Approximately 2 million people who are “long term” unemployed will lose unemployment benefits tomorrow.
Two million people—approximately the entire population of Kansas City—will no longer get unemployment compensation while they look for jobs and struggle to make ends meet. Through no fault of their own, their children may not only have no presents this Christmas; there may be no home or food for them.
Fact: there is only one job available for every 5 to 6 unemployed in America. Many who are currently unemployed have lost jobs from the construction and manufacturing sectors. Skills needed for those industries are not transferrable to areas in which there are jobs, namely health care and education.
Not only are we not offering a safety net for the most vulnerable citizens and their families, we are also not giving them the opportunity to upgrade their skills. Without upgraded skills, many will never be able to improve their job opportunities.
In anticipation of opposing opinions, one needs to remember that those who qualify for unemployment benefits are people who have worked previously (the only way to qualify for unemployment insurance) and want to work again. Try living on and feeding, housing, and clothing a family on an average unemployment check of $293 per week—a grand total of $7592 for half a year before you complain.
Many voting against extension are also those who are also hell bent on lowering taxes on the ultra-wealthy. Check it out. Both Oklahoma’s Senators voted against extension of this vital lifeline.
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