Are unemployment benefits no longer temporary? By Michael A. Fletcher and Dana Hedgpeth Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, March 9, 2010; A01
Millions of Americans have been forced to rely on unemployment payments for extended periods as the nation struggles through its longest period of high joblessness in a generation, and critics are taking aim, saying that the Depression-era program created as a temporary bridge for laid-off workers is turning into an expensive entitlement.
About 11.4 million out-of-work people now collect unemployment compensation, at a cost of $10 billion a month. Half of them have been receiving payments for more than six months, the usual insurance limit. But under multiple extensions enacted by the federal government in response to the downturn, workers can collect the payments for as long as 99 weeks in states with the highest unemployment rates -- the longest period since the program's inception............>>>>......................>>>>............http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/08/AR2010030804927_pf.html
It goes even deeper than that. Obama is also giving the unemployed and additional $25/wk for unemployment. Granted, it's nothing to write home about.....but multiply that by the hundreds of thousands out of work.
And where the hell is this administration getting all this money???? Billions in stimulus! Billions in bailouts! Unemployment! And now the health care beast! What the hell is wrong with these people?
All of this will ultimately lead to higher taxes for ALL of us! JFK and Reagan faced a recession and they pulled us out of it by LOWERING taxes! DUH?
That is a long time, but just to play devil's advocate here, what would happen if benefits were cut off after the, what was it, traditional 26 weeks?
Where would the people get income? Wouldn't they turn to public assistance which is still government money.
They'd be forced to get a JOB! God forbid. Maybe then we wouldn't need hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in fields, working at mcdonalds/home depot/price chopper/gas stations ... No ... can't do that, we shouldn't force ANYONE to work if they don't WANT to. It's called "entitlements".
Once on Public Assistance, yes - it's govt money, but try living on it, as you're accustomed to. That teet won't last forever, they want to see you out there, taking ANY job you can do, whereas UI says "in your field"
Vivat Jesus Knights of Columbus, Fourth Degree In Him, all things are possible
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