Evansville Observer: NYT: Long Term Unemployment Benefits set to expire; Crisis coming

Saturday, August 01, 2009

NYT: Long Term Unemployment Benefits set to expire; Crisis coming

Click on the post for the full story in the New York Times.

1 comment:

Matt Gaboda8:01 AM
Let me start off by saying that I do believe Unemployment Insurance has a place and a purpose. I have drawn Unemployment this year and at one other time in my working life. I did not draw because I was unemployed, I drew because the business's that I worked for had a temporary lull in activity.

If I read the article correctly, people were/are eligible for 79 weeks of Unemployment! If you are permanently laid off from a job, you cannot expect or demand that Uncle Sam cuts you a check because you are not working. I can agree with three months TOTAL Unemployment, but 79 weeks! If I get fired on Monday, (likely scenario) and I knew I had $400 coming to me every week for not working, what is my incentive to find a job? Extending benefits is not the solution, it is not even a Band Aid. People need to take responsibility for their well being. It is not the Governments job to send a check to your mailbox. People need an incentive to get back to work. Extending benefits as shown in that article does not help people get back to work, it helps people drag their feet in regards to employment. If you tell someone they have 2000 weeks of unemployment, they will use every last drop. If you tell someone they have 12 weeks per year to use, they will figure something out. If you have to work two jobs making $9 an hour, so be it. Unemployment rewards people for not working. I do not agree with that philosophy, and am adamant that it is an entitlement program after 12 weeks.

I know too many people who draw Unemployment Benefits, and they are not in any hurry to get off the gravy train. You can do whatever you want all week at your leisure, and BOOM!!, a check magically arrives weekly. I do not believe in spoon feeding adults, it is not what this country was built upon. The Government rewards doing nothing a lot more than they reward over achievement.

With that precedent, why would anyone aim high, when they are protected and provided for at aiming low.
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