Posted on 12/28/2013 5:51:29 AM PST by reaganaut1
WASHINGTON — An emergency federal program that acts as a lifeline for 1.3 million jobless workers will end on Saturday, drastically curtailing government support for the long-term unemployed and setting the stage for a major political fight in the new year.
The program, in place since the recession started in 2008, provides up to 47 weeks of supplemental unemployment insurance payments to jobless people looking for work. Its expiration is expected to have far-reaching ramifications for the economy, cutting job growth by about 300,000 positions next year and pushing hundreds of thousands of households below the poverty line.
An extension of the unemployment program did not make it into the two-year budget deal that was passed just before Congress left on its winter recess. When the federal program expires, just one in four unemployed Americans will receive jobless benefits — the smallest proportion in half a century.
...
Republican aides said they remained willing to negotiate. “Why didn’t they offer a plan that met the speaker’s requirements — fiscally responsible, with something to create jobs — or any plan, for that matter, before they left for the holidays?” asked Michael Steel, a spokesman for John A. Boehner of Ohio, the speaker of the House.
Some Democrats have suggested that continuing the program for three months, with the estimated $6 billion in spending offsets coming from agricultural subsidies in the farm bill.
But some conservatives have shown stauncher opposition.
“I do support unemployment benefits for the 26 weeks that they’re paid for,” said Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky on Fox News. “If you extend it beyond that, you do a disservice to these workers. When you allow people to be on unemployment insurance for 99 weeks, you’re causing them to become part of this perpetual unemployed group in our economy.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Bttt
Spot on post.
I have applied to some companies just to see if I could get into a “safety” job. I have started my Master’s yet I applied for jobs at local grocery stores just to see if I could get in. Never got a call for even an interview.
Anyone who thinks people are just sitting on their ass hasn’t a clue. Some may be. But the vast majority are not.
I don’t wish people ill either. But 99 weeks on unemployment is absolutely ridiculous.
The max it should be is 52 weeks (1 year). When people feel comfortable, they are less motivated to take action. I’m sure there are some people who, perhaps subconsciously, don’t work as hard finding a job ‘cause they know the benefits are there. The longer you are out of the workforce, the more your skills and attitude atrophy.
99 weeks of unemployment isn’t doing anyone a big favor.
Article 1 Section 8 includes
I have no idea what you are talking about.
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
That explains it. IIRC, you’re the only state with that set-up.
I was standing at a a friends place of business one day and a fellow came in to put in an application. He stated he didn’t want a job but he had to apply every so often because unemployment required it. This was not an isolated incident my friend told me.
We import thousands of illegals each year to do jobs Americans will not do.
Certainly if you made $100,000 dollars a year and don’t want to work for less jobs are pretty scarce, but if you are willing to work for less IMO something can be found.
Now you say there are no jobs, and perhaps you are right.
Perhaps I am right also. Perhaps somewhere in between is the real truth, and perhaps you are astounded by yourself posting what you deem as fact and do not have a clue.
I suppose that after next week we will all find out.,
By the way I am sympathetic to people in need of jobs. but I also realize that with benefits so high that a person has to make $50,000 dollars a year before it actually pays them to drop benefits and go to work there aren’t many willing to do so.
I also realize that we cannot continue pouring money into unemployment forever. When does unemployment become welfare.
Business and taxes have to pay for these benefits, and it is hurting small business.
I do not agree with the President and Nancy Pelosi when they say unemployment benefits helps grow the economy.
I’ve been on unemployment twice. The first time, I had to actively look for a job for the benefits to continue. The second time, they didn’t seem to care.
Is this the norm now?
And where does the Constitution say provide pensions to veterans? Nowhere. But we as a nation do it because it’s the right thing to do. Assisting those trying to find a new job is also the right thing to do.
I would argue that the economic policies in place are not doing anyone a favor.
If people want to work and they cannot, then how can anyone fault the people?????
Thanks for the info; I couldn’t understand why this was as big an issue as it has been (since I assumed that many of these people were simply getting back what they’d paid into the system for decades).
“Not arguing for a handout, but rather that people simply acknowledge how bad it is.”
I’ll gladly acknowledge how bad it is. You should also acknowledge that extended unemployment benefits do absolutely nothing to fix “how bad it is” and in fact allows people to delay actions on their part that would help them find work - effectively perpetuating “how bad it is”.
California’s maximum weekly unemployment payment is $450.00, and the maximum amount of time unemployment compensation can be collected through the California Unemployment Office is 79 weeks.
They do...
The federal unemployment payout is after the state unemployment benefits runs out...depending on each state...typically 26 weeks then the fed picks up the rest...
The other game being played is companies and corporations taking resumes for the future. I’ve seen the very same jobs advertised for the past three years by the same companies.
One recruiter said upfront that until all the mess with Obamacare and the economy settles, they will not be hiring, just taking applications.
It’s bad out here and for those who think it isn’t from some anecdotal incident told by a friend of a friend, I say, get real.
I acknowledge both.
Yet consider this. To collect UB, one needs to show they are actively looking for work, as it should be.
BUT WHY ISN’T THIS SAME REQUIREMENT DONE FOR THOSE ON WELFARE????????
Nope, the employers pay that tax. But the LIVs think they somehow paid for it and the Democrats and RINOs aren’t about to open their eyes to reality.
I am one who was in this situation being a electronics tech. for over 30 years I saw the repair business of the electronics field going to a throw away society. The company I worked for (sears) closed the shop I was working in so I took my severance pay and started looking for other work finding none in my field or repair I went to a job fair and applied and got a job driving over the road trucking, schooling was paid by a grant from the lottery all I had to pay was $20 for the application form spent weeks in training still surviving on my severances pay and went to work for a company out of Tenn. Stayed with them for little over a year and left for a local job in town having over a year experience was hired that day and stayed with them till I retired 8 years ago. Everyday in our local paper their are at least 10 jobs going unanswered it can and was done you have to get off your butt and go out and search. Not sit home and send emails to company's, go face to face show them you WANT to work.
I believe you are correct. When the freebees end you have 2 choices, get a job or starve. Hunger and the lack of shelter are a great motivators. I've seen the laziest people actually get jobs when the benefits end. Many families has them.
Something deep down happens and their survival instincts take over when there is no safety net left. The libs are trying to breed dependency but when they fail to deliver, people are forced to act for their own survival. Struggle is good. It builds character.
I bet that a majority are working under the table now.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.