I have two friends who have been out of work for over a year.
One was a high-ranking record industry executive. The other was a successful freelance writer who trotted the globe on plum assignments.
Up until two years ago, their careers were thriving. They owned their homes.
Then the bottom fell out.
The record industry executive got a pink slip from the company where she had worked for 12 years. Meanwhile, the freelance writer's phone stopped ringing and the assignments dried up.
When I check in with them by phone, I can hear the panic and frustration in their voices.
They have sent out résumé upon résumé, and tapped their network of family, friends and business contacts.
Yet they still haven't been able to find work. One is barely a step ahead of the foreclosure sheriff. Their self-esteem is in the toilet.
They're among the 6.7 million Americans who have been jobless for 27 weeks or longer.
Not having gainful employment is not, as some right-wingers seem to think, a matter of choice.
More:
http://www.mercurynews.com/columns/ci_15206171Senate Chooses Vacation Over Unemployment Extension BillOnce again, the US Senate has chosen to ignore the plight of thousands of American citizens and put its own schedule of precious vacation time above the needs of the unemployed.
On Friday, the House of Representatives passed bill HR 4213, aka the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010. This bill would extend the filing deadline under the current system of federally-subsidized unemployment insurance benefits, which allows for up to 99 weeks maximum extended benefits under 4 tiers of extensions. Other provisions in the bill include a COBRA extension and closing certain tax loopholes for individuals and corporations.
This bill would *not* create additional benefits beyond the 99 weeks in the form of a Tier V or similar extension.
According to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) last week, the Senate would not act on this same essential bill until after the Memorial Day recess, which is currently underway. The Senate resumes its chamber on this upcoming Monday, June 7.
This means that the Senate is once again - again! - letting the previous two-month extension expire. They had two months this time to get something done and nevertheless they fail to produce before the deadline.
Perennial procrastinators, they - if only they could be fired from their jobs such as happens with unproductive employees (hint, hint, voters).
In short: business as usual on the Hill.
http://thebreakroom.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978271985&grpId=3659174697241980CORPORATE LOBBYISTS FIGHTING FOR LOOPHOLE - One of the ways that Democrats propose to pay for extended jobless benefits is by closing a tax loophole that rewards companies for taking jobs offshore, which kills a whole flock of birds at once. Yet the GOP and its allied Blue Dogs aren't getting behind it, arguing that requiring U.S. companies to pay the difference between the foreign tax rate and the U.S. tax rate puts them at a disadvantage. One of the companies lobbying hardest against closing the loophole is IBM. According to its SEC filing, IBM "permanently reinvested offshore" $26 billion. Since 2005, its number of U.S. employees dropped from 134,000 to 105,000. And the bill it's lobbying against includes R&D credits that will benefit IBM.
More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/27/huffpost-hill---may-27-20_n_592599.html
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