Thankfully Obama is ready to negotiate with them on tax cuts for the richest Americans. Surely caving in this time will work, right? Washington is probably upset that Wall Street bonuses will probably be down this year and who can really live on $400,000 - $500,000 per year? (An average range, of course, but how can one live on such chump change?) If Wall Street is prepared to cut back, everyone else should be ready to cut back, right? Just imagine how rough it's going to be for Wall Street traders to provide proper holiday gifts with so little? At least we know that we're all in this together and our brave leaders in Washington understand the situation.
Let them eat cake.
Extended unemployment benefits for nearly 2 million Americans begin to run out Wednesday, cutting off a steady stream of income and guaranteeing a dismal holiday season for people already struggling with bills they cannot pay.
Unless Congress changes its mind, benefits that had been extended up to 99 weeks will end this month.
That means Christmas is out of the question for Wayne Pittman, 46, of Lawrenceville, Ga., and his wife and 9-year-old son. The carpenter was working up to 80 hours a week at the beginning of the decade, but saw that gradually drop to 15 hours before it dried up completely. His last $297 check will go to necessities, not presents.
