Rant

Press Conference to Introduce a New Proposal for 99ers

Posted 15 months ago|1 comment|1,364 views

TAGS

Unemployment , Unemployment Benefits , 99ers , Extended Unemployment

Written by

smartygirl

Today Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Bobby Scott along with a dozen 99ers held a press conference to support a new bill H. R. 3404 The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Expansion Act. The 99ers arrived into Washington, DC by carpool to show support for the bill.

The new bill is for people that have exhausted 99 weeks and still do not have employment. Many 99ers are collecting food stamps and relying on charity to get by in a bad economy. They are among the homeless in this country and many are facing foreclosure. The recent report from Ben Bernanke indicates that unemployment can go on for years and last month only 36,000 jobs were created in the entire country. The job market is still very bleak for many people.

The 99ers were there to add a human face to the plight of the long term unemployed in this country. Gerry DePietro an unemployed accountant from Philadelphia, PA and her 99er friends took part in the press conference today.

The representatives introduced a proposal that would provide 14 weeks of benefits to anyone of out work for longer than six months. Economist Heidi Shierholz said in December there were 3.1 million jobs available for 14.1 unemployed people. She supports the bill and feeling it is the right thing to do.

The 99ers choose work over unemployment benefits. Until enough jobs are available, the additional 14 weeks will help many people pay bills and provide food for their families. I have attached the press conference video for you review.

Press Conference Video:

http://99erpost.wordpress.com/2011/02/09...

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Kqm2010

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Kevin Kelly
Williamston, SC

15 months ago: American 99er's are the largest growing unorganized group of people in the nation. The people of Egypt, via protest, removed President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak from his office. Why don't the American 99er's show the same passion? Oh sure we send a couple of emails to our House and Senate members, but the messages are simply blocked. We place calls to the same Congress people and a 20 year intern runs interference. We start a blog, or two, or three, but no one reads them except other 99er's. We can sit back and do nothing and that's exactly what will happen, nothing. Sure we want a Tier 5, but are we willing to protest or take action for it? Probably not, THAT WOULD TAKE AN EFFORT. Why should Congress listen to us, we're not doing anything. No major network has picked up on our story, nor placed us in the homes of American's nightly. We are absolutely no threat to the government what so ever. We continue to allow the Department of Labor to report their concocted unemployment reports and sit back and say "oh well, what can I do"? Depending on who's report you read there's anywhere from 1 to 15 million 99er's. Many 99er's out there helped to form the non-violent protest movements, the love-in's, or the sitting in's. I AM NOT SUGGESTING VIOLENCE HERE, but why haven't 99er's packed the National Mall in D.C.? Let's show America exactly how many there are of us. Shatter the government's unemployment numbers. If we continue to take the same measures we are taking now, we are going to get the same results we have now. Nothing. The 99er's biggest problem . . . getting up from our comfort zone and taking action!

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