I am so sick of reading about how the unemployed were saved by this latest political Grand Stunt. Let me just point out a few facts for those who seemed to need this framing in order to apparently sleep better at night.
1. There are over 12 (TWELVE) million unemployed Fellow Americans (At Least, that We are Willing to Admit to).
2. 5.4 (FIVE POINT FOUR) million of them actually GET unemployment insurance. TOTAL. The Majority of the unemployed Do Not Collect Unemployment, they Did Not get helped by this deal.
3. There are 8.2 (EIGHT POINT TWO) million Fellow Americans who work part time, but need full time work. They Did Not get helped either.
4. 2.5 (TWO POINT FIVE) million Americans who are No Longer Counted as unemployed because even though they had been looking for work in the past for 12 months, they had not in the last 4 weeks, which many Grand Bargaineers will argue means they got a job. In actuality it means that about 1.5 million were in school or had family obligations in the last 4 weeks, the other just under 1 million Gave Up Looking.
(all of the above is per the BLS website)
So the next time you want to throw the "saved" the "Unemployed" theory out there just remember you are attempting to throw 7 million people under the bus. The MAJORITY of the unemployed were not saved, were not even recognized in this agreement.
Jobs are the ONLY way to bring in the revenue, and reduce the number of people needing to get assistance. If any of us wants to entertain the idea of getting a tax break (I won't get into the concept of actually "deserving" one), we need more people WORKING. Rich people need this more than the rest of us!!! Giving the wealthy the legal cover to hoard more money will not work, it has not worked, and they have been the ones to prove it.
If we are not willing to state that Job Creation By The Government as a clear simple goal, and point of rock solid agreement between ourselves, we cannot expect that the wealthy class that is over-represented in the highest elective offices and courts to do it for us, for unlike us they will never vote or rule against their own interests, and will not cheer or agree when others do it in their name.