Thank you Mr. President. Now my brother in law won't have to apply for welfare and food stamps

[Windy]

to feed his family! And this also applies to my best friend who's 50 year old husband has been out of work for two years and despite many many interviews where he is competing with 100s of others for a single position, has not found a job yet!

[theophilus]

1. But, arguably, in the not too distant future most of the rest of us will. n/t

[Larkspur]

2. At least your brother had welfare as a saftey net

Many unemployed do not.

[Windy]

8. Yes, that's true. If their spouses have a job, no matter how low paying

they are not entitled to public assistance. They both have already lost their homes.

Without the unemployment extension, many many more americans would be in the same boat.

Its so irritating to me how many people here at DU fail to see the primary importance of extending unemployment benefits. I guess if it doesn't effect them, they are just fine and dandy with playing politics with other's lives, just like the republicans are.

So disheartening!

[Cal Carpenter]

21. I'm pretty sure that's inaccurate

You can still get food stamps, housing assistance etc if you have a low-paying job - as long as you meet the income requirements (which are terrible of course).

I'm not saying it's easy or adequate, but your comment that if someone's spouse has a job the household can't get any assistance is not true.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

3. Your kids may need to apply, however

They're going to have a crushing debt load, along with my kids, and everyone else's.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. He Had A Sound Point Up To The Name Calling

We have a short term problem which is the recession and a long term problem which is the structural deficit. Addressing both of them are not mutualy exclusive. A morbidly obese person goes to the hospital because he has a heart attack. The first thing the hospital will do is fix his heart . Then they will get him to address his weight problem. But if they don't fix his heart he will die and they will never get around to helping him fix his weight problem. We need to keep the unemployed alive.

[Scurrilous]

4. How dare you thank the President.

He's a caver!!1!

[Cal33]

56. If you take the last two years as a whole, yes, Obama is a caver.

In the present case I think "DemocratSinceBirth" (in the message just above yours) has
a valid point: "We need to keep the unemployed alive." How come you don't direct your
anger at the Neocons, who will not budge from their position of giving tax cuts to the
super-wealthy? Their egos are more important than the literal life-or-death struggle
of the poor. They are indirect murderers (some 47,000 Americans die each year
simply because they don't have enough money for medical treatment). And the heartless
Neocons want to keep things the way they are -- just let the poor suffer and die.

Obama might have been a good president under other circumstances, but at the present
time facing opponents like the sociopathic Neocons, his approach on the whole is simply
woefully inadequate.

[jaxx]

5. The extension is life for the unemployed.

13 months is a big f'n deal.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jaxx]

29. How inappropriate.

[PinkTiger]

6. I agree.

Am I the only one who is happy that the unemployment insurance was extended???? I've been out of work since May, 2009 and I'm 60 years old. I've applied for every job and gotten only one interview. My age and experience and education level (high) is putting me in a very precarious position with getting a job - most jobs go to people who have jobs or or who are younger. I need that unemployment insurance. My family needs it. Right now I don't give a rats ass about what the rich are getting, or whether President Obama "sold out" and I think the people on this board who are complaining are a bunch of fools. I'm not sure that in this climate a better deal could have been obtained.

[Windy]

12. they are complaining because they aren't unemployed and it doesn't effect them.

No better than the republicans. The unemployed are not a bargaining chip.

[frylock]

37. the unemployed are not a bargaining chip..

now put that in an email, wrap it up with a pretty little bow, and forward it to obama.

[Ikonoklast]

51. Send it to the Republicans.

They were the ones that were stopping any extension.

[Name removed]

58. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[polmaven]

60. PRESIDENT Obama already knows this....

That is WHY this deal was made. He will NOT play poker with the lives of so many unemployed Americans.

[Autumn]

7. It is my hope, that welfare and food stamps

will still be there for him when his unemployment insurance runs out. Of course the next step for the republicans is cutting the deficit, those items will be the first on the chopping block.

[ClassWarrior]

10. Wouldn't it have been better if Mr. Prez had done what it takes to create jobs?

Now he's guaranteed that many, many more will join your brother-in-law on the dole.

NGU.

[Windy]

14. what the hell are you talking about? Jobs have been created and saved

I blame outsourcing that began under clinton and blossumed under bush...

A few of my family members work for GM. If Obama hadn't given GM a bailout, many more people I know would be on unemployment right now.

Get your facts straight!

[karynnj]

34. That is what he has worked on since taking office

It is a RW talking point that he didn't - what do you thing the stimulus, the various jobs bills, the small business bill and various pieces of the budget. Should there have been more - OF COURSE - and Obama had asked for more in the stimulus bill. Much was removed, partially replaced with tax cuts to get the votes of Snowe, Collins, and Specter. This was the MOST they could pass.

[TBF]

11. I hope your holidays are celebratory, and that new employment comes to your loved ones soon.

Nobody is opposed to extending unemployment (well, on this site anyway), but we do argue with the style of negotiation. Best wishes to you personally, though, and I hope things are looking up for your family in the new year.

[Lint Head]

13. I so feel for your family. Don't you think this situation is

pathetic considering the rich 2% technically have and control the money your brother and friends husband deserve?

[Windy]

17. that needs to be addressed, but not at the expense of the massive numbers of unemployed

right now, in the winter. How many more tent communities do you want to see sprout up across the country?

[MadHound]

15. And if the Dems and Obama had grown a spine, your brother would have been fine,

And we wouldn't have had to cave in on tax cuts for the rich.

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9710114>

Yep, could have taken that UI extension gun right out of the 'Pugs hand, but instead Obama caved.

[Little Star]

20. +1

[theaocp]

16. Why not

thank the pukes, too? After all, they're now on board with this. :crazy:

[LibDemAlways]

18. Unemployment benefits are stop gap. What the unemployed really need is

a job.

Putting people back to work ought to be the top priority of every politician in DC. Tax cuts for millionaires and unemployment extensions (and I'm not arguing against them . I recognize how absolutely vital they are.) won't create a single job. The unemployment crisis is severe. What is needed is a massive wpa style program to get people back to work and big tax credits for employers who hire older workers. My husband was out of work for 6 months earlier this year, and the only way he was able to find a job was through a former co-worker at a company that makes it a point to hire older, experienced people. The mantra ought to be jobs, jobs, jobs,

[Fumesucker]

19. If your friend's husband has been on unemployment for two years this deal will do nothing for him..

My understanding is that the 99ers get no further extension of unemployment.

FWIW, I haven't had a job in over two years myself so I can sympathize wholeheartedly.

[bushisanidiot]

22. K&R!

.

[aquart]

24. I see. You got yours. Screw everybody else.

Now where have I seen that philosophy before?

[phleshdef]

25. Thats it! Attack the poor over their relief! Get em PROGRESSIVE!

[aquart]

26. They didn't get any relief. That's what you don't get.

[phleshdef]

31. If you unemployment was about to expire and you aren't a 99er, then you absolutely did.

[Dawgs]

30. How is fighting for the poor attacking them?

This "deal" was not Obama's only choice. Instead, we are ALL screwed later to get something now.

[LanternWaste]

43. Thanking someone directly implies "screw everybody else?"

Thanking someone directly implies "screw everybody else?"

[Dawgs]

28. This wasn't his only option. He screwed ALL OF US later to get something now.

Nothing in this "deal" will help those that are unemployed. In fact, it will make things much worse.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

32. How Will Getting An Unemployment Insurance Check Not Help An Unemployed Person?

If that's the case shouldn't we eliminate unemployment insurance entirely?

[Dawgs]

35. It will help none of them get a job.

:eyes:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. But It Will Prevent Them From Starving Or Freezing To Death Until They Find One

~

[frylock]

38. and obama stated that this deal will create MILLIONS of jobs..

prosperity is right around the corner!!1

[DemocratSinceBirth]

40. Those Are Talking Points

But the need for unemployment insurance is real.

[frylock]

59. obama's entire campaign was comprised of talking points..

can't get fooled again....

[Dawgs]

50. Uh, because of this "deal" they WON'T find one.

And many more will lose their jobs.

The wealth gap is destroying us, and some want to give away everything to the rich to get a little. No thanks!

[gratuitous]

39. And now the wealthy don't have to create any jobs

So it's a win-win for, well, someone, I'm sure.

Because with the continuation of the lower tax rate on the wealthy, they are perfectly justified in maintaining their income at as a high a level as they can, sending their wealth around the world in a search for the best return on investment, just like they have for the last 10 years. If they were at risk of being taxed more on income, they might consider hiring more people or investing here in the United States to lower their taxable income and avoid having to pay all that lovely money to Uncle Sam.

But now? They get to keep more of their swag, they can complain about the lazy unemployed, gripe about higher deficits, and shave a few dollars off their social security contribution on their way to killing that abomination once and for all. And they get to watch a Democrat take all the blame for it.

Yep, somebody won big time here. I've won a few times in the past, and I know what winning feels like. This doesn't feel that way at all. But somebody won, for sure.

[Gormy Cuss]

41. What exactly is wrong with applying for "welfare and food stamps?" n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

45. My Mom Worked For AFDC

You have to jump over a lot of hoops to get it. UI is pretty automatic.

[northernlights]

42. a safety net is a safety net, no matter what you call it

and when his current unemployment runs out, with the GOP totally in charge, he *will* have to apply for welfare, along with a whole lot of other people.

[dgibby]

44. I just wonder if welfare will still be there when that time comes.

I doubt it.

[Dappleganger]

46. In another year's time he'll still be screwed...

what we need are JOBS. These compromises do absolutely nothing to help us long-term and are only going to hurt as long as the wealthiest of Americans are not expected to pay their fair share.

[Angry Dragon]

47. I believe that the unemployment extention will not apply to your friend

It is only for newly unemployed and 99ers do not get any

[leeroysphitz]

48. Yet... n/t

[tomg]

49. Congratulations to the Republicans.

They did what they set out to do. As I look out over this thread, all i see are Democrats fighting with Democrats instead of figuring out how to defeat the shits who got us in this disaster in the first place.

as someone who was twice on unemployment - for 2 years at one clip and hustled his ass off on off-the-book jobs, no insurance, hand-to-mouth,raising a family on it - Windy - i am really happy that your family has a chance to at least temporarily catch its breath. I am truly happy for you and all of the folks like you in that position. I was there.

As someone who - later in my life - actually did negotiations and sat on the other side of the table and had to play hardball on issues like seeing some benefits being cut, but getting an extension of benefits to same-sex relationships, family leave policies being set up, and all that - I have to say Obama and the Dem party are the worst fucking negotiators I have ever seen in my life. They tanked it.

What we got as a starting point was the worst possible fall back position. 13 months? Bullshit. How about a minimum of two years.Point for point on the extension to the rich. No 99ers? Screw off. Trade it point for point. Tie it in with direct job creation. You want a tax cut? Great. Revenue has to come from somewhere. New jobs. Oh, real jobs. Sorry no outsourcing.

That is why I am pissed. They could have gotten more for you and your family and given up less. Obama and the Dems thought they were negotiating with the Republicans. They weren't. He was simply negotiating with the corporations through the Republicans. Now the republicans can pick up their retainers.

I hate to compromise, but I love to negotiate. But to negotiate you have to know what your non-negotiables are. The current group who are supposedly negotiating for us seem to have none. That is why i am angry. You guys deserved more. They quit on you, and when they quit on you they quit on all of us.

[AndrewP]

57. +1

[Jakes Progress]

52. Yet.

[prolesunited]

53. The 99ers get NO HELP in this measure

I wish people would quit perpetrating this falsehood around here.

It also does not change the way extensions are structured. The 13 months is not a blanket 13 months, depending where you are on the extension structure.

If you are on Tier 4 and not in a high unemployment state, your benefits will end.
If your are on state extended benefits, once that ends, you have no lifeline left.

Yes, it helps a lot. However, it does not benefit the 99ers or the people who will be joining their ranks.

What we really need is a WPA style program that will offer pay for doing community-based tasks and offer work training in areas of growth for those whose jobs will never return.

[ismnotwasm]

54. It is a good thing

My son back from Iraq ended up on unemployment. He was thinking about redeployment, hopefully he won't do it know.

[tomg]

61. Congratulations and deepest joy

on your son being home. I am glad he won't have to deploy again. But wouldn't it have been better if they had really made real veteran benefits part of the package? Make it point for point. They want 700 billion. Okay so do we. Oh? the deficit. You get 350 we will take 350. That is negotiation.

The rich want their taxes cut. Good. Make them pay for them in other ways. Your son - as a vet - has earned benefits that morally go far beyond what he has now. How about a new GI Bill as part of the "compromise"? The only way to negotiate is to know what our non-negotiables are. how about the unemployed? How about the vets? How about health care. They should be our non-negotiables.

We know the other sides non-negotiables. Cold hard cash. And again, I am very happy your son does not have to go back. But we, as a country, have an obligation to him to make sure he has a job and peace and security to come home to. He did his part ( and I am a pacifist opposed to the war - in fact I am a c.o - but your son has done right by our country as he knows it to be) - we have not done ours.

Again, peace to you and yours.

[Yo_Mama]

55. If he's already been out of work for 23 months yes he will

Because those who have already collected their max benefits don't get anything at all in this "deal". Your best friend isn't helped at all.

I think a lot of people think that this is a true extension of unemployment benefits, but it is not. It is an extension for the more recently employed, but people who reach their max benefits or who already have reached their max benefits are going to be out on the street.