Representative Joseph Crowley (D-New York) made a silent presentation before the House to point out that voters demanded jobs, the Republicans promised to focus on jobs, and, after 100 days into the new Congress, the Republicans have done nothing to add jobs and/or keep jobs in America. Although the unemployment rates are starting to decline across the United States, people are still hurting from the lack of jobs and expiring unemployment benefits. There is a proposal to extend unemployment benefits for 99ers who had exhausted their benefits after two years for another 14 weeks, but it’s unlikely to make any headway in this Congress. If you’re not a member of the super rich (i.e., the top 1% of all Americans), screw you and your middle-class American dream.

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Although Silicon Valley is starting to turn around, many companies are not hiring fast enough. When I was laid off in February 2008, I was interviewing for desktop/help desk support positions that paid $25 per hour. Now I’m interviewing for PC technician jobs that pays only $13 per hour. When a recruiter learned that I had previously made $23 per hour in my previous full time job, I had to talk him into submitting my resume for the $13 per hour position. As the Great Depression taught my father, the Great Recession taught to me live on significantly less.

Take a guess what Congress is doing for the next two weeks? That’s right, another recess. Seems like they work two days straight, and, exhausted from their unheroic work of representing special interests who funded their re-election campaigns, take two weeks off. No wonder nothing is getting done in Washington.