HR 3630 – Do Republican Congressmen Hate High School Dropouts?
Are you a high school dropout? You absolutely need to read this blog post.
This blog post passes the New York Times test.
What is my New York Times test?
Would I be proud or embarrassed if something I write were posted on the front page of the New York Times?
I stand by what I have written. It needs to be said.
December 21, 2011 – What was HR 3630?
Remember when President Obama and the U.S. Senate were trying to extend the Social Security tax cut for one more year? I don’t care to debate the good or bad of continuing the social security “tax break” which reduced the social security tax by 2% for 2011.
The U.S. Senate in December 2011 passed a bill extending the social security tax cut by another 2 months beginning January 1, 2012. Why they decided on 2 months I still don’t know. But the U.S. House of Representatives disagreed and passed HR 3630 extending the social security tax cut by 12 months but also throwing some unsavory clauses into HR 3630.
After some political maneuverings by President Obama and the U.S. Senate, House Speaker John Boehner reconvened the U.S. House of Representatives and they passed the Senate’s bill replacing their own HR 3630.
You’re a high school dropout, why should you care about HR 3630 passed by a Republican U.S. House of Representatives and later replaced?
A Republican congressman or congresswoman inserted a high school dropout penalty into HR 3630.
Read HR 3630 – High School Dropouts not Eligible for Unemployment
Outrageous. Without allocating a single dime to providing GED classes, the Republican U.S. House of Representatives decided that high school dropouts would not qualify for unemployment. Download HR 3630 yourself and read page 29.
For purposes of this paragraph, an individual shall not be considered to have met the minimum educational requirements of this subparagraph unless such individual has earned a high school diploma; (ii) has earned the General Educational Development (GED) credential or other State recognized equivalent (including by meeting recognized alternative standards for individuals.
Here’s my simple translation in plain English:
Fired or laid off workers won’t receive unemployment compensation unless they have at least a high school degree or a GED.
What Republican congressman or congresswoman inserted the high school dropout clause into the now failed HR 3630?
Did I mention, I’m a Chicago Independent? I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican.
The Republican U.S. House of Representatives tore up HR 3630 within 48 hours and passed the same bill the U.S. Senate passed. Voters were upset at the U.S. House blocking the 2 month extension of the social security tax reduction.
Now Republican congressman are enjoying their New Year break as they’re back home shaking hands, drinking eggnog, and watching football games on TV.
December 28, President Obama Signs Social Security Tax Holiday Two Month Extension
After the Republican controlled U.S. House of Representatives tore up their flawed HR 3630 bill (denying unemployment compensation to high school dropouts) they voted in favor of the two month extension of the social security tax holiday (2 per cent reduction).
On December 28, President Obama signed the Social Security Payroll Tax Holiday Extension into law.
What do laws, failed legislation and crimes sometimes have in common? No Fingerprints.
When Presidents, Senators and Congressman are proud of legislation, they quickly step forward to take credit for their laws.
But sometimes, just like a crime, it’s hard to tell who passed a law or inserted a clause into failed legislation. It’s hard finding any fingerprints.
I want to know what Republican congressman or congresswoman inserted a “high school dropout” clause into the failed HR 3630 bill. Why on earth would you deny unemployment to someone who had worked a job, his/her employer had paid money into unemployment funds, but that person hadn’t finished high school?
My Parents were High School Dropouts
If my parents were alive and unemployed, neither one of them would have qualified for unemployment if the Republican HR 3630 had passed. I don’t know about my father but my mother left Germany to come to America when she was 16. She had no high school degree. If dad had a high school degree, I never heard about it.
My dad was a painter contractor who worked hard all the time. Jobs for painters are hard to find in wintertime so my dad would do other things deep into Winter. He worked on our 2 flat in Skokie, IL or he worked on the 6 flat in Chicago, Illinois. Dad and I would shovel a lot of sidewalks in Winter.
I have no idea if my parents received unemployment compensation back in the 1960′s. All I know is that my mom made more pancakes and German spaghetti in Winter than during any other time of the year. We ate well, thanks to mom always making some extra money around Christmas sewing for rich people.
Here’s hoping the stingy House Republicans who tried to deny high school dropouts unemployment compensation with their failed HR 3630 will re-think their foolishness for 2012. If you’re a high school dropout, you have more incentive than ever to pass your GED test in 2012.
Happy New Year and best wishes for a successful 2012.
