Obama Considers Major Expansion in Jobless Aid
Boy, if Obama manages to pull this off despite the inevitable Republican opposition (and that of the Democratic Blue Dog caucus), it will make a huge difference to the unemployed. I've been paying $500 a month for COBRA coverage since I was laid off last year and I can afford maybe two more months before the money runs out:
CHICAGO — President-elect Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats are considering major expansions of government-assisted health care insurance and unemployment compensation as they begin intensive work this week on a two-year economic recovery package.
One proposal, as described by Democratic advisers, would extend unemployment compensation to part-time workers, an idea that Congressional Republicans have blocked in the past.
Other policy changes would subsidize employers’ expenses for temporarily continuing health insurance coverage to laid-off and retired workers and their dependents, as mandated under a 22-year-old federal law known as Cobra, and allow workers who lose jobs that did not come with insurance benefits to be eligible, for the first time, to apply for Medicaid coverage.
I plan for a major expansion of my waistline.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
policy to help bridge the gap for many people like me who have had their hours cut to about 50% of what they were a year ago? I know plenty like me, who debate whether unemployment or underemployment is worse.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
Good Luck finding a Doctor who will accept it after it's latest CUT in payments!
Wasteful Domestic Spending?
Donaldd
COBRA is a joke; always has been. To pay $500-700 a month for health insurance when you have NO INCOME or very little on unemployment is our Congress' (all well insured and overpaid) idea of how to treat the peasant citizenry.
As far as Obama and "hope" goes (who would be so foolish as to invest hope in a politician, even a half decent one) I think it is NOW TIME to get a viable third party going to challenge the inevitable failures of the Obama administration. Remember, the VP Biden is the one who fronts for the greedy credit card banks. What could be worse? Oh RIGHT, bailing out those banks after they've ripped us off and destroyed our financial lives.
I would settle for two parties.
Reality is as reality does.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
How about NO parties. Stop playing ball altogether and take the fatally insulted power of the states back where it belonged in the FIRST PLACE.
Party systems don't work in this country anymore. This one is so corrupted it is like praying for rain in the deserts of hell. All of it has to go. All of it.
I would be for disbanding the political parties tout de suite.
Will it happen?!?!
Probably not.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
I mispoke--a second party is needed.
Not that I don't want to, but comments aren't enabled.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
They is now.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
How is subsidizing the employer's costs in COBRA going to help workers?
It seems like subsidizing worker's COBRA costs would be more helpful and more in line with allowing the unemployed to be eligible for Medicaid.
They think we're going to all lay down and not go out and look for those non existent/underpayed jobs. these fuckers treat us like two year olds.
....keeping us helpless as two year olds. You know how easy it is to stock up on candy from babies.
Workers get charged the employer's full cost of the premiums. The lower their premium, the lower the COBRA payment.
A former award-winning journalist and lifelong class warrior, keeping a jaundiced eye on the Washington elite.
If we insist that Obama and the Democratic Senate force the Republicans to filibuster all of the crap that's coming our way in the next Congress, we may get some change. Otherwise, it will be bidness as usual.
Health insurance at $500/month? As sick as I've been lately, I would have not been able to swing that - even with a job and employer-matched coverage. COBRA should be phased into a Medicare-like entity with required care. Decent drs. wouldn't turn down patients if the system was geared with their needs in mind (short of monetary).
And about that 'third party' suggestion? What planet did you come from? That's about the most asinine thing I've heard all day. Is your 'magic' third party candidate going to suddenly appear in a cloud of pixie dust and make policy that will save the whales, cure the common cold and solve the economic crisis?
How in the world could a third party solve this crisis now? Ralph Nader? Give me a break. Nader couldn't pull his head out of his ass during the 2000 elections, what makes you think he's got the goods to do anything for this crisis? Third party viability will take years, perhaps decades to gestate.
Third party whiners are all bitch and no substance.
We have to keep the fire close to Obama's heels. Come down fast and hard on the Blue Dog Bitches and the GOP goons. And will someone please buy some calcium supplements for Harry Reid?
Or at least a decent back brace.
Can you imagine the "mandate" a 3rd party candidate with 34% of the vote would have?
something like Clinton in '92?!?!
He was a LONG LONG way from a majority.
That is the wonder of the Electoral College.
Ross Perot took 19 million votes. He was actually leading in the polls until he dropped out.
Then he came back but lost supporters who thought he was wacko.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
...kick the crap out of Harry Reid, so could Kuchinich.
p.s. (we dont even have a two party system!) Dems and repubs voted together for the last eight years and now our national security, all our factories, banks, constitutional rights, and pension funds are gone.
our representatives are predetermined (labeled dem or repub) and then "presented/foisted" upon the american voter (and into the diebold machines)... by one of the three or four remaining mainstream news outlets.
end the fed end the fed end the fed end the fed.....
audit-prosecute-incarcerate
Your PS is very accurate, I agree completely.
Roger waters (from Pink Floyd) said in an interview in 1981 that American politics has a system which puts the worst possible person in charge rather than the best.
I'll never forget that observation.
...he's schlonging the public like every other two-bit whore (including Pelosi and about 144 others). I'd like to repeatedly hamfist every one of them in the jaw.
Until 1948 we had viable 3rd parties. In 1924 the Socialists did their best ever.
In 1920 Eugene V. Debs did well, even though he campaigned from prison. He was a POLITICAL PRISONER of the first Red Scare.
After 1948 the Military Industrial Complex banished the Socialists completely with the Second Red Scare which lasted until about 1991.
In 1990, seeing the old red guard was falling apart, the muslin scare was invoked. That continues until today.
Once again courtesy of the Military Industrial Complex et al.
Though it is getting a little thread bare.
By the way, Ralph Nader has done more for you than your mother. Especially in view of the course language.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
That's OK as an interim measure, and it can happen right now, if the GOPers don't obstruct it. But all this can go away for good by making HR-676 the law. Obama needs to come out for that bill.
PICK LETTUCE.... and spit on the food
have YOUR KIDS touch THEIR KIDS
Medical Care is for the good of EVERYONE... we ARE sharing the air
Maybe I can help.
I have a double case of Pink Eye
________________________________________
Is that a kiddy version of Red Eye,
Kinda like a Shirley Temple?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Something like this would help the middle class therefore I think you can expect a filibuster from Saxby Chambliss or Mitch McConnell.
Another extension to unemployment, WOW.
This country is absolutely insane. Then of coarse they are right the money that they are giving out doesn't actually exist. The Cobra insurance?? Are you kidding me? Who the hell can afford that? your sick, hurt and unemployed, have to pay rent bills, Co-pays still, WHAT A BUNCH of JERKS!
This country was sucking when I was in High-school, and sucks even more now. Yes I blame republicans. The democrats not so much but they can still take the blame for not doing anything.
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