Unemnployment insurance increased to 99 weeks. Socialist Amerika :(

[Viditor]

It's very sad to me...by the definition of the right, any act of charity should be called "socialism". What hogwash!
I know I've heard it before...

"Are there no prisons?"..."The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?"..."I don't make merry myself at Christmas, and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there."

With millions of people out of work, and single mothers living in their cars (if they're lucky) with their kids, it's astounding to most of the world how apathetic many people are in the richest country in the world...

 

[Exterous]

It's very sad to me...by the definition of the right, any act of charity should be called "socialism". What hogwash!

6 months to a 1 year is charity (not that I get to claim it on my taxes). Longer than that is ridiculous without some sort of return on the money I paid to them. I know people who don't care about looking for a job because they can get unemployment for so long. 'Hey - I don't even have to start looking (other than the token requirements to continue getting free money) for another 6 months!'

Make it be a loan after 1 year. Or make them do some sort of approved government work program to get the money - Shit - just do anything to get a return on this.

It's probably not a good thing that I read this thread after reading the VAT thread. Now its getting me to think that I might have to pay VAT to help provide money to 99 weeks of unemployment......

 

[Kappo]

what do you mean the people who "matter" ? Correct me if im wrong but are you saying people who collect unemployment and to get by don't matter ?

I mean people who can live off of $1k a month for 99 months really arent a factor. They won't ever have good jobs or innovate. They will squirt out 3 kids and mooch off the government regardless of if that cooking job at Applebee's opens up.

Now, not everyone who takes unemployment is a moocher. You get out there, find SOME job (if you are too proud to flip burgers to feed your kids, then you are doing it wrong) even if the pay is crap, and look for something better while you do that. What? You only make $100/mo more than if you were on unemployment so it's not worth it? Yeah, it's called doing the right thing instead of being a lazy piece of crap.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Awesome fucking story. He finally found a job making $50,000 a year. Took him 99 weeks. In the meantime, it would have been literally impossible for him to find a job making less, right? Bullfuckingshit. Publix, Target, Kash N' Kerry, McDonalds, Buger King, mowing lawns, gas stations... NO PLACE WOULD HIRE HIM? Or was it that his ego prevented him from working a job that paid $9 an hour. It was much easier to sit on his ass and do interviews on TV then to get a laborers job.


I don't have any sympathy. There are jobs out there if you're willing to work for less.

I have no sympathy for idiot posters like you who consider a minimum wage job enough to support your family and pay the mortgage......

 

[Kappo]

It's very sad to me...by the definition of the right, any act of charity should be called "socialism". What hogwash!
I know I've heard it before...

"Are there no prisons?"..."The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?"..."I don't make merry myself at Christmas, and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there."

With millions of people out of work, and single mothers living in their cars (if they're lucky) with their kids, it's astounding to most of the world how apathetic many people are in the richest country in the world...

Sounds like she should have choosen her mate better, kept her legs closed until she had a stable job. Why is this my problem again? I help people who deserve to be helped, not some random person who will never be able to make non-retarded decisions for the duration of their life.

 

[Viditor]

6 months to a 1 year is charity (not that I get to claim it on my taxes). Longer than that is ridiculous without some sort of return on the money I paid to them. I know people who don't care about looking for a job because they can get unemployment for so long. 'Hey - I don't even have to start looking (other than the token requirements to continue getting free money) for another 6 months!'

Make it be a loan after 1 year. Or make them do some sort of approved government work program to get the money - Shit - just do anything to get a return on this.

It's probably not a good thing that I read this thread after reading the VAT thread. Now its getting me to think that I might have to pay VAT to help provide money to 99 weeks of unemployment......

And I KNOW people who have been looking for over 2 years for any kind of job. They get occasional work as day labourers, but they can't feed their family on it.
The current number of people with long term unemployment (greater than 27 weeks) is 6.5 million...
Now while I'm sure you're right that there are certainly freeloaders out there, the vast majority of those people are middle class homeowners that have lost their jobs and lost their house. In other words, Joe Sixpack. And I will bet you all the money in my pocket that those people you know don't have kids to take care of!
We don't see them in these forums because they don't have time to fritter away on boards like this...they aren't as wealthy as we are. (and yes, if you can afford to be here you are comparitively wealthy).

Charity and helping your neighbor has always had a very poor short term return.
The long term returns are:
1. that the economy improves quicker (consumer spending)
2. That crime decreases (less stealing and robbing to feed the family)
3. More security (fewer angry people)

 

[Viditor]

Sounds like she should have choosen her mate better, kept her legs closed until she had a stable job. Why is this my problem again? I help people who deserve to be helped, not some random person who will never be able to make non-retarded decisions for the duration of their life.

Be serious...you help nobody but yourself...

 

[Xcobra]

Don't we want people to keep looking for a job? With this shit, no one will even bother looking for a job...pathetic.

 

[Viditor]

Don't we want people to keep looking for a job? With this shit, no one will even bother looking for a job...pathetic.

You are under the false assumption that Welfare pays enough to feed your family all by itself. For example, in Missouri welfare pays $264 cash, $134 foodstamps, and includes medicaid...

 

[ciproxr]

I mean people who can live off of $1k a month for 99 months really arent a factor. They won't ever have good jobs or innovate. They will squirt out 3 kids and mooch off the government regardless of if that cooking job at Applebee's opens up.

Now, not everyone who takes unemployment is a moocher. You get out there, find SOME job (if you are too proud to flip burgers to feed your kids, then you are doing it wrong) even if the pay is crap, and look for something better while you do that. What? You only make $100/mo more than if you were on unemployment so it's not worth it? Yeah, it's called doing the right thing instead of being a lazy piece of crap.

you basically have decided who matters based on their income which is ridiculous. Do you have any idea how many people were piss poor and but were innovators ?

Collecting unemployment is not "mooching", they take money out of your paycheck to fund this insurance. The amount of unemployment you receive is determined based on how much you were paying into the system which is based off how much you make. Most people will have paid more taxes then have received benefits as far as unemployment.

Your logic is completely flawed, its like saying people should have their own retirement fund instead of "mooching" off social security.

I hope you lose your job have a hard time finding one, then will see if you're willing to accept a position at your local McDonald's. I have funny feeling you wont.

 

[BoberFett]

eh, last time I got unemployment, checks were sent in the mail. It could be different now, and probably vaires by state.

Here in MN, I just go to the website every Monday and click the "Send me money" button after checking a few boxes that say I'm looking for work. The money gets direct deposited two days later. You could do it from a Mexican beach.

 

[Kappo]

you basically have decided who matters based on their income which is ridiculous. Do you have any idea how many people were piss poor and but were innovators ?

Collecting unemployment is not "mooching", they take money out of your paycheck to fund this insurance. The amount of unemployment you receive is determined based on how much you were paying into the system which is based off how much you make. Most people will have paid more taxes then have received benefits as far as unemployment.

Your logic is completely flawed, its like saying people should have their own retirement fund instead of "mooching" off social security.

I hope you lose your job have a hard time finding one, then will see if you're willing to accept a position at your local McDonald's. I have funny feeling you wont.

Well, I'm very aware of how unemployment works. Like I said, people who will use unemployment for 99 months are not people that matter fiscally or ever will. Can you not realize that people can't pay into this system if they are unemployed? More time unemployed = less being payed into the system.

If you don't have a retirement fund and rely on social security, news flash!! You are screwed. I hear SS benefits will impact me at retirement. Oh wait. They will be broke. Same. Broken. System. Encourage people to not think or plan ahead. Way to go government!

And yes, I have had my fair share of menial jobs for spans of a few weeks or months just so I didn't have to watch reruns of Good Times all day while filling out a form that says I looked for a job today. I had house payment + my rent due just after closing on a new house and lost my job. Paying that didnt seem possible with the chump change from unemployment. Petco+Rooms to Go+mowing grass and cleaning gutters got me though it. No unemployment.

I'm not tooting my own horn here, I'm nothing special. ANYONE can do this crap. If you need 99 months to find a job, YOU ARENT GOING TO GET ONE ANYWAY (other than to expand your benefits). So yes, people who need that entire time are pretty much inconsequential to the unemployment rate or to society as a whole.

 

[Rebel44]

Well, I'm very aware of how unemployment works. Like I said, people who will use unemployment for 99 months are not people that matter fiscally or ever will. Can you not realize that people can't pay into this system if they are unemployed? More time unemployed = less being payed into the system.

ITS 99 WEEKS not months!! Go back to school and learn to READ.

Btw. I live in "socialist" EU and Unemplyment insurance for only 6 months - after that you may or may not get some welfare.

 

[palehorse]

It's very sad to me...by the definition of the right, any act of charity should be called "socialism". What hogwash!
I know I've heard it before...

umm, government services are not "charity." I'd gladly give large chunks of money to the real charities of my choice if the govn't stopped raping me every year.

It's simply ridiculous that unemployed people are covered for so long now -- especially those who refuse to work more menial or labor-intensive jobs instead.

 

[palehorse]

I mean people who can live off of $1k a month for 99 months really arent a factor. They won't ever have good jobs or innovate. They will squirt out 3 kids and mooch off the government regardless of if that cooking job at Applebee's opens up.

Now, not everyone who takes unemployment is a moocher. You get out there, find SOME job (if you are too proud to flip burgers to feed your kids, then you are doing it wrong) even if the pay is crap, and look for something better while you do that. What? You only make $100/mo more than if you were on unemployment so it's not worth it? Yeah, it's called doing the right thing instead of being a lazy piece of crap.

well f'n said.

 

[blackangst1]

You are under the false assumption that Welfare pays enough to feed your family all by itself. For example, in Missouri welfare pays $264 cash, $134 foodstamps, and includes medicaid...

How many people die from hunger every year int he US? a 10 minute Google search yielded only that 1 in 6 kids are at risk of becoming malnurished, and that only 60% of those who qualify for food stamps actually use them. Makes me conclude people ARE eating.

 

[Tom]

6 months to a 1 year is charity (not that I get to claim it on my taxes). Longer than that is ridiculous without some sort of return on the money I paid to them. I know people who don't care about looking for a job because they can get unemployment for so long. 'Hey - I don't even have to start looking (other than the token requirements to continue getting free money) for another 6 months!'

Make it be a loan after 1 year. Or make them do some sort of approved government work program to get the money - Shit - just do anything to get a return on this.

It's probably not a good thing that I read this thread after reading the VAT thread. Now its getting me to think that I might have to pay VAT to help provide money to 99 weeks of unemployment......

unemployment payments are funded by unemployment insurance, collected by employers but ultimately paid by employees.

It isn't charity and you don't pay taxes on the premiums you pay, assuming you are an employee somewhere.

As far as the issue of how long the benefits should last, I think after 6 months there ought to be some restrictions, such as mandatory retraining, possibly relocation, some sort of evaluation of what the problem is. All of that would cost money though, and some of it might already be happening.

 

[ciproxr]

unemployment payments are funded by unemployment insurance, collected by employers but ultimately paid by employees.

It isn't charity and you don't pay taxes on the premiums you pay, assuming you are an employee somewhere.

Thank you, Exactly what i was saying, I don't understand why some people are finding is so difficult to comprehend the concept of unemployment insurance.

 

[theeedude]

At this point it's not unemployment insurance it's middle class welfare where you get to keep your dignity while being a drain on society. I am a liberal and a big proponent of a good safety net so no one is left destitute, but we need to call things by their real names. If you are on unemployment for almost 2 years, you are getting way more coverage than your unemployment insurance premiums paid for, you are on welfare, not unemployment.

 

[Kappo]

At this point it's not unemployment insurance it's middle class welfare where you get to keep your dignity while being a drain on society. I am a liberal and a big proponent of a good safety net so no one is left destitute, but we need to call things by their real names. If you are on unemployment for almost 2 years, you are getting way more coverage than your unemployment insurance premiums paid for, you are on welfare, not unemployment.

This. Not to mention, who do you think is paying for that guy to sit there all day "looking for a job"? The people who are working. What happens when more money comes OUT than goes in? I start paying for it.

 

[dmcowen674]

He's a sign of the times alright.

His new job pays 50% less than his last job.

Lost jobs being replaced with jobs that pay much less is just part of our nation's transformation into third world nationhood and the accompanying death of the American middle class.

110% by design.

 

[biostud]

we have 4 years unemployment security in Denmark, but it will probably be shortened to 2 years. It's voluntary, so when you work you have to pay insurance.

 

[Lanyap]

unemployment payments are funded by unemployment insurance, collected by employers but ultimately paid by employees.

It isn't charity and you don't pay taxes on the premiums you pay, assuming you are an employee somewhere.

As far as the issue of how long the benefits should last, I think after 6 months there ought to be some restrictions, such as mandatory retraining, possibly relocation, some sort of evaluation of what the problem is. All of that would cost money though, and some of it might already be happening.

Normally the first 26 weeks of UC are paid by the employer through a tax. An additional $25 per week that comes from one of the stimulus packages is included with the normal UC during this initial period. After that the entire UC amount is paid by another stimulus packags which means it's taxpayer's money.

 

[Hacp]

99 months is just plain fucking ridiculous.

To be fair, its 99 weeks.

 

[Exterous]

Now while I'm sure you're right that there are certainly freeloaders out there, the vast majority of those people are middle class homeowners that have lost their jobs and lost their house. In other words, Joe Sixpack. And I will bet you all the money in my pocket that those people you know don't have kids to take care of!
We don't see them in these forums because they don't have time to fritter away on boards like this...they aren't as wealthy as we are. (and yes, if you can afford to be here you are comparitively wealthy).

Here's the thing - being in America does not guarantee a good job, nice house and the ability to support children. Maybe thats harsh but life can be harsh. If people are having issues providing for their families that should not be my problem for 2 years. To me it sounds like they did not plan well enough for adverse things to happen in life. I am 27 and own a house and if my wife and I lost our jobs we could survive for 2 years on our savings without unemployment. How? Its not because my parents are rich or some hand out its because we worked hard. We didn't buy things we couldn't afford and then expect to be taken care of by the government if things went south.

Call me selfish, call me an elitest bitch - I don't care - I am sick of providing for people who didn't properly provide for themselves

(I am sure there are cases out there that are extrordinary circumstances that could not have been forseen but I firmly believe that the situation would not be nearly as bad if people actually knew how to manage money)

unemployment payments are funded by unemployment insurance, collected by employers but ultimately paid by employees.

It isn't charity and you don't pay taxes on the premiums you pay, assuming you are an employee somewhere.

I know it's not actually charity but its lost income for what would be a good cause - if benifits lasted less than 1.9 years