8 Unemployed for Every Job Opening: What Are They Supposed to Do Once Their Benefits Run Out?

[1776Forever]

8 Unemployed for Every Job Opening: What Are They Supposed to Do Once Their Benefits Run Out?
Is there any hope of help arriving for the "99ers"?
AlterNet / By Joshua Holland
March 23, 2011

http://www.alternet.org/economy/150358/8_unemployed_for_every_job_opening%3A_what_are_they_supposed_to_do_once_their_benefits_run_out/

There are now approximately 14 million Americans who want a job and can't find one. According to the National Employment Law Project (NELP), if they stood side by side, they'd stretch from Bangor, Maine to Los Angeles, California and back.

While plenty of ink has been dedicated to distant crises in the Middle East and Japan, and a wholly trumped up “deficit crisis” that haunts the sleep of the Beltway media, this disaster occurring right here at home has received far less attention than it should.

Those who have been out of work for an extended period of time face not only extreme economic suffering, but also unique barriers to getting back into the workforce. Yet the political establishment has all but ignored the pain being felt by this broad swath of working America. Economist Paul Krugman called them the “forgotten millions,” and warned that “we’re well on the way to creating a permanent underclass of the jobless.”

(more at link - check it out)

.................

What are they supposed to do? As the article says it is creating a permanent underclass!
:argh:

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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

[Tippy]

8. I guess I should say good bye now......I sure hope it will be painless....

[Vincardog]

12. I just turned 55. They sent my job to China years ago. And I haven't been (counted as) unemployed

for 5 years now. I guess I should just ESAD

[TheWraith]

2. Not quite permanent, no. But it still sucks to be us.

I've been unemployed for all but 2 of the 25 months since I lost my job doing tech journalism. My benefits are running out soon--probably this week.

[1776Forever]

4. Sorry to hear that. Hope you don't mind me saying but if you are a Veteran you might be able to get

help from the local Veteran Office. Good luck to you. Wish I could help more.
:hi:

[TheWraith]

5. I'm afraid I am not.

In fact, I'm not old enough to have been a vet of anything other than Iraq. Which didn't exactly appeal to me.

[1776Forever]

6. Understand. I agree with you. n/t

[Turbineguy]

3. The should become

republicans. Then they will magically not need benefits. Or they can start making babies by the dozen and be paid for it (OK this won't work if they are not white-skinned).

[n2doc]

7. Go to Prison

After all, with the new for-profit prisons, these are about the only new "jobs" out there. Pay sucks, though. :sarcasm:

[Kennah]

10. Debtors Prisons are becoming chic again

[Lorien]

9. As someone who was never eligible for benefits (self employed) and was unemployed

for two years: you pick up small odd jobs for less than minimum wage, borrow money from friends and family (if you have them) and sell everything that you can on ebay and in yard sales. You also barter, when possible, and you just plain do without (things like health care and medication). It's exhausting and demoralizing.

[GoCubsGo]

11. Yup.

It's exhausting, demoralizing and damn humiliating. I avoid grocery shopping on weekends so that I don't have to worry about running into former co-workers. That way I don't have to deal with the "What? You STILL don't have a job after all this time?" looks. I got laid off just as the recession was starting, and have only managed about 5 of work out of each of the past 3 years. I guess I can assume my career is long dead at this point.

[Divine Discontent]

13. K&R! This is a serious issue. How much suffering this economic crisis has caused. :(