by Cheryl Ann
As one of the 1.9M+ Americans currently struggling to survive while our elected officials aka civil servants bicker back and forth I have grown beyond weary of the countless empty promises to get it done. If we were a Corporation we would have been bailed out months ago without any pay for whatsoever. But since we don't have anyone outside the political system to be our voice we continue to struggle to survive while this tiresome dog and pony show continues. The Republicans seem to be hell bent and determined not to let this pass the Senate let alone Congress should a bill finally make it that far. Senator John Boehner (R-Ohio) seems to be using his huge hard on about the ACA (that the GOP have renamed Obamacare) to spite the Democrats push to get a bill passed. They were given amendments and a pay for but that still didn't satisfy them. As Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) said after the last bill was filibustered, "There's obviously something else going on here" Yes, I agree. There is definitely something else going on here.
Here is the latest example of how the GOP feels about this crisis situation straight from one of the horses mouths. This article posted yesterday by The Wall Street Journal http://on.wsj.com/OzGDgi personifies just how little struggling unemployed Americans mean to them when Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind) said “Simply to trumpet we passed a bill (Farm Bill), we’ve saved money and [when] the next spending issue (EUI) comes along, we’ll spend it on that — that doesn’t get me there.” In other words, Americans who worked hard and now need extended unemployment benefits are an 'issue' instead of human beings and voters, that he just doesn't think are a good investment. I am outraged and disgusted by the posturing going on over this crisis situation and feel like a pawn in whatever political game they are playing on any given day.
Although the Democrats should have fought to included EUI in the Federal Budget, that ship has sailed and here we are, stranded on an island with no resources to survive in sight.
I do not think either party is grasping the long term, experiential, big picture damage this is going to create in the way of increased homelessness, increased crime and increased suicides, not to mention the already growing hit to the economy which has risen to over 3 Billion dollars while continuing to escalate. All of these tragedies could have been avoided had they made the compassionate choice to take care of out of work Americans in January, but alas they did not and the nightmare continues.
Although there are myriad petitions currently posted around all social media outlets, it is a scattered effort, at best. I think if any of us could have imagined in our wildest dreams, or more aptly put, nightmares, that this would not be resolved in a timely manner, we could have banded together sooner to have our voices heard in a more meaningful way. But without a leader to stand up and be our voice, we continue to be evicted from our homes, have our phones shut off and struggle to feed our families. This is one of those times where I am ashamed to call myself an American. If this situation was happening in any other country we would be outraged and running to help out. But since the media coverage has been so poor most Americans who aren't directly affected or know someone who is, aren't even aware this situation is happening to their fellow Americans.
I am neither a registered Democrat or Republican. I am registered as Non-Party Affiliated but am proud of my states Senators, who I voted for, who continue to support the long term unemployed extension benefits bill along with Representative Sandy Levin (D-Michigan and ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee). California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer have supported every bill that Senator Harry Reid proposed and Ms. Boxer has been a strong voice for us although it seems to fall on deaf ears. If I lived in any of the states whose Republican representatives in both houses are not supporting a bill to extend UI, l I'd be on their doorstep with my suitcases and unpaid bills in hand.
Although I have always wholeheartedly supported giving aid to countries where people are in desperate need, it is hard for me to see billions of dollars going to help others when we have not yet taken care of our own right here at home. Have the Senate and Congress forgotten how they got into office? Do they realize that when it comes time for re-election that all of us that were literally left out in the cold aren't going to forget and that those who weren't a part of this demographic but agree it should have been passed months ago will remember when they cast their votes? Maybe if we had term limits and not career politicians things would never have gotten to this point. They need to be reminded that they are civil servants elected to work for the best interest of the people. These days it seems to me that there are too many sitting in those seats that have special interests and personal investments to protect and no longer care about serving us - the Americans they were elected to work for, not against.
Why do corporations continue to get away with not paying their fair share? They literally continue to rob us of billions in tax revenues that could easily offset the measly $6B needed for a 3 month extension and other much needed social and education programs. Here is a link to a list of just nine of them. http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/01/08/companies-paying-the-most-taxes/4/ I still believe Ross Perot's straight 10% tax for everyone made the most sense and why I voted for him. But logic or common sense doesn't seem to matter much in Washington with all the lobbyists fighting for special interest groups and more entitlements.
Where do we go from here? I just don't know. Without a loud voice relentlessly bringing this to every voters attention and showing the American public just how horribly the long term unemployed are being treated and what it feels like to be left hanging with no lifeline in sight, I fear this will never get done. I am trying to remain hopeful, but as each day passes and I am forced to borrow more and more money to survive. I feel that this is yet another heartless tactic to systematically continue to dismantle the rapidly dwindling middle class. Shame on Ronald Reagan for all his deregulations. Shame on Bill Clinton for NAFTA and SOTA. Shame on all of them for not increasing the minimum wage to stay in line with the spiraling cost of living and for the endless entitlements going to those at the very top of the food chain. I could see the handwriting on the wall as each of these situations occurred and here it is…the trickle down effect in all it's glory - a disaster of epic proportions that never had to happen.
I feel for my fellow brothers and sisters who are getting closer and closer to homelessness and those that already are. This is an emergency that's not being addressed as such. Many have already maxed our their credit cards, depleted their savings, liquidated their 401K and have basically had their nest eggs for their futures wiped out and now have nothing. I am blessed that after my savings was depleted I had a few friends who were able to help me out for the next month. But I know not everyone does and that breaks my heart. This is a tragic and shameful situation that never should have been allowed to drag on this long. If I hear one more time that 'we're going to get it done' or 'we're working on it' I'm going to slit my wrists. Do we really have to take to the streets and riot?
#RenewUI #ExtendUI @repsandylevin @SenatorBoxer @SenatorReid @repsandylevin @GOPLeader @johnboehner @dancoats @SenDanCoats @SenateDems @Senate_GOPs @NancyPelosi @CoryBooker @HouseDemocrats @SenatorKirk @HouseGOP
As one of the 1.9M+ Americans currently struggling to survive while our elected officials aka civil servants bicker back and forth I have grown beyond weary of the countless empty promises to get it done. If we were a Corporation we would have been bailed out months ago without any pay for whatsoever. But since we don't have anyone outside the political system to be our voice we continue to struggle to survive while this tiresome dog and pony show continues. The Republicans seem to be hell bent and determined not to let this pass the Senate let alone Congress should a bill finally make it that far. Senator John Boehner (R-Ohio) seems to be using his huge hard on about the ACA (that the GOP have renamed Obamacare) to spite the Democrats push to get a bill passed. They were given amendments and a pay for but that still didn't satisfy them. As Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) said after the last bill was filibustered, "There's obviously something else going on here" Yes, I agree. There is definitely something else going on here.
Here is the latest example of how the GOP feels about this crisis situation straight from one of the horses mouths. This article posted yesterday by The Wall Street Journal http://on.wsj.com/OzGDgi personifies just how little struggling unemployed Americans mean to them when Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind) said “Simply to trumpet we passed a bill (Farm Bill), we’ve saved money and [when] the next spending issue (EUI) comes along, we’ll spend it on that — that doesn’t get me there.” In other words, Americans who worked hard and now need extended unemployment benefits are an 'issue' instead of human beings and voters, that he just doesn't think are a good investment. I am outraged and disgusted by the posturing going on over this crisis situation and feel like a pawn in whatever political game they are playing on any given day.
Although the Democrats should have fought to included EUI in the Federal Budget, that ship has sailed and here we are, stranded on an island with no resources to survive in sight.
I do not think either party is grasping the long term, experiential, big picture damage this is going to create in the way of increased homelessness, increased crime and increased suicides, not to mention the already growing hit to the economy which has risen to over 3 Billion dollars while continuing to escalate. All of these tragedies could have been avoided had they made the compassionate choice to take care of out of work Americans in January, but alas they did not and the nightmare continues.
Although there are myriad petitions currently posted around all social media outlets, it is a scattered effort, at best. I think if any of us could have imagined in our wildest dreams, or more aptly put, nightmares, that this would not be resolved in a timely manner, we could have banded together sooner to have our voices heard in a more meaningful way. But without a leader to stand up and be our voice, we continue to be evicted from our homes, have our phones shut off and struggle to feed our families. This is one of those times where I am ashamed to call myself an American. If this situation was happening in any other country we would be outraged and running to help out. But since the media coverage has been so poor most Americans who aren't directly affected or know someone who is, aren't even aware this situation is happening to their fellow Americans.
I am neither a registered Democrat or Republican. I am registered as Non-Party Affiliated but am proud of my states Senators, who I voted for, who continue to support the long term unemployed extension benefits bill along with Representative Sandy Levin (D-Michigan and ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee). California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer have supported every bill that Senator Harry Reid proposed and Ms. Boxer has been a strong voice for us although it seems to fall on deaf ears. If I lived in any of the states whose Republican representatives in both houses are not supporting a bill to extend UI, l I'd be on their doorstep with my suitcases and unpaid bills in hand.
Although I have always wholeheartedly supported giving aid to countries where people are in desperate need, it is hard for me to see billions of dollars going to help others when we have not yet taken care of our own right here at home. Have the Senate and Congress forgotten how they got into office? Do they realize that when it comes time for re-election that all of us that were literally left out in the cold aren't going to forget and that those who weren't a part of this demographic but agree it should have been passed months ago will remember when they cast their votes? Maybe if we had term limits and not career politicians things would never have gotten to this point. They need to be reminded that they are civil servants elected to work for the best interest of the people. These days it seems to me that there are too many sitting in those seats that have special interests and personal investments to protect and no longer care about serving us - the Americans they were elected to work for, not against.
Why do corporations continue to get away with not paying their fair share? They literally continue to rob us of billions in tax revenues that could easily offset the measly $6B needed for a 3 month extension and other much needed social and education programs. Here is a link to a list of just nine of them. http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/01/08/companies-paying-the-most-taxes/4/ I still believe Ross Perot's straight 10% tax for everyone made the most sense and why I voted for him. But logic or common sense doesn't seem to matter much in Washington with all the lobbyists fighting for special interest groups and more entitlements.
Where do we go from here? I just don't know. Without a loud voice relentlessly bringing this to every voters attention and showing the American public just how horribly the long term unemployed are being treated and what it feels like to be left hanging with no lifeline in sight, I fear this will never get done. I am trying to remain hopeful, but as each day passes and I am forced to borrow more and more money to survive. I feel that this is yet another heartless tactic to systematically continue to dismantle the rapidly dwindling middle class. Shame on Ronald Reagan for all his deregulations. Shame on Bill Clinton for NAFTA and SOTA. Shame on all of them for not increasing the minimum wage to stay in line with the spiraling cost of living and for the endless entitlements going to those at the very top of the food chain. I could see the handwriting on the wall as each of these situations occurred and here it is…the trickle down effect in all it's glory - a disaster of epic proportions that never had to happen.
I feel for my fellow brothers and sisters who are getting closer and closer to homelessness and those that already are. This is an emergency that's not being addressed as such. Many have already maxed our their credit cards, depleted their savings, liquidated their 401K and have basically had their nest eggs for their futures wiped out and now have nothing. I am blessed that after my savings was depleted I had a few friends who were able to help me out for the next month. But I know not everyone does and that breaks my heart. This is a tragic and shameful situation that never should have been allowed to drag on this long. If I hear one more time that 'we're going to get it done' or 'we're working on it' I'm going to slit my wrists. Do we really have to take to the streets and riot?
#RenewUI #ExtendUI @repsandylevin @SenatorBoxer @SenatorReid @repsandylevin @GOPLeader @johnboehner @dancoats @SenDanCoats @SenateDems @Senate_GOPs @NancyPelosi @CoryBooker @HouseDemocrats @SenatorKirk @HouseGOP
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