Congress' shameful Treatment of the Nations Long Term Unemployed

WE all know not to expect much, or much of anything, from Congress these days. But watching the latest political gamesmanship over whether to extend long-term unemployment benefits for 2012 has somehow set the bar even lower. Don't tell me this is proper political discourse, or just the normal horse-trading that occurs in Washington. It is unconscionable in December 2011 to not have a quick and clear extension of long-term benefits given the severe hardship millions of households are experiencing.

Of the 13.3 million Americans on the books as officially unemployed, 43 percent — 5.7 million — have been out of work for at least 27 weeks. The nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says the previous high for the long-term unemployed over the last 60 years was 26 percent in 1983. Yet here we are at 43 percent and Congress is dickering over whether or not to extend the benefits.

And please don't fall for any spin that the seemingly positive unemployment report for November mitigates the need to help the long-term unemployed.