership takes Democrats up on their offer to meet on HR589 - And Rhonda Taylor (tireless long time 99er advocate) creates a badly needed 99ers Data Base. (see below)
According to Arthur Delaney of the Huffington Post today:
GOP Leaders Agree To Meet With Dems To Discuss Bill For Long-Term Unemployed
From the article:
WASHINGTON -- Republican leaders in the House of Representatives have agreed to meet with two Democrats to discuss longshot legislation for the long-term unemployed, the members' offices confirmed Tuesday.
Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.) introduced legislation earlier this year to provide 14 additional weeks of unemployment benefits to Americans who've been out of work for six months or longer. Lee and Scott have spoken frequently about the struggles of so-called "99ers" -- people who still haven't found work after exhausting the maximum 99 weeks of benefits available in some states.
The Lee-Scott proposal received zero initial support from Republicans because it would add roughly $16 billion to the federal budget deficit. Lee and Scott later announced they'd be open to finding budget cuts to offset the cost of the benefits, something Democrats have generally refused to do for federal extended jobless aid typically enacted during recessions.
Given that concession, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) have agreed to meet with Lee and Scott sometime in the next few weeks to discuss possible cuts to fund the benefits.
The story goes on to say:
Cantor's office suggested he would steer the conversation toward job creation instead of just providing another 14 weeks of benefits.
"Leader Cantor looks forward to the meeting and would like to broaden the conversation to focus on ways to grow the economy, spur investment and create jobs rather than simply extending unemployment benefits in some instance beyond the maximum of 99 weeks currently permitted," a Cantor spokesman said Monday in a statement to the OC Register.
Cantor spokesman Brad Dayspring elaborated in an email to HuffPost: "The point was basically that the Leader believes that the best unemployment program in America is a job, so rather than only talking about extending benefits, we should be having a broader conversation about growing the economy, spurring investment, and allowing businesses to hire."
Lee and Scott haven't suggested what they'd be willing to cut, and House Democratic leaders have remained silent about the prospect of offsetting the cost of unemployment benefits. Last year, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told HuffPost she considered offsetting benefits "a completely bad idea," though many conservative Democrats have said they support doing so.
The thing is though that after an entire year without any income, after the 2 previous years of unemployment, most 99ers - if they were hired today would not have the bus fare or gas money to get back and fourth to that job long enough to get that first pay check. Consequently the millions within the 99er Nation NEED SOME MONEY in order to survive long enough to get that elusive job that will be their saving grace. Congress seems in no big hurry to do either create jobs or help the 99ers survive - but good lord we certainly must help Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and every other country that needs it.
HR589 would cost $16 Billion and help desperate, forgotten 99er families to survive. American's involvement in Libya is likely to cost far more than that and not help even 1 Jobless American.
Did you hear it? Ed Schultz is the only one in TV media news who keeps mentioning the 99ers at all these days. Last week he did so on this Wednesday show - even in the midst of covering the horrific events as they unfolded in Japan.
Well last night big Ed did it again (see video at 3:13) when, during an interview with Laura Flanders, Ed was slammed Speaker Boehner for his comment: "The United States has a moral obligation to stand with the Libyans" , even as he stands idly by and does NOTHING for the 99ers.
Finally, Rhonda Taylor of Rhode Island - prolific 99er advocate extraordinaire has created a data base for 99ers. The purpose of this is to have a way to contact as many of those in the 99er Nation for protests and gives her a geographical "map" of sorts so she will know how many busses will be needed and from what locations for the big Washington 99er convergence planned for this Spring.
Rhonda has proven herself trustworthy and since she will be administering the 99er Data Base - I have already registered and suggest all unemployed Americans do the same. We are all 99ers. Some of us are the 99ers of yesterday, others the 99ers of today and the rest of the unemployed are the 99ers of tomorrow. Don't wait for it to happen to you. Register now here.
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