Ali Velshi has not stop lobbying for 99ers (video)

On CNN's Parker-Spitzer, Ali Velshi was filling in and he used his fill in to lobby for the 99ers.




Below is an excerpt from http://parkerspitzer.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/17/velshi-99ers-are-forgotten-recession-victims/

Today's Number of the Day is 99.

That’s the maximum number of weeks (in most states; in others it’s 79 or 89) for which you can claim unemployment insurance payments.

Once you run out, you become part of a growing group of Americans – anywhere from 1.4-7 million Americans – who call themselves 99ers.  99ers are the forgotten victims of the recession.  Even December’s much-lauded tax-cut compromise, which extended unemployment payments for a lot of Americans, did nothing for the 99ers, who are arguably worst-off.

Congress members Barbara Lee (D-CA.) and Robert Scott (D-VA.) are sponsoring a bill which would provide a further 14 weeks of unemployment payments retroactively to 99ers.

Update - 

We have recently learned that the legislation to assist 99ers was stopped today as an amendment for violating House rules.  More details can be found at http://www.examiner.com/liberal-in-national/99er-unemployment-extension-amendment-bounced-for-rules-violation

The bill, if it makes it to the House floor, will now have to be introduced as a stand alone bill and Rep Lee has said that the spending in the legislation is offset.  Pressure needs to be directed at Republican House members and Speaker John Boehner for assistance.  The bill does have 67 co-sponsors currently.  More information on the proposed legislation to add additional weeks to the current maximum amount available will be posted as it becomes available.

Unemployed-Friends.com Closes

Yesterday, the site unemployed-friends.com posted their farewell to providing an open forum for the unemployed to gather information.  In the final thread, the site moderators posted the following closing thread:  http://unemployed-friends.forumotion.com/t20598-final-announcement-board-is-closed

Although there may be multiple reasons why the moderators of unemployed-friends chose to close the forum, everyone should know from their posts that they do care deeply about the unemployed and information for the unemployed will be remain readily accessible as this blog plans to continue to post the latest information in the most timely manner possible.

The latest news, as most already know, is an attempt to add an additional 14 weeks of benefits to Tier 1 unemployment to give additional weeks to those who have exhausted the maximum amount of available benefits.  Well-respected columnist, Arthur Delaney, from Huffington Post has written an article on February 7, 2011 that is posted http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/07/99ers-bill-barbara-lee-bobby-scott_n_819767.html

This is not the first attempt to provide assistance to the longest term unemployed.  As many readers may recall the Americans Want to Work Act was considered "dead on arrival" as it was introduced without a way to pay for the assistance.  As more information becomes available, it will be posted.  The lobbying efforts to get Congress to take up this fight have not ended and the editor of US Unemployed Blogsite plans to continue the fight until all Americans are back on their feet with a job. 

After all, regardless of political affiliation or which unemployment blog or resource one chooses to follow - the larger end goal is jobs - not just continued unemployment insurance. 

Unemployment rate inches down to 9% in the month of January

The unemployment rate in the United States dropped to 9% last month according to a survey conducted by the government which shows that about a half-million people found jobs.  Yet, a separate survey of payrolls, which doesn’t count the self-employed, showed a slight increase of 36,000 new jobs as weather conditions throughout the country hurt hiring. 

The snow last month reduced constructions jobs, falling 32,000, the most in 8 months.  Transportation and warehousing jobs lost employment by 38,000 which were the most in 12 months.  

The gains in employment came in manufacturing, up 49,000 jobs, which saw the largest gain since 1998, and retail jobs which increased 28,000, the largest gain in 12 months.  

While the overall report looks quite good, once again, the government reports cautions that a major explanation of the drop in the unemployment rate involves the huge number of persons who have stopped looking for jobs throughout the nation.  The government does not count those persons in the formula to determine the unemployment rate.  All told, the number of unemployed fell more than 600,000 in January 2011 to 13.9 million.

CNN Money’s Ali Velshi wants President to address "99ers" (video) - National Political Buzz | Examiner.com

CNN Money’s Ali Velshi wants President to address "99ers" (video) - National Political Buzz | Examiner.com

Congressman Jackson gives a voice to the Unemployed - National liberal | Examiner.com

Congressman Jackson gives a voice to the Unemployed - National liberal | Examiner.com

CNN Money forecasts a hiring boom in 2011

By Chris Isidore, senior writer 

Link to source article:  http://cnnmoney.mobi/primary/_yK98xL-iXDsVuh2J6

After three years of economic pain, a growing number of economists think 2011 will finally bring what everyone's been hoping for: More jobs and a self-sustaining recovery.

"We're looking at some leading indicators on employment, and they're all flashing green lights," said Bernard Baumohl of the Economic Outlook Group, a Princeton, N.J. research firm.

Though most economists still expect a painfully high unemployment rate of about 9% at the end of this year, Baumohl and others think that stat masks more important signs of strength.

Baumohl and some other economists forecast between 2.5 million and 3 million jobs being added to U.S. payrolls in 2011, about triple the gains likely to recorded in 2010 and what would be the best one-year jump since the white hot labor market of 1999.

That wouldn't be enough to climb out of the 8-million job crater created by the Great Recession and won't bring down the unemployment rate by a significant amount. An improved job market could even bring a short-term rise in the jobless rate, as those discouraged from job-hunting resume looking for work and are once again counted as unemployed.

But the forecasted hiring boom could get the economy back into gear and provide real relief for many Americans.

Those projecting better hiring in 2010 point to a number of factors. Among them, job openings by employers rose 17% from June to October, the most recent reading available from the Labor Department, and are up by about a third compared to a year earlier.

And there has been a downward trend in newly laid-off workers filing for initial jobless claims, which fell below 400,000 in the most recent reading for the first time since the summer of 2008. That might have been distorted by the holiday season and bad weather, but the four-week average is also at a two-plus year low.

On the business front, capital expenditures -- typically followed by expansion and hiring -- have been on the rise.

"Forecasters generally underestimate the strength of a recovery once it is underway," said Bill Cheney, chief economist for Manulife Asset Management. He's forecasting be 2.5 million to 3 million new jobs this year.

Read more at http://cnnmoney.mobi/primary/_yK98xL-iXDsVuh2J6

Those collecting unemployment benefits are noticing a $25 decrease in their check

If you are actively receiving unemployment benefits or have been affected by the slow action of Congress to extend unemployment insurance benefits, you may have recently noticed that the extra $25 per check is no longer available.  This program was called the FAC (Federal Additional Compensation) and was included in the Recovery Act.  This added benefit was not renewed in the tax cut bill which also extends unemployment benefit for 13 months.  The latest extension does not reauthorize the full force of ARRA and this, sadly, is a consequence. 

This is a question that I have received by email from readers and after researching the matter it seemed appropriate to share with everyone.  The Extended Benefits package from the Recovery Act is the only part of the stimulus that still remains.  The Extended Benefits provision allows for persons to continue to receive unemployment assistance after they have exhausted the maximum amount of unemployment tiers (depending on their state's) unemployment rate.

Warm wishes to the readers and contributors of this blog.   Your continued input has helped unite and provide valuable information to all of the unemployed unable to find work this year.  Just because Congress has abandoned the needs of the unemployed, everyone has proven to stand by each other even though we all know it's bitter cold, gas prices are rising, the economy is getting better for some, and there's not enough hands reaching out to lift people up. 

This Christmas this blog wishes that the government sees the needs for more hands up and doesn't look upon those as just having a hand out.  It's the wish that the relentless pursuit of the 99er movement continues on to other issues relating to employment issues as more and more jobless gain employment.  It doesn't have to all just end - there's always a cause.  Let's start with employer discrimination from hiring unemployed workers.

Can we raise the federal minimum wage yet?  What... they got a tax cut that will cost everyone who is re-entering the job market close to $500 billion in revenue that could have been used to pay down the debt.