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Mark Potter / NBC News
Juan and Gina Montes from Miami discuss how difficult their financial situation has been since Juan has been out of work for three years.
By Mark Potter, NBC News Correspondent
MIAMI – In a well-kept home along a quiet street, Juan Montes practices his guitar and hopes it will bring temporary respite from the worries, shame and financial pressures of long-term unemployment in America.
For nearly 30 years, Montes worked in construction to support his family. After he was laid off from U.S. Steel in Ohio in 1983, he became a wallpaper installer. He then moved to South Florida in 1991 and eventually got a general contractor’s license. He did remodeling jobs, home additions, office construction and build-outs of medical facilities. Then three years ago, as the United States fell into recession, the bottom fell out of the construction industry and the 57-year-old hasn't been able to find work since.
Without work, Montes and his wife have run out of money. Her part-time job as an assistant administrator for a retirement fund doesn't cover expenses and provides no insurance. The family faces tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, and this once proud provider is now feeling very low emotionally.
The Senate failed to pass President Obama's jobs bill, even as the unemployment rate remained steady at 9.1 percent in September. NBC's Mark Potter looks at the faces of those hardest-hit by the lack of jobs nationwide.
"It makes you feel like less of a man," Montes said. "When you've done everything for yourself all your life and it's not there anymore, that security, it's a bad feeling."
Worst of all, Montes recently had to ask his grown son for help in paying his utility bill. "I'm not supposed to be asking my son for help. I'm supposed to be helping him."
Upset with Washington
Montes' wife, Gina, is frustrated with the endless bickering among politicians and the lack of progress in Washington toward improving the economy and adding jobs. She wishes members of Congress would stand in her shoes for a while and feel what it’s like to have to struggle to make ends meet.
"We've been begging and borrowing and humiliating ourselves. Let them see how that feels, let them know that it's not good," she said.
When asked how she believes elected representatives would feel if they actually did walk in her shoes, she replied, "They wouldn't feel very good right now. They would not. They would feel like something has to be done."
Her husband believes Congress is "oblivious" to the emotional and financial suffering of the unemployed. "I don't sleep, I sleep an hour here, I sleep an hour there. I walk the house, what am I going to do?" Montes said.
He agrees with his wife that politicians need to reach agreement on how to create jobs. "They've just got to stop fighting with each other. We're supposed to be all Americans!"
‘I don't know how I'm going to make it’
Michael McGowan from Farmington Hills, near Detroit, has been teaching music at elementary and middle schools for 17 years, but is now looking for work. He recently received a notice by mail that he will be laid off.
Juan Montes a general contractor who has been out of work for three years discusses his frustrations.
"I was very, very shocked. You wouldn't think that having a job for 17 years that you'd be looking at something like this." The 43-year-old father of two children, including a daughter approaching college age, is now deeply concerned about his future.
"I don't know how I'm going to make it. I don't know how I'm going to make my mortgage, how I'm going to make all those bills."
He has told his kids that everything will be fine, but isn't certain about how they really feel about it. "I don't know if they understand," he said. "Sure they know what's happening, but I don't think the actual ramifications have set in yet."
Crowded jobs fair
In Southaven, Miss., more than 800 miles from the gridlock on Capitol Hill, an employment fair this week drew more than 2,500 people seeking the approximately 500 jobs being offered by local employers.
Among the many faces in the long lines was that of Glyn Jenkins, who had lost her job at a mental health facility. "You just don't know which way to turn and it's hard to get support, because there are so many people out there in the same boat."
Charles Kimler, who is in his 50s, came to the job fair wearing a suit, hoping to find work after losing his job of 30 years in the service industry. His girlfriend helps him as much as she can, but Kimler said he still can't pay all his bills now.
Mark Potter / NBC News
Glyn Jenkins, who lost her job at a mental facility, recently visited a job fair, along with 2,500 other people, in Southhaven, Miss.
"I'm basically broke," he said. "I don't sleep at night, you know, it's just a constant strain on my emotions and my psyche and everything else."
Another job seeker, Patricia Allen, used to own a small house cleaning business until it folded during the economic downturn. She is frustrated by going on job interviews but never getting a call back. And she is angry with America's political leaders.
"They are out of touch in Washington, they're definitely out of touch," she said. "When election time comes they talk about what they're going to do, and when you put them in office they don't live up to their words."
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I paid about 57,000 into Soc Sec over my working career; I helped build schools, bridges, city halls, the transalaska pipeline, homes, I worked hard and didn't whine. I wish I had a buck for every time I came home so tired I could barely take my boots off. But I did what was asked of me and helped build my nation. I was a union steward, and a small business owner.
I worked my way through college and paid my student loan, being late only once.
I drew unenjoyment only once in 40 years and never had food stamps, welfare or anything like it. I like working. Now there isn't any; I was informed that unemployment is only good for 47 weeks instead of 90. I am taking SS early. If I make over 14k the tax rate is 50%. However, when I thought it over, if that higher tax helps my nation survive financially, so be it. Just how it is. Grim. There are hungry people in America, while we hand out billions overseas. Soldier agents with suitcases of 100s to pay for zapping some relative in some country half way around the world in an undeclared war.
I hit a good lick and earned my keep. I don't need some condescending Rich Preppie wanting to privatize Soc Sec, or other entitlements; it is the least we can do for workin fools like me when we run out of years and strength. Worked with alot of fine Americans who were like uncles to me when young. You clueless politicians and corporate predators are way out in lama lama land when it comes to considering the realities of your fellow Americans. Take a moment and treat your fellow Americans like family and we will emerge from this crisis stronger and more mature as a people. Ignore and continue the rhetoric and we will have hell to pay with checks which bounce. Repo our Nation, in a unviolent manner. Amen. JJ
Nobody is trying to privatize Social Security. That has not been mentioned by anyone as part of a solution to keep it solvent for another 75 years.
Medicare is another situation. The data is clear. There is no way to keep Medicare in its' current structure and be able to pay for it. It was never fully funded since day 1. The unfunded mandate it represents today is over $30 trillion. We have already waited so long to make necessary changes that even if those changes were made today, it would be very painful for many. The longer we wait to restructure Medicare, the more draconian the fix will need to be.
There have been numerous attempts to privatize Soc Sec since its begining.
The most recent was Bush the Younger. Had we all put our Soc Sec into the stock market at that time and it crashed, no safety net. Wide spread suffering.
I beg to differ, there are many Republicans working to privatize the program, but know they will be voted out of office by the baby boomers, which they will be if they mess with it. . Preserve Social Security for our kids and grandkids.
Only because it has been raided and used as slush fund/general fund is it problematic. I don't know if they even left IOU's . The Fund was misused and we borrowed from our collective retirement. I call for Congressional Investigation, but after contacting 15 key senators no response whatsoever.
The truth would be hard to take. We owe respect to FDR, the great man who got us outa the depression and guided our nation to winning WW2. He was instrumental in establishing Social Security and we need to preserve it period. For future generations.
blah blah blah so many low lifes take advantage of ss & medicare that there is not enough left for the ones who truly need it. Don't kid yourselfs that this is not the truth, just look around.
I believe it. The GOP death cheer. It says it all. Not one republican said anything to say its wrong or out of wack.
You want to know about High treason.
Read about USMC Doudley , War is a racket and Business plot.
Then go to Matt tabai. SEC , FBI , police everyone is bought . The power of money.
Time to what I had to do years ago.
Declare bankruptcy.
You can do Chapter 13 twice in one lifetime.
After that, change career fields and get a job.
Worked for me, it can work for you too.
Blame CAPITALISM..Its that simple.
Read your history, always turns into a oligarchy and plutocracy like it is today..
NOTHING will ever change unless you want it too..
"Where working people own and control the means of production and distribution through democratically-controlled public agencies; where full employment is realized for everyone who wants to work; where workers have the right to form unions freely, and to strike and engage in other forms of job actions; and where the production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few"
Capitalism built America.
To say anything else is treason to your own country.
treason is not having a different political opinion than you. it is the only crime in the Constitution. look it up.
The Constitution grants all Americans "freedom of speech". You're free to say what you feel. Enough of the treason crap!!
Capitalism didn't build America. The government used public resources to build buisnesses that became monopolies in the late 1800s. President Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican and hero of Progressives, had to do a lot of trust busting, because the corporate monopolies were destroying small businesses. After President Roosevelt, the corporate oligarchy took control, and converted a post-war recession into the Great Depression. Progressives build America by trimming the excesses of unbridled corporate capitalism.
Capitalism blended with Checks/Balances of Government and Social Programs. What we have now is what the founding father A. Hamilton wanted; Centralized Government and strong ties to Banking and Commercial interests; the Stock Market. What we may want to reconsider is the opponent to this, the other founding father, Thomas Jefferson. Decentralized Government, States Rights, emphasis on Science and Agriculture.
The back and forth nature of our opposing parties is like alternating current;we find an average mean path of power. Capitalism unchecked and deregulated has people out on the streets demonstrating and kicked out of their homes; so long as we avoid violence, we will maintain the flow of juice. But right now we have some serious shorts, and imbalance. Like the hokey pokey...left foot in....right foot in...left foot in...right foot in... JJ
What is a "monopoly" if not capitalism?
Sometimes everything gets out of hand.
But YES capitalism built America.
There can be no disputing that.
AND capitalism will rebuild America.
Watch.
You want treason. I give you treason. USMC Smedley,
Butler alleged the existence of a political conspiracy of Wall Street interests to overthrow President , a series of allegations that came to be known in the media as the Business Plot.
I love America, but I will admit that this country is in shambles both economically and politically.
Voters are not going to do anything different in 2012. We will probably elect either a Republican or a Democrat because Americans believe that those are the only two parties in existence. The administrations of Bush and Obama have once and for all proven that both parties suck.
To be fair, greed knows no party lines. If there were a new BFE party, it would be twice as corrupt because it does not have the established greed connections...but greed is still there.
GREED is also an ingrained root in America (and even more so in other countries).
The desire to achieve is built into all of us.
Some people take advantage of this, the weak, just stand their with hands out and expect them to be filled.
How come Americans are not exercising their right to demand that the president and congress be impeached? The American people put them in office and the American people have the right to kick them out. If only Americans actually gave a damn about it and did something more than just complain about. If America as a united country, ( united...yeah right) stood as one, Obama would have been out of office already.
Amazing how Clinton had the word impeachment thrown his way just because he getting blow jobs by Monica Lewinsky, yet Obama and congress are destroying America, and no one cares. So sad!!!
The defunct electoral college puts them in office (presidents).
Not the people.
If you have been voting for a president all these years, you have been doing nothing but wasting time.
Last time I voted was when Reagan ran for president. Haven't voted at all since. I don't want to waste my time, that's for sure.
Oh, now that explains your previous post, Nick1970-3617005!
Actually chapter 7 might even be better for you.
It keeps the lawyers fed, and ties up the court system.
So, you are doing both yourself a favor, and doing a public service.
When you folks vote liberals out off office, our jobs will return.
Alabama is setting up checkpoints this weekend to deport people like this
q
I was lucky enough to retire just as George W. Bush torpedoed the country with two ill-advised wars, costing many lives and many dollars. Tell me the present state of affairs is not the works of a republican president taking a solvent country and driving it off a cliff. Anyone? Anyone?
As our first young person lost their life in Iraq, I advocated undercover warriors, cash for info and swift and silent death to our enemies but no, G.W. wanted to ride into town with guns blazing. Mission Accomplished. I hope he doesn't sleep well.
Agreed.
The USA needs a USA-First economic policy. No more outsourcing, offshoring, China marts, Fed bubble machine loaning our money interest free to Wall Street chiselers (so they can loan it back to us at 29.99%), no more obscene Wall Street bonuses and bailouts, trade imbalances, currency rigging, foreign energy addiction, etc. Circle the wagons, everyone pull together, rebuild this nation. The resources are here, the talent is here, the will to work is here (well, at least the bottom 99%). Let's roll!
There is no way to control where corporations decide to expand their operations, where they hire or where they fire. And no money is being loaned to our financial institutions right now by the Fed, the U.S. Treasury or any other government entity. The banks are paying almost nothing on cash accounts, but interest rates are too low for that to make much of a difference. Numerous business programs have talked about how banks need higher interest rates to get back to more normal profitability.
Key word is "loaned". Eliminated ALL TAX BREAKS for companies that have employees payed over $1 million dollars or have moved some/part of their operations overseas. You are still smoking something dude.... Think American! Not "insert my party here".
Montes and others can be mad at Washington all it wants but it does nothing to create jobs or change their situation. I was once told, that "if its to be, its up to me". Washington cannot bail everyone out, but it can help. The Montes need to look into social programs available to them, its sounds like they qualify for food stamps, help with their utilities and other expenses. Yes, its difficult to ask for help when you never did, but now is the time to act. There is nothing wrong for asking help from your children, believe me if the situation were reverse, your children would be on your door step. Obama's job plan will not help the Montes because he does not fall in the three categories that his job bill will help, teachers, public servants and union jobs. Using tax payers money to create jobs is not sustainable, those jobs will dry up in time. Obama passed two jobs bill over the last two years and those jobs dried up because they were funded by tax payers. Job creation start with corporations and consumer spend which will result in supply and demand. When demand is up, jobs will be created. Obama needs to help corporations and assist consumers to drive spending.
As John Lennon said: "Give peace a chance" Imagine a world with no greed, no politics, no religion, no war" Some day the world will be like this, it has no choice. Probably after humans have killed themselves off.
It would be nice to have Lennon's vision.
But it will never happen.
Humans will be extinct long before then.
there but for the grace of God go I.
also, no good person can be a repubelitard.
joeblowski may god strike you down for that comment
I agree President Obama leaves a lot to be desired, but it was GEORGE W. BUSH who started this nations decent into hell. As for the present elected officials, they should be burned at the stake for their child-like conduct. They have neither the intelligence or desire to do anything whatsoever to help this nation recover that might be in agreement with the opposite party. Everyone of them needs to be thrown out of office, but even then they will never experience the pain & suffering the American family is experiencing simply because they have provided themselves a very substantial retirement income. Each are a disgrace to this once great country and each of them is a blood brother to BENEDICT ARNOLD!
Actually, our unemployment rate for both 2006 and 2007 was just 4.6%, a full employment economy. Reid and Pelosi took control of the Congress in 2007 and that is when the economy started to fall apart.
Yes Peter you are correct they did take control in 2007, but from 2002 to 2006 the republicans control the House, Senate, and the Presidency. That only happen one other time when Johnson was President back in the 60's. Peter the "Mess" had aready started to happen when Pelosi and Reid took over. Nothing happens in a year, most experts say the down turn started in December of 2007. So once again the Democracts walked into another failed Republican mess. Go Figure!
47 million on welfare ..
1 % on easy street.
ah nuh. 1% with blood on there hands. Blood that is like a river.
They show there ugly heads. GOP death cheer.
USMC Smedley will not go away. High treason for the 1%.
Unfortunately we are in a perfect storm where people like Mr. Montes may never find another job. The construction industry will take years to improve - and no one believes it will be like it was 10 years ago ever again. The government is so far in debt that it is unable to spend trillions on job programs, and private companies have their pick of employees and those with specialized skills that aren't needed aren't being hired. There simply is no easy solution.
No. thats what the Rebankstercans want you to believe. The truth is the USA is at 100% debt. They could do a real deal program just like Rossovelt did.
Thats right. Spend 3 trillion dollars. Why not? WHat to do with that loot? America has 2 million aging bridges and other infracture that is aging. Then ontop of that we need smarter ways to work and commute. We need to solve the congestion problem.
Theres lots to do. The other thing is to make america more efficient. Get rid of our dependence on foreign oil.
Just remmeber, in construction , only 50% of the work at the site is the job. The rest of the work is outside the worksite.
IF they wanted to stop this recession. They can.
Why dont they? How else do the rich become so rich. When there is volatile markets. Thats the secret.
What are the odds of anyone unemployed would be helped by Obama's "job's" bill? If the government ereally wanted to help, it would hire all 14 million unemployed. Imagine if you can, no unemployment in America; no Poverty. Why not support a real jobs bill that will actually employ people? Obama's jobs bill calls for the appropriation and very little hiring. That $250 billion in tax reduction goes to employed people.
Chuck and mrcmos
You insensitive dicks. Man up? do the math you wieners. There's more people than there are jobs right now. Start your own business or changing your business model isn't going to get it. There's so many people out of work that there's no demand.
GROW UP,GROW A PAIR and learn to have a little empathy and as a favor to everyone here, stick with calling in to Rush Lintballs.
As long as there are Republicans in Congress this will continue. People in America are beginning to realize that the Republicans are out to break the middle class in this country so that they and their rich friends and corporations can rule unchallenged.
Republicans have done more damage to America in the last decade than the Commies did during the whole fifty-some years of the cold war. And it's still going on. They just killed the jobs bill in the Senate. I don't know why Harry Reid doesn't have them arrested for treason.
Fight back!!! Occupy Wall St.!!!
Labor Dept stats say the average time to be unemployeed in this downturn is 6.6 months.
Fortunately, most who lose a job are able to find another within a year. For some it has been multiple cycles of lose job - new job.
Stats also say if your out for more than a year, your chances of another job is slim at best.
Lesson: If you lose your job, a "government paid vacation" can end your career.
boohoohoo! cry me a river! i was forced to quit my job of 10 years after a back
injury and i got NOTHING except a few medical bills paid not like now you can
get a lawyer to get millions for spilling hot coffee on you or somebody said a
bad word about you! I didn't cry and whine and felt sorry for myself. I cut grass
and painted houses for more than a year until i saved enough money and picked
up and moved to California and found a job! and i lived check to check with 2 guys
in an apartment! boohoohoo poor me! then i moved back to New Orleans and found
a job that i've been at since 92! and i knew nothing about jewelry when i got the job
but i was an artist and i had other skills i had developed! I'm sick of all these people
especially the youth and the protesters crying i want this and i want that and i want
what they have and i don't have it! boohoohoo! life isn't fair you cry babies!
I don't like my job and it's caused lots of stress and health issues but I didn't quit!
I can see age being an issue in the competition for work, but if you are physically capable there's got to be some form of maintenance job he could try for with his experience, then again he may know too much to get hired over Daddy's boy or Uncle Joe's nephew.
I just saw in the news that the Congress and Obama can work together in a bipartisan fashion and do something good for the country. The free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea were passed in both the House and the Senate with large, bipartisan majorities. It is a shame it took this long to get them approved after Bush first negotiated them, but better late than never. It will take some time to get the positive benefit of new jobs as our exports climb as a result of these agreements, but it should start to help businesses feel more confident.
So get ready to vote for Herman Cain as your Republican candidate... right? I like the 9/9/9 he has proposed. How about you? Remember, think AMERICAN!
Peter
Have you ever been to one of these third world counties that we have made free trade agreements with, and have seen for yourself how the global economy works?
For those of you who are unemployed and want a little advice, here is some advice from a wise man beyond his years - Listen to "The River", "Standing Outside The Fire". and "Unanswered Prayers" by Garth Brooks, "Silver Thunderbird" by Marc Cohn, "Fireflies" by Owl City, and "More" by Usher and just remember that being unemployed doesn't have to be the end of the world. All of those songs, once you learn the hidden messages behind them, are great songs that offer guidance through most, if not all, aspects of life.
I am a hard worker and I have the battle scars to prove it. If I come home so stiff, sore, and tired that I can't even step into the shower, then I know I had a good day at work. If you see me out at the local convenience store with clothes stained black and me looking like a black man with Vitiligo, then it should be obvious to you that I am either on break from a very physical but very exciting job or I'm just stopping for a drink on my way home from work.
No unemployed dirty pot smoking hippies?!?!?! ALL LIES!!