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Open letter to readers: Today and tomorrow

By Lynda Waddington | 11.17.11

Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.

ACS lockout continues; plan emerges to repeal sugar protections

crystal_sugar_80
By Virginia Chamlee | 11.15.11

A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.

Cain campaign: Farmers know more about regulations than EPA

hermancain_80x80
By Andrew Duffelmeyer | 11.15.11

The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.

Mathis wins, Democrats maintain Senate control

Liz Mathis
By Lynda Waddington | 11.08.11

The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.

Press Release

PR: Nation should work to address veterans’ challenges

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

BRUCE BRALEY RELEASE — As US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan ends, it’s more important than ever that our nation works to address the challenges faced by the men and women who fought there.

PR: Honoring veterans, help in hiring

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

CHUCK GRASSLEY RELEASE — A difficult job market is challenging the soldiers, sailors and airmen who have protected America’s interests by serving in the Armed Forces.

PR: In honor of America’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

TOM LATHAM RELEASE — No one has done more to secure the freedom enjoyed by every single American than our veterans and those currently serving in the armed services.

PR: Honoring and supporting our nation’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

DAVE LOEBSACK RELEASE — Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect on the service of generations of veterans and to honor the sacrifices they and their families have made so that we may live in peace and freedom here at home.

The cost of unemployment extension delay adding up in Iowa

By Jason Hancock | 07.14.10 | 8:00 am

The U.S. Department of Labor released state-by-state numbers earlier this month on how many workers have been cumulatively affected by Congress’ inability to extend long-term unemployment benefits. By weeks end, around 14,200 Iowans will have lost their benefits, with a nationwide total of 2.5 million.

The nonpartisan Iowa Fiscal Partnership estimated last month that 44,000 Iowans saw an immediate reduction in benefits starting at the end of May, when Congress allowed unemployment benefits to expire over the course of the month. About 1,500 to 2,000 Iowans began losing all benefits each week.

Democrats are expecting West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin to name a replacement for U.S. Sen. Robert Bryd, D-W.Va., Friday, meaning the Senate can again take up the long-stalled unemployment-benefits extension with the replacement being a likely 60th vote to overcome a Republican-led filibuster. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs predicted the Senate will pass an extension of unemployment benefits sometime next week

Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, have argued that they would support an extension to benefits if it were deficit neutral, saying they refuse to add to the nation’s debt.

Follow Jason Hancock on Twitter


Comments

  • dixiegirlj

    BS, the republicans did not care before about extending benefits when Bush was in office or giving tax breaks to the wealthy, now their worried about deficits, Unfortunately, this is suppose to be emergency spending for UI, and I think millons of people out of work due to know fault of their own is a emergency and should be passed today and everyone in the government needs to work overtime till the people have a check in hand today.

    • SonOfaBeech

      dont be as ignorant as the boys and girls in washington…neither party has shown true leadership and lack any altruistic values…do the simple math…we are unable to pay the interest payments on the debt as it stands now…within a short period of time. the deficit is going to balloon to well over 250 trillion dollars…spending has to be cut…now can we cut aid to nations that kill our soldiers???…cut aid to nations that practice voodoo…YES.

      • 21121221

        If those countries kill our soldiers do you think they would not rather be killing you , in your town? What if the NYC times square bomb had worked? would that change your mind? What about the Christmas eve plane bomb guy? These Islamic extremists want you dead. The military is the absolute last thing we should be cutting. There are plenty of useless programs and pork projects that could be cut to pay for UI extensions. PLENTY a whole 700+ billion dollars worth with over 100 billion still unspent. Get this, the White house is reporting today that “the stimulus spending has worked!” they are claiming to have created or saved 3 million jobs. LIARS!

    • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

      Thats because Bush had a plan, he wasnt pulling money out of nowhere!

      • 21121221

        Bush was decent but not really as conservative here at home as he should have been. Amnesty? Really? We tried that back with Reagan and it still won't work!

      • npdrifter

        Bush had a plan?? What plan was that? Spend, spend, and spend some more and then hand it off to the democrats and blame it all on them?? Good plan..seems to have fooled fools like you!! Bush wasn't pulling money from nowhere he was spending money that Clinton left over and then started pulling money from nowhere. Which is exactly why we are in this situation today!!You are ignorant and blind!!

        • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

          Oh im sorry, do you not realize that obama has spent more money in the past year than EVERY president before him? Wow I want that please forget my kids lives and make them suffer for obamas bad decisions. but i guess a person like you would see it that way. spend spend spend huh?

          • Anonymous

            @Lisa…so easy to forget the actual people that put us in this situation and blame it on those that are currently trying to fix the mess we are in!! All this did not just happen overnight and was handed to this administration to correct. Maybe there are those like you who would say everything was just fine in 2008 and nothing needed to change. I am not one of those and change needed to happen!! Is this the right course of action? I don’t know but sitting around doing nothing like the republicans are doing now solves nothing!! And, don’t try to pretend that you know what kind of person I am…..you don’t!! I wonder if you even know how to read because your reply did not even come close to what I wrote!! No wonder you can’t find a job!!

          • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

            LMAO I never said I couldnt get a job, number one and number two, your just another ignorant american that thinks we can pull money out of nowhere! maybe in the future you will wisen up when we are in more debt and our children are paying for it!

  • Six_Eight

    They've found religion with a small group of Republicans who put the deficit as the top priority. Vast majority of people rank the economy, job creation, unemployment, you know the important things, as the top priority. Sadly the mass media has once again been hijacked by a message that Republicans think will inspire their base to the detriment of the country. And we wonder why things are getting worse.

    • 21121221

      I see thing differently than you. I follow my morals and ideals regardless of the current economic situation. Deficit spending is bad. Bad during an upturn bad during a recession.

      I am glad some of these Senators have found a spine.

      • Anonymous

        We’ll see about their high principals, morals or whatever you want to call it once the filibuster is broken. 70% of the scumbags that have held this up since June 5th will be voting for this bill. Spine? HAH!

  • GGBNJ

    I'm in New Jersey, it's so bad here, companies are now and have been for a while not giving out applications, 1000s of businesses have closed up that have been around since before I was born, I'm out everyday in the lovely heat wave trying to find a place to at least fill out an application, it's to the point where i'm getting yelled at for stopping by trying to fill out an application, it's crazy. I thought I was going to get hit last weekend asking for an application, the manager I asked just walked away from me without saying a word, then an employee came out and asked me to leave the property, this is just insayne!!!

    • 21121221

      It is bad in NJ indeed. I am in sales. Just got a 60 day contract. went out canvassing on my last $13 of gas money yesterday. Lots of empty buildings. Lots of available commercial/industrial space that I need to be selling my product to are empty with no tenants to spend their money on my product.

      Democrats for the love of all that is good introduce a stand alone bill that is funded!

      • GGBNJ

        Well my last claim will be 7/22 on Tier 3, ittle hit my bank acct on Saturday, then I gotta pay my monthly bills and ittle be gone!!! So i'm guessing by the 22nd I should know if i'm gonna be entering Tier 4 if this thing is passed monday, which is only 6 weeks (3 checks) then I don't know what happens? Hopefully I get a call from the few who did accept applications, or hopefully I move on to the 20 weeks, who knows, it's not fun.

  • conde5861

    They just keep playing with our lives. I am 49 years old and I have tried everything possible to get a job , and no luck yet. My unemployment is finished, and I have lost everything already, I am already living with my daughter, and she is in the same boat. I have made a few dollars on this site, it keeps food on the table, I just received my second check from them, its not much ,but it feeds us. Here is the link to the site.
    http://www.snapdollars.com/index/temp2523154 just pass the link around, the more people you get to join the more money you make. it is free, and I already have 15 people that have joined in less than a week. Every little bit helps until the senate decides what to do.

  • bobband

    The following list is of the Senators blocking the unemployment extension bill. Remember them at the next election.
    Alexander (R-TN)
    Barrasso (R-WY)
    Bennett (R-UT)
    Brown (R-MA)
    Brownback (R-KS)
    Bunning (R-KY)
    Burr (R-NC)
    Chambliss (R-GA)
    Coburn (R-OK)
    Cochran (R-MS)
    Corker (R-TN)
    Cornyn (R-TX)
    Crapo (R-ID)
    Ensign (R-NV)
    Enzi (R-WY)
    Graham (R-SC)
    Grassley (R-IA)
    Gregg (R-NH)
    Hatch (R-UT)
    Hutchison (R-TX)
    Inhofe (R-OK)
    Isakson (R-GA)
    Johanns (R-NE)
    Kyl (R-AZ)
    LeMieux (R-FL)
    Lugar (R-IN)
    McCain (R-AZ)
    McConnell (R-KY)
    Murkowski (R-AK)
    Nelson (D-NE)
    Risch (R-ID)
    Sessions (R-AL)
    Shelby (R-AL)
    Thune (R-SD)
    Vitter (R-LA)
    Voinovich (R-OH)
    Wicker (R-MS)

    • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

      I will remember them for next election, they will be the ones I vote for! They have americas best interest at heart and arent trying to pull us further down! The damn democrats need to quit saving money for the elections and spend it on what we really need! I am a family of six that lost their benefits 2 weeks ago FYI!

      • 21121221

        I agreed that these are the Senators who actually care about the future of America. When exactly would those who want this bill to pass as “unpaid for” actually plan on paying it back? Never? yeah, bad idea. That is why the pay-go thing was passed. Any senator that introduces a bill that is unfunded or has earmarks or pork should lose his or her job immediately.

    • ragtopcaddy

      Conspicuously absent from this list are all the Democrats who steadfastly refuse to part with any of their campaign slush fund (the stimulus money) which is jealously guarded to be used in districts where some pork will buy enough votes to turn the tide in the upcoming election. Most, if not all, the Republicans on the list would vote instantly in favor of the extension if the Democrats would part with some portion of that slush fund money to pay for it.

    • peteairmech

      I sent the letter below to all the senators on your list. Maybe if the rest of us send them a letter similar to this one they will get the idea that they will loose their jobs over this if they do not vote for this bill.

      Peter F Lothrop
      4259 Middlebury Way
      Mather, CA 95655

      July 7, 2010

      Roger Wicker
      United States Senate
      555 Dirksen Senate Office Building
      Washington, DC 20510

      Dear: Mr. Wicker

      My name is Peter F Lothrop and I am one of the 3.2 million Americans that will lose their unemployment benefits at the end of July if you do not pass the extension bill by then. My understanding is that all the republican senators are voting against this bill. This is why I am writing to you. I do not understand your reasoning for not passing this bill. Why are you doing this? Who in the hell do you think you are anyway?

      It is amazing to me the amount of money that was given to the banks and insurance companies during the bailouts at the beginning of this administration. The unemployment extension is not a bailout; it is something the American people have paid out of their taxes for years. Enough money was given to the big businesses that their employees not only got their pay, but millions in bonuses.

      The unemployment extension funding would pale in comparison to the help given during the bailouts, yet the debates go on and on and on whether or not to do this? The bailouts seem to happen overnight. What is wrong with this picture?

      I am sure there are thousands of voters in your state that are unemployed and when they find out you are taking away their income for no good reasons what do you think they are going to do in the next election? Maybe if you had to join us in the unemployment line you would feel differently about what you are doing. I have over 30 years of experience in my field and have been out of work for well over a year now. There are no jobs out there or vary few jobs.

      What do you think is going to happen if you take away the benefits from 3.2 million Americans? I’ll tell you what there will be many more Americans out of work, when all the small business goes under because no one has any money to spend in their stores! The foreclosure rate will go out of the roof. The homeless rate will go way up. The unemployment rate will skyrocket into the 20% range and you my friend will be out of a job as soon as we can make it happen. There may even be such a back lash that there may be another revolution in this country. You can only push people so far before they start to fight back!

      For God’s sake and for the country’s sake Please pass this bill. If you continue to vote no on this issue you will regret it. It will end your political career as soon as the next election comes around bet on it. When you take away what little income people have they will remember that and do the only thing they can do VOTE YOU OUT OF OFFICE.

      Sincerely
      Peter F Lothrop

      • Anonymous

        Thanks…..keep the list going

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

    Actually, we are a family of six and my husband lost his benefits 2 weeks ago here in Iowa. I admit it has hit us hard but you know what, I know there are a ton of jobs where we live and were just in a small town in iowa. I 100% agree with the republicans! Why should we pass it and take money out of no where and get us temp help until the next extension. Obama and those damn democrats are what, saving that stimulus for their next election? I think the DEMOCRATS need to focus on what the US needs and NOT their need to keep money for election day! Like I said I fully agree with the republicans, they are trying to look out for our country and not try and pull money out of the middle of nowhere. This coming from a house with four kids and we lost all of our benefits!

    • D_Bar

      Remember them now! They just took a vacation on our money. They just used benefits that we pay for. They are decideing how much of our money to send to other contries. I say, remember them now! Send letters, emails, phone calls… anything to remind them of who they are suppose to be working for. Maybe the “tar and feather” method should be restored.

      • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

        Thats funny you say that because its ur damn democrats shoving all that money out! Like I have been saying Obama has spent more in the past year than all of the presidents put together! Give me a fukn break! If we didnt have to have so many fukn dems in office maybe our spending wouldnt be going to ridiculous things!

        • Anonymous

          Hey I think you forgot who was just president sweetie. So Bush takes a dump on America and Obama gets clean it up. Yea let him cleean it up with his hands. No that wouldnt work so he has to go buy a shovel, and you Republicans want to get mad at him for that. Yea lets just go clean horrible economy up with happy thoughts and have a sing along while we are at it.P.S this is her son and you can debate without having to curse and call people names

          • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

            Go worship your president please do, your one of the ignorant americans that think we can pull money out of no where. You will hopefully wisen up in the future

          • Anonymous

            Real intelligent Lisa.

            Oh and thanks for holding back on my son. Wow… you’re so over zealous over this whole thing you will bash a 13 year old kid. I’ll pray for you… You need Jesus.
            Pynk

          • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

            Aww thank you thats so sweet. I will do the same for my country!

          • Anonymous

            No Pynk son…Lisa can’t debate at all. She just wants to yell “damn democrats!!” haha No worries, many millions of Americans saw exactly what happened from one administration to the next, we all witnessed exactly how the GOP went wild with spending during the Bush years, and millions more are watching the blatant obstructionism of the GOP no matter the cost to AMERICAN families. I think they had an advantage headed for November because of their constant obstruction, but gave that up pretty quickly with their blatant disregard for the suffering of the middle class!! They never had a problem extending these benefits when they were under Bush but now want to claim that they are fiscally responsible and voting against it!! If you believe that I got a bridge to sell you!!

    • Pynk

      Were republicans so worried about this economy when Bush was in office? Now all of the sudden they care about our economy. I tell ya what, there will be no economy if this doesn't get passed. Come back and talk to us in two months when you are struggling beyond belief and see how well you support those Republicans then. There may be “tons” of jobs where you live but there may also be 300 people for each job that are applying, that has been the case for me. I can't even get an interview. Democrats are focusing on WHAT THE US NEEDS…. duh or they wouldn't be trying to secure some sort of income for us poor people now. Wow…. think about what you just said. How are they keeping money for election day by helping millions of American families. Let me guess, you watch too much Fox News….

      • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

        LMAO what an idiot, where the hell is that money coming from? Do you know that! You say your worried about you and your son but what is in your sons future? Look up the facts of the damn democrats proposal and then preach to me! I refuse to have my children pay because Obama wants to keep stimulus money for the ignorant election! Give me a break, if you cant get an interview its probably because your NOT qualified and you need to apply elsewhere. But you support that bill that will ruin the lives of your son and everyone elses childrens! Cause you cant pull money out of nowhere!

  • 21121221

    The Republicans that are trying fiscal conservatism now are doing the right thing. The Democrats who have refused to present a bill as a standalone UI extension bill that is paid for with unspent stimulus money are just plain wrong. It's not like that 700=billion has stimulated a darn thing other than the pockets of the supporters of the Senators who jammed pork into that abomination.

    I need the UI extension to pass but do not want my kids to have to pay for it. It would be nice if all of the members of the Senate could understand the simple concept: If you don't have the money it's a bad idea to take out a 40 billion dollar loan that you can't pay back.

    The Republicans for the most part were just as guilty as the Democrats alway have been re: their spending habits over the past decade. I believe they were actually trying to earn Democrat votes by being so fiscally liberal.

    The Bush tax cuts will expire soon and that means increased cost of doingbusiness for most who would have been in the position to hire. Forget that. Unemployment rate in this country is going to be close to 20% soon (even if the admin only claims 9.5%) and the tax increases will add to that. At the very least they should use the unspent stimulus to help those who have reached the end of their respective tier. I got exactly 26 weeks…no extension 2 month mortgage. car, phone electric due and with 0 on it's way I am bracing for impact. F- the Senate Ds who refuse to be fiscally responsible. I would no more ask for my extensions if they were on credit than I would open up some new 25% credit cards to pay my past due bills. If it won't work on a personal level it won't work on a national level.

    • GEM31

      You just used the term standalone and paid for. You do realize that the Bush tax cuts for the top 2 percent of this country WERE NOT PAID FOR?? They are costing this country 600 BILLION over 10 years, that's not rhteoric, that's a fact. Sen Kyl from arizona couldn't even answer why the republicans aren't paying for them on FOX news of all places..So for you to imply that republicans are now trying to practice conservatisim means 2 things, you're either unintelligent or uninformed, which is it??

  • npdrifter

    Bush had a plan?? What plan was that? Spend, spend, and spend some more and then hand it off to the democrats and blame it all on them?? Good plan..seems to have fooled fools like you!! Bush wasn't pulling money from nowhere he was spending money that Clinton left over and then started pulling money from nowhere. Which is exactly why we are in this situation today!!You are ignorant and blind!!

    • GGBNJ

      I was just thinking about that yesterday, the US is giving Haiti over 2 BILLION dollars, and much more in relief aid, what happens if California gets slammed by an earthquake and is flattened out, what country will give the US money…NONE!!! New Orleans is still in shambles, ppl are living in Fema trailers next to thier destroyed homes, my friend in KZ wants me to move thier, they are doing better then we are now.

    • 21121221

      Have you forgotten that this administration has spent more than ALL of the presidents before him and he's only been in office for a year and a half? Clinton rode the dot.com bubble and had congress pressure the banking industry to give loans to people who had no business getting home loans. There is a big part. Fanny and Freddie are Clinton's babies. Clinton left the White house in recession, look it up. Who is the fool? Do you believe everything you hear on state run media and Comedy Central? Ignorance is truly bliss eh?

      Instead of playing the blame game which is pointless at this juncture, why not support the fiscally conservative folks who understand that deficit spending is going to ruin this nation. It will lead to revolution or worse. The government is too big and tries to do more than they should. If not they would not have been bailing out private business or taking over private business or completely destroying the health insurance industry or spending TRILLIONS of dollars they don't have.

      The government's job is not to take care of you, it is to ensure that your freedom to pursue happiness and prosperity is protected. The prosperity part is up to you and your work ethic and/or a good bit of luck.

      • smg7163

        Because in the case of an unemployment extension the conservatives are WRONG.

        I am a Republican and I can tell you the path we are treading on is very dangerous.

        You cannot deny a 34bil package to save your citizens yet vote in on the same week the first part of a 110+bil dollare defense spending bill.

        You cannot deny the people unemployment when congresses failure to close two offshoring loopholes signed during the end of the Clinton era but identified by the Fed as the main reason 1.2 million jobs (now 8+mil) had left the united states was what caused many of their situations in the first place!

        You also cannot continue to give incentives to big business when the money being given to them is being offshored to support a foreign economy rather than your own. The Fed pointed this out as the reason that the current incentives weren't stimulating the economy as they had in the past.

        You cannot continue tax cuts to the rich at the cost of 675billion in tax revenue, and then say you cannot support your poor!

        Especially when welfare is federally funded as well and costs 2x's the amount as unemployment to administer! if you cannot pay for it as unemployment without deficit spending, you certainly can't pay for it as welfare!

        You cannot leave people with mortgages, credit card payments, car payments without funds because your own funds are at risk due to bank failure! If you do you're looking at another 1.2 Trillion dollar bank bailout.

        Fiscal conservatism means cutting the fat and serving your constituents not major corporations. If the corporations want support from the government, they have to give, jobs are the give, jobs in America, not China, Brazil, German, India, Thailand….

        Right now I'm a Republican that is furiously angry at my party. I will not be voting any of them in office until they can show me that they understand that they aren't NASCAR, they shouldn't be corporate sponsered, and they answer to the people for their nonsense.

    • 21121221

      Can't disagree with that. Plenty of places to cut spending. If anyone in the senate has the guts to do so. I am doubtful that any of the (D)s will want to cut anything in this time leading up to the mid-terms.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/XESTO2MT7CJVDWTGPE3TZJ7J5Q TR

    It doesn't matter whether you are a republican or democrat, the people that are unemployed and have been for a while are both. Yes there are lots of jobs out there but the companies are being more selective than ever only wanting people who have 100% fit instead of 95% or 90% (like they use to do). It is hurting everyone, both D & R. So just pass it so more people don't lose their houses and go hungry. The government can recover from whatever debt there is but the individuals are the ones being hurt the most. I've been unemployed for 1.5 years and I am a highly skilled engineer with 20 years of experience and still can't find everything even though I apply to jobs every day in multiple states.

    Both the D & R should get off their butts and just pass it to the people that need it!!!

    • Texan777

      Your state rate is 10% ? are you for real?

      • Texan777

        your state rate is 10%?

  • danaway

    If there are tons of jobs where you live,WHY have you been collecting benefits instead of looking for a job? You give all unemployed people a bad name. I don't believe a word of what you said. Bogus!

    • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

      Well actually I have applied for a bunch of jobs. As well as my husband, we were looking for jobs that could support our family and help us in the future. I am not willing to settle for any fast food job or a jobs with no benefits. As far as your comment, I dont care what you think at all, we are trying to find good jobs for our family, not going to accept anything other than that! So you can take ur comment and put it where the sun dont shine. You have no understanding of my family!

      • Pynk

        That's right Lisa. I got offered a job that pays $8.85/hr. Not even enough to pay my rent. How can I take that?

      • danaway

        So you were not willing to settle, but now you are happy that your benefits have been cut off? Will you settle now? I'm sorry, but you just don't make sense.

      • 21121221

        if you are unwilling to work a minimum wage job or two for that matter then what are you willing to do to save your way of life? Move? Live in a car? Wait for a UI extension so you don't have to break a nail while flipping burgers or washing dishes? Sorry. Finding ANY work should be EVERY unemployed person's main focus. Period.

      • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LZMRQU2UM6BW6IPI4VJVPCLFZU Lisa Smith

        Well let me see will a 7.50 an hour job make it for a family of six? Hmmm………..I think not! Give me a break you people say go get the worst job and still not be able to support my family? That doesnt make any sense! I do want the best job that I can get because thats what MY FAMILY needs! Like I said none of you know me or my situation so before you cast judgement maybe you should know the facts!

  • AJSR

    I understand why the Republicans for holding out on this bill, and I see the Democrat's ulterior motive very clearly why they are holding out. But while both parties are playing this tug of war, people like me (I just exhausted my 26th UI benefit last week), are the ones in limbo. You know that there are not enough jobs to go around for all the people who lost their jobs out there. The UI benefit is not going to my savings account. It goes to groceries, food, and utilities. I do not know ANYONE who is collecting unemployment that would say that the weekly benefit they get is ENOUGH, but I am thankful that it was there when I need it most. Now that I am in limbo.. I am just praying that the bill will pass this time around. I cant afford to lose that hope because Ill be in big trouble next month if my UI does not re-start soon.

  • SonOfaBeech

    do the simple math…with interest on a 14 trillion dollar deficit…at 2 meager 2% interest rate, the deficit WILL balloon beyond 250 trillion dollars…this country cant even pay the interest on the deficit…collapse is near.

  • disgruntledinca

    I assume you have some sort of income, perhaps you work. I am the sole support of my family so at this exact moment I have zero income. Last position I applied for stopped taking resumes at 400! I was fortunate enough to get to the interview but didn't get the position. Think it's my age but no prospective employer will tell you that. I, too, agree that we need to look out for our country BUT the way to do that is to pass the extension. BOTH SIDES are playing games with peoples lives, It won't do our children or grandchildren much good if they are homeless or starve to death so the deficit doesn't increase. When they (Congress) stop sending money all over the world, stop funding two wars, stop the space program and help us, then I just might agree with you.

    • Pynk

      I know what you mean. I went to an interview last week and the gentleman had over 300 resumes sitting on his desk. It's horrible

  • Pynk

    I am a single mother. Next week will be the last of my Tier 1 benefits. After that I will get no more if this doesn't pass. I'm so scared. My only option at this point is to move 3.5 hours away to live with my parent's. That means start my son in a new school and take him away from all that he is familiar with and distrub his whole life. I'm so scared and don't want that to be the only option I have. I've been applying like mad to get a job. I know I'm qualified, the problem is, that so is 300 other people applying for the same job. Welfare won't help me. I only get $46/mo for my son in food stamps. Apparently my EUC benefits are too high to receive anymore state assistance. I'm so scared.

  • cowboyp97dc

    IF Republicans were truely interested in the deficit and worried about adding to it then explain their policies. Under Bush they were NEVER interested in how large the deficit was or how we were ever going to pay it off. Interesting considering when Clinton left office the country actually had a surplus!! And now they are crying the deficit, the deficit- what about the tax cut for the rich the GOP wants to extend? Under Bush the large tax cut for persons earning over $250,000 a year was signed in and passed and repassed everytime it came up for vote even though it added mucho dollars to the deficit. It is up for renewal and the GOP wants it to be renewed again because they the idea that the “trickle down theory of economics” actually works. NEWS FLASH- it doesn't!! The CEOs and CFOs after getting all their tax break money don't hire more American workers- they farm the work overseas to a third world sh*t hole where they can have the work done for pennies on the dollar- then they give themselves BIG bonuses as a pat on the back for a job well done. Guess what that does to the job market in the USA. IF the GOP was actaully concerned about the deficit they wouldn't want the Bush tax breaks continued. TAX THE PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD IT!!! The middle class has been taxed to death- but then again the GOP doesn't like a middle class they would love it if we went back to a 2 class system. Guess where most of us are going to fall in that 2 class system!! If we can afford to give Wall Street bailout money, the banks bailout money, money to other countries that are hit with natural disasters, and money and tax breaks to the rich who don't f*cking need it then we can give money to hard working Americans who have watched their jobs sent overseas so some fat rich b*stard can get even richer!!

    • 21121221

      Let the Bush tax cuts for the “rich” run out and small business owners are going to close shop. Not just stop hiring, they have already done that. We are not in the Bush or Clinton administration now are we? Besides that if you want to blame past presidents blame Clinton & Bush as they were both lacking the conservatism needed to run this country.
      [img] http://www.capmag.com/images2y346y/charts/2004_…

      Not sure if that image shows up but here is a link:
      http://www.capmag.com/images2y346y/charts/2004_…

      Whatever. The Senate needs to pass the extension, we all agree on that. They also need to fund it which those of us who have a clue can agree upon. Good Luck out there.

      • cowboyp97dc

        Its amazing how some people will try to defend the “trickle down theory of economics”. NEWS FLASH just for you- the tax breakes I talked about have been in effect since Bush's first term and are still in effect today. Guess what – they have NEVER worked and are still NOT working!! When you give companies loop-holes to exploit they will exploit them the tax breaks and loop-holes in the stimulus package makes it very profitable for businesses to ship work overseas and then recieve the finished product back free from taxes and tariffs. These companies make money hand over fist and the jobs- they are all lost because the labor is being done overseas. Take the silver spoon out of your A$$ just for a moment and look beyond the Wall Street numbers super inflated by companies posting big gains off of forign made goods and look at the true American economy- one that is hurting with a job market that is a joke. Okay you can put the spoon back up your backside, and go back to your fantasy world of rich people give and contribute so much.

        • 21121221

          We'll see how well trickle down works or doesn't soon enough because the Bush Tax cuts are ending.

          I am pretty sure that me pulling a silver spoon out of my rear is about as impossible as spending my way out of debt. Try pulling your head out of yours. There are greedy people in every level of your life. Some of them are only greedy enough to get by on the backs of others. Over regulation of business is always followed by less business and then less jobs.

          If there are loopholes being exploited it's because the regulation was written poorly.

          As stridently that you believe that the democrats are in the right on this issue you are mistaken. I know it's tough to swallow. Voter's remorse often takes a full term to expose itself entirely.
          There is a way to get the extensions passed now. All the Democrats have to do is cut some pork then BLAMMO UI extension bill gets passed. They can even take credit for it if they want, heck, I don't care. Not like it will help them come November anyway.

          Look at the little graph above your post. See the growth in GDP after 9/11/01? Thanks Bush tax cuts.

          • cowboyp97dc

            I by no means mean to say that I am “pleased” with the Democrats in Washington either. I am a life-long democrat, however for the majority of the past 2 years have been finding myself agreeing with the Republicans- something that I really have never done. Being a small business owner I know first hand what a crap that is CRAP bill the health care bill Obama forced through is. You talk about the tax cuts being able to help small business- the best thing for small business right now would be completly rewritting the health care bill, not continuing to give businesses tax breaks to send our jobs overseas. The health care bill has so much red tape and will require so much paperwork that if my business ever recovers enough to hire people back I will spend half my time filing paperwork!! My point is that both parties have let the American people down, but at least the Democrats try to help those who need it- not those who already have it. If Lincoln- the GREATEST PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY- could see what has become of the party he created… its truely a mercy that he is not around to see what has become of the Republican party!! Oh, by the by your hero Bush is the one who wrote the stimulus with all the loop-holes allowing business to ship all the work overseas, then have it shiped back tax and tariff free- costing the American people thousands of jobs. This current job market isn't something that happens overnight it took over 8 years to get this bad.

            Your little graph there is a nice picture, but not worth the thousand words you think it is. You are comparing 2 different economic times- one just after Clinton left office when the economy was doing very, very well and we had a surplus not a deficit to one that Bush left us with. Bush may have been the president right after 9/11 but a monkey could have run the country as good as he did and he can't have it both ways. He can't say “its not my fault a bunch of rag heads attacked us its Clinton's” and in the same breath take credit for high GDP before and just after 9/11. Remember the GOP blew through the surplus and started stacking up a deficit before 9/11, and really stacked it up after 9/11. What followed from there was our boys dying in areas of the world we didn't need to be in and gross negligant spending. After 8 years of GOP rule this country was already in the recession that lead to the job market we have today. Bush rode high off the good times and good economy that Clinton left, Obama has had to ride through the bad times of a recession and high unemployment that was Bush's legacy. Remember Bush left office with lower approval ratings than Nixon- something no one ever thought they would see. I'm not “happy” with Obama's performace as president, but I can honestly say that he wasn't given much to work with either. I think the biggest mistake he has made was the health care bill, and he is going to have to work hard now to get the economy back on track. He has to be more decisive and sieze the moment which he has not been doing – he has been “letting things play out” for far too long.

  • cowboyp97dc

    I've been reading some posts people have entered about interviews and I totally agree. I own and operate a boarding business, which use to be one of the larger ones in my area (70 horses plus 3 of my own), and I have not only had to lay off the four people I had working for me but I am currently spending more than I am taking in. As the economy went from bad to worse and people lost their jobs they had no choice but to either sell or give up their horses. As next to no one has money for horses most “gave them up” by simply saying keep the horse I can't afford it. I now only board 20 paying horses, and have 45 horses here. I am not going to let them starve to death or go without proper care so I decided to get a second job. I stated by applying to places where I could use my masters degree to get a well paying job- or so I thought. These places told me we have hundreds of applicants and your degree is “dated” ie I have been out of college too long and they might be teaching newer things. At that point I figured I would apply for common laboror work at someplace wholesale like Tractor Supply or something that I could make out on with an employee discount for feed or something. These places also told me they had lots of applicants and one interviewer actually asked me why I was applying to such a position as I was over-qualified for even his position. They would not give me the job based on over-qualification which I took as the guy was afraid I would be gunning for his position. YET the GOP looks at the job market and says there are jobs there to be had and calls people lazy for not being able to find work. Too many American companies are farming work overseas and using loopholes in the stimulus bills to have all the work done overseas for next to nothing and then getting the product back tax and tariff free then they get to double dip their “good fortunes” but getting further tax breaks under the Bush tax break system for people making over $250,000. This stimulus is helping alright- it is helping to kill middle class America and make upper class America so wealthy they don't know what to do with all their money. The job market is horrible and we need to extend unemployment, pass tier 5, and close the loopholes in the stimulus packages to bring jobs back here. Why don't they give the big tax breaks to companies that have ALL the labor done here and tax the h*ll out of the companies that send their work overseas? Use that money to pay the mounting deficit. They NEVER will because the GOP makes too much money off these crooked dealings and the blood of hard working Americans.

    • cintronr2

      You hit that right on the money, the only they would understand is by being one of the people suffering and looking for work and if they continue they will be, they tend to forget who put them in office in the first place and who can remove them from it.

  • cintronr2

    People we are loosing focus on what's most important these families also have children , how would you like it if it was your family out on the street or without food on the table, as a parent I understand how all these people feel, the people did not creat this mess alot of these people were working before all this happened, but because nobody has been regulating anything this is what happens,its like the people who get robbed they did not do anything for it to happen to them but they wait for till they get robbed to place an alarm on their home same with our government they wait for things to happen before we do anything, look at the gulf now its when we are going to put restrictions maybe, I live in Florida should I not be allowed to enjoy the beautiful beaches in my state because of someone else's negligence, I don't think so. look these people do not want to be unemployed but are and at the moment the government has to step it up and help, our deficit is their but we still keep funding alot of things we should not be funding and I'm sure we fund things that we as the people do not even know about, alot of these people have been paying into the system for years, some all their lives and never asked for a penny and now they need the help and they say no we can't help you, they also can be in the same position one day in life without a job and being told we can't help you, the numbers are going to continue to grow and get worse but one thing is we cannot allow for innocent familes and children to suffer no matter how much it cost us, ask yourself a question would you make your children go to bed without eating than why would you want someone else to have to..

  • KerrisdaleCap

    At Kerrisdale Capital we took a different look at the unemployment numbers. Our analysis can be found here: http://kerrisdalecap.com/commentary/?page_id=10…

  • sodacan

    Both parties have played enough with me. I am voting opposite in November each and every one. Vote all of them out either side. It doesnt matter anymore anyway. I paid into the system for 35 years where is that money?? And they cut us off when we need it most! 856 resumes 3 interveiws retraing and still no work. I aint moving to India.. Vote them out….

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeff-Bainbridge/100000424669205 Jeff Bainbridge

    The Republicans don't want to add to the nations debt? Is anyone actually stupid enough to believe this drivel? They sure didn't mind it when they started throwing money at rebuilding Iraq. They didn't seem to mind when they approved billions of dollars to bail out the shameful corporations that got us in the predicament in the first place.

    Though will they do anything for THE PEOPLE? Not going to happen. Our forefathers are surely rolling over in their graves at the mockery our Constitution and Bill of Rights has become. Shame on politicians that have lost all sense of what they are in office for. To serve those that put them in office.

    I pray for us all, though I have little faith that even the help of the All Mighty can deliver us a single politician with integrity.

  • http://twitter.com/JennyFriedman1 jenny friedman

    This is just ridiculous! Does he not realize that Iowa is a swing state? Seriously, it's not just republicans or democrats hurting, it's both! This is so important that if he does not vote “YES” to this, I will NOT be voting “YES” to him in November! is vote will be making up my mind for Nov.

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