They Hate Government -- Until They Need It

by Guest Thu Sep 01, 2011 7:06 am

Some 25 million Americans are in need of full-time work. Poverty is spreading, particularly among children. The hardest hit include what was an emerging middle class of African-Americans, Latinos and other minorities. Men and women who worked hard, got an education, found a good job, bought a house or a condominium, and were capturing a piece of the American Dream.

Then came the housing bust, and what Paul Krugman now calls the 'Lesser Depression.' Suddenly and shockingly, teachers, accountants, store managers, construction workers, nurses, state and local employees find themselves losing almost everything.

Little is likely to happen -- unless people get in motion. Those at the top need to hear from those suffering at the bottom. The unemployed need to march on Washington to demand work. People of faith need to protest against children without adequate food or shelter.

Some are conflicted. They fear that protest conflicts with politics. That protesting the lack of action will help elect Republicans who seem to be competing in a race to the bottom.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-jesse-jackson/obama-jobs-september_b_942063.html?ref=unemployment

by Guest Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:35 am

All the more reason to keep emailing, tweeting and calling. Mention HR589, Jobs, Help for the Unemployed, Where are the Jobs. We cannot let this die.

Some think that the President bowed to Boehner. I think the President did the right thing. No fighting, let Boehner and company look like fools, debate more important than jobs. It all comes out in the wash. Of course, the American people won't watch the debate unless they are really far righters, hopefully, they will lforgo football for an hour or so and watch the President. They should. That will be the tell all of how interested the American people really are in jobs and this crisis.

by jmainframe Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:12 pm

Like someone in a previous thread stated, (paraphrasing) the unemployed have not orginized enough to be heard or feared by congress or corporate america. If no one in the unemployed/underemployed community can manage this, then they must find someone from the outside who can, an activist who will be willing to help ALL groups who are unemployed/underemployed.

by tristen303 Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:34 pm

You can't be feared when your betting on the losing ticket if we doubled down on both parties then we'd be effective; but that would mean becoming a politcal force as opposed to a political arm.

by jmainframe Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:50 pm

tristen303 wrote:You can't be feared when your betting on the losing ticket if we doubled down on both parties then we'd be effective; but that would mean becoming a politcal force as opposed to a political arm.

Tristen, that would be effective, if we can identify a party that is TRUELY for the unemployed/underemployed, but voting alone, even voting as a bloc is not enough, especially when it appears now that BOTH parties have put the unemployed/underemployed, especially the long-term unemployed (exhaustees) on the "back burner". IMHO the only thing left (short of rioting that is) are orginized marches and rallies in great numbers.

by tristen303 Thu Sep 01, 2011 4:05 pm

They both just want votes and have a crazy desire to look good and feel right surely we as bloc can double down and make that work. Look at the black caucus they are completely useless because they aren't large enough and have only sided with one side this makes them only relevant when the country leans left otherwise there just vapor. Working like this allows their antagonists to rally against them and back the other side. This is why we have grid lock each side has their interests and neither side can stand to think there is something good about the other (or that they could ever be wrong or screw something up). They both promote this nonsense and then the partisans step in and excuse away whatever helps either sides cause.

by jmainframe Thu Sep 01, 2011 4:26 pm

It's a disgrace what's going on in DC! With there being a very good chance that this country can soon collapse, you'd think they'd put their differences aside and concentrate on not allowing this to happen. I don't believe the collapse of america is in neither side's best interest, unless I'm missing something.

by tristen303 Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:01 pm

I know but it seems for some reason that the far right and far left want the collapse probably to start over who knows I just think we should be targeting sit ins with both Dem reps and Repub reps if nothing then to demonstrate that the problem crosses party lines.

by jmainframe Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:42 pm

tristen303 wrote:I know but it seems for some reason that the far right and far left want the collapse probably to start over who knows I just think we should be targeting sit ins with both Dem reps and Repub reps if nothing then to demonstrate that the problem crosses party lines.

Yes, it crosses party lines, just like the people who are unemployed/underemployed. It effects all races, genders, AND party affiliations. Talk about divide and conquer!

by gettheminNOVEMBER Thu Sep 01, 2011 6:22 pm

Boy do I miss the bubble I lived in where I never gave a dam what they did on the hill. I never watched politics, never cared what they gave to the rich, changed a date, voted on NOTHING for 250 days, turned a blind eye to the victims of unemployment, kiss the oil companies collective AZZES. What country we were bombing at the time.

LIFE WITHOUT POLITICS WAS FRIGGEN GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEAT!

What a Face