We heard it so often -- it was enough to make a thinking person scream.
'We CAN'T do anything to frighten the "Jobs Creators," afterall they hold the future well-being of our Economy in their hands. This is why, year after year, loophole after tax loophole, we had to keep granting them on-gong extensions to the Bush Tax Cuts -- so that they might not do anything MORE drastic to our economy than they already had.'
Think of the poor "Jobs Creators" -- you tax them anymore and they
just might leave the country.
DON'T think of the poor "The Unemployed" -- they couldn't 'leave' if they wanted to -- they're kind of over a desperation barrel, docha know?
Thankfully some pundits keep "The Unemployed" front and center:
Writing Off the Unemployed
by Paul Krugman, Op-Ed Columnist, nytimes.com -- Feb 9, 2014
[...]
What all of this suggests is that the long-term unemployed are mainly victims of circumstances -- ordinary American workers who had the bad luck to lose their jobs (which can happen to anyone) at a time of extraordinary labor market weakness, with three times as many people seeking jobs as there are job openings. Once that happened, the very fact of their unemployment made it very hard to find a new job.
[...]
If you follow debates over unemployment, it’s striking how hard it is to find anyone on the Republican side even hinting at sympathy for the long-term jobless. Being unemployed is always presented as a choice, as something that only happens to losers who don’t really want to work. Indeed, one often gets the sense that contempt for the unemployed comes first, that the supposed justifications for tough policies are after-the-fact rationalizations.
The result is that millions of Americans have in effect been written off -- rejected by potential employers, abandoned by politicians whose fuzzy-mindedness is matched only by the hardness of their hearts.
[emphasis added.]
And NOT-so thankfully some pundits want to kick "The Unemployed" over to the curb (unless they get their ransom demands):
MSNBC.com Whines ‘Congress Goes Home, Leaves Unemployed Behind’
by Jeffrey Meyer, newsbusters.org -- Feb 13, 2014
[...]
By the smallest of margins, Republicans continue to block the renewal of federal jobless aid, and there’s nothing that Democrats can do until one GOP members moves over…The Republican-driven deadlock has been deeply infuriating for Donald Mohr, a 61-year-old manager who worked in manufacturing for more than 40 years before being laid off.
“It’s just a travesty-this is not what America is supposed to be about. They [Republicans]{sic} can rest assured when it comes time to vote, they’re not going to get mine again” groaned Mr. Mohr.
Khimm’s only evidence to support her argument were quotes from Mr. Mohr, who repeatedly slammed the GOP, and a poll from the liberal Public Policy Polling which suggested that “Republicans could indeed pay a political price for opposing the extension of jobless aid.”
The MSNBC reporter [Suzy Khimm], didn’t bother to mention that in reality it was Senate Majority Leader Harry Read {sic} (D-Nev.) who had objected to GOP attempts to extend unemployment benefits provided they were paid for. According to The Hill, Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) “wanted to offer at least two amendments that he said would help pay for the three-month extension: delaying ObamaCare's individual insurance mandate for one year and restoring a $6 billion cut in military retiree benefits.”
[...]
[emphasis added.]
Suurre ... the long-term unemployed can still get their subsistence checks -- if the GOP gets a few concessions that it wants first.
It's that Harry Reid's fault, that's how the corporate-booster Austerity Party, is spinning their lack of concern for millions of fellow Americans, who's most basic means of support is about to has already just vanished.
Sort of like Congress' track record for common sense and compassion ...
It's not like the Jobs will just magically appear -- that "Job Creator" ship has sailed. (aka. "Take the GWB Tax Cut Money and Run.")
And it's not like the Congress will suddenly realize we have an aging, failing, decrepit infrastructure (much like themselves) -- in desperate need of Public Works programs, to keep Americans competitively moving into this bold new century. To put out of work Americans, back to work NOW.
Aging, failing, decrepit politicians ... just DON'T think that far ahead, ANYMORE ... (as some sort of badge of honor. Go Figure!? We used to call that "selfishness.")
What do the jobless do when the benefits end?
by Ylan Q. Mui, washingtonpost.com -- Feb 11, 2014
The end to federal jobless benefits for nearly 2 million people has sparked a bitter debate in Congress about whether Washington is abandoning desperate households or simply protecting strained government coffers.
It is also providing real-time answers to a question economists have long pondered: How do people survive when they suddenly have no money coming in?
Studies show that about a third of the people cut off from long-term unemployment benefits will find help from Social Security or other government programs. Others will cobble together dwindling savings or support from family. [...]
[...]
Regardless of whether they qualify for government help, the vast majority also rely on private sources of income -- a mishmash of personal savings, odd jobs, credit card debt and loans from friends and family, the report found. About half also live in two-person households without children, which means they are more likely to have another income to rely on.
[...]
[emphasis added.]
Real Americans in need, being abandoned by unreal politicians in DC.
I hope they remember this when it comes time to vote for those stone-cold members of Congress again.
Remember WHO took the plight of average Americans seriously -- and WHO just simply took -- yet another undeserved vacation.
... a Vacation from Doing Nothing! ... except making more dumb-ass excuses.