Unemployed woman welcomes return of benefits, fears future

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By Tony Pugh | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Rita Martinez of Las Vegas cashed in a $3,000 certificate of deposit last month and used the money to make her $870 mortgage payment.

"That was the last $3,000 I had to my name," Martinez said. "What I'm going to do after that, I don't know. But I don't want to lose my home. I've been here for 13 years."

A former business manager for an immigration law firm, Martinez, 57, was laid off in May 2009. Since then, her weekly $357 unemployment insurance check has helped her keep the utilities paid, food on the table and gas in her Chevy truck.

But after Congress failed to extend those benefits at the end of May, Martinez found herself without any income. As of July 16, more than 2.5 million long-term jobless Americans were in the same boat.

On Wednesday, as Congress prepares to pass legislation to restore those benefits, Martinez, was heartened, but said it will take at least a month for state officials to start generating the checks again.

"So you're talking about people going a full two or three months without any income whatsoever," she said.

She blames Republicans in Congress for delaying passage of the benefits extension.

"I'm pretty angry at what they're doing," she said of the recent filibuster. "I've worked all my life. I don't sit around and do drugs. You think I want to survive on $357 per month? They don't get it."

A divorced, single mother, Martinez has nearly exhausted her savings and has already emptied her Christmas Club account to make ends meet. Last year, she sold her car because she couldn't make the payments. She makes do in an old truck her father gave her.

Her ex-husband and parents help her buy groceries and pay other expenses, but she really needs a job.

Unfortunately, the unemployment rate is 14.5 percent in Las Vegas and there are 20 applicants for every job opening. Martinez said that for every 100 applications she puts out, she gets about four, maybe five, calls back. But once employers learn her age and realize she doesn't speak Spanish, most lose interest.

Like many unemployed Americans, she fears she may never work again.

"That does scare me because I know of lot of these jobs won't ever come back. But I'm not ready to retire. I'd love to be out there working. I'm not a stay-at-home kind of person," she said.

Looking for work in another state isn't an option either. Martinez's 20-year-old daughter is in cosmetology school and lives at home. Martinez also cares for her ailing parents.

Her 86-year-old mother has heart problems and her 81-year-old father has chronic bronchitis and emphysema. He recently fell in his backyard and broke some ribs and punctured a lung. Martinez visits often to help with yard work and to take him to the doctor.

As she continues to look for work, Martinez said, her greatest fear is losing her home. Several months ago, she applied to get her mortgage modified to a lower rate, but she hasn't heard about the status of her application.

"Every time I call, I get bounced around to 10 different people and they say, 'Oh, that's not my area, let me give you another number' or 'Talk to this person.' And every time, I get a different story. You never get a straight answer about anything."

Read more: http://www.mcclatchy...l#ixzz0uNSkfMEz

[Sofiyya 1,687]

She should fear the future; she's being groomed for lifelong dependency on a quickly faltering federal government. Barry has a nerve chastising the Republicans for demanding that extended benefits be paid for when he's on record demanding the same himself in the past. This is Barry's economy and it has failed. Only the most addled are still buying the blame game from a guy who's responsible for continuing to build on a back breaking debt load and massive deficits.

He held another showboating press conference with prop people who are unable to find work on his watch, despite his stimulous and government expansion. He has put plenty of Americans on the unemployment dole by closing down auto dealerships, placing a moratorium on off-shore drilling, languishing on the Gulf oil spill, pushing anti-business policies that cause confusion and stifle job creation.

His support of illegal immigration has emboldened trespassers to seek more work here with impunity, lowerIng wages and workplace standards. His open hositility toward Arizona and his lies about SB 1070 has encouraged divisive boycotts that potentially hurt small entrepreneurs of all colors who are just trying to make a living and meet payroll.

Sufficient numbers of private industry jobs will not come back soon, and government growth has limits. At some point, Barry will have to acknowledge that he is in charge and his course of action must change, or his quickly dropping poll numbers will speak the truth to power instead.

Edited July 22, 2010 by Sofiyya

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Send her a check Steve!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZUgK7k3pRc

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

She will feel better about the future when Obama is UNelected.

[lostinblue 1,989]

How could this women survive without the government?

Is the daughter working while going to school?If not then why not?

She could move in with her sick parents and rent her house out.Maybe she could take in a border. In the depression people lived in the celler and rented out the main house.Parents could move in with her and rent their house out. What ever works. The daughter is old enough to look after the parents so she should be able to find work in another state.Sorry to say that but in my parents depression MANY people moved from state to state to find work. I have a family member who was making 40,000/year in florida and now is working at a ymca camp for 180/week and found in Colorado. She cannot keep her house . Just reality in the world we live in today. Until the people understand that washington has done everything it can do to keep unemployment high this story will play out day after day after day. Business is scared about everything this administration has done and will do. The health bill,cap and trade,A washington run by lobbyist rather than the people.You are not going to see any real jobs for a long time.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

She should fear the future; she's being groomed for lifelong dependency on a quickly faltering federal government. Barry has a nerve chastising the Republicans for demanding that extended benefits be paid for when he's on record demanding the same himself in the past. This is Barry's economy and it has failed. Only the most addled are still buying the blame game from a guy who's responsible for continuing to build on a back breaking debt load and massive deficits.

He held another showboating press conference with prop people who are unable to find work on his watch, despite his stimulous and government expansion. He has put plenty of Americans on the unemployment dole by closing down auto dealerships, placing a moratorium on off-shore drilling, languishing on the Gulf oil spill, pushing anti-business policies that cause confusion and stifle job creation.

His support of illegal immigration has emboldened trespassers to seek more work here with impunity, lowerIng wages and workplace standards. His open hositility toward Arizona and his lies about SB 1070 has encouraged divisive boycotts that potentially hurt small entrepreneurs of all colors who are just trying to make a living and meet payroll.

Sufficient numbers of private industry jobs will not come back soon, and government growth has limits. At some point, Barry will have to acknowledge that he is in charge and his course of action must change, or his quickly dropping poll numbers will speak the truth to power instead.

ditto

[IndigoSkies 168]

Looks like Rita Martinez has made alot of bad choices in life. Starting from decide to get a divorce which is a total drain on personal wealth to driving a Cheavy truck. A diminutive woman doesn't need a truck to haul her tiny #### around town. She needs to sell that ASAP and purchase a scooter. And why doesn't a Rita Martinez speak Spanish? It's one thing to integrate into your host country but another thing to forget your own language. Perhaps she's a 3rd, 4th or whatever generation immigrant. Then the fault lies with her great-grandfather, granfather, father for not continuing to teach their offspring their native language.

The biggest mistake Rita Martinez made was not save for bad times beside that 3K. Looks like she had a affluent life before. She should've, could've, would've saved a lot. Rita is also screwing her daughter's life by agreeing to her daughter going to cosmetology school. Best of luck to you Rita. Hopefully the money I sent you (via tax) is enough and you'll find a jobs soon.

[Ban Hammer 13,395]

But once employers learn her age and realize she doesn't speak Spanish, most lose interest.

anyone else see a problem with this?