My brother is a hostage, my friend Keri is a hostage.
Both with 6 months of unemployment left they could collect, if Congress would fund it.
After 17 years with the same company (and 10 years with the company before that) my brother has been out of work for a year and a half.
For the first time in nearly 30 years, out of work. Keri was a pre-school teacher.
Neither have health insurance anymore.
I want desperately for them to be able to hold on to their homes and unemployment insurance was helping with that.
But at the price of borrowing hundreds of billions of dollars to fund yet more millionaire tax breaks, and the dismantling of the Social Security safety net?
Why are we forced into that disgusting choice? Why is President Obama twisting arms for that, and he didn't seem to do so for an extension of unemployment insurance for the 99 weekers, or for jobs bills, or an adequate stimulus?
Why is he angry at us, the progressives who would save the Democratic Party from hugging the third rail of American politics?
I want my brother and friend to have the small security of unemployment insurance for several months more, if they have nothing else.
And I'm furious that the President is holding my brother and friend hostage to enrich the ultra-rich. Yet again.