[Buckeye McFrog]

If you don’t want to help yourself enough to even work 20 hours a week, I have no sympathy for you.

[GeronL]

bump

Get down to the temp service and sign up, you can make $50 a day!

“but I’ll lose my benefits”

ugh

[boycott]

If you don’t want to help yourself enough to even work 20 hours a week, I have no sympathy for you.

—

And all they had to do was volunteer 24 hours per month. If they’re not willing to do that, they don’t need it bad enough for the taxpayers to have to fund these couch potatoes.

[Vigilanteman]

Not long ago, there was a thread here on the Mormon Church's welfare program. They have similar requirements and, thus, very few slackards who are able to abuse the program very much or for very long. One idiot poster made the remark that it couldn't be considered charity if it required work.

The best and longest lasting charity is that which changes a mindset. Kudos to Maine's governor for at least pushing things a little bit in that direction!

[Oshkalaboomboom]

If you don’t want to help yourself enough to even work 20 hours a week, I have no sympathy for you.

I realize unemployment isn't the same as welfare but they do both punish you for trying to better your situation. I got laid off last year and tried everything to find work as soon as possible because we didn't have any medical insurance. Even though I had over 20 year's experience in machine maintenance I applied for (and was turned down for) 2 different janitorial positions, nighttime security guard, general laborer, retail service, etc. I took a minimum wage job at Kroger even though it was less than what I was making by sitting home collecting an unemployment check just to get a chance at a full time job with benefits. After a month of getting less and less weekly hours and realizing I had practically zero chance of being taken on full time I quit. The state told me that since I had quit a job I was no longer eligible to collect unemployment, so I was left with nothing.

Fortunately we had enough savings to get by until I found full time work but if I had to do it over or if someone asked me for advice I would say to sit home, collect that check and don't do anything to jeopardize it until you have a firm commitment for a full time job with benefits. If you try to take the initiative to make a better life for yourself and it doesn't work out you will be punished. Face it, the people in charge of dependents lose their jobs if everyone become self sufficient so what's their incentive to keep you off the dole?