Subj : The economy from a Catholic Viewpoint. To : ALL From : BOB KLAHN Date : Wed Jul 27 2011 15:58:10 *Let's Get Shonda and Bob Back to Work* /By Paul Sherry* Several days ago I attended a forum on "The Jobs Crisis-Moving to Action: A dialogue Between Workers and Policymakers" at the Washington DC office of the AFL-CIO. Two unemployed workers from Ohio, Shonda Sheen and Bob Stein, participated in that dialogue and told us their stories. Shonda Sheen was laid off in December, 2009, and is about to run out of unemployment benefits. Further, recent state budget cuts may cause her to lose the services of the health care nurse who helps care for her mother who has dementia. She desperately wants to work so she can care for herself and her family. Yet, at the last job she applied for, she was told 450 others had applied for the same position. She said: "All I want is a decent job. I want to work. I love to work. I'm scared. I don't know what's going to happen to my mother. I have a home to pay off." Bob Stein is a 60 year old, former salesman who has been out of work since May, 2010. He said to us, "I was set to lose unemployment as of the second or third week of December, and (politicians) were fighting back and forth and it was predicated on the Bush tax cuts. I was caught right in the middle of that. The thing that was so upsetting is when you heard about the number of people about to lose their unemployment check. I thought, "OK, I understand that you're adamant about this Bush tax cut thing, but you're holding us all hostage. You're playing politics with people's lives. People use their unemployment. This will stimulate and help the economy."" Shonda and Bob, in their struggle to survive, are not only reminding us of the plight of so many of our unemployed and underemployed; they are also pointing us toward the way out of the crisis we face. They are speaking truth to power and it is time the powers that be start to listen, lest the dire situation so many face worsens and our nation's economy continues its downward spiral: "All I want is a decent job." "People use their unemployment. This will stimulate and help the economy." It is time, long past time, to shift the primary focus of our attention from deficit reduction to job creation. This is not to say that deficits are not a problem. Deficits do need to be reduced over the long term but not at this moment and not on the backs of those most at risk. At this moment, with so many people out of work already, we dare not exacerbate the situation by enacting policies that will destroy more jobs rather than shaping policies to create new ones. To do so is both morally questionable and economically wrong. Shonda Sheen, Bob Stein and millions more like them need good jobs so that they can support themselves and their families. They need good jobs so that the taxes they pay with the money they earn can help restore the economy of this nation. If we want to reduce the deficit, if we want to address the budget crisis, one sure way is to create good jobs. Private jobs and, when needed, public jobs. There is a concrete way for you to help create a job for Shonda Sheen and Bob Stein. You can urge your congregation or other faith-based body to join Faith Advocates for Jobs, a campaign composed of over 40 faith-based national and regional organizations committed to support the unemployed and the underemployed and their families and to advocate for policies that will put people back to work and transform our nation's economy. Faith Advocates for Jobs believes that by putting our faith into action we can enlist 1000 congregations - Christian, Jewish, Muslim and others - in this so sorely needed effort. Please join with us. You can receive full information about Faith Advocates for Jobs and how to join with us on our newly created website: www.faithadvocatesforjobs.wordpress.com . I also will be happy to respond to any questions you might have about FAJ. My email address is: PSherry@iwj.org. The most significant way to resolve the budget crisis, the best way to relieve the severe suffering of millions of our nation's people, is by putting people back to work. So, together, let's do it. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good is a lay Catholic organization that promotes public policies and effective programs that enhance the inherent dignity of all, especially the poor and most vulnerable. Our work is inspired by Gospel values and the rich history of Catholic social teaching as they inform pressing moral issues of our time. We accomplish these goals through public policy analysis and advocacy, strategic media outreach, and engaging citizens in the service of the common good. http://www.catholicsinalliance.org BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn .... True Christianity-If anyone anywhere is hungry, it's your fault. --- Via Silver Xpress V4.5/P [Reg] * Origin: Since 1991 And Were Still Here! DOCSPLACE.TZO.COM (1:123/140) .