Unemployed and on the Verge of Losing Everything: "I Don't Know How I'll Make It" | Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace | AlterNet

There is no recovery and there won't be one because of our new administration's policies. The nation is doing what this woman is doing, living on her credit cards and watching the debt spiral out of control.

A long term degenerative oligarchy, and a growing anemic middle class and working classes is caused by a stubborn ideological policy, public, uwilling to admit that a Congress corrupted by corporate lobbies and a military industrial fascist lobbies, represented by corporate parties, and class ideologies, has been betraying the public for decades, during Empire building, Wall Street theft, and now it has reached critical mass, where the public is going to have to stop being a Liberal or conservative ideologues that strips them automatically of their empowerment, social power, for corporate power.

We must trash the two corporate, class parties, and their corporate class politicians and set up an alliance between the middle and working classes, to confront class power, by dismantling their class hierarchies, nationally, and then world wide, internationally, in order to put a social wealth mechanism into place, on automatic and de facto mode, once the oligarchies, no longer have the servile, reactionary middle layers, shock troops for fascism to serve as fertilizer for the class mechanism, and withering oligarchies, stripped of their class hierarchies.

A social agenda, not personalities must be our goal, to save us from ourselves and Mother nature herself.

And write, email, and call your Senators and Congressional reps. Keep speaking out.

And write, email, and call your Senators and Congressional reps. Keep speaking out.

I am having trouble being heard over the lobbyists and corporate elite crying foul and how they don't have enough...but I keep trying.

My plan is similar to Lisa's but it is simpler...the White House has a veggie garden already...and I'm sure their water supply will not be shut off.

Guys and gals, there is only one tool that effectively works in 'encouraging' our electeds to get with the damn program; FEAR. E-mails and letters? PLEASE. Let's put these fat-cat worshippers in fear of losing their damn jobs. If they were out here suffering with the unemployed masses, they wouldn't be so slow in addressing the unemployment issues of the voters.

I've written and called all of my elected representatives. Not one, not a single one, has bothered to respond. I do get nice letters asking me for money, though. Too bad that I don't have any, after almost 5 years of severe underemployment and 8 months of total unemployment.

I'm 55, my chances of snagging a job are effectively nil. But hey, there are some good points.

1) I'm losing that weight I've always wanted to drop.

2) I know where all the thrift stores are now, and what days offer "senior discounts."

3) I've discovered that "outdoor showers" (aka, the hose) are a wonderful way to save on the cost of electricity.

4) You can find free food behind grocery stores, and they don't mind if you help yourself.

5) bartering is a great way to get what you need while offering another person what they require in return. You mow my lawn, I'll paint your house! No taxes to pay, either.

6) Finally, there is a great entrepreneurial soul buried within me that I didn't know I had. I'm working for myself now, and if the economy picks up, I might even be able to afford hot water and vegetables again.

I'm sure there are more good things, but I'll leave that for others to write.

Another thing about this time, the government really isn't helping the people.

Just to note here, sushicat, I've never known of a government-based shelter. The ones I am familiar with are privately owned facilities, operated through independent charities. Have you seen, or do you know of, shelters that are government-based? (That's not to say there shouldn't be some in place, only that I know of none...)

I'm sorry. I must have misinterpretted. I understood the comment to be addressing all forms of assistance.

Thanks, though, for the reply. I was wondering if there were operations I didn't find in my research.

Actually he resisted the money because it would have required the state to increase the benefits and double their time without any further money beyond the stimulus.

This is the level where this should happen. The federal government doing this just leads to, more federal government, which costs more money, which leaves people with less money.

So he made the decision to "hurt" his constituents by not having the means to extend the unemployment? Well it wasn't him or his circle that was being put on the line.

He made the decision to not hurt the constituents of the state of texas by the imposition of an unfunded mandate by the federal government that would help drive its state toward the cliff of bankruptcy that California, New Jersey, and New York state is walking off of, as we speak.

Which set of constituents do you think are hurting worse, the few who do not get their unemployment extended, more the millions who are harmed when the state has to hand out IOU's to people and businesses in the state as is the case in California?

Texas and the other areas don't even compare.

Having lived in both states I disagree (CA and TX). Texas does not shovel money out the door like CA does and after 20 years of it CA is broke. Texas, not.

What ever the case, the people experienceing losing their homes in Texas, those that are having the unemployed benefits run out, have only one government to blame and that is Texas.

Uh no. At the end of the day, individuals are responsible for their own lives and prosperity. The government is set up to provide conditions whereby the people can PURSUE life, liberty, and happiness, not provide it!

The government is set up to provide conditions whereby the people can PURSUE life, liberty, and happiness, not provide it!

True but when gov only looks after big business/corporations/multi-conglomerates then they create conditions that restrict life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the rest. So why are they bailing out those who still have but not those who do not? Why is there so much corruption on Wall Street and very few prosecutions of those who stole life savings and retirement funds? Why are they not trying to recover these funds and return them? Gov gets great health care for themselves and we get ins that sucks us of every penny but denies contracted services while making record profits and we do without. The list can go on. The best anyone in that situation gets from you is...it is your fault?

The politicians didn't know these people? They didn't know with all their lawyers and committees and friends where the loop holes were and the economy would tank because of these practices legal and illegal, not only gov turned a blind eye to but also help set up? i.e ins industry, banking industry, power industry...etc. You know the list could go on. Look how the market has been controlled by just a few...and wipes out any competition. Enron got caught...but look at how much money they made before that, illegally by falsifying information. Do you think that money came from chickens? No, just people who got charged an outrageous power bill and if they didn't pay-LOL-No electric for you! Look at how many politicians were in their pocket durring the time they were pillaging customers.

Just maybe these people would not need unemployment benefits if these crooks didn't have the right or access to stealing from them. Maybe they would still have a job if Mom and Pop shops could still compete with huge corporations. Maybe they would still have a home if the insurance paid for the services contracted. Maybe they would not be in that situation if government was actually out for as you say "to provide conditions whereby the people can pursue life, liberty and happiness."

So why are they bailing out those who still have but not those who do not?

In case you have not noticed we spend trillions per year bailing out those who have not, and yet they remain unbailed.

There is a certain percentage of the people who will never get it, and then there are those that will. All government can do is create the conditions whereby people by the sweat of their brow or the exercise of their brains, can better their own lives. Tens of millions of illegal aliens are doing this as well as the legal ones, so why are the "native" American citizens that do not get ahead and remain in the gutter for generations still there? It all boils down to personal responsibility.

I repeat: Just maybe these people would not need unemployment benefits if these crooks didn't have the right or access to stealing from them. Maybe they would still have a job if Mom and Pop shops could still compete with huge corporations. Maybe they would still have a home if the insurance paid for the services contracted. Maybe they would not be in that situation if government was actually out for as you say "to provide conditions whereby the people can pursue life, liberty and happiness."

I was talking about working people not welfare riders. Sweat of brow is a thing of the past. Your sweat is paying for corporate welfare if you do work and pay your taxes insurances etc. Illegals and those who work under the table without ins gets medical care for free and housing with no liability. And do not pay for it. The tax payers pay and when they lose their jobs or business because of corporate extortion tactics no one helps them. Those who work their butts off get to pay ins, taxes, and corporations for substandard and then pay out of pocket on top of that. But the ins co, bankers etc. get a bailout. While the ones struggling by the sweat of their brow get not only the bills for all this but the shaft too when it comes to any benefits for them. Those are the ones I am concerned with-ones who did make something out of their lives only to have it taken by gov taxes for welfare for corporations and those who don't work.

And all they get from you now is your too damn lazy? Your right "there are people who don't get it." Not only am I responsible for my own life at the end of the day but evidently millions of others who have what they need and some with pretty nice mansions too. But yet I get to struggle to pay those bills and you just say "YOUR NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH" LOL.

Oh and the government is the ones who set it up like that for me...so: If...The government is set up to provide conditions whereby the people can PURSUE life, liberty, and happiness, not provide it! They seem to be providing it for a lot of others and billing me for it! LOL...what is my motivation to work now? LOL...maybe the freeloaders had it right and I'm just spinning my wheels until they take the rest of what I have. Don't worry the chances are good with the insrance I can afford they will have my house in no time if I get sick or injured.

I was talking about working people not welfare riders. Sweat of brow is a thing of the past. Your sweat is paying for corporate welfare if you do work and pay your taxes insurances etc.

Thing of the past? I guess you never watch Mike Roe's Dirty Jobs, or The World's Deadiest Catch, or Ice Road Truckers do you? You are able to sit at your computer and write because of those guys.

Illegals and those who work under the table without ins gets medical care for free and housing with no liability. And do not pay for it.

I agree, we need to stop that yesterday.

The tax payers pay and when they lose their jobs or business because of corporate extortion tactics no one helps them.

You can't keep a good man or woman down. When the economy went to hell where I lived in the 70's. I moved.

But the ins co, bankers etc. get a bailout.

I did not support the bailouts and neither did the republicans in congress. Maybe you should write Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank a letter.

I did not say that everyone is too damn lazy, I said that a sizeable fraction are, different things.

They seem to be providing it for a lot of others and billing me for it!

I happen to agree with you on this. Remember this in November 2010 and vote everyone with a D besides their name out of office.

I happen to agree with you on this. Remember this in November 2010 and vote everyone with a D besides their name out of office.

I'll remember the R's that took us to war with a country based on lies too. And how our deficit went from surplus to bankrupt, dependent on foreign loans to fund it and Haliberton making a killing outsourcing the jobs the ice road truckers would likely be willing to take. I'll remeber the R's and D's who set us up for extortion from the insurance companies. I'll also remember the connections R's and D's have to big business and look the other way because they are profiting big time. I'll remember the R's and D's who made a killing on Wall Street while they praticed fraudulent policies. And then turned around and said they didn't know. Hell I knew...when the price of my house triples in just a few years-that's market manipulation. When Insurance makes record profits but cancels or denies coverage or payment of contracted services and these people end up losing their lives, homes and businesses because of it...that's not free enterprise system that is extortion. When we started going across to Mexico and Canada because we could not afford our medications here...

Do you want more???

You are able to sit at your computer and write because of those guys.

Nope...I'm able to sit at my computer because I worked and paid for it. I have done farm work, landscaping, tiling/flooring, cleaning, and had my own business for 18 years. But with the economy and jobs decreasing who knows if I will be able to afford the computer and internet connections in the future along with health care and many other so called luxuries....even though I am re-educating myself and willing to work and even sweat at it.

You can't keep a good man or woman down.

True. You can however kick the ones who have fallen on hard times. Fun isn't it? Now lets fund some more big business. You do see that there is no competition in the market place right? You do see banks eating eachother up like candy don't you? Ins co too...yum yum yum. Through many years of R's and D's I had one bank I left because they tried to lie and say I owed then $4000 when it was $1800. They showed me their records and I showed them mine. They wanted to dispute it but when I started screaming out loud what was in my contract verbatum in front of customers they finally agreed with me. So I left Norwest and went to Pri-Merit...after all competition levels the playing field doesn't it? LOL...then Pri-Merit Merged with Norwest and so I switched to First Interstate Bank which Merged with Pri-Merit then was eaten up by Wells Fargo and then just added Wachovia. But you still don't see this in your life?

The 70's so you are old enough to remember the S&L stuff too...

This is not a R and D thing. I hope you see that way before 2010.

And how our deficit went from surplus to bankrupt, dependent on foreign loans to fund it and Haliberton making a killing outsourcing the jobs the ice road truckers would likely be willing to take.

And yet it seems that you are defending a D who doubles down on the debt.

And yet it seems that you are defending a D who doubles down on the debt.

What D did I defend? I'm saying R's and D's are out for themselves and big business. I hope someone has the cajones to do what is right for everyone not just big business. No matter who is in office. Both sides fight for what will be best for their buddies and the middle class pays for it no matter whose in office. It has cycled like throughout our history but has come to a critical point. In any proposed legislation they water it down cut out the effective stuff and kill it before it even passes...both sides are guilty of it. They are playing power games with our lives like it is a game of chess. But if you want to play a game of R's and D's and want me to take a firm stance on any political party...sorry not playing against you. I have voted R and D based on who I felt was the lessor of two evils. Sad to have to look at it that way.

are you referring to the states supporting shelters? Which I think is great also but the money to help them run comes from gov't. So there is still a relationship.

The closer the government is to the people, the more responsive it is to their needs (that is unless the feds throw money at the problem and then the locals can abdicate their responsibilities).