Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey - Unemployed Have it Too Easy (Knoxville: insurance, credit)

[donsabi]

WATE News in Knoxville ran a story about Lt. Gov Ron Ramsey. I was shocked to see how he discredited, across the board, all the Tennessee unemployed saying they had it too easy. He said he is tired of hearing from prospective employers in Tennessee who are complaining about hiring a person only to have them say they still have several weeks of unemployment coming and call them when the unemployment runs out. I think we all now know why the man wears boots. Ramsey claims to be bringing new jobs to Tennessee. Is this how? By calling the Tennessee workforce lazy and opportunists?

I recall a few months ago driving down he road and seeing a man with a pickup on the side of the road with a sign, "will work cheap." That looked to me like a motivated Tennessean willing to do whatever it takes. I wonder how Ron Ramsey would spin it.


Ron Ramsey’s ‘lifestyle’ misses reality of Tennessee’s unemployed

[nashvols]

A Tennessee newspaper said something critical about a politician and/or the government? Color me shocked! I thought all they ran were fluff stories about puppies and kittens!

[Geneyus]

I agree with him. I know a 28 year old college grad who was offered a job by a friend's parents, and she turned it down saying she makes more on unemployment. That is the mentality of alot of younger people today. They don't want to earn what they have, as evidenced by the "occupy wall street" group. They want alot of things for free, and if someone else has more, they aren't satisfied.

This is coming from someone in their late 20's who has steadily held a job since he was 15. It used to be poor people in the urban areas that were unnecessarily supported by workers. Then we moved to supporting illegal aliens who are pouring in by the millions. Now the people who use to be supporting the poor/immigrants, are realizing they don't have to work because they could get a handout also. It really does make me sick. There are a ton of jobs out there... the question is how bad you want one. No one wants to do physical labor.

[sholomar]

as evidenced by the number of people going to north dakota willing to work 100 hour weeks on oil rigs, I'd say there's plenty willing to do the work.. but let's look at this logically. If the government is paying you more to stay at home then you would make at a minimum wage job, why take the job? If they're dumb enough to provide extended unemployment, I would be smart enough to take advantage of it, assuming I didn't have a decent job which I do.

You also have subsidized housing that punishes you for making too much money. Basically I think the top and bottom suck from the middle. Your average middle class white male making 40-60k per year working for someone else has the most overhead and gets the least respect and the least perks from the system.

Also, a lot like myself hate the forced overtime mentality. I live cheap so I can relax and have more time off. Gonna start forcing 60-80 hours out of me? **** off.

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by stockwiz

as evidenced by the number of people going to north dakota willing to work 100 hour weeks on oil rigs, I'd say there's plenty willing to do the work.. but let's look at this logically. If the government is paying you more to stay at home then you would make at a minimum wage job, why take the job? If they're dumb enough to provide extended unemployment, I would be smart enough to take advantage of it, assuming I didn't have a decent job which I do.

You also have subsidized housing that punishes you for making too much money. Basically I think the top and bottom suck from the middle. Your average middle class white male making 40-60k per year working for someone else has the most overhead and gets the least respect and the least perks from the system.

Also, a lot like myself hate the forced overtime mentality. I live cheap so I can relax and have more time off. Gonna start forcing 60-80 hours out of me? **** off.

That's definitely one part of the issue. People definitely get addicted to government aid. Mainly because the benefits are too long lasting, so it becomes a crutch...then a lifestyle.

I wouldn't go as far as the Lt. Gov. did and say people are being lazy about it...but there isn't the sense of urgency that there would be if the benefits were not there.

[Pam& Bill]

Originally Posted by nashvols

A Tennessee newspaper said something critical about a politician and/or the government? Color me shocked! I thought all they ran were fluff stories about puppies and kittens!

Love it.

[donsabi]

Tennessee ranks 39th in unemployment with a rate of 9.6%. This 9.6% does not include those who have exhausted their unemployment benefits and still have not found work. Most likely the true unemployment rate in TN is closer to 18-20%.

I think we all know of one person who just doesn't want to work, but to use one case to discredit the majority of Tennesseans searching for work is just plain wrong.

I also met a single mother working p/t at a Dollar General. I learned she was working three part time jobs to support her and her child because she cannot find a decent full time job. This is not what I call
lazy.

In most states the UE benefit is not terrific and I believe that federal income taxes have to paid on that money. I don't see UE benefits as Ramsey said, vacation money. Secondly I think most people are aware that having a long period of non-employment is one of the main reasons prospective employers do not hire.

[keithps]

Originally Posted by Geneyus

I agree with him. I know a 28 year old college grad who was offered a job by a friend's parents, and she turned it down saying she makes more on unemployment. That is the mentality of alot of younger people today. They don't want to earn what they have, as evidenced by the "occupy wall street" group. They want alot of things for free, and if someone else has more, they aren't satisfied.

Well considering unemployment is $275 a week, she'd be making $6.87/hr if she worked full time at that rate. I was unemployed for a year and a half, and yea, I didn't take crappy minimum wage jobs because they are terrible. I waited until something better came along. It's not like I haven't paid into the system or anything...

[hiknapster]

Tennessee is a very large state with not only a very diverse geography but many different circumstances. To say Tennessee has high unemployment isn't completely accurate. Knox County has the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 6.7 percent, Lincoln County registers the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 5.8 percent followed by Williamson County at 6.3 percent. In contrast, Scott County has an unemployment rate of 18.1 percent. There are a lot of rural areas that lack jobs, hence the major disparity between areas.

But I find one of the biggest problems in the state not with unemployment but with rural areas where a lot portion of the population collects disability or public assistance where the cycle of poverty is prevalent.

At $275 a week, unless you have a partner that is making up the difference or live with parents, I don't see how anyone can live on that. So no, I don't really understand Ramsey's comments. Looks like they were ready-made for a sound bite that will garner national attention. A lot of this state if full of politicians that want to rattle cages but they don't do the state any favors when they do so.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Geneyus

I agree with him. I know a 28 year old college grad who was offered a job by a friend's parents, and she turned it down saying she makes more on unemployment. That is the mentality of alot of younger people today. They don't want to earn what they have, as evidenced by the "occupy wall street" group. They want alot of things for free, and if someone else has more, they aren't satisfied.

This is coming from someone in their late 20's who has steadily held a job since he was 15. It used to be poor people in the urban areas that were unnecessarily supported by workers. Then we moved to supporting illegal aliens who are pouring in by the millions. Now the people who use to be supporting the poor/immigrants, are realizing they don't have to work because they could get a handout also. It really does make me sick. There are a ton of jobs out there... the question is how bad you want one. No one wants to do physical labor.

First off I highly doubt anyone would say that to a stranger. A stranger who could turn around and report them to the UE office. If somone did say that then they're not too bright.

I would be willing to bet it doesn't happen that often.

Second, why should someone take a job that pays less than their unemployment? You get unemployment insurance because you have been a working person who through no fault of your own lost your job.

Why should she take a job that pays less than unemployment? TN pays one of the lowest claims in the nation to begin with, then you think they should work to get less money and have to put gas in their car.

This young woman at 28 is most likely paying off student loans. Student loans that must be paid regardless of your financial situation.

So maybe then she will need to get food stamps because taking this job is more of a financial strain on her.

Do you know many Walmart workers get food stamps and financial assistance?

The idea behind unemployment is assist people with some income while they try and find a job at least somewhere in the range of what they were making before being laid off.

Very easy to tell someone what to do when you're not the one who has to to do it.