unemployment

There's a new undercurrent in Washington debate, an unstated drive to undo the bipartisan consensus that's governed American policy for a century. New pieces by Fareed Zakaria and Clive Crook merely reflect the new unspoken theme that's revealing itself in debates on taxation, Social Security, and a dozen other areas: If the wealthy must sacrifice anything, then the middle-class and poor must sacrifice at least as much. The old belief that greater fortune brings greater responsibility is under attack. The idea that "to those whom must has been given, much is expected" is being overthrown. more »

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Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is the Republican Party's latest effort at putting forward a credible economic ideologist. His recent interview with Ezra Klein reveals this effort to be a complete failure. more »

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The Senate is expected to vote today on providing $26 billion in aid to fiscally distressed states and cities.

The vote is about many things. Jobs. Health care. Tax fairness.

But it's not about the deficit.

Why? Because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has completely offset the cost.

Any Senator who claims to oppose this bill because it will increase the deficit is a liar. more »

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Wednesday’s Bureau of Labor Statistics report on the labor market in every U.S. metro area in June again highlights the effects of long-standing, terrible labor market conditions and the unprecedented numbers of people who are giving up active job search.

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Simple question: have we reached a point where machines and computers leave us with less work to do? If so it can mean a lot of people are left without jobs and incomes, losing their homes and health, while the rest have our wages dragged ever downward. Or we can make some changes in who gets what for what, and every one of us ends up better off. more »

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Two reports released in the past 24 hours paint a dire picture of the consequences of congressional inaction on jobs. In just two sectors of the economy, local government and low-income people in welfare-to-work programs, more than 500,000 jobs could be lost in the coming months if Congress continues to by stymied by right-wing obstruction of jobs spending. more »

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Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, what will you say to Jeff Sumner of Louisville when the lights go out in his house at the end of this week? How proud will you be of your votes against extending unemployment insurance to him and millions of other workers?

Sumner is one of the more than 2 million people who have lost their unemployment benefits because of a weeks-old Senate filibuster against their extension led by McConnell, the chamber's minority leader. If the Senate does not break that filibuster this week, Sumner, who lost his extended unemployment benefits when Republicans blocked their continued authorization in early June, loses the utilities in his house. Shortly after that, he told me Friday for this audio report, he will lose his house. He will be homeless.

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The country is in an economic emergency. Unemployment -- especially long-term unemployment -- is at extremely high levels and the recovery is faltering. Conservatives are obstructing efforts to solve this because they believe it helps them in the November election. more »

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If the members of Congress who are spending time in their states and districts during the July 4 recess only get one message, it must be this one: Fight for the unemployed when you return to Washington. We mean, really fight, with serious votes on bills that match the seriousness of the unemployment crisis.

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