This is the way I remember things when I was laid off for almost 2 years under Reagan

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-unemployment-benefits-illinois-03020100301,0,538011.story

Unemployed fear losing benefits as Republican senator filibusters to block extension

By Duaa Eldeib, Tribune reporter

9:42 p.m. CST, March 1, 2010

Madonna Alvarez, a single mother of three, fears her unemployment benefits and the little that's left of her savings are all that stand between her family and a cardboard box.

She and thousands of others had been hoping for an extension of those benefits. But they are at risk of being cut off because of a spending dispute in Washington after a lone lawmaker, Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., used a filibuster to block legislation to extend the payments for 30 days.

Bunning says he opposes the extension because money has not been found to pay for it. But other officials, including Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who supported the measure, warned that it would have a dire impact on many families in Illinois and across the country.

-----------------------------------------------

By the time the Rethugs and Reagan would get around to extending UC benefits I was usually without benefits for months already. I was trying to raise two little kids at the time. Bad old days.

This is the way I remember Republicans operating things during my times of need. Had Rush Limbaugh on the radio calling us unemployed people welfare recipients. The bastards.

Don

[old mark]

1. Same here. I was a draftsman, a factory designer, and found that I could not get a job

after 15 years in industry. No more factories going up in my area for a long time...I worked 4 months one year, 6 weeks the next year. Went back to college in my mid 40's for a degree in social work because it sounded interesting and I figured it would not be exported. Got little help-you could not get unemployment and go to any type of educational training. We lived on a part time low paid job and student loans. I had no insurance, no savings, an unreliable car, no fun for several years till I got things straightened out - every bill was nerve wracking, and we did file for bankruptcy at one point when my wife's health collapsed...she is still disabled almost 18 years later.

The GOP does not give a shit about regular people and actively stands in the way of anyone trying to advance themselves, at least anyone who is not rich.


mark

[NNN0LHI]

2. I couldn't get a job either. Even from places that were hiring for my trade

I was laid off from Ford so the first question I would be asked was, "Are you going back to Ford when they call you?"

If I said yes they would say, "We don't want to train someone here for a few months and then have you leave."

If I said no they would know I was either a liar or stupid because no one else was paying the kind of money with the benefits I could get at Ford.

It was a no win situation.

Don