Dear Mr. President, Senators and Representatives,

Americans called the 99ers have exhausted all unemployment benefits. This has occurred at a time of still record unemployment. The 99ers and all unemployed Americans need an unemployment extension through 2010.

Last fall unemployment benefits ended for millions of Americans and the economy went downhill. Towards the end of last year unemployment benefits were extended and the first quarter of 2010 saw a stabilization of the economy. This is in large part due to the extension of unemployment benefits.

Without an extension of unemployment benefits for all through 2010, the economy will flounder with more foreclosures and greater demands on public services. Negativism will continue to grip employers and employees alike. An extension of unemployment benefits, including a Tier V lasting through 2010, would create stability in the economy. With stability the employed would stop fearing layoffs and could reasonably believe the worst is over leaving them to open up their wallets. For employers, stability and increased spending by consumers would allow them to consider hiring.

With the lack of available jobs preventing people from returning to gainful employment the extension of unemployment benefits for all through 2010, would decrease pressure for services by the unemployed from state and local government, eliminate the negativism that pervades the country and directly stimulate the recovery of the economy.

From a political standpoint, if you choose not to provide unemployment benefits for all, including the 99ers, by Fall 2010 hundreds of thousands of Americans each week will be exhausting their benefits. By the time of the November elections there will be millions of Americans without any means to support themselves. As more and more people are put into the streets, insecurity will maintain its hold on the general population. At that point the news media will grab hold and will spread the horror stories of Americans suffering. You are not likely to be re-elected given the media onslaught.

Also note, in 2007 the CDC noted the U.S. death rate hit an all time low of 760.2 deaths per 100,000 people (per the CDC’s August 19, 2009 press release). In 2009, the death rate rose to 838 deaths per 100,000 people ranking us at 99, way below even Iraq, per the CIA World Factbook.  What changed from 2007 to now? The Great Recession. So, even with the previously grudgingly provided unemployment extensions thousands more Americans died because of a situation brought on by no fault of their own. Now you wish to provide very limited efforts to help a limited number of your fellow Americans and discount millions more Americans who either will soon exhaust their benefits or no longer qualify for unemployment benefits. As greater numbers of Americans fall off the unemployment rolls, this will assuredly lead to more and more unnecessary deaths. The fact you choose to not act makes you a murder by proxy. The only morally correct action would be to extend unemployment benefits for all.

Therefore, it makes political, economic and moral sense to extend unemployment benefits, including a Tier V, through 2010. The alternative is to be personally responsible for the suffering and deaths of Americans by a crisis caused by your complicity and inaction and perpetuated by the same.