To his credit, at least Durbin's office actually receives my comment before they respond. In contrast, Kirk's office sends out emails asking for input. But if you observe how the technology works, you'll see that your input is never sent back. There's no click through and no 'thanks, we received your response' message returned. Your response disappears and a pre-written response is spit back to you.
In any event, I'm still sparring with Durbin's office, complaining about his support for the tax giveaway, and cut to Social Security FICA, and they're still responding. Below is their latest installment. I am always suspicious of a response that includes first and last name in the salutation and refers to my story that I never told, and they deleted my Beth hmmmmmmmmm.
Dear Ms. Ellen Gill:
Thank you for your message regarding the extension of unemployment benefits. I appreciate hearing from you and share your support for this important federal program.
In the face of the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression and an unemployment rate hovering near 10 percent, Congress has tried to provide a much-needed safety net for people who have lost their jobs. In July, Congress extended emergency unemployment benefits for those who exhaust the 26 weeks typically provided by state governments. The program, however, was only extended temporarily, with funding expiring on December 1.
Fortunately, Congress recently overcame the objections of the Senate Minority to extend unemployment insurance for an additional 13 months as part of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act. While I did not support several core tax provisions within this legislation, including an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, I voted in favor of it in order to prevent 135,000 Illinoisans from losing their unemployment compensation before the holidays.
The bill that Congress approved will reauthorize the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program and will temporarily extend 100 percent federal financing of the Extended Benefit (EB) program. Between these two programs, unemployed workers will be eligible for up to 99 weeks of total unemployment compensation.
While this reauthorization is vital to millions of Americans, there are still a growing number of individuals who are exhausting the maximum 99 weeks of benefits available to them and are advocating for the addition of a new level of benefits. To address this growing problem, I cosponsored the Americans Want to Work Act (S. 3706). S. 3706 would create a 5th tier of unemployment insurance, providing an additional 20 weeks of benefits for the long term unemployed in states with a jobless rate of 7.5 percent or higher. The bill would also increase tax incentives for businesses that hire those who are eligible for the new 5th tier or have exhausted all rights to unemployment benefits.
Unfortunately, the federal budget deficit and the continued opposition to EUC program is making it increasingly difficult to maintain the current level of compensation. Any further expansion of benefits, like those in S. 3706, faces an enormous uphill battle.
Providing unemployment insurance is not only a moral imperative, it is an important step towards stimulating the recovering economy. In these difficult times our priority in Congress must be to help Americans return to work, while ensuring that the unemployed receive assistance to make ends meet as they look for a new job. I will keep your story in mind as we continue to find ways to help all individuals in need.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator
RJD/mk
Thanks for the response Senator Durbin, but I don't remember that same minority having the same problems when they were in the majority. The following table tells the story:
This wasn't a middle class tax cut. We just threw money at the already wealthy.
We're going to be stuck in a cycle of tax cuts, spending cuts to support them and spiral economic decline because what we really need is direct stimulus to create jobs. I think Senator Durbin know that. I think Kirk knows it too, but he never cared and never will.
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