Smirk This: Oil Giants Profit, Working Families Struggle to Pay the Bills

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/01/29/smirk-this-oil-giants-profit-working-families-struggle-to-pay-bills/

by Tula Connell, Jan 29, 2008

The Campaign for America’s Future website captured the essence of last night’s State of the Union (SOTU) address when the progressive organization titled its package of SOTU articles: Smirk of the Union. Indeed, while working families face the loss of their homes, lack of health care on their jobs, skyrocketing debt and low-wage jobs, President Bush figuratively—and literally—smirks.



When Bush recognized individual audience members in the Capitol during his speech last night, he somehow missed the 9/11 workers who sacrificed their health in the minutes and weeks after the terrorist attacks, and yet who can’t get health care coverage for the often debilitating conditions that ensued. The 9/11 workers, attending the State of the Union address as guests of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, held a press conference on Capitol Hill yesterday to ask: “Is the state of our union strong enough to provide for the health needs of 9/11 workers?”

Bush didn’t acknowledge the 9/11 workers and didn’t mention their plight. He also left out a lot of other issues that are breaking the economic foundations of America’s middle class and working class. So, in the spirit of SOTU, smirk this:

* A recession this year would likely raise the unemployment rate between 2.1 and 3.8 percentage points, increasing the number of unemployed Americans by between 3.2 million and 5.8 million, according to a report released today by the Center for Economic and Policy Research. The report predicts the unemployment rate and the number of unemployed would continue to increase through 2010 or 2011 and would range between 6.7 percent and 8.4 percent. Black unemployment would increase to between 11.3 percent and 15.5 percent.


FULL story at link.