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That argument is slightly disingenuous since the government is handing out farm subsidies to people with substantial incomes.
Even congressmen take farm subsidies which I find outrageous, but for some reasons, the House republicans do not. Why do people on full Social Security benefits also get to collect full UI? Yes--I personally know 2 people in their late 60s who did this and also got the extension prior to sequestration cuts (and these are staunch Fox news republicans who live in an upscale subdivision and have pensions as well). To me those are the "takers," not families losing their homes and cars who cannot feed their kids. Then there are the extremely well off retirees who do not need Social Security, but take it anyway--for petty cash. Making people homeless will simply cost the country more money. People will take early Social Security and medicaid. If they continued to receive their meager UI, this money would be circulated back into the economy. Nobody has mentioned the unemployment that will be generated by cutting off benefits. A friend who works for the local unemployment office and spends 40 hours a week helping people find jobs is losing his job when benefits are cut. How many others in all 50 states will also lose their jobs? Stopping benefits is not a productive way of saving on the countries' debts when there is so much real waste that can be cut.
I have no idea at all how this relates to not having enough money in the system. If 10 people are willing to work and there is only money for 9, it doesn't matter how willing they are to work. That is what a balance sheet recession essentially means. So what have all these details done to prove that it is not a balance sheet recession?
I find it hard though to influence many to see beyond their personal anecdotes to bigger pictures. "Tough love" with a 55yr old line manager unemployed for 1yr+ does almost nothing positive. 30+ years of good 'work ethic', education & experience do not get you a job when employers will choose cheaper almost every time in an applicant rich time. Shortening UI benefits to 26 weeks or less in some states may put further fear & desperation into her/him, but not enough for them to force someone to hire them. Fear & desperation more often than not lead to poor decision making & well - desperate actions. If you get the chance, watch "Set For Life" for a little understanding of what's happening out there.
There is more than enough waste, inequity,& fraud in various budgets to fund continued extensions for hard-hit job desert areas & demographics.
Either you can't name them, or they're not countless. They can't be both nameable and countless.
I think there is a new problem. We had an educational system that had a deliberate technical/vocational track as a valid option for nearly all kids.
That is not true today. The overt intention of the educational system is college-prep and nothing but college-prep. That was especially true of the NCLB program, which actually penalized schools that had technical/vocational tracks. There is almost no recognition by the Educational Establishment that technical training is a valid option...even though only 30% of Americans ever get a bachelor's degree.
First bold - You get what I am saying. You are just being a smart ass about it.
Second bold - We still do have this. At least at my high school in southwest Florida we did. But yes I do believe the importance and validity of these career tracks needs to be stressed to teenagers. It might take another generation for this to happen though. Most parents of Generation Y still believe that their children are college bound and that they will actually graduate college. Parents need to be more critical of their children's capabilities and stop falling back on the "Oh, he is so smart he just doesn't apply himself" nonsense.
Keep in mind that my comment was stated not in regard to trades or vocational schools. It was in regards to people saying that the quality of education in high school has deteriorated. This is what I believe to be nonsense. I was not one of the over-achievers in high school and I still took more advanced mathematics, science, and language arts classes than my parents or grandparents did. High schools still have the slackers and over-achievers. The difference that I see is that the slackers (like my relatives I was talking about) of old could still walk out of high school with diploma in hand and find some type of livable work. One of my relatives went into carpeting. Another went into fixing boats. Both make very good incomes today. Today, slackers are left on the street or in parents basement because you need certifications out the wazzoo to prove you can fix an engine. Didn't used to be like that.
I find it hard though to influence many to see beyond their personal anecdotes to bigger pictures. "Tough love" with a 55yr old line manager unemployed for 1yr+ does almost nothing positive. 30+ years of good 'work ethic', education & experience do not get you a job when employers will choose cheaper almost every time in an applicant rich time. Shortening UI benefits to 26 weeks or less in some states may put further fear & desperation into her/him, but not enough for them to force someone to hire them. Fear & desperation more often than not lead to poor decision making & well - desperate actions. If you get the chance, watch "Set For Life" for a little understanding of what's happening out there.
There is more than enough waste, inequity,& fraud in various budgets to fund continued extensions for hard-hit job desert areas & demographics.
Why is it a good post when it contained nothing but personal anecdotes? I sort of thought that an economy running at 3-4% unemployment required 1-2 trillion a year in mortgage debt entering the system since that was what was happening. That's no anecdote. So what happens when that 1-2 trillion a year becomes a negative 200 billion? Well, now we know.
Since they still want the jobs, what they offer to the employer most is a strong work ethic.
And they manage to make enough money that remittances to their homelands has been going up every year. Just to Mexico alone, remittances are over $2 billion a month.
American's aren't going to demand jobs until they need them. They don't feel they need them as long as there are programs like unemployment and disability.
And I can understand why someone wouldn't want to take a job that will pay less than unemployment will pay.
My problem is that the current situation is not sustainable. We cannot be a nation of parasites that do nothing but collect handouts while all the jobs must be exported or foreign labor imported. Eventually a system like that will fail.
And I can understand why someone wouldn't want to take a job that will pay less than unemployment will pay.
My problem is that the current situation is not sustainable. We cannot be a nation of parasites that do nothing but collect handouts while all the jobs must be exported or foreign labor imported. Eventually a system like that will fail.
That's what I keep saying only it seems some people favour one parasite over another. Some people think cash for trash is saving us while others say its the unemployment extensions saving us.
But then who has all day to secure their political access? People who have income and don't work. That would be rentiers and the welfare class.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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There have always been people unemployed and always will be. The fact that the unemployment rate is currently lower than 2008-11 (5.6 in our county, 7.0 nationwide) means things have improved considerably since it was over 10%. The problem is that those out of work for less time are getting the jobs, with fresher skills, making it even worse for those that have been off a long time. From the point of view of a business owner/manager, it makes a lot more sense to hire someone that's already working elsewhere or was laid off a month ago, as opposed to someone that hasn't worked in 18 months. Any new law designed to prevent discrimination in hiring the long term unemployed will not help, it will just stop them from advertising that the unemployed need not apply.
And they manage to make enough money that remittances to their homelands has been going up every year. Just to Mexico alone, remittances are over $2 billion a month.
American's aren't going to demand jobs until they need them. They don't feel they need them as long as there are programs like unemployment and disability.
I don't mind UC, but dislike its present form. IMO it should start the first 13 weeks at 125% of its present benefit, and drop by 25% per tier.continuously. That would reduce the point where work becomes the better alternative, even at lower payrates than one made before.
I'd also like to see a limit as to weeks beyond #26 lifetime per person..no matter the unemployment rate, and a lifetime limit on the first 26 as well (perhaps 78, or 3 trips, and you're out after that).
I don't mind UC, but dislike its present form. IMO it should start the first 13 weeks at 125% of its present benefit, and drop by 25% per tier.continuously. That would reduce the point where work becomes the better alternative, even at lower payrates than one made before.
I'd also like to see a limit as to weeks beyond #26 lifetime per person..no matter the unemployment rate, and a lifetime limit on the first 26 as well (perhaps 78, or 3 trips, and you're out after that).
I could agree with that. I think getting people too comfortable with the idea of never having to work isn't good, nor is a 99 month employment gap helpful because it will just make getting a job all that much more difficult.
13 weeks with a bit more would actually help people who might consider relocating to an area where there are jobs, there can be some travel and other expense.
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