Federal
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Judge Rules Katrina Flooding Government's Fault
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44% of Congress are millionaires
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Swine Flu Driving Paid Sick Leave Laws
Real Unemployment 17.5%
Published November 12, 2009 @ 12:00PM PT
President Obama announced this morning he will host a jobs summit next month at the White House, a political response to the reality that 1 in 6 workers were un- or under-employed in October. The news comes alongside an article in the NY Times this morning on the emotional and psychological toll - with potential lifelong impacts - widespread unemployment is having on American households - especially on children.
Pundits explain that summits like these are mostly signals to the public that elected leaders are prioritizing the issue - in this case, alarming unemployment. There's some indication that Democrats are considering a jobs bill, according to The Hill. But I wonder, even though this might be a great, needed government intervention, how much more can the impatient American public take?
Putting Veterans To Work
Published November 11, 2009 @ 10:46AM PT
This blog title is likely to ruffle a few feathers, as it implies an epidemic of layabout retired servicemen and women, when the reality for millions of Vets, as we know it, is much harsher. Every Veterans Day, amidst the tributes and thank yous, are the tireless activists pointing out* how difficult life can be for veterans after military service - due especially to the psychological and disruptive impacts of combat and deployments and the relatively low remuneration for service. Now, under President Obama, the Administration and civil society organizations are working to reduce veteran unemployment and poverty.
On Monday, the White House introduced a new initiative to recruit and hire more veterans into the federal government, citing their distinct preparation for careers in public service. Through the Council on Veterans Employment, the Homeland Security, Labor, and Veterans Affairs will work with WH personnel management to increase the number of veterans employed through the federal government.
Stimulus funds are supporting the American Legion Auxiliary's national Call to Service Corps VISTA project that puts volunteers to work fighting poverty among veterans and military families. The project will provide economic and social support to over 100 military families and enlist almost 2,000 veteran families in anti-poverty community service projects.
House Healthcare Bill Effectively Prohibits Abortion
Published November 10, 2009 @ 08:41AM PT
I took a lot of flak yesterday from commenters for celebrating the passage of the House healthcare reform bill. Like many feminists (and unlike many others), I celebrated some of the specific advances towards equalizing healthcare coverage for women and men. And like most feminists, I am floored, sickened, and outraged that House Democrats have passed the most restrictive policy on abortion since it was legalized in 1973.
I'm trying to get how the Stupak-Pitts Amendment works correct here, so bear with me. This bill creates insurance exchanges for "individuals and small employers to comparison shop among private and public insurers, including new health insurance co-ops." Included here are federal subsidies "to help low- and middle-income individuals and families purchase insurance." The Stupak Amendment prohibits any insurance companies that enroll these subsidized individuals and families from covering elective abortions. It is anticipated that eventually the majority of all companies and individuals in the US will be covered through these exchanges. FDL leads us to the Amendment's inexorable conclusion:
House Bill Expands Medicaid to 15M more Americans
Published November 08, 2009 @ 11:34AM PT
Update, 11/10/09: I made an error in the # of Americans newly eligible for Medicaid via this bill. It is 15M Americans; through Medicaid expansion, subsidies, and insurance exchange options, 36M Americans overall will be newly covered through this legislation.
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Congrats to House Speaker Pelosi, President Obama, the American people, and other elected leaders for their efforts to pass this historic healthcare bill. I'm always up for celebrating any social policy that is the next big victory since LBJ's achievements forty years ago.
Gay Rights blogger Mike Jones has some terrific info on one key Medicaid expansion in the bill that permits states "to cover early HIV treatment...a departure from a current policy that only allows states to use Medicaid funds once a patient develops full-blown AIDS." Let's take a look at the other wins for low-income Americans in the bill:
1 in 10 Americans Unemployed
Published November 06, 2009 @ 06:48AM PT
10% unemployment is here. The worst unemployment rate since 1983; for those of you who weren't in elementary school then - how does this recession match up in your mind to that one? Given the rising cost of living compared to the declining value of wages over the last two decades, how are households getting by in this bleak reality relative to 26 years ago? Will Obama and Congress get us out of this mess?
More than 7M Americans have lost their jobs in the last two years, and remember, official unemployment rates only count people actively looking for work. The # of people out of the workforce through no fault of their own is likely much higher - they've given up looking for work at this point.
Should we rejoice that layoffs are happening more slowly? Education and health services are actually adding jobs, and government employment is stable - stimulus funds are likely contributing to this. But even government programs can't prop up the construction industry, as our anemic real estate markets cancel out the need for construction work.
10% Unemployment Looming
Published November 05, 2009 @ 12:00PM PT
New unemployment #s come out tomorrow - economists predict 9.9% unemployment nationwide. Can I just round that up to 10% and call it a day?
First time jobless claims were less than expected in October, though only 20k fewer of over half a million. We are supposed to take this as good news that "job cuts are easing as the economy slowly heals." This is the lowest level since January. Still...2009 is almost over and we're still seeing half a million people per month file for unemployment for the first time? That is one horribly contracting economy.
Surviving workers are laboring more feverishly than ever - productivity is up even as our incomes are "squeezed". The stimulus is keeping a lot of jobs afloat; unemployment benefits are practically extended into perpetuity at this point. No wonder discount retailers are doing slightly better than specialty stores; it's amazing we've got anything left to leave behind at the mall!
Stimulus Bypasses Minority Businesses
Published November 03, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT
Criticism abounds of the unequal distribution of stimulus funds: high per capita allocations to low population, low unemployment states like Wyoming versus low per capita amounts to struggling states like CA; and the limited allocations reaching women- and minority-owned businesses compared to their proportion of the population.
The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race & Ethnicity at The Ohio State University finds that "While approximately 14 percent of businesses are minority owned, the study shows that minority owned businesses received only 9.6 percent of federal contracts." Almost 3 in 10 businesses are owned by women, yet these firms received only 3% of stimulus funds. This disturbing inequity raises questions about the goals of the stimulus and the (surprising?) lack of focus on reducing economic inequality.
