Bye bye unemployment benefits (states roll off the federal extended benefits program - 200,000 hit)

CNN ^ | 5/11/12 | Tami Luhby

[Libloather]

Bye bye unemployment benefits
By Tami Luhby @CNNMoney May 11, 2012: 3:17 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- More than 200,000 long-term jobless Americans will lose their unemployment checks this week, when eight states roll off the federal extended benefits program.

Nearly half of them live in California, and the rest reside in Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Texas.

The federal extended benefits program has provided the jobless with up to 20 weeks of unemployment checks after they've run through their state and their federal emergency benefits, which together last up to 79 weeks.

But the extended benefits program is expiring throughout the country as the economy improves. To be eligible for these benefits, a state must show that its unemployment rate is at least 10% higher than it was in at least one of the past three years.

[StAnDeliver]

Good story. Admire people who can sell by the seat of their pants.

[StAnDeliver]

"Ending 99 weeks unemployment is a bad thing? I was of the opinion that the conservative position was no extensions, period? Now they will go on welfare, faux disability, or find/create a job."

I'd rather see the House restore the EB by forcing Labor to release the correct, absolute, authoritative unemployment rates. This serves two purposes -- it kicks these restless souls into Mitten's first term, he can drive down the arguably 16% unemployment numbers merely by unleashing 4 years of pent-up demand (for The One-Term to be replaced), and it keeps them off SSI. 20 weeks of an existing UI program vs. a lifetime on the gubermint t!t -- I'll take 20 weeks.

[khelus]

...Problem is, in a large portion of the Country, there just aren't enough (or any) jobs available. What's amazing to me is how this administration and it's media have been successful in changing the public perception. Even though the job situation is still at depression like levels, the huge number of unemployed seems to have been forgotten, almost as if the bad economy is something in the past.

If they (the administration) can sell this (false) perception, seems to me they can sell just about anything.

The problem is the jimmying of the stats goes back way before the current administration. If many admit that, they will have to re-evaluate the 'joys' of 'globalism' and 'free trade'. 'Free Trade' is socialism/marxism/fascism in a business suit.

Marx advocated 'Free Trade devoid of patriotism and morals' to speed up global communism. One of the 10 planks of the Communist Manifesto is the central control of credit, ala the Fed.

[Safetgiver]

How about the three guys from here that took their lap-tops with them and did income taxes on different websites? They came home, were happy and are planning to move out there. It’s like the ‘49er’s. Nobody said you gotta work in the fields. (Unless you want the big bucks.)

[Wayne07]

It doesn’t go up if they seek jobs, because they are already counted as unemployed. Right now there is no incentive for them to take a job. Once the welfare payment goes away, many will start to look, and also be willing to take a lesser job. If they dont look, I think it is 4 weeks before they stop being counted.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Libloather.