Got an important email which I read, responded and asked if I could publish in full, and was given permission, so her we go:
John,
Your recent blog post “Unintended Consequences” was based on a misleading AP article that overlooks the overwhelmingly positive impact of unemployment insurance provisions in the economic recovery package. Unfortunately, the article may have caused some struggling unemployed people to unnecessarily fear they will lose their food stamp benefits.
The article correctly stated that as a part of its economic recovery bill, Congress enacted a number of measures to strengthen Unemployment Insurance — including a $25 per week increase in benefits. It told the story of Mr. Mark Milota who, as a result of the additional $100 per month in unemployment benefits, lost his food stamp eligibility and $300 per month in benefits from that program. The article suggested that his experience was not uncommon. However, while technically possible, this example is an extremely rare case. There are three simple reasons that explain why his experience was so unusual:
· Very few people participate in both the Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Food Stamp Programs. An average of 2.5 million people received unemployment benefits in 2007. Of these, only 203,000 (8.1%) were also participating in the Food Stamp Program. And, of these, only about 14,000 people had incomes close enough to the federal food stamp cut-off line that a $100 per month increase in unemployment benefits would put them at risk of losing food stamps. We don’t yet have data that tells us how many people are receiving both UI and food stamp benefits this year. However, if we apply the apply the above proportions from 2007 to 2009 UI enrollment data, 30,000 people of the 5.3 million people currently claiming UI benefits would be at risk of losing eligibility altogether. That’s less than 1/2 of 1 percent.
· States have the flexibility to increase the income cut-off in their Food Stamp Program in a way that would protect this group. At least 16 states have already done so and 4 more have plans to implement the change shortly. Once we factor in that individuals in these states are fully protected from what happened to Mr. Milota, the number at risk of losing benefits drops to about 14,000 people in 2009, (again, estimating based on what we know from the 2007 data). That means that today, fewer than 1/3 of one percent of the 5.3 million people claiming unemployment benefits would have been at risk of losing food stamp eligibility as a result of the economic recovery package changes.
· Finally – a fact completely ignored by the story — most households on both programs would not have seen their food stamps decrease as a result of the increase in unemployment benefits. Normally, when a household’s income goes up, their food stamps are adjusted downward to reflect that they have more ability to purchase food. But, the economic recovery legislation also included a significant bump-up in food stamp benefits of about $20 per person (regardless of income). So, virtually all households participating in both food stamps and unemployment benefits got both an increase in unemployment AND food stamps through the recovery package.
In failing to provide context to Mr. Milota’s troubling story, the article missed the larger point: The economic recovery act’s increase in UI and Food Stamps delivered immediate help to over 39 million people who are feeling the harshest effects of the recession.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions about this.
Kind regards,
Shannon Spillane
Senior Communications Associate
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Good to know that there are folks out there tracking down the misinformation and correcting the record.
El Cid
That’s all well and good, but ACORN, birth certificate, reverse racism, and porkulus.
gex
I see your conservative instincts as to how exactly government help was hurting everyone remain intact, however.
I tease. Sort of.
Comrade Stuck
I did not have sex with that article, have no knowledge of it’s content, and am innocent of all charges.
Notorious P.A.T.
Happy birthday John!
John Cole
@gex: Because if I learned anything from the past eight years, it was to not be skeptical about the government.
Seriously, read my post. All I wrote was that there are unintended consequences to everything the government does, and there are. Even this correction from Ms. Spillane notes that, but she provides the context that it will be exceedingly rare.
Punchy
That sounds quite soc’ialist, and communist to boot. Not only that, but it contains a swear word, so she’s clearly an atheist with foot fetish.
Comrade Luke
Two points:
– You got a response to a blog post from The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities?! Wow, that’s impressive John!
– Wonder if they also read the Lily/Tunch posts
:)
Bill H
I like the comfortable and non-defensive tone of that communication. A lot of facts and no backburn. That is someone who is comfortable with what he/she is doing and the organization he/she (we need a new gender-neutral personal pronoun) represents.
gwangung
They call that acting professionally.
Not sure we saw a lot of that in the previous eight years.
JenJen
Well, honestly, I say good on you for posting the letter, and much credit to Shannon Spillane, especially for providing excellent and much-needed UI information.
CalD
A poorly-researched-to-the-point-of-misinformative article by the AP? Say it ain’t so!
Laura W
@Bill H:
S/he is what I use. At least it’s shorter.
Leelee for Obama
But there’s no transparency and the bills aren’t online for 5 days and Obama’s still black and shut-up, that’s why.
No really, isn’t it wonderful to get a response from someone in charge of, what is it, oh yeah, accountability!
I figured there was some glitches in the systems, but overall, it’s probably helping lots of folks these days.
donovong
Holy shit. Let’s do another posting on public option healthcare and see if we can get a cogent response from someone other than Do Fi.
asiangrrlMN
@Bill H:
I third this statement. That’s how civil discourse should be!
Like Laura W., I use s/he, or I will interchange the generic he and she. Back in the day, zhe was valiantly being used as the gender-neutral personal pronoun, but, surprise surprise, it never caught on.
Laura W
@asiangrrlMN: Uh oh. Now that you’ve responded to me in a thread I am obligated to go off topic. (Besides – why would I want to bury Annie’s video debut in a Happy Birthday John!! thread anyway? She’s a Leo. They own Cancers.)
You’re Swiping At The Wrong Camera Strap*.
(David Gray is loud. But I like him that way.)
*Filmed while reading the “You’re Shooting At the Wrong People” never ending gay rights debate comment thread.
Krista
Coherent and well-researched information that is purely factual and contains no political axe-grinding?
Refreshing!
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge
@Bill H:
I just use they/them/their. Grammar Nazis who say that’s wrong because it doesn’t agree in number make me tired. “You” is plural, too, remember, but we’ve been using it for the singular for so long that even when the Quakers got started “thee” and “thou” were so completely forgotten that they use them backwards!
Peter J
THEY. ARE. MONITORING. THE. BLOGS.
burnspbesq
CBPP is a DC think-tank that is the opposite of Wingnut Welfare – smart people going good work for good. They have done some hugely important policy-analysis work on budget and tax policy issues. Bookmark their website.
http://www.cbpp.org/
Comrade Stuck
@The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge:
Their everywhere!
Thomas Levenson
@The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge:
“it” works, sort of.
burnspbesq
John, I would think that knowing you’re being watched by a high-falutin’ DC think tank would feel pretty good.
slag
This is a good correction, and I’m glad John posted it. I took no issue with the Unintended Consequences post as I assumed John knows that there are unintended consequences with almost any action that any of us takes. As always, the goal is to maximize benefits and minimize costs, which, based on this correction, it seems they’ve tried to do in this area, at least. And if they made a mistake, the goal would be to correct it as quickly as possible. This behavior isn’t specific to government structures, business structures, or individuals. It’s general.
So, if we want to talk about what government–as an organizational structure–can and can’t do well, it’s counterproductive to hold up every single mistake as evidence of government fallibility. That makes as much sense as holding up Windows Vista as an example of how business–as an organizational structure–can’t do anything right. It’s stupid. But it seems people (not John, in this case) do it any way.
OK, I guess that rant was off-topic. But it started as on-topic! I think…
bvac
Now I’m wondering how many righty blogs posted about that article, received that same email, and are not writing a followup post about it.
jl
@burnspbesq: Second that, CBPP is one of best organizations for good analysis and reports. One of the first places to check if you want to cut through the BS.
I don’t think you need to have lingering wingnut tendencies, at all, to be concerned about unintended consequences. Unintended consequences are ubiquitous, and occur with almost any policy regardless of ideology. ‘Unintended consequences’ seems to still be a corporate media crutch to hit center-left and liberal policies. After Bush-GOP Tax Cut, Bush-GOP-conservative Dem financial deregulation, Bush-GOP-cowardly Dem Iraq war, Bush-GOP-centrist Dem corporate self-regulation, Bush-GOP FEMA/Katrina etc. etc. etc, I do not know what sane person can be fooled by that line.
But, nice B-day present, maybe, to know that prestigious organizations like CBPP are following Cole’s site. Surely the superior dog and cat pictures and analysis attracted their attention.
eglenn
And I thought spit-takes were only a comedy routine until I read this.
Off to Newegg for a keyboard replacement.
DaveInOz
Shannon Spillane has clearly never been involved with the International Arabian Horse Association
jl
CPBB has broad range too: economics and budgetary aspects of climate change, health care, tax policy, taxation, recessions/expansions.
they even have a simplifying programs section which covers and corrects the BS on the ‘eliminate waste fraud and abuse’ scam.
Not much on environment and pollution, though. But pretty much anything else fiscalwise, its like your local money policy analysis super mall.
PS while editiing: an honest effort ‘simplifying programs’ is one of the best ways to reduce ‘unintended consequences’ though from my experience ‘simplifying programs’ has become a code word for ‘cuts and scams’.
KRK
In this week’s performance of Peanuts we welcome back John Cole as Charlie Brown, the Associated Press as Lucy, and reliable, informative reporting as the football.
P.S. Very nice and informative message from Spillane. Thanks for sharing it (and prompting it in the first place).
geg6
Awesome. Nice to know someone is listening to John. And, by extension, us.
Zuzu's Petals
@bvac:
I say we find ’em on DIGG and link back to this e-mail.
Mayken
I will second, third or thirtieth all the folks who have said how great it is to see such a well-reasoned and professional response. And very honorable as well as informative of you to post it.
Joshua Norton
“based on a misleading AP article”
Isn’t “misleading” and “AP article” sort of redundant?
Martin
Is anyone else slightly horrified to learn that the government reads what we say here? What’s next, an email from HHS on the measured adverse effects of skull-fucking kittens?
On the plus side, maybe NASA will invite Krista to be an astronaut…
(But seriously, I’m impressed that they emailed)
DougL (frmrly: Conservatively Liberal)
No shit. ;)
Wow, factual information delivered without a spin. Nice.
Ash
As someone who went to J-school for a semester, I weep at what’s become of the AP.
It’s also sad that I went to school for that shit in the first place, but oh well.
slag
@jl:
So true. Plus, simplification can sometimes lead to the problem of programs being too focused on the minutiae of individual issues to see the larger picture (see Obama’s argument for regulatory reform). Personally, I think a combination of structural and cultural elements help minimize unintended consequences. One of the cultural elements I feel we sometimes lack is seriousness. So, it’s nice to see that the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is serious about their biz: http://www.cbpp.org/policyBasics/.
JL
@Comrade Luke: How could someone not read a Lily/Tunch update. They probably bought a few furminators also.
Krista
Ye gods — when I think of some of the stuff I’ve said on this blog. I’m glad it’s not MY government reading it, anyway. ;)
I’ve got my window cleaned and my binoculars ready. That’s all that’s required, right?
/Palin
Zuzu's Petals
@Martin:
It’s not a government agency, it’s a private think tank.
I’d guess someone sent them a link to the blog with a question about the article…or they found it when googling for the article itself.
Martin
Ah, sure enough. Long day, brain not fully working any more. Less impressive, but still a good response.
I’m still hoping for Krista, however.
Linkmeister
One wonders if CBPP tracked that original article through Memeorandum and got here from there.
One doesn’t wonder enough to try to figure it out, although I suppose searching Memeorandum and then going to the other blogs which posted about it to see if Ms. Spillane’s mail or an excerpt might have been posted as an update would do it.
But I’m lazy.
mario
self-correcting blogosphere roolz!
JMN Is Now asiangrrlMN's Official Stalker
I just use “he” all the time, because, you know, it covers everyone that matters.
AhabTRuler
@Laura W: That Annie, she could turn my head she could.
OTOH, this was an interesting end to my first day working for my new Federal overlords at the [REDACTED]. Since WMATA is functionally incapable of informing their passengers of anything remotely resembling the truth, when I found out the severity of the accident, I felt quite bad about how pissed of had gotten at the delays.
Either way, I blame management.
Yeah, ain’t it grand they way that normal is the new exotic?
Laura W
@JMN Is Now asiangrrlMN’s Official Stalker: Ahhhh…every “girl’s” dream…a stalker who taunts.
yum.
Laura W
OT yet again…Campbell Brown (CNN!) is going to be interviewing Jason Jones (THE DAILY SHOW!) who is just back from Iran about his experiences with the people and the goings-on.
I think I’ll let that sentence speak for itself.
AhabTRuler
Nevermind.
asiangrrlMN
@Laura W: Annie is cutest (female) cat ever! She’s a (not so) little doll. How big is she? She looks bigger (not fatter, just all around bigger) than my boys. I love how she’s calmly sitting there until….bam! Out comes the claws and the fangs. I’ve seen that crazed look of determination quite a few times myself. That’s a great video. Now, I’m watching Sadie and the blueberries again. If you could just get a video of Sadie and Annie together, I would be so happy.
Oh, this was OT.
And, I am betting that Jason Jones has some pretty insightful things to say about the situation. Which is sad, really.
JMN, ah, I see you are in the arrogant stage of stalking! You’re stepping up your game.
TenguPhule
here we go
-Resident Grammer Soci*alist
JMN Is Now asiangrrlMN's Official Stalker
@Laura W: You’re lucky Annie didn’t decide to play, “What Would This Look Like on the Floor” with your laptop.
Laura W
@TenguPhule:
I think that was a Jungian throwback to the “hosing off” and “getting some Mexican” mentioned earlier.
@JMN: And if you’re lucky, you won’t be eating birthday dinner alone for the rest of your life after your misogynistic crack.
(Kidding. It was funny. I giggled. Softly.)
AhabTRuler
@TenguPhule: Oh, just go ahead and kill him already!
TenguPhule
@AhabTRuler
But then I couldn’t hurt him anymore. :P
John Cole
I seriously doubt they are monitoring this blog. If they are, buy an ad.
Seriously, though, I bet they just saw that article, said “SHIT. HOW MANY PEOPLE REPEATED THIS NONSENSE.,” then checked technorati and tracked down all the blogs and sent emails.
Laura W
@asiangrrlMN:
Funny you say that. I did, on Sunday morning, in the kitchen, with McInsane on FTN in the background. Annie and Sadie nearly had a war; both were screaming at me and pacing. Bianca came in and got nervous, hissed at Annie. It was pretty interesting in that the negative vibes pouring off the teevee had the cats all riled up and combative. I deleted it, though, cuz I caught my toes in the shot and I don’t know how to edit yet and I’m not ready for my foots to go viral.
(I don’t know if you saw but there is a camera strap sequel that also features Leah who gets very nervous when I look her in the face as evidenced by her chronic lip licking and subsequent yawning in this one. It’s not like I beat her. Much.)
As for Annie and the laptop, I’m pretty sure the very first sentence she learned from me was: DON’T WALK ON THE LAPTOP! She’s the only cat who hangs on the coffee table where the Mac lives, and I swear to Bast, she walks all around it but never, ever, touches it. Look at this! She was maybe 3 days old in my house, still shaved from her spay, and already knew to stay OFF the Mac! She was half her current weight (14-15lbs? She could totally take Tunch).
Comrade Stuck
You have to speak Hillbilly to understand.
AhabTRuler
@Laura W: After looking through your photos, I realized I need mor katz!
Laura W
@AhabTRuler: Momo needs an inside-the-house nemesis.
This is a test. Ever since John popped back in after having his Mexican on the way to the dog park I’ve been unable to post anything, under any of my handles, even without mentioning footwear or words with references to stiff things.
I fear I’m being silenced by The Birthday Man.
I wish I knew how to tweet.
Edit: OK, apparently I am being censored only on the Sanford thread. Which is really all for the best, because I really do know too much. WTF?
AhabTRuler
@Laura W: And I got mor katz. My copy of Cats in the Sun arrived today!
Laura W
@AhabTRuler: I can’t believe you got that! The first book, right? Cuz he went on to publish tons more stuff.
I framed my 8×10 of Nemesis and hung it high on a divider wall in my kitchen so every time I walk in there it hits me smack in the face and I always smile!
Greece…one day….Greece.
AhabTRuler
@Laura W: Yeah, I’m not buying Cats in Love, that’s a book too far. But I was able to get a copy for 4 bucks and change, and I am a total sucker for kitty-cats (their secret is to find someone who is as much of a whore for giving skritchies as they are for receiving them), so why not get a copy?
And I might pick up Kittens in the sun, maybe a calender, but I am not buying Cats in Love. That’s a book to far!
Steeplejack
@Bill H:
Nothing wrong with “someone who is comfortable with what she is doing and the organization she [. . .] represents” in gender-neutral situations. Or, say, something like “if the curious reader will put aside her prejudices for a moment . . .,” etc.
If you were more specifically concerned that “Shannon” might be male, there’s always the Google for a quick search. Shannon Spillane is a woman. And quite the foxy policy wonk, if I may say so.
Shorter version: I hate “s/he.” I’d almost rather see the ungrammatical “someone who is comfortable with what they are doing and the organization they [. . .] represent.”
No, wait, that sounds awful too.
Laura W
@Steeplejack:
sigh.
Our first fight.
I guess it was inevitable.
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
Love the video! That Annie is a ringer for my Simba. (Great David Grey song, too.)
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
[Barry White voice] Baby, I never thought it would be about this.
Okay, I need some time to myself to get my head straight. I’m turning off my cell phone and going driving somewhere. Not to Atlanta! I’ll be back in four, maybe five days. Don’t wait up.
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
And this. Also.
Laura W
@Steeplejack: That was funny (#67), and I love that video (#68), and I just got totally lost and derailed in youtube by shiny, sparkly, Al Green choices.
This is the best I can do tonight*.
*Also on walking iPod shuffle. Greatest Hits. I never, ever tire of his shit.
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
Just saw, and replied to, your awesome CSNY clip on the other thread. Big, blond guitars. Fringed jackets. Steve and Neil trading solos. Awesome. Made my day.
Laura W
@Steeplejack: Thanks, I would’ve missed that. Too many active threads for my overstimulated brain tonight. It really is something, is it not? I can’t tell you how much I am loving having Neil with Crazy Horse on the iPod now for walks. Today I heard Everybody Knows This is Nowhere by Hoffs and Sweet and then three songs later it came on with Neil and I was very confused that iPod was fucking with me but then I realized I had two great versions of it loaded.
OH Noes. Under the Covers Volume 2 coming in July.
Some interesting choices there, although I only really listen to about 6 songs from Vol 1 when they come on while walking. Some are too slow.
gex
@John Cole: Yeah, I wanted to edit and take that back because it was unfair, but the edit monsters wouldn’t allow it. So yes, my bad, I’m sorry.
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
I have Under the Covers, and, same as you, really only listen regularly to about half the songs. But it’s nice that the yoots are honoring our rock ‘n’ roll heritage. The standouts that occur to me now are “And Your Bird Can Sing” and “The Warmth of the Sun.”
For my Neil fix lately I’ve been listening (on the cell-phone MP3 player) to my Buffalo Springfield albums and Live at Massey Hall, 1971, which is teh awesome, if you haven’t heard it. Just Neil and guitar or Neil and piano. Plus they either caught him on the best singing night of his career or spent 35 years working on the mix. Really good.
Snippet of “Cowgirl in the Sand.”
Laura W
@Steeplejack:
Ack. Way too much emotional history with that song to take much more than that snippet tonight.
Night night.
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
Just looked at the song list for Volume 2. Interest piqued by “Go All the Way,” assuming it’s the song by the
Babys. One of my all-time favorite power ballads. Great guitar break.
Points off for “Maggie Mae.” I hate hate hatey mc-hate that song, because when it was popular it was ubiquitous. I must have heard it like 40 times a day for three months. Ugh.
Laura W
@Steeplejack:
I will buy it for these:
5. All The Young Dudes
6. You’re So Vain
7. Here Comes My Girl
8. I’ve Seen All Good People: Your Move/All Good People
9. Hello It’s Me
Steeplejack
@Steeplejack:
D’oh. “Go All the Way” is by the Raspberries. (Guitar break at 1:45.)
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
Good songs all. I was thinking of which ones would most lend themselves to the Sweet/Hoffs approach, and “Go All the Way” popped out.
God, now I’m wallowing through big-haired ’80s power pop on Amazon and YouTube. And, unfortunately, that entails early MTV videos.
2th&nayle
Should have known there were a bunch of Neil Young fans floating around here. I clearly remember the first time ever heard “Cinnamon Girl”. I said to myself, “I gotta learn how to do that!”. Of course that wasn’t the first song I learned to play. I started out with “Helpless”. Still one of my favorites!
Steeplejack
@2th&nayle:
Hey, back in the pre-electronic-gadget-for-everything days, “Down by the River” was my go-to guitar tuning song. E, E, E! Good times.
2th&nayle
@Steeplejack: Oh HELL yeah! I’ve done my fair share of 20min versions of “DBTR”. Of course that was when a ‘stimulus package’ had completely different meaning, too. Gawd, we were terrible! My fingers ache just thinking about it.
asiangrrlMN
@Laura W: Gah gah gah. Your Annie is so adorable. Poor Leah looks so nervous. Annie and Tunch would make a great couple, I think. In a nonsexual way, of course.
@Steeplejack: Excuse me, you’re supposed to be MY hang around in the rain, lit cigarette dangling from his lip guy, and now you’re chatting up Laura W. AND you hate s/he? Harumph.
Ash Can
This is an all-around terrific post, and a shining example of why I love this blog.