A note on the unemployment extension (It's NOT the case that the unemployed get more than 99 weeks)

Hotair ^ | 12/13/2010 | Ed Morrissey

[joe fonebone]

I posted this on another thread... Was listening to Frank Beckman, and he had some politican on ( a US house rep, did not get his name ) but frank asked him how, as a republican, he can back unemployment benefits...this was his answer............” The current economic state was not created by the unemployed. The unemployed are a result of the current economic state. This state was created by liberal democrats that controlle the house and senate, and were not blocked by a republican president. Now, we have had 2 years of unchecked liberal rule. The result is the near destruction of the free market. I will not force the unemployed to pay a price for the failure of our government, and the policies that will not allow our economic system to recover. First, do away the the laws and policies that resulted in companies being forced to lay off millions of employees just to survive, and then I will discuss cutting off assistance to the unemployed”....any of you self centered bastards care to comment on this????

[Terry Mross]

The guy makes sense. Of course you’ll always find people on here who don’t want anything said about that “republican” president the congressman was talking about.

And I’m afraid this congressman is in the minority of the gop.

[Buckeye McFrog]

and we all know what happens next...the ‘99ers get together and march on Washington to demand “what’s ours” and re-enact the Bonus Army fiasco of the 1920’s.

(On the other hand, when the Native American lobby finally gets around to killing the nickname Washington Redskins, the Washington ‘99ers would be a cool alternative...)

[joe fonebone]

"I was in the situation in mid 2001."
I guess this is just not being made clear, so I will do my best to clarify...sorry that you happened to be the one that my patience ran out on I went through this situation in 2001. 1998, 1994, 1990, 1987, 1984, 1980, and 1976..... This is my 9th recession, and this one is different from all the rest...in all the rest, if you truly wanted to make money, you could...there were alot of options available...this one is different...there is nothing out there for anyone. What is out there are requiring a bachelors degree for a secretary or data input position, or people just gathering resumes for if and when then can begin to hire...as I said, those making the snide comments are going through their 1st or 4th recession...they do not have a clue, and much as I resent this, I place the parental curse upon you...I hope your job position turns our exactly like mine....good luck

[joe fonebone]

Sorry, tanniker, I did not mean you personally....my fingers got ahead of my thought process

[Publius6961]

There's always that Freeper contingent that reminds me of Ebenezer Scrooge saying that the poor had better die "and decrease the surplus population."

There two contingents.
The other is Ebenezer II, saying that if the idle, the unproductive, the hedonists, the unprepared, the "eat drink and be merry" crowd, the irresponsible are all destined to meet the consequences of their actions, it is preferable if everyone should die instead.

Take your choice.

There is no Money Fairy.
There is no Social Security lockbox.
There is no Medicare lockbox.
There is no stash of Obama Money.
The remaining employed taxpayers can't support themselves AND the groups listed above. Literally can't.
if you are normal, you can't imagine what $20,000,000,000,000 is. We have been "borrowing" to fund the pollyana society we "enjoy."

Whom do you suggest we borrow from to continue spending money we don't have?

Are you more than ten years old?

[jennings2004]

You mean, sort of like ObamaCare? Give Granny a pill, let her die...kills two birds with one stone...no more medical expenses, plus $255 and no more Social Security payments....not hard to figure the thinking undergirding the plan, is it?

[erkyl]

I’m really sorry for your situation. Really sucks. You are justifiably angry at your plight.

My husband and I are about your age (50), and I left my teaching job three years ago and my husband got laid off in September. I’ve been working as an adjunct teaching assistant for an online university for the past year. I grade papers for several entry-level courses, and many of my students are our age, going back to school on the government’s nickel. (I’d rather they do that than just draw unemployment.) Many of them say in their papers that they meant to finish school, but life got in the way. Now they realize it’s necessary to get ahead or even get a job. I gathered from one of your other posts that you do not have a degree? Why not go back to school online? It takes less time than you think.

Secondly, my husband was re-employed within two months. Why? We live in Texas. We’re lucky, but we also agreed that we were willing to move if we had to. Our youngest will graduate from high school this year, and so we aren’t tied to the area. Even if we had family here (we don’t), we would have moved to where the work was, if we had to. You said in your post, “...if my family, my wifes family and all roots were not here, I would be gone in a second...hell, 2 of my 3 sons were forced to leave already...” Sounds to me like 2 of your sons have found success elsewhere. Why don’t you and your wife consider moving to where they have?

We know there’s no way to sell a house now days. We knew we would be risking a lot if we couldn’t sell the house. But, we were willing to walk away. We have two kids to put through college, and unless we wiped out our retirement, we need to work to pay for college. (We don’t qualify for government assistance.) So, we would have walked away from the house and moved to DC if that’s the only place we could find work. We were blessed we didn’t have to, but we were willing.

I guess what I’m saying is, you have acknowledged this recession is different. You are unwilling to approach it differently. You won’t consider moving. Your state is a lost cause. You will not find work there. Either find a way to make money online, or you need to move where the work is. Pioneers moved their families all the time when the situation forced them. It may be time for you and your wife to adopt that pioneer spirit and see where this life’s recession adventure will take you.

Best to you and your family.

[joe fonebone]

" if the idle, the unproductive, the hedonists, the unprepared, the "eat drink and be merry" crowd, the irresponsible are all destined to meet the consequences of their actions, it is preferable if everyone should die instead."
and this proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you sir are indeed an egotistical self centered piece of human garbage. You listed some thing in your post. Here is my reply to them: I agree there is no money fairy. I have saved for 35 years, paid my mortgage, and did things according to the book. I would have retired at 50( not from a pension, or government handout, but from my own savings. Alas, cannot sell the house, IRA took a major hit ) My home is not upside down, but is now worth less than i paid for it 22 years ago...I guess this is my own fault. You are right. There is no social security lockbox. I get a statement every year from them, telling me how much I have paid into the syste. Give me back my 325,000.00 that I have paid into the system since I was 14 and a half years old, and I will never ask the government for another dime. There should not be a medicare lockbox. Hell, I have a disability from my time in the military, do you think I can get a dime from the VA? If I cannot get a dime for a service related disabilty, who the hell has the right to govenment health care? Want to get the cash to spend on our people? Get out of the UN....stop financing foreign debt.....stop paying farmers not to grow food...stop the obscene pensions and lifetime benefits politicans give to themselves....this could go on and on...to take a group of people who, through no fault of their own, are in a predicament that our gevernment had directly caused, and call them lazy, or any other name, makes you a self centered bastard. Period

[TheBattman]

I have visited before - and enjoyed nearly all of it. Frankenmuth was over the top (those folks actually think they can cook a fried chicken dinner? What a fraud!).

Is the UP in as bad a shape as the Detroit area? Amazingly beautiful area up there... almost seems a different sort of people.

I don’t have any desire to live up there, though visiting in the past (as I said) was nice.

[plinyelder]

Sorry but I am with MrK on this one!

I myself have been out of work for over two years now.

I am 58 years old and see no promise of employment anytime soon.

After saying that I ask .. “How Long do you expect the Government (People actually) to support You or Me”?

[joe fonebone]

Actually, my anger is directed more to the ones calling us hedonists, and leeches upon society...you and I have worked more years and paid more cash out to the feds than most of the haters posting on this board combined...that is where my anger is...

[Steak]

You get it mr. Joe. I have had a job since I was 14 years old (35 now, at 53 I’m sure it’s even tougher). Problem is, there are NO JOBS! I am a telecommunications expert, and a broadcast engineer. I have tons of experience, and awesome references. I can shoot video at satellites, wire up a whole city with Wifi, etc., but cannot even find a job at a grocery store. We are hurting. I have two young daughters, and a wife, who count on me, and have been out of work for over a year. Only reason we ate well this year is at least i had time to cover every inch of our property with vegetables. We eat what we grow.Winter will be hard.
After the mortgage (humble country home) and the heating bill, we live off of $75 a week (yeah, that’s for gas, food, clothes for a family of 4), with my unemployment insurance, and my wife’s meager earnings.

For those complaining about an extension, you are full of caca. Yes, I agree, that when times are good, unemployment insurance keeps some people from looking for work. Right now is different, there are NO JOBS, not even McDonald’s jobs. We are screwed. I have worked, and paid taxes, consistently for 21 years now, and have been hit by a tidal wave that we call the economy. We do what we can. I have sold my guns, my fishing equipment, all my stuff I have worked and saved for for years. We have run through our savings. Imagine that everything you worked and saved for, your whole life, you had to list and sell on craigslist, the only thing you have left is your family’s home, and jerks online complain hat you are watching directv and sitting on the couch having a holiday.

I’m a longtime conservative, and far brighter than most jerks on this site, and you guys have it wrong. Are there people taking advantage of the system? Of course there are, its government, plenty take advantage of everything they can. Myself, and MANY like me just want to work, where shall we go? Will you resign and give your job to me? I’ll gladly switch places on that one! The next person who calls me or people in my position lazy, I challenge them to resign from their job, and offer me their position. Otherwise, shut it!