Homeless and Jobless Americans urge President Obama to be patient on stimulus

[Better Believe It]

Homeless and Jobless Americans urge Obama to be patient
by JCWilmore
Daily Kos
July 12, 2009

Homeless and jobless Americans have a new reason to worry tonight: it is beginning to look like President Barack Obama might be slightly defensive over the results of his stimulus package. On behalf of all homeless and jobless Americans I just want to reach out and let President Obama know that he should just calm down and be patient.

The fact that ordinary Americans who had nothing to do with creating the current financial catastrophe are being wiped out in their millions should be no reason for the President of the United States to rethink his policies or the structure and policy of his stimulus package. Now is the time for you to dig in and defend your stimulus package, no matter what the facts on the ground suggest.

As we lose our homes and apartments and most of our personal belongings, we just want to let you know that we mostly blame George W. Bush and the Republican Party for putting us in this position.

So when you read those opinion polls and see your numbers are slipping, we want you to focus on the fact that the economic crisis wasn't your fault and there's really no reason for you to do anything to reduce its impact on ordinary Americans.

So, in conclusion Mr. President, don't change a thing. Don't listen to the rising chorus of discontent among ordinary Americans who didn't realize that they'd have to give up everything they've worked for in order to save the banking industry.

The one thing you mustn't do Mr. President is admit you made a mistake when you failed to include real job creation in the stimulus package. Stick to your guns, admit no mistakes, and never change course. After all, you don't want to look weak, do you?

Please read the complete article at:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/12/752729/-Homeless-and-Jobless-Americans-urge-Obama-to-be-patient

[Cant trust em]

1. I can't imagine a way that this article is constructive or helpful. nt

[Better Believe It]

4. Don't you really get it? They are being sarcastic to make their point which is really a plea to ...

President Obama to change course and take action. That's how I read and interpreted it. Do you really think the writer and Daily Kos are part of a right-wing Republican conspiracy? No, it's yet another case of progressives/liberals who are becoming frustrated with the inability of the Democratic party to set and control the political agenda in Washington. Can you blame them. Some are beginning to wonder who won the 2008 elections since the Republicans and their "moderate" Democratic enablers seem to be running the show in Congress.

Obama needs to reconsider his opposition to a second stimulus package and propose one that will mainly be designed to create several million useful public works and infrastructure jobs.

The first stimulus plan was written by three Senate Republicans, it gutted the House version in conference and it was designed to fail.

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

Stating the obvious: Three Republican Senators (one of whom is allegedly now a Democrat) didn't write a plan that was designed to be a smashing success for President Obama and the Democratic Party. Does that really surprise anyone?

Leading economists, Noriel Roubini called it "puny", pointed out how weak the plan was for actual job creation when three Republican Senators gutted the House plan during conference.

And now we are paying the costs of a so-called "bi-partisan" stimulus agreement. Of course, Republicans can deny they had anything to do with it since it didn't get a single Republican vote in the House.

A powerful job stimulus plan that could have created several million useful public works/infrastructure jobs this year was not proposed the President Obama or the Democratic leadership in Congress. The sound job creation plan proposed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors was not even considered by President Obama and the Democratic congressional leadership! For less than 200 billion dollars, the federal government could have finance over 18,000 useful infrastructure and public works jobs that would have employed 2 million people. All of those projects would have been started and completed before the end of next year.

You can read the rest of the post here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8524533&mesg_id=8524533

[ProSense]

8. Yeah, I'm sure the homeless appreciate being the subject of uninformed snark

HUD releases $1.2B in stimulus funds for homeless

By HENRY C. JACKSON, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – The Housing and Urban Development Department is using $1.2 billion in stimulus money to fight homelessness in hundreds of locations across the country.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced Thursday that cash from the Recovery Act will be distributed to more than 500 cities, counties and communities. The money will be used for rent relief, housing relocation and stabilization services, data collection and administrative costs.

"This program serves as a bridge to long-term stability for those who, without assistance, would be homeless," Donovan said on a conference call with reporters.

The money is being distributed under a homelessness prevention program in the stimulus legislation that is designed to help millions of jobless Americans. Donovan said hundreds of different projects would be financed with the money announced on Thursday.

more

[Better Believe It]

16. The homeless need and want jobs, not a handout!

I know because I was homeless once years ago during the Reagan administration.

How about yourself?

With a significant job creating economic stimulus with public works projects we wouldn't have any homeless!

The homeless wanted and expected jobs under this administration.

Why don't you understand that?

Of course, the government should provide housing, food and other economic relief to homeless.

How much did the Republican Senators who wrote the stimulus remove from the original House proposal for assistance to the homeless?

[ProSense]

21. So they should skip the so-called "handouts" and wait for the job market to improve?

Reminds me of Dick "all the working poor need are jobs" Cheney.

Ludicrous.

[Better Believe It]

34. Are you pretending you didn't read the following part of the post or ....

do you prefer commenting on posts you haven't read?

I wrote: "Of course, the government should provide housing, food and other economic relief to homeless.

How much did the Republican Senators who wrote the stimulus remove from the original House proposal for assistance to the homeless?"

And your response was: "So they should skip the so-called "handouts" and wait for the job market to improve?"

Now think about that for a moment. You have to admit that your "response" was absolute nonsense which falsely indicated that I wrote the exact opposite of what I had posted.

Are you intentionally trying to misrepresent and distort the views of other DU'ers or is it just sloppiness on your part?

[Forkboy]

26. Been there, dont that, got the t-shirt.

Snark won't help the homeless, though it makes one feel good. :shrug:

[Grinchie]

40. I am empathetic with you situation, even though I was in the Reagan Military

It was just as much of a job program that it was military service. I came back to California and saw thousand of mental patients dumped from the hospitals, and now, without supervision, left to fend for themselves in the economy.

They took the place of the eagle eye granny that watched the neighborhood, and would guard the ares from thieves. They were taking 20 different pills a day, and inert most of the time

Call her a sentinal, but they were all over when I was a kid.. We need to look out for one another, despite the trend that Reagan started.

I miss the nosy, but harmless grannies that kept us safe. They are mostly on Prozac now, shuttered away in an old folks home, or "Retirement Village"

You may talk of removal, but it reminded me of Yosemite National Park. In the 70's, the funding disappeared, but then returned with and ecological bent.

They took the funds, and used them to remove infrastrucure built in the WPA era, are restore it to "Wilderness".

They didnt take into consideration that all the people that grwe up with that Honorable, robust, technology of timbers and stone, were now prohibited from taking their wheelchair on the "Pseudo Wilderness of infertile sand.

I don't think I will ever recover from the destruction of Yosemite's Historical structures for the supeficial restoration of wilderness. It was a fucking scam.

[zalinda]

37. Do you have any idea what you will have to prove

in order to get any of this money? You will have to lay your entire life bare to some stranger, and prove to them that you really are a failure in providing for yourself and your family. You will have to prostrate yourself in front of these people and make sure that you don't do or say anything that could make them give you a stamp of disapproval. They don't just ask you questions, they are demeaning. They treat you like you are a worthless piece of shit that doesn't do a thing to help yourself.

How do I know? I once went in and asked for food stamps for my son and I, and by the time I walked out of there I felt as if I had been violated. I couldn't stop crying.

Yes, sir, take away your pride, that will fix the poor.

zalinda

[marketcrazy1]

62. everything takes time, maybe to much time for some...

At least 60 percent of funds must be spent within two years; all funds must be spent within three years. --- for an average of 30 million per state over the next three years..............

[Cant trust em]

9. Of course I get it.

I just don't think that petulant snark is constructive or helpful.

[Better Believe It]

18. "petulant snark ": A common expression used among working class people

who are getting hammered during this economic crisis. This term is especially used a lot among unemployed working class folks.

For example: "Hey, did you see that petulant snark on TV who said we're too lazy to work?"

[Cant trust em]

27. Well, I never thought I'd be called (in not so many words) an over-educated elitist on DU

Moreover, I never made any comments about anyone being "too lazy to work". Nowhere did this concept come in during my previous posts.

[Better Believe It]

57. Well, at least you didn't use the word of the year, disingenuous. That's a big + for you!

:)

[Grinchie]

36. Oh man, try Topix!

You would have your hands full dealing with that Republican Frontier. I think that is where the 12 your old Republican children are let loose to learn the art of spam and "I hate you", followed by "Why" "Why" "why"


But it, does show you what real freeptards are like, when taken in moderation.

[Grinchie]

32. It's the subtelty that is painful

It can be considered petulant snark, or you can perceive it as a well thought out speed trap.

They are both effective in the emotional sense, but they do follow the rules of law.

In the end, Does it really matter if people choose to be dramatic. Why is it that the phrase" "If the next Smoking Gun Comes From the Form of A Mushroom Cloud", was accepted by an entire nation, and subtle Greek theatre is labeled as dangerous?

No attack, but just sayin.

[Cant trust em]

35. I think that communication style matters big time.

When I hear stuff like that, I wind up turning off. Conversely, when I read posts like yours on the other spots of this thread, I start thinking.

[Grinchie]

46. Thank you. Thinking is very good at the moment.

I turned off in the OP too, and it was the impression that reminded me to be human, and take a breath. After readng it, the message was pretty clear despite the obfuscation.

We need to slow down and explore life from all sides. Once you imagine yourself on the other side of a thought, things become clear, and the Ego can be diverted. It may not make decision easier, but it can make it clear and easier to accept.

Never stop thinking, it is the one true measure of wealth we have.

[Better Believe It]

58. Just sayin ..... Oh ya?

[Grinchie]

11. This echoes the post on Robert Reich of yesterday

It was generally much more straight forward in it's analysis, and avoided the subtle sarcastic tone of this piece. I can see why cheerleaders would fell betrayed after spending their precious time reading, and then being forced to comprehend it, the the message is essentially the same.

It's a fact the nearly half of the stimulus is in Tax cuts, and it's clear that they didn't expect the economy to hemmorrage jobs like it hase for so long. In fact, it looks like they are stuck sucking their thumb and are visualizing the precursors to Stagflation like Britain saw in the early 80's. The british were unable to staunch the bleeding of jobs, and were never able to figure out why Inflation kepts rising, and jobs kept disappearing while they tightened up the money supply.

I had to watch Neil Curtis's the League of Gentlemen again to finally catch one that they really could not explain what went on at all.

I was fortunate to be living in England in the mid 80's and was able to see the carnage and union busting that Thatcher implemented, especially during the coal strike. Meanwhile Ronnie was ramping up the military machine, and the Brits caught Nukes at a military base -- I can't remember which one exactly, but I remember seeing the protests on the telly.

Man those were fucked up times in Europe, and now we know that Thatcher and Reagan were partners in the Black Money ops by selling arms to Saudi Arabia.

See Frontline: Black Money for details of the Reagan/Thatcher connection.

[Skittles]

69. it's the truth

[ProSense]

2. Really dumb. n/t

[tranche]

3. I don't get it.

[Zenlitened]

5. Scathing, but important. K&R.

There really is a rising sense of bitterness out there, as the initial sense of disbelief gives way to shock and then anger.

"...the rising chorus of discontent among ordinary Americans who didn't realize that they'd have to give up everything they've worked for in order to save the banking industry."

The help just isn't reaching ordinary people yet, and they're going under by the Millions. Losing everything, in a very real sense: Careers, savings, homes... hope.

I think Pres. Obama knows he's got to get out in front of this, to go beyond saying "be patient." Expect announcements this week on accelerating the flow of funds, particularly mortgage help.

[inthebrain]

6. Baiting the fake Left on this board LOL

[jefferson_dem]

14. Fake.

True that.

[Grinchie]

25. Explain -- I dont know what the criteria is for "Fake Left" other than DLC.

If it's DLC then I just overreacted at the new terminology which just makes the battle more complicated than it needs be.

Please follow the KISS principal for us old timers.

[northernlights]

7. I can

but only if President Obama reads it and takes it to heart.

The stimulus package originally was supposed to be about saving and creating jobs, in order to stimulate the economy. His economic advisors originally anticipated unemployment peaking at 9%. Many notable economists stated very loudly that they believed the stimulus package was too small and didn't focus enough on job creationg.

Unemployment is now at 9.5% and rising. And the stimulus package was turned into more about saving banks and bonuses than saving jobs. I could give specific examples of how the stimulus *didn't* create "shovel-ready" jobs here in Maine -- they prepared for them and then...nothing.

President Obama could cite rising unemployment, foreclosures and homelessness as evidence that the initial stimulus was too small and that a second stimulus that actually focuses on job creation is needed.

Instead, he is saying that the stimulus was supposed to take effect ove 2 years, not 5 months.

So those of us who are unemployed and on the brink will just have to be patient.

In my personal case, that looks like I may have to do without food or heat for 2 years while I try to get through med lab tech school to "re-tool" myself for an actual job. Sorry. I can't be quite that patient.

[Cant trust em]

10. Did the stimulus go to save banks?

I thought that was TARP.

Moreover, I could give specific examples here in California where the stimulus money has already begun paving roads and fixing infrastructure. I'm not sure why you would make a point about why the money that should have gone to infrastructure projects but didn't and then say we need more of it.

[Grinchie]

12. You certainly will see a bump in the next month or two

But are you the one piloting that steamroller? What are the IT people supposed to do, now that their jobs are shipped off to Satyam in India, and the cubilcles dismantled and shipped to storage?

At least its a good time to be fixing roads.. Hardly anyone driving on them these days.

[Cant trust em]

13. I don't think that any one program can be expected to save every job...

in every field that has experienced loss. The stimulus is a temporary solution to the long-term problem of outsourcing and other shifts in the economy.

But as for the IT people, there are billions of dollars to fund broadband deployment. They are needed for the design and implementation of the program.

[Grinchie]

24. It's hard to respond, but I am compelled

I think you are mislead regarding IT "people".

I take offense at the immediate classification of IT "people" into that of a cable installer. As far as design, what I did ten years ago in network design, is now a click of a mouse, a click and drag, and all parameters are calculated within current known electronics theory aand is calculated for the user and verified. A Trained monkey can do this with the current state of the art.

This is called PRODUCTIVITY, which has been shouted at us for the last eight years to explain the Fraudulent economy of easy credit.

Despite this so called productivity, which should reward non union workers like me that slaved 12 hour days developing this amazing software, we see nothing. No rewards, we were suckers to buy in to the consultants contracts of Non Competitition, and waivers of intellectual property in order to even get a wage. Yes, I take responsibility, but it shoots big holes in companies like Intel that promote Meritocracy. Its a transfer of wealth.

I am not alone. There are thousands that have had their intellectual property stolen by savvy corporations and headhunters that are nothing more that matchmakers for business skills.

I used to be pissed off at the ideas that were stolen outright fom me. However I laugh when I see the same algorythms mimicked in cell phones, and every other device that has a bit more processing power than the Atari 800.

Then, as if by magic, I bought a farm as a tax shelter for my consulting fee's. I didn't know a thing about managing an orchard, but I learned the hard way through experience, mistakes, frustration, and then finally approaching it like any other business. Farming and plant growth is far more complex than the software needed to placate the trained monkey. Once I realized the true value of replicating life forms, more complex than anything I could imagine, along with the life that it supported, software is just a primitive, mechanistic adding machine. I no longer deal with numbers, but with databases of fuzzy knowledge. Which is frightening, because if I am doing it, the government is doing it at the next level of sophistication.

I think that is it important to mention that I came out of the Reagan Military system out of choice. I was ethically incompatible to the military, simply becasue of the fascism and compulsory control. Independent thought was feared. I could have easily keep my shoes polished, but what is the fucking point if you have to walk through 3 inches of backed up toilet water on the floor to get to the shower? What is the point is the food you eat gives you food poisoning that the doctors give you 4 days off work for? It was clear that something was out of balance with Reagan. I still have the same fungal infection contacted in those fecal overflows, and they bother me. They bother a lot more people than me, and I wonder if they even associate that exposure, 30 years ago.

Fuck that shit. I can get food poisoning at some hippie partie where the girls have big tits and like to show them off. Why bother when you can be jacked up for not wearing a badge?

As Dustin Hoffman would say "That was the end of my Gunfighter Period"

In closing: IT people do not equal Cable Guys. IT people actually write usable software that lasts more that a year between updates. Sorry to besmirch MS, but beware the constant software udpates, they have sold out.

There is quality in the world if you demand it. Don't settle for the Corporate offer unless yor life depends on it.

Please. no attacks on me being all over the place. I am truly disappointed in Obama and his appointments.

[Cant trust em]

28. If there was an insinuation that IT people are merely cable men, it didn't come from me. nt

[Grinchie]

31. Sorry, I see that I simplified and projected.

What I meant was that we need more than cable guys. Cable guys are the entry level, and there needs to be a reason to be more. I know people are capable of it, why not push those that can be intelligent and human at the same time to be the next Leonardo or Bechamp, or Kepler.

My Apologize

[Cant trust em]

33. I agree with you. I think that we need to expect a lot more from people educationally

(BTW, I realize the irony in making up your own words in an effort to say that we need to focus more on learning)


Anyway, last year I was posting this thought around here that we need to expect everyone to go to college or get some kind of post-high school training/education. Someone literally told me that "not everyone is college material". When I have my kids, I'm going to push them like hell into fields that are related to science and math.

[Grinchie]

49. The only prerequisite for College is a Brain that is hungry.

I agree with education, but remember the great scientists of the 1890's till the 1930's were polymath, mostly learning on their own.

I don't think the American public can recognize Corporate Directed Education. If you were to make a guess, What is the primary technology funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)

[Cant trust em]

50. Military technology?

Maybe that's just my DU kicking in. Medical technology maybe?

As for college, I agree that it is only one path to learning. Whatever gets people productive on a technological basis is fine with me.

[Grinchie]

68. Actually, it is currently Nanotechnology

Which is very interesting because we have yet to be allowed to see a Cancer cell in it's living state, yet they can manipulate atoms into any structure they wish within reason.

Big money in Nanotech these days, but the Pro's and Cons have barely been scratched. I am afraid that the technology will be abused like all the rest if we don't keep a close eye on it.

[northernlights]

64. go check the greatest page of somewhere like that

IT jobs are about to be cut hard...again.

[Better Believe It]

20. You're pretending to not understand?

Or are you really serious?

OK. I'll take you up on your offer.

Give the specific examples that are funded by the stimulus plan, how many jobs have been created and how much money is being spent for all of those stimulus jobs.

I'm listening!

Oh .... to answer your question. Trillions have been given to the banksters while about 10 billion dollars has been spent so far for infrastructure. Does that sound like about the right balance for you?

After all, we sure don't want an army of unemployed banksters .... have to keep them employed doing what they do best, stealing from us!

[Egnever]

22. Are you truly that ignorant of what the stimulus is doing?

http://www.recovery.org/

29k plus projects with 73B spent so far with much more on the way. Check it out theres lots of info there.

[Cant trust em]

30. TARP and stimulus aren't the same thing.

TARP (Troubled Assets Relief Program)

Stimulus (AKA ARRA, the American Recovery and Reinvestment ACT)

They are two separate pots of money. Which one are we talking about?

[Better Believe It]

38. We know that. So what's your point?

That trillions given to the banksters is OK and more money shouldn't been spent to creat jobs?

Well, I have to disagree with you.

[Cant trust em]

45. I just wanted to get clarity in what we were talking about, since I think it got muddled upthread

I think that more money for jobs might be in order, but I think that stimulus/ARRA should be given time to work fully.

Yes, I know that the banks received a lot of money. But I don't think we should be hasty in giving out more money on the other side just so we can even it out. I think that in the broad sense, that's my opinion. If when the program has fully kicked in and we're still seeing lagging results, then I think we should reassess.

[northernlights]

63. we need a stimulus aimed at creating jobs

Seriously, are you being deliberately obtuse?

The message in the OP couldn't be more obvious.

[Grinchie]

29. Nothern, that is an awful approach

Let it be known that there are a great many people that have large tracts of land, that can always use labor in the maintenence of agricultural crops. Forget any farm that uses petrochemical inputs. It is the organic farms that have food, room, and demand a few hour of labor for a simpler life.

Do not buy into the fallacy that you need a formal, corporate education to succeed in life. It's a scam promoted by the marketing efforts of Corps. and the Universities, to whatever the trade school is that has the contract to produce focal monkeys.

Avoid specialization like the plague., unless you desire to be a specialist in a corps. or specific field. I have been there, a specialist, a generalist, done that, so it's just experienetial for me. For you , if you haven't been at the top, or felt the joy of creating something important, strive for it, because it validates the rest of your life, but don't force it if it isnt there.

Every day is a new pulse of life. Utilise it for what it is, whether a positive pulse, or a negative pulse. Dont force it and flow with the energy of the day. I'm happier for it, and so it my partner, and so is my land that just produces what it does on it's own, without input from me. Utilise the basic laws of Nature.. And if you don't know what that is, learn now.

I loook at all technology as a tool, but I have learned to be without, and it is very liberating.

I responded to your post because it disturbs me. You state well known facts, but at the same time stae "but only if President Obama reads it and takes it to heart". That is precious, but it's also pretty fucked up. Never bet your dreams on a politician. You must focus on YOU. When you are happy, and at peace through strength with the world, then you are able to support an external political entity.

I've already tabulated my score for Obama, so you need to as well, and create the score that you can price your support by.

Safe travels, and remember, there are support systems in the world if you know where to look.

[northernlights]

72. huh?

:wtf:?

So you are suggesting it is awful that I'm going to school for Medical Laboratory Technology to support myself and my family?

Well the next time you, or a family member or friend is sick and pees in a cup or has blood taken or a biopsy taken for a Med Lab Tech to analyze to help with diagnosis, tell them how *awful* their choice was to go to school. :eyes:


"You state well known facts, but at the same time stae "but only if President Obama reads it and takes it to heart". That is precious, but it's also pretty fucked up."

Fucked up for President Obama to recognize that unemployment and job creation -- and assistance for people retraining for new careers -- are critical to any economic recovery? Well, go read the greatest page because it looks like President Obama is getting my "precious and fucked up" hope.


And you suggest I should drop out of school for Medical Laboratory Technology, throw my furfamily out on the street, dump my hard-earned home... and go pick vegetables at minimum wage, if that, for an organic farmer?

Sorry, but as awful, precious and fucked up as it appears to you, I dare to aspire care for my family.

:wtf:

[sendero]

15. The stimulus package...

... is going to do very little to fix the problems in this economy.

Nor will a second stimulus package. I wish it were that easy.

[HughBeaumont]

79. A world of black abyss, tar and wallowing in hunger, fear and pain.

And itching. Last one to sink in the quicksand, turn off the radiation.

[MadMaddie]

17. It took 30 years to get to the economic situation the country is in.

People suffered during The Great Depression, their suffering didn't end overnight.

Only 10-20% of the money has actually been spent. It is going to take time that's the reality.

Corporations are not helping America and no one is talking about that. Americans faith in corporations doing the right thing is overrated. We need to see more small businesses created, we need more small farmers and we need to end Free Trade.

[Better Believe It]

39. It actually took only 10 years. That's when the banks and Wall Street were deregulated.

[vaberella]

42. No. He's also counting the Reagan years which ridiculously dreadful for the nation's economy.

It was never 100% since then, and it's been basically on respirator. The last 10 years were helping to finish it off.

[Better Believe It]

56. Yes. But the wholesale deregulation of banking and financial industries did not happen until 1999

Would you like some links and/or further information on what actually happened in 1999?

[Cant trust em]

51. What kind of culture brought about deregulation?

I don't think that our current problem is related to one policy, but a mindset that brought these policies about. The underlying problem is greed and the need for short-term profits of the expense of long-term economic sustainability.

[MadMaddie]

52. The deregulation began with Reagan....remember?

The busting of unions began with Reagan in the 80's too.

The deregulation has been occuring incrementally over the last 30 years with Republican led congresses. The last 10 years was the icing on the cake.

[Better Believe It]

55. No. It began with the deregulation of the trucking & airline industries in 1978/1980.... remember?

The Airline Deregulation Act (Pub.L. 95-504) is a United States federal law signed into law on October 24, 1978. The main purpose of the act was to remove government control over fares, routes and market entry (of new airlines) from commercial aviation. The CAB's powers of regulation were to be phased out, eventually allowing passengers to be exposed to market forces in the airline industry.

The Motor Carrier Regulatory Reform and Modernization Act, more commonly known as the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 (MCA) is a federal law of the United States which deregulated the trucking industry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_Deregulation_Act

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Carrier_Act_of_1980

[babylonsister]

19. Jobs are being created, homes are being built. I do feel for people

who aren't in the trajectory of these things that are happening. I don't think anyone expected this new admin to get things done instantaneously with so many problems to confront.

[bertman]

23. What jobs, what homes, babylonsister. Ain't happening in my neck of the woods.

[babylonsister]

43. During Biden's visit to Ohio recently, he talked about

homes being built and jobs being filled.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8518652

VP Checks Out Tri-State Stimulus Money At Work

I know everyone thinks it's not happening fast enough, but it's happening.

[Cant trust em]

47. Government can never move as fast as we want it to.

Besides the obvious bureaucracy and decision making issues, there are things like employee workload. I know for a fact that people are losing their minds trying to get this stuff done as fast as possible.

As someone who is trying to get funding for stimulus projects, I know what this is about.

[bertman]

53. I hope he's right about that. Don't be surprised if President Obama issues a "correction".

Kidding.

Mostly.

[Better Believe It]

41. And for every job created how many are lost, for every home built how many are foreclosed?

You could also argue that homes were built and jobs were created in every month beginning with the 1929 stock market crash up to 1933 when FDR took office as President.

But we still slid into a Great Depression with growing unemployment and homelessness every single month.

So what's your point?

[vaberella]

44. With your statement there...it makes me wonder what's the point of your post?

We know people are going to suffer dreadfully. That is inevitable. There's nothing to be done but do the best they can in order to fix the economy now. You might like to think the stimulus is a failure. But when 10% of it is barely out you can't say it's a fairly since we haven't seen in it in full action. Except that it has affected people's pensions positively and helped them in tax returns. So far the rest is on maintaining the jobs in the public sector and creating construction jobs.

[Better Believe It]

59. The obvious point of the post is that we need dramatic gov't action to stop an economic depression

A job creating stimulus package, not written by Republican Senators and Democratic "moderates" would be helpful .... one that would quickly create at least a few million new public works jobs before the end of next year.

You know, like the one proposed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors that was ignored by the White House and Congress.

[babylonsister]

48. My point is to provide some optimism that something is getting done

somewhere. What the fuck is your point by being so negative? ALWAYS?

[Better Believe It]

70. Rather than spread a false "happy days are here again" optimism let's stick to the facts.

If we remain objective it's possible to end this economic crisis.

The economy is continuing to get worse for working class people and no meaningful relief is in sight for tens of millions.

Just look at the hard statistics and what most credible economists expect down the road.

Millions will continue to lose their jobs, millions will lose their homes, millions will exhaust their unemployment benefits.

Not a pretty picture.

This economic crisis requires bold and decisive action. The Republican written "stimulus" bill just won't do the job.

[LittleBlue]

73. Um... we have net job loss right now.

I don't know which jobs you're referring to, but we are not creating more jobs than we are losing right now.

[dionysus]

54. i have to give you points for being the energizer bunny of sourness..

[Better Believe It]

60. You have no opinion on the article you'd like to share, just a critic?

[LWolf]

61. K & R nt

[Better Believe It]

65. Hundreds of Thousands of Workers Will Lose Unemployment Benefits Soon

Hundreds of Thousands of Workers Will Lose Unemployment Benefits Soon
By Marie Cocco, Washington Post Writers Group
July 10, 2009.

Workers laid off early in the downturn are soon to be left without the basic sustenance of an unemployment check.

WASHINGTON -- When a virulent disease is ravaging you like a cancer, you don't want a cacophony of voices promoting different or contradictory cures. Yet that is what we're starting to hear about the economic crisis, not only from a politically divided -- and pretty scared -- capital, but from within the Obama administration itself. In just the past few days, Vice President Joe Biden has said the young administration misread the depth of the recession -- an honest account, since most private economists did as well. Laura Tyson, an outside economic adviser to the White House, said it's wise to start preparing another stimulus package.

Then President Barack Obama made everything perfectly muddy when he said in an ABC News interview that the seriousness of the downturn and how to attack it is "something we wrestle with constantly." Yet in the next breath, he expressed concern about the burgeoning deficit. But if anyone's looking for some clear voices, there are 650,000 of them just waiting to be heard. That is roughly the number of long-term unemployed who will begin losing their jobless benefits in September, according to the National Employment Law Project. Remember, the recession didn't start last fall when the government bailed out AIG and the financial system froze. It began in December 2007 -- and 6.5 million jobs have been lost since then. Depending on which state and the sort of triggers that apply to benefits, hundreds of thousands of workers laid off early in the downturn are soon to be left without the basic sustenance of an unemployment check.

Meanwhile, the Labor Department says, the number of unemployed people out of work for 27 weeks or longer continues to grow, reaching 4.4 million last month. In June, three out of 10 jobless workers had been out of work for at least six months, according to the department's data. The stimulus package the president signed soon after taking office did provide extended benefits, and boosted weekly payments. But even that extension runs out on Dec. 26, and would not apply to all the unemployed. Does anyone really believe that a significant portion of the unemployed will have found new work by then? Hardly. Both private and government economists now predict that unemployment will continue to rise at least through the end of this year.

"We can't ignore this moment when all these folks are running out (of benefits)," says Maurice Emsellem of the National Employment Law Project. "That needs to be a top priority, to help these workers." Let's stop kidding ourselves. In no contemporary economic crisis -- not even those that unfolded on the Republicans' watch -- has Congress left the unemployed completely in the lurch. So some sort of spending package -- call it stimulus, call it stopgap emergency aid, whatever works -- is going to have to be passed.


http://www.alternet.org/workplace/141190/hundreds_of_th...

[JVS]

66. This is fucking serious, and I can't believe how people say it's just being gloomy to point this out

It is of vital importance that the Obama administration intervene and provide material relief to those who are threatened by this economic disaster. This is not a matter that should be ignored in order to keep up appearances. It's about the administration taking a stand and saying that yes there is a safety net and it will not allow the pauperization of America.

[ipaint]

74. Some excellent info on unemployment at NELP.org

Currently, nearly 2.4 million Americans are collecting federal emergency unemployment
compensation (EUC) benefits, which last up to an additional 33 weeks in high unemployment
states. However, a large number of these workers are on their final installment of EUC benefits,
and we estimate that nearly 1.5 million workers will reach the end of their EUC between mid-
March and August 2009.
Section 2005 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided states with an option to provide an additional extension under the permanent extended benefits program, but over the next 3 months alone nearly 361,000 of these workers
live in states where benefits would be potentially available won’t get the additional extension
because their states have not taken advantage of the option under the ARRA.
The figures in this report point to the need for states and the federal government to
maximize support for the long-term unemployed throughout 2009 and into 2010, which will
require additional congressional action by the fall of 2009.

http://www.nelp.org/page/-/UI/LTU2009.pdf?nocdn=1

This, from the above report, also shed light on how bad it is-

Jobs falling off a cliff
One disturbing facet of the labor market is the pattern of job loss and its recent intense
deterioration. Since January 2008, the economy has shed 5.1 million jobs, but most of those
losses have come of late, as shown in Figure A. Average job loss for the first six months of job
declines was just short of 133,000 per month—that figure for the last six months was an
astounding 619,000. That translates into almost 2 millions jobs lost in just the last three months.


Long-term Policy Implications
Even in states that take the most generous approach to unemployment benefits, these
severe rates of long-term joblessness will dry up available jobless benefits. NELP estimates that
by September there will be as many as 920,000 Americans who have exhausted all of their
extended benefits and have yet to find work. It is likely that many of these workers will live in
states and metropolitan areas with extremely high rates of unemployment. Especially in these
states, there will be a strong justification for additional weeks of benefits in the fall of 2009, until the economy produces enough jobs to absorb the idled workforce.

[Better Believe It]

75. Thank you for the information.

[ipaint]

76. The working class is hit the hardest

And the working class and below have the least representation in washington and here on du.

I am not surprised at the venom in some posts and your steady un-rec status.

[Better Believe It]

77. I know. But hang in there. We are part of the working class majority.

And most people on DU are not really that hostile to working class people. They just don't understand us!

Give it time and a change in conditions.

[ipaint]

78. If things continue on this path economically

They will be gaining some very valuable first hand knowledge.

[boppers]

67. Baiting. Some people master it. eom

[HughBeaumont]

71. We could at least stop the bleeding by ending the wars and tax cuts for the rich.

But hey, let's not "play class warfare" or be "unpatriotic". :eyes:

I mean, unemployed people only needed work and income yesterday. But hey, let's fire some MORE workers! Let's offshore MORE fucking jobs!! That'll get things rolling and save our precious bottom line!

What corporations collectively need to do is announce a "firing freeze". I know it's a small thing, but think about all of the existing workers who stop spending because they don't know whether they're going to be next or not. Uncertainty remains a wet carpet mountain on the backs of the middle/working classes who are still lucky enough to be employed.

[EmilyAnne]

80. Why doesn't Obama just build a whole bunch of factories and give all the unemployed jobs?

He should count up all the unemployed people and then create a job for each person.
They can make stuff.
In factories.
They can make ceiling fans and buttons and cowboy boots and cute paper towel holders that have kittens painted on the base.
And then we can buy this stuff from them, see.
Instead of from China.
And China will take the hint and just stop trying so hard.
Its so simple.

:crazy:

[alcibiades_mystery]

81. "might be slightly defensive" That's good journamalism!

Is that kinda like saying "Her shirt might be slightly green?"

Well tell me, journamalist, is it fucking green or isn't it? "Might be slightly..."

:rofl: