Gov't spending cuts/budget makes me nervous for UI extensions

[helpme2010]

I am watching all these senators, congressmen, president, etc. all talking about the new budget and the massive cuts they want to make. I am hoping they all continue to look out for us unemployed, 99ers, etc. when we need our benefits to continue. I hope Obama doesn't back down when it comes time for UI extension talks to continue.

I am looking 7 days a week and applying everywhere, and am getting no responses. So until there are jobs available for the unemployed, the government needs to continue with the UI extensions, regardless of how long someone is out of work. 99ers need this the most.

I am really getting nervous right now

[MSbklawyer]

This is what ticks me off about the illegal immigration problem in the U.S doing the jobs that "Americans won't do".

Helpme2010, is there a job you won't do? For instance, would you pick strawberries or cut lettuce for $9 or $10 per hour out in the sun? Would you paint houses or clean out horse barns or chicken houses? At least until something better came along? If so, you can blame, at least in part, the government's unwillingness to address immigration for your inability to find work.

[helpme2010]

I hear you. I am upset about the outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries. I think the problem with my job type is the jobs are being taken away by agencies that hire cheap people and train them (not illegals, but just cheap labor - the people don't have my extensive background, so the company pays people a small wage and trains them in various areas to fulfill the clients needs).

I am really running into a wall with companies that want someone from their exact industry or with a dozen exact skillsets (I may be missing one or two, but have experience in the rest - or I have all the skillsets and still no response).

[helpme2010]

This is what ticks me off about the illegal immigration problem in the U.S doing the jobs that "Americans won't do".

Helpme2010, is there a job you won't do? For instance, would you pick strawberries or cut lettuce for $9 or $10 per hour out in the sun? Would you paint houses or clean out horse barns or chicken houses? At least until something better came along? If so, you can blame, at least in part, the government's unwillingness to address immigration for your inability to find work.

msbk, yes I would not be a good fit for a lettuce picker out in the sun. In this case I am not in good enough shape compared to an illegal who could do the job far better and faster and cheaper than I could. The difference, the illegal does this job for a living, I spent the last 20 years training in professional work and trades and earned a degree. Perhaps someone in the construction industry, say a roofer, may be in better condition to do this type of job temporarily, whereas I would perhaps be in a better position as a temporary office worker.

[MSbklawyer]

msbk, yes I would not be a good fit for a lettuce picker out in the sun. In this case I am not in good enough shape compared to an illegal who could do the job far better and faster and cheaper than I could. The difference, the illegal does this job for a living, I spent the last 20 years training in professional work and trades and earned a degree. Perhaps someone in the construction industry, say a roofer, may be in better condition to do this type of job temporarily, whereas I would perhaps be in a better position as a temporary office worker.

No, I'm not suggesting that it would be IDEAL for you, or that you're not better suited for other things. You're vastly over-qualified to be sure. But if bad came to worse, and you needed work to keep a roof over your head, and that was all that there was, (and assuming you're physically able) you'd do it, right?

[WhatMoney]

No, I'm not suggesting that it would be IDEAL for you, or that you're not better suited for other things. You're vastly over-qualified to be sure. But if bad came to worse, and you needed work to keep a roof over your head, and that was all that there was, (and assuming you're physically able) you'd do it, right?

And how about you? You have a JD and can't find any legal work - would you pick lettuce and strawberries in the hot sun? Or a better question, who would hire you? Besides being fluent in Spanish (so you can understand your boss) who's going to hire a professional like an attorney to pick lettuce? And will you be able to keep up the picking rate competing against some 19 yr old illegal? My guess is you would last a couple days before they fired you. Of course you could always sue them for discrimination...

[discouraged]

I get the drift but the analogy of the fruit picker is a bit extreme I think. When I was first laid off I took a part time temp job doing data entry, a far cry from my role as Sr. Admin Asst. After not working for a year, another temp data entry position came up. Again I did that. So, even though both jobs were just slightly over 1/2 of what I had been making, I can seriously say that, yes, I will do it again, even at a low wage, just to be able to survive.

The problem is two-fold I think. First, a lot of companies don't think we will accept a lower paying job and, if they check references, they will know what we were making. And, for me, it's also the age thing. At 57 I believe I am turned down a lot because of my age. And I am not the only one who thinks that way.

I think it would benefit the nation if the powers that be look into initiatives to help those who want to work and are not being hired, for whatever reason. I don't have the answer, but hey, that's why we pay them the big bucks right? They are supposed to be the answer people. And as far as I am concerned, yes, we are paying their wages with our tax dollars, be it through work or through unemployment, we are paying for them.

[frogger]

I am watching all these senators, congressmen, president, etc. all talking about the new budget and the massive cuts they want to make. I am hoping they all continue to look out for us unemployed, 99ers, etc. when we need our benefits to continue. I hope Obama doesn't back down when it comes time for UI extension talks to continue.

All of this talk about the budget makes me really nervous as well. The fact that the budget "cuts" are not actual cuts, but reductions in the increased spending, the fact that America is now insolvent, the fact that we are all being screwed by congress and the prez.

America as we know it is over, most people just have not recognized it yet.

But...... it's coming.

[lovemybugs10]

When my husband was out of work he didn't receive a single call back from jobs that he was over qualified for. He would have gladly taken any one of them. Not even places like target.

My dad, who lives in Texas and works in construction is constantly out of work.

On the other hand, I know people who wont take a job that isn't exactly what they want because they can always fall back on unemployment.

It goes both ways. There are people who would take a job, any job if they could find one. There are also people who think they are too good to clean toilets.

[lovemybugs10]

Re: government spending. I don't understand how they can call it cuts when they are increasing spending in some areas.

[frogger]

Re: government spending. I don't understand how they can call it cuts when they are increasing spending in some areas.

All of them went to the Bernie Madolff school of accounting. That 14 trillion dollar debt that they talk about? Total and complete b.s.

The debt and unfunded programs now total around 100+ TRILLION dollars. There is no way that our country can ever come out of this intact.

All of the "trust funds", ie social security, medicare, etc. are nothing but a typical pyramid scheme that has been shoved down our throats. There is no money there or anywhere else.

AMERICA IS BANKRUPT

And if you really want to know how I feel, it's time to start placing politicians on trial for treason for not defending the constitution.

[lovemybugs10]

I probably echo your thoughts, because I read your last sentence and thought "what constitution?"

[helpme2010]

All of them went to the Bernie Madolff school of accounting. That 14 trillion dollar debt that they talk about? Total and complete b.s.

The debt and unfunded programs now total around 100+ TRILLION dollars. There is no way that our country can ever come out of this intact.

All of the "trust funds", ie social security, medicare, etc. are nothing but a typical pyramid scheme that has been shoved down our throats. There is no money there or anywhere else.

AMERICA IS BANKRUPT

And if you really want to know how I feel, it's time to start placing politicians on trial for treason for not defending the constitution.

I agree with this. I believe America will eventually declare bankruptcy to the world and countries like China will demand in exchange for them forgiving our debts, that we step back from protecting countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, etc. and let China again take them over. America would probably agree to this and China would boost their super power status. Or we would refuse and probably go to war.

I know this sounds a bit crazy, but if you have seen how much we have let go to China, just to keep them happy, why would this sound too far fetched?

What really drives me crazy is the fact that everyone sees the problem, there are realistic solutions that can slowly get us out of this mess, but everybody politicizes it and we all just get screwed (or at least those of us on the bottom just get screwed). Each time we let go of a factory or an industry and just allow it to be outsourced, we throw another batch of millions into unemployment. Retraining for some, great, what about the rest and what do we retrain them for???? Where are those jobs?

I just completed my degree and it hasn't gotten me Jack $hit!

[helpme2010]

As the title of this thread states, what really scares me is the unemployment extensions are going to be a serious threat in a couple months. I believe the republican heads are going to shout that they had to make significant cuts to their budget, so why should the unemployed, especially the 99ers, be allowed to have extensions. Even though they were completely solid about giving the richest 2% an extension costing us what 75 billion? And everyone else in all brackets an extension which cost us hundreds of billions more. And where are the jobs that this tax cut extension was supposed to create?

The rich will just hoard the money. The corporations will just hoard the money. What they don't hoard, they will invest in lucrative offshore investments with lucrative tax incentives.

Just bury us already so we can become fertilizer and mulch for something wonderful to grow.