WorldNewsVine To Hand Deliver 99er Petition to Congress

The message below is once again from Issa Decker who is organizing the hand delivery of the petitions to Congress on the Change.org petition.  Here is the latest on that effort from Issa: 

I just posted Letter 7 to the petition signers. I’m posting it here because it takes so long to get emailed. We need to pass this to other sites. (Mark in FL, glad you’re back!) I really thought this wasn’t going to happen, for awhile there.
Great news!

WorldNewsVine has come to our rescue! But we have to help. I was encountering a lot of unexpected obstacles trying to organize getting the petition to Congress, and I began to think it wasn’t going to come together. People in Washington were saying they’d ‘get back to me,’ but even if they did, we just didn’t have time for that. Next week is when the ‘unemployment extension of filing deadlines’ is expected to be raised in Congress, and we hope to get weeks added to Tier 4 at that time. Then Congress leaves again the next week. There’s little hope of getting another bill other than that one because they are discussing such big issues before they leave.

WorldNewsVine has offered to run a short campaign to raise some money to send a person on our behalf. This person is known to them, has press credentials and is familiar with the Senate. He will bring the printed petition with 900 pages of signatures. The Senate requires 6 copies which is one of the obstacles I encountered.

Our emissary knows the ins and outs of the Senate and can arrange appointments with key senators. In addition, because he already has clearance, he can enter the Capital and question staffers in other offices, too. In addition to delivering the petition copies, he intends to ask questions on our behalf both in the Capital and in the ‘haunts’ he knows where staffers go after hours. Like I said, he’s familiar with the scene! He has a vested interest in this just like we do as he has also joined the ranks of the unemployed. What he finds out will be written in the WorldNewsVine, and all together, we’ll get a lot of publicity from this!

Now our part. We have to finance his trip. Many of our signers are already familiar with this online news source as they have been the single largest source of signers for us. They have written many articles about the petition and our numbers have taken a big jump every time they have done so. You’ll notice that I’ve given links to many of their articles in the letters I’ve sent out.

Obviously, they know we don’t have much money so they’re only asking for $1, $2, or $5 donations to cover the printing and travel expenses. The drive for him will be about 600 miles each way. He’s not being paid anything for this. I spent a long time on the phone with him today, and I’m more than impressed with his knowledge and commitment, but we couldn’t expect him to fund this himself.

Below is the site that has today’s article and the donate button. The button will be removed as soon as the goal is reached so if it’s still up there please give something. They have set a goal of Monday night, but sometimes you don’t get this letter until Tuesday. So, if the button is still up, they need more donations! If he doesn’t use the whole amount for his expenses, the rest will be donated to the Humane Society which is a special charity of WNV. I believe that for now, this is the best shot we have at getting additional benefits. Together, with our small donations, we’ll raise the amount needed!

worldnewsvine.com/2010/05/tier-v-99ers-unemployment-petition-readies-for-washington

Thank you WorldNewsVine and thank you, Issa! 

US Unemployed Blogsite is donatating 100% of the small revenue earned from Google AdSense revenue this month to WorldNewsVine for doing this on behalf of the long term unemployed.  It's not much money, but any amount will make a difference considering the cost associated with travel and getting our petitions hand delivered to Congress.  This hand delivery may be a breakthrough to Congress and hopefully it will let them know how badly assistance is needed. 

Everyone else out there, we are not delusional.  We realize your wallets are empty.  But like Issa said, if  you can afford a dollar or two or any amount to help offset the cost of travel and the press WorldNewsVine is offering that will help.  This is a unique opportunity from a brave member of the press to advocate on the behalf of the long term unemployed and this blog appreciates that strongly. 

Special thanks to Robert, Editor, WorldNewsVine for doing this.  Thanks to Issa Decker for starting this petition.  And a very special thanks to each and evey one of you who signed the petition and made this hand delivery possible.

This type of press coverage and the ability to physically reach a member of Congress is something this blog cannot provide but we are grateful for the opportunity to fully support the efforts of WorldNewsVine which is doing this on our behalf.  Thanks again to everyone who made this petition possible.

Our message will soon be signed, sealed, and delivered.  The rest is now up to Congress.

It's Time For Miracles

For those who have exhausted all 99 available weeks, this week may set the stage for what might come ahead.  The reason there have not been any posts during the Congressional break is the simple fact that there is no news of substance for those who have exhausted benefits.  After careful consideration of all of the news outlets that are reporting on the issue, there are only a few notable sources that are willing to take on the cause for a Tier 5 unemployment extension. 

As some may know, news sources such as World News Vine, Gather, MLive, and the Red, White, & Blue press blog have been the only sources to yet take up the cause for the need for an additional tier of benefits for those who have exhausted all available weeks.  US Unemployed Blogsite applauds these sources for taking up this cause for the unemployed.  If Congress is reading the content from these sources and this blog, those who have exhausted all benefits may have hope. 

The Associated Press and other larger news outlets seem to be identifying the extension which is likely to happen this week as the one and only action needed from Congress.  By definition, what Congress is doing this week is an extension but it is only an extension for those who have not exhausted the current maximum amount of benefits of 99 weeks.  Perhaps these other news outlets are not aware of the needs for creating a Tier 5 or they are too focused on week-by-week politics to address the longstanding issue - but the reports that we have all read during the Easter recess have only addressed the current battle in Congress to extend the current tiers until the end of the year.

We will all be continuing our efforts to petition to Congress, telephone and write our representatives and the news media so that our message is heard. 

Hopefully a brave member of Congress will step forward this week and address the needs of those who still cannot find work and have exhausted all available weeks of benefits.  We cannot make this happen unless we remain relentless in our efforts to make our voices heard now that Congress has returned from their break. 

We must not be discouraged from those who do not understand or feel that they are immune to not having a job and not being able to find a job.  Over the Easter break, we have all been witnesses to those who would call this effort "new welfare" or socialism or call the unemployed "lazy bums".  Those persons simply do not know what it is to be in this situation and they seemingly do not care at all about their fellow citizens who have lost employment through no fault of their own. 

The unemployed need to know that there are millions of others who have their backs on this issue and we will fight until the bitter end to ensure that every person who wants a job can get a job.  Until that time, we will advocate for extensions of unemployment benefits so that a laid off worker in 2008 can continue to collect 1/3 or less of what he or she made when employed so that the basic necessities can be met for those hit hardest in the Great Recession. 

It is time for a miracle for the longest-term unemployed.  Once again, all eyes on Congress and all voices letting them know that the unemployed will be heard.

Please take a brief moment to thank the editor at World News Vine.  We all need to be reading more stories in the news such as this:  http://worldnewsvine.com/2010/04/unemployed-without-extensions-99ers-rally-to-be-heard-by-congress-monday/

Also, Gather is also helping those who seek a Tier 5 by reporting on the grassroots effort that began a month ago.  http://politics.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978166780