Posted on 07/20/2010 12:57:14 PM PDT by JohnRLott
The extension of unemployment insurance benefits is expected to pass the Senate today. Despite President Obama's attack on Republicans for delaying the bill, it could easily have passed a month ago if Democrats hadn't added so many other unrelated radical measures to it -- from higher taxes to changes in the Medicare reimbursement formula.
The bill President Obama has been hammering Republicans over in the last couple of days has been puzzling since he already knew that he had enough Republican votes to overcome any filibuster and pass the extended benefits.
The problem, though, isn't that there is insufficient Republican support to pass it. The problem is that the bill will ultimately increase long term unemployment and it will reduce our GDP.
Ironically, if some of Obama's attacks are correct, Republicans can only be accused of trying to help Obama's presidency.
Suppose, as the president said on Monday, that Republicans really believe "that emergency relief somehow discourages people from looking for a job." If that were true, those Republicans who are opposing the added extension of benefits would believe that defeating it would lower the unemployment rate.
Wouldn't a lower unemployment rate before the November elections help the Democrats? Isn't that a sign of true bipartisanship? . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
No jobs AND not even a pittance of unemployment could lead to one heck of an October surprise in the form of angry mobs.
Do we know what ELSE is in this bill? Honestly, the pubs have no control over the message...you know this thing is chock full of other ‘stuff’, not just unemplyment extensions. Can anyone provide a link to the whole thing? TIA>
jonascord said, “I hate Dims with Twelve Purple Polish Passions, but I’ve suddenly developed a foul taste for all of you short sighted fools who blandly claim that a 60 year old with heart trouble should just start mowing lawns, or working on a loading dock.”
If you are a 60 year old with heart trouble wouldn’t you be applying for a disability living allowance instead of unemployment insurance?
Well politically letting them expire is a huge loser. Those unemployed voters would blame him even more for being jobless if they were cut off, and who would rally behind Democrats for it? Obama is right about one thing, Bush would extend them too and probably unpaid for too. That was his way.
If he admits the benefits will slow employment as he passes them, that wont help him either. His best political option is demi-god and lie and blame Republicans(at this point this is not a very good 'best' option for him to have.) . Some will buy it. Our job is to throw it all back at him.
“Does anyone think that 2.5 million people, AND THEIR FAMILIES, are going watch their houses, and everything they own vanish, and not bear some small memory of who VOTED AGAINST IT? All you smug “just get a lower paying job...” droolers, and koolaide drinkers who are only one check away from following the rest into the Abyss can ponder it.”
Yeah, I’m one of those folks. I’m self-employed because no one is hiring. I just got stiffed by an unemployed railroad mechanic who’s on perpetual UI. Enough money to take a trip to Mexico on UI, not enough to pay me for services rendered.
Ask me how much sympathy I have for unemployment extensions out of my pocket?
This will cover us from Recovery Summer through Recovery Autumn and into Recovery Winter. Obama’s post racial America allow for all white welfare poster persons.
We are in uncharted territory. 99 weeks was a record and now this. It is also worth remembering that the states pick up part of the tab. Blaming Bush just doesn't wash.
If he admits the benefits will slow employment as he passes them, that wont help him either. His best political option is demi-god and lie and blame Republicans(at this point this is not a very good 'best' option for him to have.) . Some will buy it. Our job is to throw it all back at him.
LOL. You just blamed Bush by agreeing with Obama that Bush would expand them too. Gee, I wonder why Obama mentioned Bush. LOL.
Of course, it isn't just that simple.
Today I was reading some article from the Financial Times of London that called it “the Recession of 2007.” I’d never heard that phrase before. They claimed that the traditional indicators of economic slowdown started then. Has anybody else seen that sort of data?
Unemployment insurance is itself reinforcing failure, not success and is demotivational.
Instead of wasting money on unemployment, our government should invest in things that create jobs and wealth.
However, when your entire world view is defined through a “conflict theory.” When you reject the basic tenets of modern Western economics, believe consumers are not rational, that wealth can only be achieved through some form of exploitation and is essentially finite, then you get the answers you see from this administration and Congress.
If that's what it takes, so be it.
When the 26 weeks providid for in the law run out that should be the end of it!!!
Many European nations with unemployment benefits that seem to go one forever also have numbers of permanently unemployed that exceed U.S. historical rates.
Many economists say that should be expected.
Many people will defer taking a 2nd or 3rd choice job, for less than they were earning before, if they can keep getting unemployment benefits and even if such benefits are less than the salaries of the jobs they don’t want to take.
Unless circumstances force some unemployed persons to go ahead and take what they can get, some would rather just stay “on the dole”. The longer this is permitted to go on, the longer it does go on. Economists know this. How come the Dims don’t?
muddler, “Of course, it isn’t just that simple.”
I realize that it’s not simple to apply and qualify for SSI. I’m just saying that unemployment benefits weren’t meant to be extended indefinitely to cover people that probably won’t be able to get another job due to health reasons. Unemployment is there to cover an able body person for a reasonable period in which they can find another job.
Because doing that would run 100% counter to nobama's agenda: bankrupt the US ASAP and make everyone dependent on the government.
The extension of unemployment insurance benefits... could easily have passed a month ago if Democrats hadn't added so many other unrelated radical measures to it -- from higher taxes to changes in the Medicare reimbursement formula... Obama... knew that he had enough Republican votes to overcome any filibuster and pass the extended benefits... The problem is that the bill will ultimately increase long term unemployment and it will reduce our GDP... Suppose, as the president said on Monday, that Republicans really believe "that emergency relief somehow discourages people from looking for a job." If that were true, those Republicans who are opposing the added extension of benefits would believe that defeating it would lower the unemployment rate.
If a rat has a choice between food in one cave that is free and infinite, vs another in a cave he has to work to get at it, which path do you think he will perpetually choose?
Exactly what I am pursuing as well, and have run into the great catch-all 22. How does one become self-employed without start up capital (i.e. no job)? Am looking to do something online but every avenue I research requires a lot of start up $$$.
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