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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLawmaker Unemployment Hearing Attended By Only a Single Member of Congress At Opening
WASHINGTON -- More than five years since the start of the Great Recession, unemployment remains a major economic problem in the United States, with long-term unemployment among its most stubborn aspects.
Nobody told Congress.
A hearing Thursday on long-term unemployment held before the 19-member Joint Economic Committee began with just a single lawmaker in attendance. Panelists testifying on the problem and its potential solutions spoke only to Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the committee's vice-chair, for the beginning of the roughly 90-minute session.
The all-but-complete absence of congressional interest was first documented by National Journal reporter Niraj Chokshi, who tweeted a photo of the hearing. Shortly after the photo was posted, several other lawmakers did trickle in to participate. Sen. Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.) arrived eight minutes into the hearing. Once the hearing had been under way for 35 minutes, Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.) was also in attendance, according to Chokshi. Eventually Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) also joined, bringing the crowd to four.
More than 4.6 million Americans have been jobless for at least 27 weeks, according to the latest job figures, a rate of 3.0 percent. That's higher than at any point since World War II, including the 2.6-percent peak during the recession of the early 1980s. The official unemployment rate currently stands at 7.6 percent, down from 10.0 percent at the recession's darkest moments, although much of the reduction has been due to people leaving the workforce -- simply giving up hope of finding a job.
Nobody told Congress.
A hearing Thursday on long-term unemployment held before the 19-member Joint Economic Committee began with just a single lawmaker in attendance. Panelists testifying on the problem and its potential solutions spoke only to Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the committee's vice-chair, for the beginning of the roughly 90-minute session.
The all-but-complete absence of congressional interest was first documented by National Journal reporter Niraj Chokshi, who tweeted a photo of the hearing. Shortly after the photo was posted, several other lawmakers did trickle in to participate. Sen. Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.) arrived eight minutes into the hearing. Once the hearing had been under way for 35 minutes, Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.) was also in attendance, according to Chokshi. Eventually Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) also joined, bringing the crowd to four.
More than 4.6 million Americans have been jobless for at least 27 weeks, according to the latest job figures, a rate of 3.0 percent. That's higher than at any point since World War II, including the 2.6-percent peak during the recession of the early 1980s. The official unemployment rate currently stands at 7.6 percent, down from 10.0 percent at the recession's darkest moments, although much of the reduction has been due to people leaving the workforce -- simply giving up hope of finding a job.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/24/lawmaker-unemployment-hearing_n_3148362.html
Photo: one lawmaker, maybe a few journalists
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Lawmaker Unemployment Hearing Attended By Only a Single Member of Congress At Opening (Original Post)
Triana
Apr 2013
OP
MotherPetrie
(3,145 posts)1. Fucking shameful
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)2. Oh good grief, they all have jobs, what's the problem?
Hell, over half of them are so wealthy they don't need to work anyway, they only do this for a hobby.
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)3. It is long past time to throw all of them out of office.
And I do mean all! This is too irresponsible to be acceptable on any level.
Triana
(22,666 posts)4. It's crystal clear who they're there for...
It's blatantly obvious it's NOT us!
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)5. Exactly!
And I am sick, sick, sick of it.
magellan
(13,257 posts)6. "Lawmaker unemployment" has a nice ring to it. n/t
Triana
(22,666 posts)7. Sure does!
All of them, including "Democrats" who can't even be bothered to represent the Middle Class & poor anymore. F@ck 'em all.