Should people be entitled to....

[TheLonelySquire]

...unlimited unemployment extensions?

I'm reading about the current extension being bandied about in the Senate and I'm thinking "how much is enough?".

But some people are so gostile about it like it's their God given right! They've already had 2 extensions and also another energency benefit of up to 20 weeks. I think the total is 79 weeks in most states and if you tack on the 20 being talked about you're at 99!

So, when they exhaust the 99 do they still demand MORE?

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

 

[wamdue]

well I tend to think that people who previously have a good work record, paid taxes, NI etc should get more time than those who have not

 

[Data Holmes]

no!

 

[Miss Chicken]

In Australia one can stay on unemployment benefits indefinitely so long as one meets their meet Mutual Obligation activity requirements which can include

• Part-time paid work
• Work for the Dole
• Community Development Employment Projects
• Voluntary work
• Green Corps
• Relocation
• Approved Literacy and Numeracy Training
• Part-time study
• New Apprenticeships Access Programme
• Job Search Training
• Advanced English for Migrants Programme
• Intensive Assistance
• Jobs Pathways Programme
• Job Placement, Employment and Training programme
• Career Counselling

 

[Locutus of Bored]

...unlimited unemployment extensions?

I'm reading about the current extension being bandied about in the Senate and I'm thinking "how much is enough?".

But some people are so gostile about it like it's their God given right! They've already had 2 extensions and also another energency benefit of up to 20 weeks. I think the total is 79 weeks in most states and if you tack on the 20 being talked about you're at 99!

So, when they exhaust the 99 do they still demand MORE?

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

It's not "unlimited." When the economy recovers and the number of available jobs increases the extra benefits will gradually expire.

You're acting as if this is a normal economic climate and not a massive recession with an accompanying high unemployment rate, and that people are just being lazy and not looking for work. Extensions are being offered because the recession has lasted two years now and work is hard to find.

Offering unemployment benefits actually helps the economy to the tune of generating $1.61 for every $1.00 spent according to the Congressional Budget Office. People pay their bills, make purchases, and spend the money in ways that help the economy recover.

What's your alternative? More people on welfare, which you no doubt also oppose? A huge increase in homeless individuals and families, which makes their chances of finding another job all the more difficult? How does that benefit the economy or the country?

 

[the Dagman]

...unlimited unemployment extensions?

I'm reading about the current extension being bandied about in the Senate and I'm thinking "how much is enough?".

But some people are so gostile about it like it's their God given right! They've already had 2 extensions and also another energency benefit of up to 20 weeks. I think the total is 79 weeks in most states and if you tack on the 20 being talked about you're at 99!

So, when they exhaust the 99 do they still demand MORE?

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

It's not "unlimited." When the economy recovers and the number of available jobs increases the extra benefits will gradually expire.

You're acting as if this is a normal economic climate and not a massive recession with an accompanying high unemployment rate, and that people are just being lazy and not looking for work. Extensions are being offered because the recession has lasted two years now and work is hard to find.

Offering unemployment benefits actually helps the economy to the tune of generating $1.61 for every $1.00 spent according to the Congressional Budget Office. People pay their bills, make purchases, and spend the money in ways that help the economy recover.

What's your alternative? More people on welfare, which you no doubt also oppose? A huge increase in homeless individuals and families, which makes their chances of finding another job all the more difficult? How does that benefit the economy or the country?

No, he'd likely rather they are all lined up and shot since they are such a "burden" on "his" tax dollars. Except for the unborn. Save them at all costs. But once they're born, fuck 'em if they can't hold a job.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

...unlimited unemployment extensions?

I'm reading about the current extension being bandied about in the Senate and I'm thinking "how much is enough?".

But some people are so gostile about it like it's their God given right! They've already had 2 extensions and also another energency benefit of up to 20 weeks. I think the total is 79 weeks in most states and if you tack on the 20 being talked about you're at 99!

So, when they exhaust the 99 do they still demand MORE?

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

It's not "unlimited." When the economy recovers and the number of available jobs increases the extra benefits will gradually expire.

You're acting as if this is a normal economic climate and not a massive recession with an accompanying high unemployment rate, and that people are just being lazy and not looking for work. Extensions are being offered because the recession has lasted two years now and work is hard to find.

Offering unemployment benefits actually helps the economy to the tune of generating $1.61 for every $1.00 spent according to the Congressional Budget Office. People pay their bills, make purchases, and spend the money in ways that help the economy recover.

What's your alternative? More people on welfare, which you no doubt also oppose? A huge increase in homeless individuals and families, which makes their chances of finding another job all the more difficult? How does that benefit the economy or the country?

I'm not saying it shouldn't be extended. I consider it a hand up, not a handout. I actually think extending unenjoyment in 13-20 week increments like this is silly. It puts too much strain on these people every 3-4 months.

However, I think at least a portion of this money should have to be paid back. It would incentivize people to find work even faster.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

...unlimited unemployment extensions?

I'm reading about the current extension being bandied about in the Senate and I'm thinking "how much is enough?".

But some people are so gostile about it like it's their God given right! They've already had 2 extensions and also another energency benefit of up to 20 weeks. I think the total is 79 weeks in most states and if you tack on the 20 being talked about you're at 99!

So, when they exhaust the 99 do they still demand MORE?

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

It's not "unlimited." When the economy recovers and the number of available jobs increases the extra benefits will gradually expire.

You're acting as if this is a normal economic climate and not a massive recession with an accompanying high unemployment rate, and that people are just being lazy and not looking for work. Extensions are being offered because the recession has lasted two years now and work is hard to find.

Offering unemployment benefits actually helps the economy to the tune of generating $1.61 for every $1.00 spent according to the Congressional Budget Office. People pay their bills, make purchases, and spend the money in ways that help the economy recover.

What's your alternative? More people on welfare, which you no doubt also oppose? A huge increase in homeless individuals and families, which makes their chances of finding another job all the more difficult? How does that benefit the economy or the country?

No, he'd likely rather they are all lined up and shot since they are such a "burden" on "his" tax dollars. Except for the unborn. Save them at all costs. But once they're born, fuck 'em if they can't hold a job.

Yep. Don't kill children and expect adults to work! Darn right-winger!

 

[Amaris]

...unlimited unemployment extensions?

I'm reading about the current extension being bandied about in the Senate and I'm thinking "how much is enough?".

But some people are so gostile about it like it's their God given right! They've already had 2 extensions and also another energency benefit of up to 20 weeks. I think the total is 79 weeks in most states and if you tack on the 20 being talked about you're at 99!

So, when they exhaust the 99 do they still demand MORE?

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

It's not "unlimited." When the economy recovers and the number of available jobs increases the extra benefits will gradually expire.

You're acting as if this is a normal economic climate and not a massive recession with an accompanying high unemployment rate, and that people are just being lazy and not looking for work. Extensions are being offered because the recession has lasted two years now and work is hard to find.

Offering unemployment benefits actually helps the economy to the tune of generating $1.61 for every $1.00 spent according to the Congressional Budget Office. People pay their bills, make purchases, and spend the money in ways that help the economy recover.

What's your alternative? More people on welfare, which you no doubt also oppose? A huge increase in homeless individuals and families, which makes their chances of finding another job all the more difficult? How does that benefit the economy or the country?

I'm not saying it shouldn't be extended. I consider it a hand up, not a handout. I actually think extending unenjoyment in 13-20 week increments like this is silly. It puts too much strain on these people every 3-4 months.

However, I think at least a portion of this money should have to be paid back. It would incentivize people to find work even faster.

I'm coming to the end of my extension, and I've been all over my town and in several towns in the surrounding area. No one is offering jobs, at least not to people like me. You see, I have some college and am 29 years old, which puts me above (in their eyes) a minimum wage job. I have heard, literally hundreds of times, "You're overqualified" when being interviewed, which just blows my mind, because I'm sorry, I need to eat and pay my bills, too.

The point is, I'm doing the best I can, using every resource I can use to get a job, and I just can't get one. With the unemployment we stay above water (my dad works), but I don't like just "staying above water", I like to work, and I like to make money. The job market's just terrible, and I don't know when it will be moving upward again.

J.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

...unlimited unemployment extensions?

I'm reading about the current extension being bandied about in the Senate and I'm thinking "how much is enough?".

But some people are so gostile about it like it's their God given right! They've already had 2 extensions and also another energency benefit of up to 20 weeks. I think the total is 79 weeks in most states and if you tack on the 20 being talked about you're at 99!

So, when they exhaust the 99 do they still demand MORE?

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

It's not "unlimited." When the economy recovers and the number of available jobs increases the extra benefits will gradually expire.

You're acting as if this is a normal economic climate and not a massive recession with an accompanying high unemployment rate, and that people are just being lazy and not looking for work. Extensions are being offered because the recession has lasted two years now and work is hard to find.

Offering unemployment benefits actually helps the economy to the tune of generating $1.61 for every $1.00 spent according to the Congressional Budget Office. People pay their bills, make purchases, and spend the money in ways that help the economy recover.

What's your alternative? More people on welfare, which you no doubt also oppose? A huge increase in homeless individuals and families, which makes their chances of finding another job all the more difficult? How does that benefit the economy or the country?

I'm not saying it shouldn't be extended. I consider it a hand up, not a handout. I actually think extending unenjoyment in 13-20 week increments like this is silly. It puts too much strain on these people every 3-4 months.

However, I think at least a portion of this money should have to be paid back. It would incentivize people to find work even faster.

Pay it back? Are you insane?

You do realize that unemployment is something those people paid for, right? As far as I'm concerned, as long as they are looking for work and meeting other reasonable obligations, they should be able to get unemployment for as long as it takes to get a job. Let's be real, here. If you had a good job before--a salaried position, decent pay--unemployment will be lucky to net you half what you were making. It's not exactly living high on the hog. I had to do it for two months and it was awful.

To make matters worse, if you have any other income while you're on unemployment, they reduce your unemployment by that amount--sometimes more. So, you are often better off not doing any work at all and avoiding any kind of income, until you get a bona fide job. And unless you find one at a similar pay rate to what you had before, again, you will end up getting screwed because it might be less than your unemployment was.

As an example, suppose you were making about $40,000 a year. In the rural Midwest, that's pretty decent. Now, you get laid off. You go on unemployment. Most Midwestern states pay you unemployment that, at the most, works out to about $8-11 an hour. Now, go flip burgers for minimum wage.

Guess what? Your unemployment is gone, and now you're getting paid less money than if you were just sitting on your ass. And odds are, you don't have time to look for a better job because you're spending your days at work. Then again, I suppose you could get 2 or 3 part-time jobs and you might make up what you were getting in unemployment.

This is completely ignoring the fact that most employers won't hire someone who is obviously overqualified. They know you'll leave the second you find something better. That's the boat a lot of my friends are in. They're highly skilled, intelligent people, many of whom have never been on unemployment before. And they can't find work, because they are overqualified for all the low-level, menial jobs, and all the employers that could afford them aren't hiring. What are they supposed to do, just fuck off and die?

 

[JuanBolio]

Its fine with me. Part of the reason society exists is to help each other out in all ways feasible, including financially. I'll happily pay a little more in taxes if it means some poor family somewhere can make it through the winter.

Also, if I have to obey all these fucking useless laws that are thrust upon me, I demand something from society in return if I ever need it. Perhaps someday I'll even collect, as despite having spent a good portion of my adult life unemployed, I have never once collected unemployment benefits.

 

[Pingfah]

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

Yes, absolutely, and they should get free abortions. And it should all be paid for by Christians.

 

[SeerSGB]

So long as the person in question is actively seeking work, not punking around and deliberately missing or failing their interviews, and working to retrain their skill sets and trying to get employment, then I have no problem with extensions.

Where I have the problem is the people that fuck up on the application or interview on purpose in order to stay on benefits. You catch someone doing that, boot them off.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

Yes, absolutely, and they should get free abortions. And it should all be paid for by Christians.

Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[USS Triumphant]

But some people are so gostile about it like it's their God given right! They've already had 2 extensions and also another energency benefit of up to 20 weeks. I think the total is 79 weeks in most states and if you tack on the 20 being talked about you're at 99!

So, when they exhaust the 99 do they still demand MORE?

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

I don't think you understand the mindset. As someone who has been involuntarily unemployed for longer than his initial unemployment lasted, please allow me to fill this in for you:

I was NOT thinking "It isn't my fault that I'm unemployed. I am ENTITLED to government payments from now on until I find a job, no matter how long that takes, and I will fight for this God-given RIGHT if necessary!"

I WAS thinking, "I am deeply ashamed that I am unemployed and cannot provide properly for my family. My self-esteem and self-respect are at all time lows. I don't believe that anyone owes me anything at this point, but if the government is willing to provide, I will swallow my pride and take it," during my initial unemployment period, followed by, "I still can't find a job even though I've made finding a job into one of the worst full-time jobs I've ever had. I only thought my self-respect and self-esteem were at all time lows before. My unemployment is out, and I know that nobody owes me anything, but if begging is what it takes, or if pretending that I believe I'm entitled and raising hell is what it takes to provide for my family, then that's what I will do."

You'd be surprised how people you might otherwise think of as strong, moral people may even start thinking about theft, or how they can make their own deaths provide for their families, under those circumstances.

As someone who is gainfully and well employed now, and pays taxes, and wouldn't mind paying a little more to make sure people don't have to go through what I did, I think our system is upside-down. People in a society as wealthy as ours should not have to beg or be given special dispensations in order to be fed, or have shelter, or basic health care.

I'm not advocating for raw socialism, here - I know that capitalism is a powerful and important force for innovation. But right-wingers can't seem to see the middle ground. (Nor can some lefties, to be fair.) NICE things should cost money. But anyone should be able to get a Humanitarian Daily Ration, or be provided with the most basic housing accommodations, or be seen for emergency medical care, whenever they need to.

Allow everyone to live with the minimums and a little dignity, and you don't need to worry about separate systems for unemployment and healthcare for the elderly and all the other programs that do the same thing under different circumstances. Think of the savings in eliminating all that extra bureaucracy, if nothing else!

 

[JuanBolio]

^ I think you just hit the nail more or less on the head, Bob.

 

[Ward Fowler]

If unemployment benefits aren't extended then we'll start seeing bread lines and Hoovervilles just like they had during the Great Depression. No one wants that.

However, I don't think unemployment benefits should be extended indefinitely through good times and bad. Like it or not a small percentage of people would adopt an entitlement mentality. Personal responsibility should be tied into the system, but not until the economy starts growing again. Until then I see little choice but to extend unemployment benefits. It's the only humane thing to do.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

Should they get checks until they get jobs, guaranteed?

Yes, absolutely, and they should get free abortions. And it should all be paid for by Christians.

Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

These ideas don't contribute to the discussion and have no place here.

 

[Squiggy]

And no smiling!

 

[SilentP]

^ I think you just hit the nail more or less on the head, Bob.

Agreed.