Finding employment today can seem next to impossible. For every one U.S. job opening, there are six jobless Americans. And almost half of those laborers have been out of work for at least six months. Even if those figures improve over time, it could take years before the national unemployment rate dips back down to its historical average. From the Los Angeles Times:

The nation's job deficit is so deep that even a powerful recovery would leave large numbers of Americans out of work for years, experts say. And with growth now weakening, analysts are doubtful that companies will boost payrolls significantly any time soon. Unemployment, long considered a temporary, transitional condition in the United States, appears to be settling in for a lengthy run.

It's incumbent on lawmakers operating within this new economic paradigm to ensure that the safety net catches folks fighting for a paycheck. Without robust and consistent unemployment benefits, many Americans just don't have any way to put food on the table.