There's A Need To Believe In Tier 5

In case you missed today's Internet blog talk radio program, hosted by "Mr. G",  along with his guests Len M. Allen, Author of "Unemployed: Life in the Wilderness", and Paladinette, the focus of the show was believing that Tier 5 can happen with determination and a peaceful protest asking Congress to act.  Please click the play button on the player to listen in if you wish.  (Or pause if the player auto-plays until you want to listen).  

The show is certainly faith-based, however, one does not have to be a Christian to appreciate the value of the information.  The information helps everyone who is frustrated with their personal situation and the inaction of government and how a positive attitude can change the effectiveness of your message.  Be that in a job interview, contacting a member of Congress, or even in daily communication with your fellow citizens. 

Paladinette also mentioned the effort which is going to begin on April 30, 2010 and May 3, 2010.  The M-A-Y-D-A-Y S.O.S Fax Attack and On The Record are additional actions your fellow unemployed will be participating in very soon.  The "On The Record" campaign is absolutely brilliant.  At JoblessUnite.com there are step-by-step instructions to get your message, yes, your message directly on the record of the Senate Finance Committee.  Please be professional and courteous when submitting this by US Mail.  Remember, the message that you send will be on the record in the United States Senate forever. 

With these efforts to get Congress to muster the "political will" to act in addition to all of the calls, emails, and online petitioning so many have done, hopefully we can all make a difference for the 500,000 (there has to be more than that number) who have lost all assistance from UI.  According to articles released today by the Examiner and Gather, those who have exhausted all benefits from Unemployment Insurance need as many persons taking action as possible. 

Both of these articles mention a Congressional staffer stating:

"It's not that they don't want to help," said the staffer. "But there is that calculation that you can only juggle so many legislative balls at one time. And while unemployment is important, is it more important than the Supreme Court or financial reform or immigration?"

About That Senate Finance Committee Hearing Yesterday

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - After playing back yesterday's Senate Finance Committee Hearing, Senator Menendez was the only Senator to challenge the assertion from Doug Holmes' written testimony that extending unemployment benefits is less incentive for the unemployed to look for and acquire work.  Menendez injects common sense into the discussion and states the fact that there are not enough jobs for every unemployed American; thus, justifying the need for extended unemployment insurance. 

The hearing seemed to be more geared toward what government can do in addition to unemployment benefits to assist the jobless rather than only adding tiers of benefits. The hearing also addressed the lack of funds that states have for unemployment benefits and their need for longer loan durations and having these loans at no interest. 

Mark Sandi, Ph.D., Chief Economist and Cofounder, Moody’s Analytics, West Chester, VA, helped to make the best case for the current need for extended unemployment benefits as he spoke about each dollar the federal government spends on unemployment extensions equates to approximately $1.61 in direct stimulus for local communities.  Although he did not speak directly to a Tier 5 extension, he did express the need for these benefits to continue through the end of the year in order to prevent a backward trend from a recovery standpoint and stated that the extensions are necessary deficit spending and having any type of plan to offset the spending would be counter-productive to the fragile economy. 

Dr. Sandi's testimony seemed to make the strongest argument for the need to continue to extend unemployment benefits to the members present at the Senate Finance Committee.

The full hearing is available to the public at http://finance.senate.gov/hearings/watch/?id=868a8e37-5056-a032-5297-a991437cea80

Senate Finance Committee On Unemployment Today 04/14/2010

Watch what happened during the committee here: http://finance.senate.gov/hearings/watch/?id=868a8e37-5056-a032-5297-a991437cea80

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) convened a hearing today to explore opportunities for creating jobs through the Federal Unemployment Insurance program. Baucus examined the effectiveness of new programs for Americans receiving unemployment insurance that would give employers new resources to create jobs, work-share programs that help employers save jobs and self-employment programs that provide assistance to entrepreneurs who create their own jobs.

“For millions of Americans, the unemployment insurance system provides a vital safety net, but these unemployed Americans want more than an unemployment check – they want to be back at work,” Baucus said. “So let’s look for ways our unemployment insurance program can be new, innovative and common-sense. Let’s take a focused look at how our unemployment insurance system can provide more than safety-net support, but can also save jobs and create new jobs right away.”

There were no clear indications about a Tier 5 unemployment extension; however, the need for better solutions to the unemployment crisis was discussed. More information will be posted as it is known.

Source: http://finance.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=868a8e37-5056-a032-5297-a991437cea80

Senate Finance Committee Begins Hearings Tomorrow

As reported by WorldNewsVine, on Wednesday, April 14, 2010, the Senate Finance Committee headed by Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are scheduled to begin hearings and report testimony on “Using Unemployment Insurance to Help Americans Get Back to Work: Creating Opportunities and Overcoming Challenges" (as titled by the Senate Finance Committee).

The persons scheduled to give testimony are Jane Oates, M. Ed., Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, United States Department of Labor, Washington D.C., Doug Holmes, JD, President, Strategic Services on Unemployment and Workers Compensation and the National Foundation for Unemployment Compensation & Workers Compensation, Washington D.C., Karen Lee, JD, President, National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) and Commissioner, Washington State Employment and Security Department, Olympia, WA., and finally Mark Sandi, Ph.D., Chief Economist and Cofounder, Moody’s Analytics, West Chester, VA.

This scheduled hearing is also posted at http://finance.senate.gov/hearings.  This may be the first glimpse that the unemployed see if Congress has the political will for a Tier 5 unemployment extension.  Currently, no legislation has been introduced or being debated which will add additional tiers or additional weeks of benefits for those who have exhausted their benefits. 

The legislation currently being worked on, which will provide another 30-day stopgap measure for those who have not exhausted the current maximum benefit amount and extend dates of eligibility, is speculated to pass this week and be retroactive to the April 5th cutoff date.

We are all hoping that the testimony given tomorrow provides more insight as to what Congress plans to do about the millions of unemployed and the current problems which face the American workforce.

It would be a great benefit for those who have lost their benefits if Issa Decker was there tomorrow to read the petition to Congress which began nearly a month ago.  The Change.org petition championed by Decker currently has about 9,000 signatures and is growing rapidly as more attention is brought to it. 

If you have not had a chance to see the petition and would like to sign it, please visit http://www.change.org/petitions/view/the_99ers_need_a_tier_v_added_to_unemployment_benefits and sign the online petition and let Congress know the need and the urgency for those who have exhausted benefits and still cannot find work. 

We will update you on what happens tomorrow at the committee and C-SPAN should soon update their website to reflect when and which C-SPAN channel will be covering the hearing tomorrow.