New Report: 32,861 New Mexicans in Danger of Losing Unemployment Benefits

Multitudes of out-of-work Americans, including New Mexicans, are in danger of losing their already meagre unemployment benefits thanks to the craven political tactics of Republicans in Congress. Working every minute and with all its might to preserve the Bush tax cuts for our wealthiest citizens, the GOP is saying publicly that they will stop every single piece of legislation -- including the extension of unemployment benefits -- until they get their way.

It should be clear to everyone by now that the GOP has two goals and two goals only -- to protect moneyed interests and stop Obama and the Democrats from passing anything that can be considered a "victory" of any sort. In other words, they are playing with the economic survival of American workers and families in order to satisfy their greedy donors and their own selfish political ambitions. They are essentially attempting to blackmail Democrats -- and the nation -- by refusing to deal with our pressing problems until they force us to protect the tax status of the rich, no matter the cost. Has anyone ever witnessed a modern political party being as devoid of honor and compassion as the Republicans in Congress are right now?

Pump Up the Fierce
What we need now from the President and our Dem members of Congress is a very public, repetitive and passionate response to Republican obstructionism. We need to see them bring the fight to TV and print media hour by hour, day by day, until all Americans can see just how craven and venal the GOP is behaving in the face of widespread economic suffering. Meek statements about supporting an extension are not enough -- we need to see some righteous anger to match the righteous anger that is roiling out beyond the Beltway bubble as middle class families, workers, seniors and the jobless feel increasingly abandoned in favor of political gamesmanship by those who are supposed to represent them.

Hey President Obama, there's a bully pulpit there awaiting your use in marshaling the forces of the nation to call a spade a spade and shame the Republicans into backing down. Hey Senators and Representatives -- get out there in the mainstream media and show some gumption, some guts, some balls in fighting for what's right for ordinary Americans. Enough is enough. If you don't, I don't see how we can get anywhere on the pressing problems we face -- or how the Democrats will be in any position to win elections in 2012. It's that bad.

The Facts on Unemployment
In the meantime, the White House Council of Economic Advisors has released new data that demonstrate clearly that a failure by Congress to act on extending unemployment benefits will have stark consequences for New Mexico residents and others nationwide.

Over the course of the next year, nearly seven million workers across the country -- including 32,861 in New Mexico -- will lose the temporary support that helps them keep food on the table and make ends meet while they search for a job if Congress fails to act.

“Extending this support to those hardest hit by this crisis is not only the right thing to do, it's the right economic policy,” said CEA Chairman Austan Goolsbee in a statement released today. “Letting millions more Americans fall into hardship will hurt our economy at this critical point in our recovery and immediately undermine consumer spending.”

Without extended benefits, New Mexico would have had 3,083 fewer jobs as of September 2010, and failure to act to extend benefits again could cost the state 2,899 jobs by the end of next year.

Obviously, benefits for the jobless are particularly important during the holiday season. In addition to providing support for families when they need it most, the positive effects of the program on the economy are likely to be greater since American families tend to spend more during the holiday season. In December alone, two million Americans will lose their coverage if Congress fails to act, the report finds.

To view the full report, including more state-by-state numbers, click HERE (pdf).