Archive for the ‘Unemployment Politics’ Category

Job Seeker In Hammock

If you’re unemployed, every week can be trying but this week has pushed a lot of folks to the emotional limits. Maybe you’re feeling it, too.

For the 99’ers, those who have been without a job for almost 2 years, anxiety is maxing out.  Congress decided to take their July 4th vacation but couldn’t decide to vote “yes” to extend unemployment benefits.  This left millions of unemployed folks dangling above a safety net that is rapidly tearing   apart as the holes get bigger and bigger. 

And there seemed to a contest among a few politicians to see who could say the nastiest, most defeating, demoralizing comments about the unemployed. Let’s see…job seekers have been called lazy, spoiled, welfare wanna be’s, who likely use drugs and enjoy the good life those whopping unemployment checks provide.

Ummmm….can it be decisions makers are out of touch with the reality of life on the unemployment roller coaster?  

This isn’t the job seekers I know. Folks I meet want with all their hearts to go back to work, be productive, and earn a sustainable income. They are resilient. Still out there after all this time diligently searching for work. They’re creative, flexible, and adaptable. Managing as best they can to make life work with what they have. They’re learning new skills and volunteering countless hours to make their communities better. Their values have changed and they know what matters most is love, family, friends, and faith.

Probably 99 % of the job seekers out there are good people who, through no fault of their own, got booted from jobs they liked, and now are giving it their best to move forward.

Supposedly, on Tuesday the Senate will take another run at getting unemployment benefits extended through November.  Can we all say: “Just Do It!”

So what can you do?
• Contact your representatives in Congress
• Tell them your story and why job seekers need this extension
• Give them some context of what it’s like to be unable to find a job
• Be empowered to stand up for yourself and others 
• Believe in yourself, envision your future and never give up
• If you’re of the praying persuasion, lift up some prayers and amen’s

If you’re a job seeker, you’re not spoiled or lazy or lavished with luxury. You are successful whether you have a job or not just because of who you are! So, Let Your Best Self Shine and let your voice be heard!