COMMENTARY | In the course of the next few weeks, two states will phase out 20 weeks of their emergency unemployment and extensions programs, effectively shortening the number of weeks where unemployment benefits are available to 79.
According to Arthur Delaney at Huffington Post, Michigan and Maine are set to be "triggered off" the program. And if there weren't already enough 99ers, it would appear their number is about the increase considerably, especially since the number of weeks of unemployment assistance in 30 other states where the program is in effect will follow suit through June.
That is without the additional weight of more 99ers that could be generated without the passage of the bill to reauthorize emergency and unemployment extension benefits that is being considered by the bipartisan Congressional Joint Economics Committee.
No reauthorization would entail cutting off the funding for the entire tier system of unemployment benefits created for the long-term unemployed. In some states that allows individuals to be eligible for benefits for up to 99 weeks. That same Joint Economics Committee issued a report that noted 3.3 million would exhaust their benefits by June without reauthorization.
It would appear politicians on Capitol Hill, as they performed their antagonistic dance in December, passed into effect a provision that does away with the last 20 weeks of extensions. They did so by using the metric of a state's unemployment rate and whether it was high and rising when compared with a corresponding period over the previous three years.
Michigan's unemployment rate is falling. Maine is at 7 percent, already below the regular national cut-off rate, historically set at 7.2 percent.
But notice this was done in December when the stated unemployment rate was 8.6 percent. Besides the general worry over not passing a reauthorization, most were distracted in December by the circus that was the continuing flood of Republican debates and the argument in Congress over whether the wealthy would be taxed at a higher rate.
Now the loss of the extended benefits program is being triggered. And that means those that would have normally applied for the extra 20 weeks of benefits can no longer do so. At 79 weeks, these individuals will become members of the jobless and benefitless population.
A survey by the Congressional Research Office revealed in January 2011 the "official" number of 99ers was 1.4 million. Even though they have become somewhat organized and petitioned for a Tier 5, it would appear their plight has been ignored. It would also seem Congress, led by spending cuts-motivated Republicans, have decided unemployment benefits, albeit 20 weeks of extended benefits, were no longer necessary for the long-term jobless in an improving economy.
The national unemployment rate is at 8.3 percent (12.8 million individuals), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest report. And it should be noted Republicans wanted to scale back the system another 20 weeks, making the total duration of eligibility 59 weeks.
But attacking the unemployment benefits Tier system is not exclusive to Washington. State governments like Florida, Missouri and Michigan have done their part in reducing the number of weeks of eligibility or toughened eligibility requirements. Michigan passed legislation to downsize its regular period of unemployment benefits payouts to 20 weeks (formerly 26 weeks).
So will the 99ers begin to consider a name change, maybe call themselves 79ers instead?
If Congress and states continue to cut into the unemployment extensions, the number of weeks could conceivably fall back to less than half a year. In some states the long-term jobless might even want to call themselves 49ers.
No. Wait. That wouldn't work. Too confusing. There are already 49ers in San Francisco. And, besides, those guys have jobs.
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