A kind voter in the East Valley who's read my posts forwarded to me the response received when she wrote Jeff Flake about extending her unemployment benefits, which have expired:
Dear Ms. Jackson,
Thank you for contacting me about the extension of unemployment benefits.
You know all too well that a sluggish economy has resulted in increasing unemployment. The causes for the country's economic situation are complex and numerous. The federal/state unemployment compensation program provides partial wage replacement checks to people who are involuntarily unemployed. The federal Department
of Labor oversees the program, while each state designs and administers its own benefits packages.
The extension of unemployment benefits offers little in the way of job creation. Quite to the contrary of their stated intent, jobless benefits hurt laid-off employees in the long run because the programs seek to temporarily fix a problem, instead of implementing a long term-solution. The best jobless benefit an individual can receive is a job offer.
As such, I generally vote against these types of bills when they are considered by the House of Representatives.
A better approach would be to reduce the tax burden on individuals and small businesses. Reducing the the burden on small businesses would provide employers with the resources to hire additional workers.
I will continue to push for responsible federal policies that promote the growth of the economy that will, in turn, provide the resources for employers to hire additional people.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to do so again in the future. I also encourage you to visit my website, which may be found at http://flake.house.gov/.
Sincerely,
JEFF FLAKE
Member of Congress
What a miserable excuse for a human being. Jeff Flake is working hard to cut taxes for the rich and his corporate benefactors while denying struggling working-class people a lifeline. The corporation that laid off this worker and hundreds of others is one of Jeff Flake's biggest campaign donors!
There's not even a word of compassion for this American citizen's plight, no easy-to-say "I'm sorry you're suffering financially" throwaway line that would cost this cheap Flake nothing. The letter reeks of the condescension and contempt of the cold-hearted intellectual that Flake is.
How is this person supposed to live, you asshole career politician?
If you're as mad as I am about this, and as mad as Rebecca Schneider, the Democratic candidate running against Jeff Flake, please join her campaign's demonstration this Wednesday:
The Rebecca Schneider for Congress campaign will be staging a protest in front of Jeff Flake's Mesa Office. We will be wearing cardboard barrels, since Mr. Flake doesn't seem to care if his constituents lose their last remaining lifeline and self respect.
Join us on Wednesday, July 21th from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m., 1640 S. Stapley Drive, Mesa 85204.
Come dressed in grungy T-shirt and shorts. Barrels will be provided on site.
As President Obama said today, "That attitude [Jeff Flake's] reflects a lack of faith in the American people. They’re not looking for a handout. They desperately want to work."
