Voices of the unemployed

Not even the Wall Street Journal is willing to go as far as Sharron Angle (or this commenter, a public school teacher telling victims of private sector greed that they should take jobs for which they won't be hired anyway because they are deemed "overqualified") in suppressing the voices of the unemployed.

Samples:

Dear Senator Mitch McConnell,
Thank you for turning my American Dream into the American Nightmare! By leading the Grand Old Party of No to block the extension of unemployment benefits for 15 million Americans that have been victims of the Great Recession you have harmed our future generations greatly. You believe you are protecting those generations, but how can that be when their parents aren’t able to provide them a decent meal or a roof over their heads, yet alone a good education. You state that deficit spending is unsustainable and I agree, but don’t try making your political point on the backs of hurting Americans. You also fail to mention that cutting off the only income for over 10% of the population will also increase the deficit through lower tax receipts. I played by all the rules, getting my Bachelor and Master degrees from top tier schools while working two jobs at times to pay for it. I have worked since I was 16 and have never had a need to take the Unemployment Insurance I have earned, but now it is the only thing keeping my family afloat. Historically our government has always extended the protection unemployment insurance provides during times of high unemployment. It is a short term fix to protect Americans until the job creation engine revs up again. I don’t seem to remember your fiscal discipline during the Bush years. (Lest you forget the surplus at the beginning of his term, the tax cuts you put through Congress and the two unfunded wars you put us in.) In case you have not looked out of your Ivory Tower lately, REAL AMERICANS ARE HURTING! There are five unemployed workers for every job out there. I have applied for over 100 jobs during my time on unemployment, tapped my network for any assistance available, and attended numerous job fairs. I have certainly realized that I won’t be able to find a job that pays nearly what I made before, but have been told numerous times I am overqualified and the company does not want to hire someone they think will move on to a better paying position as soon as the market improves. I think you have been in Washington too long and have forgotten who you represent. You are forcing me to leave the great state I love and pursue opportunities in states that are growing. I thought we were trying to keep the best and brightest in our state. You either want me to throw my education away or give it to another state. How is that representing the best for Kentucky? It’s a shame you are not up for re-election this year because by the time we will finally be able to Ditch Mitch, I will most likely be living in a new state. Thanks again Senator McConnell.

My husband was out of work for 8 months back in 2006, the stress caused a breakdown and he and our family fought our way back, even though we lost our home and went into bankruptcy. That was then - this is now. Now, is very different. We have a landlord that, due to our past credit history (which was so good before the job loss), informed us that if we are one day late with the rent we will be evicted. If we can’t pay our rent, we can’t pay our COBRA which is at 35% until September. So, basically, now, we face eviction, homelessness and what? We can’t put our dauaghter in a shelter. We do not qualify for the Medicaid or food stamps because my husband has a small Social Security pension which he took to survive. But, this small amount, which doesn’t even pay our rent, puts us over the limit for help.
These senators are not seeing the real picture and so what if we rant and carry on, in a few weeks we will be doing it from a street corner. My husband is 63 and would work if he could, he has medical issues and I have a heart condition. Do they care? They have no statistics they can use to see how many have died as a result of their inaction, lack of compassion and basically, selfishness.

I have never been unemployed before. I have been
working for 18 years, until last year when my employer
went belly up.
I’ve been getting unemployment checks since being laid off 1yr ago in Nevada… They stopped 3 weeks ago… I have no way of paying my electric bill, which dosen’t
matter, because I will be getting thrown out of my apt in six days anyway. If this unemployment bill dosen’t pass, can some of these senators loan me some rent
money til they make up their minds so i won’t have to live in my car with my 7 yr old?
PLEASE HELP!

I have been unemployed since June 09. I have posted over 200 resumes in my field and filled out applications in every other possible opening, from convenience store clerk to pizza delivery.
I have lost my home and am living with family. I have lost all self pride and nearly all hope.
I have three children, the oldest of wich is serving in Afganastan. He joined the military because I advised him to serve his country, wich we both love….. wich I am currently ashamed.
After 26 years of working, and paying taxes, and serving my country, and doing all that I am expected to do, I am left out in the cold. My benefits expired May 29th and I’m scared.

I have worked for 18 years and never been on unemployment.I was laid off 3 times from 3 separate jobs in one year in Arizona.I have 250 applications I have filled out and had response back from 20 employers who all declined me a position.Now unemployment says I have to wait to find out if I get an extension like the government promised until they decide on this bill.This is garbage to say the least and I expect more from the United States of America.I am a stay home dad now with a 4 year old boy and a 9 year old daughter home for the summer break.I try to teach them the best and encourage them about being good people.It gets hard sometimes to teach them these things when we have an economic system that has failed.There is supposed to be a future for Americans and something called an American dream.

I live in Virginia and I am a 56 year old woman and have been out of work since December 2007 and I been looking for work and have not found anything. I have been working since I was 16 year old and I did not even thank that it would be this hard to find a job. Most jobs are looking for younger people and I have been everywhere. I have received my last unemployment check Januarty 2010 and I had to move in with my daughter because I could not afford to stay where I was because I did not have any money coming in. Right now I only getting food stamps. I do not even have money to get my medicine that the unemployment check I was receiving was helping me to get my medicine and was helping me to pay my light bill. Now I have to rely on my daughter to pay for my medicine and she cannot even can’t do this because she have to girls she is raising and it is very depressing depending on her and this have reallyt affert me mentallly and physically.

There are over 750 more of these. If you think the unemployed are just a bunch of slackers, or that you can't find yourself among them, go read.