There are currently 2 million Americans who are out of money, out of work, and out of hope -- the unemployed Americans for whom our Senators did not extend unemployment benefits. And this number is increasing each week, while our Senators vacation (fiddling while Rome burns?)
Reid could have refused to recess until benefits were passed. Nelson's feet could have been held to the fire by his Senate leader, the Party, and the President. But even many those democratic leaders supposedly in our corner, don't get it. More below the jump --
I'm on Obama's Organizing for America list and within the last 2 months have received multiple email asking me to help move Americans on various issues -- but NOT on the extension of unemployment benefits. After emailing the White House in vain, I tried to contact Organizing for America. Ironically, while I can contact Organizing for America through their website to volunteer or make a donation, it's impossible to contact them about policies. The website directs you back to the Whitehouse.gov for policy advocacy.
Here's the latest from Organizing for America -- which overlooks the fact that as I'm destitute, I don't even have the money to print out this campaign document.
GennieX,
It's been less than four months since President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act -- and, because of reform, about 1 million uninsured Americans are expected to receive coverage by next year. And that's just the start.
A new bill of rights for patients is starting to take effect, and the worst abuses of the insurance industry are coming to an end. As the President recently announced, the Patient's Bill of Rights will ban rescission of coverage, stop discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions, and place restrictions on annual limits.
This is an incredibly important first step for reform, and we need your help. We've put together an information sheet that breaks down exactly what the Patient's Bill of Rights does. To start spreading the word in your own community, print it out and pass it along to your friends, post in your local coffee shop and grocery store, or bring it along with you when going door-to-door.
Several weeks ago, I wrote Senator Durbin telling him my tale as an unemployed American, who would be out of benefits ($) without the extension. In my experience, Durbin's staff have always been lackadaiscal about responding to correspondence and surprisingly, I've found Burke's constituent services to be more responsive.
Yet, I was still somewhat surprised that Durbin's form letter email response buried the unemployment benefits extension in the body, lacked understanding of the real need with its emphasizing work over benefits (honey, if I could find a job, I'd be working but there aren't jobs to be found), and was also woefully out of date.
Here it is:
Thank you for contacting me with your support for the extension of COBRA, FMAP, and Unemployment Insurance. These programs are extremely important to Americans during these hard economic times.
I am deeply troubled that certain members of the Senate Minority have objected to extending these critically important benefits [emphasis of incorrect overlooking of Nelson's position in the Majority added], forcing thousands of individuals to lose benefits for days or weeks and in the case of COBRA permanently. I repeatedly voted to ensure that health coverage and unemployment insurance remain available during this period of economic hardship by extending the eligibility period for the COBRA Premium Assistance Program and unemployment benefits and by increasing the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) matching rate in the Medicaid program.
Illinois saw a temporary FMAP increase from 50% to 62% as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009. The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 would further extend the FMAP increase through June 2011 to help the Illinois Medicaid program weather an increased number of patients. The Act would extend the eligibility period to December 31, 2010, for COBRA premium assistance to people who lose their job involuntarily.
Unemployment benefits are generally available for up to 26 weeks. Over the past year, in the face of the deep recession, Congress has temporarily expanded the program, bringing the maximum coverage to 99 weeks. Because this expansion has been provided only on a temporary basis, Congress has had to extend the coverage each time it expires. The current extension, passed April 15th, ensures that these benefits will remain in place in Illinois through June 2, 2010.[Emphasis of outdatedness added] This bill would extend the coverage (for up to 99 weeks) through the end of this year.
COBRA, FMAP, and Unemployment Insurance are critical safety nets for our nation's workers. In these difficult economic times, our first priority must be to help Americans return to work, while ensuring that the unemployed receive assistance to help make ends meet while they look for a new job. I welcome your support for these programs and will continue to support programs that help families and individuals suffering the consequences of the economic downturn.
Thank you again for contacting me with your support. Please feel free to keep in touch.
Sincerely, Richard J. Durbin United States Senator
Additionally, I made NO mention of FMAP in my correspondence to him. You think the staffer could have at least deleted that paragraph from the form letter.
Folks, being annoyed by a form letter from a busy staffer may seem like an overreaction, BUT when you are not even having your staff keep up-to-date on the real desperation of over 2 million Americans, then you just don't get it.
The Change hasn't exactly been what I was looking for and I'm fast losing faith and Hope in our party.