You know as well as I do that there are people riding this unemployment compensation for all it's worth. If you have marketable job skills there is work to be had. I lived through the Carter years and the aftermath and I always had work. Times then were much, much worse than what we have now.
Have you tried looking for work since September, 2008?
I'm in the market right now. There are very few jobs and very many applicants chasing them.
That depends on where you are and the amount of mobility you have. A job 100 miles from home isn’t an option for people with families.