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  By Wilton Hollins           If the presidential elections were tomorrow I would probably stay home.  Neither of the presidential candidates have impressed me post the primary rhetoric.  I’ve yet to hear proposals to solve issues that are front and center with most Americans; primarily the high cost of gas which has caused a ripple effect throughout the economy.             I will admit though if the congressional elections were tomorrow, I would be the first in line to vote for anyone but the incumbent.  Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House promised the American people in 2006 that congress would present an energy policy that would reduce the high cost of energy…a gallon of gasoline was about $2.39 then.  Well since 2006 congress has delivered over sixty hearings and has subpoenaed hundreds of witnesses and provided zero legislation - and I don’t expect anything from congress this week because they are on vacation fiddling as Rome burns.             Go ahead pick either presidential candidate, can anyone tell me how he plans to: stem the rising cost of feeding your family, stabilize the housing markets, bridle oil speculation that’s artificially driving up the price of gasoline, become energy independent in the near future, not 50 years ...

African-American Teen Unemployment at 32.3 Percent Is Six Times the National Average; Teen Summer Job Climate Worst Since World War II WASHINGTON, June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) drew attention to the teen employment drought with a full-page advertisement in the USA TODAY. The ad raises the issue of minority teen unemployment, calling it the biggest crisis currently facing this population group. The ad reads as follows: The Biggest Minority Teen Crisis? -- Pregnancy -- Smoking -- Unemployment "Sadly, African-American teen unemployment is nearly six times the national average and almost twice that of teens in general. Find out more about what's preventing teens from finding work and what it means for their future at www.minimumwage.com." The national unemployment rate jumped to 5.5 percent in May from 5 percent in April driven in large part by the 3.3 percentage point jump in teen unemployment. Researchers at Northeastern University, who described summer 2007 as "the worst in post-World War II history" for teen summer employment, recently concluded that 2008 is poised to be "even worse." One of the prime reasons for this drastic employment drought is the mandated wage hikes that policy makers have ...

  Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act will benefit 3.8 million Americans Washington, D.C. - (June 12, 2008)  Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson today joined a bipartisan majority of her colleagues in the House of Representatives to vote for H.R. 5749, the Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act.  The legislation will immediately provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits to jobless workers in every state.  It passed the House by a vote of 274-137. "People want to work, but in this economy, the jobs just aren't there," Congresswoman Johnson said.  "And with the rising costs of food, gas, and health care, it is becoming impossible for families to make ends meet.  This legislation will provide needed benefits to 3.8 million unemployed workers immediately, and I was proud to support it." The U.S. economy has lost jobs for five consecutive months and in May saw the largest one-month increase in the unemployment rate in over 20 years.  There are 1.5 million workers who are "long-term" unemployed, meaning they have been jobless for over six months. The Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act will provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state to workers exhausting the 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits.  In states with ...