It 's crazy what 's going on, hope it gets better Our friends at the Coalition on Human Needs are passing around a petition to "put aside partisan games, to put aside rhetoric and enact legislation that has broad bi-partisan support – an extension of unemployment benefits and the COBRA health care subsidy through the end of 2010." --

It's time for the US Senate to stop playing Russian Roulette with the lives of millions of hardworking American citizens who lost our jobs through no fault of our own. The US Senate's dismissal of unemployment extensions and COBRA subsidies, previously approved by both sides of the house are irresponsible, arrogant, and criminal. Like me, many Americans, lost their jobs because they were replaced by H-1B and L-1 Visa workers. Microsoft, my former employer, fired 5,800 Americans in 2009 and hired 5,800+++ more temporary visa workers to replace us. As a result, American workers have lost our jobs, homes, health care, life savings, and in many cases, our lives. Despite an MBA, 20 years success in technology working for the largest Wall Street firms (JP Morgan, Merrill) and top software companies (Microsoft, IBM) - my tireless job search, doing EVERYTHING possible, sending applications to hundreds and hundreds of employers, I have heard NOTHING. I have never previously been unemployed in my life, and all I want to to earn a fair wage for a job well done. I am aware that many people, the media, and yes, Congress, believe that unemployed workers are lazy and not interested in jobs. Nothing can be further from the truth. I don't understand why all my Senators, Representatives, Governors and the President ignore common sense ways to create jobs that cost the US government zero dollars. Congress can make an immediate impact on unemployment by call an immediate moratorium on all H-1B and L-1 visa hiring. Thanks to greedy corporations, and corrupt politicians, the US government bypasses citizens/voters. The US Government ignores American voters and instead only listens to corporate greed. For example, the H-1b program that has displaced over 500,000 Americans since 2003, was crafted by H-1b masterminds Bill Gates his right hand man, convicted felon and lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Microsoft paid off Congress to manipulate US labor laws to craft laws that allow Microsoft and other greedy employers to legally bypass qualified American citizens for jobs in our country - even if they want the job and meet requirements. It is horrifying to think that Congress is going to cut off the air supply for laid off Americans. Congress and the President need to stop spinning wheels on a healthcare plan, that without a public option, no one wants. Congress needs to identify high impact, measurable, actionable, and immediate ways to create American jobs. A simple way to do this is enforce existing laws and pass S887 to eliminate the 20% fraud in h-1B visas. Congress must stop offshoring federal government jobs and insist that all Federal contracts go to American employers who hire at minimum, 50% American citizens. We, laid off Americans, are the key to American prosperity and economic development. The Senate's irresponsible actions ignoring American citizens will have immediate negative impact on laid off workers. Congress will be accountable for the unnecessary suffering of millions of Americans, families living out of their cars because they've lost everything. In addition, Congress' actions may cause many people, already more than down on their luck, to take their own lives. Finally, there is a tangible, and louder voice of anger arising among Americans disgusted with Congress and the government's dismissal of its citizens. I only hope this anger does not translate into violence.