Posted on 12/28/2013 8:02:45 AM PST by Olog-hai
More than 1 million Americans are bracing for a harrowing, post-Christmas jolt as extended federal unemployment benefits come to a sudden halt this weekend, with potentially significant implications for the recovering U.S. economy. A tense political battle likely looms when Congress reconvenes in the new, midterm election year.
Nudging Congress along, a vacationing President Barack Obama called two senators proposing an extension to offer his support. From Hawaii, Obama pledged Friday to push Congress to move quickly next year to address the “urgent economic priority,” the White House said.
For families dependent on cash assistance, the end of the federal government’s “emergency unemployment compensation” will mean some difficult belt-tightening as enrollees lose their average monthly stipend of $1,166. …
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
Well, if you are only considered non-unemployed when not looking for work, I wonder how the government determines when someone is looking for work or not?
In normal times you’d probably be correct, in Obama’s America? Fat chance, unless they all move here.
****More than 1 million Americans are bracing for a harrowing, post-Christmas jolt as extended federal unemployment benefits come to a sudden halt this weekend,****
My experiences with those who go on the dole is that they will stay on the dole till forced off when their benefits run out. Why look for work when you are living on someone else’s dime.
Plenty of work in North Dakota.
They do polling by phone of random people and extrapolate to come up with numbers.
I grew up in the 50’s and once I went on unemployment when I was almost 18. Since I lived at home at the time my 2 brothers and Mom soon knew of this and I never heard the end of it until I found another job which I did REAL quick.
I was harassed by my own family for “being on the take”, called an embarrassment and harangued for bringing shame on the family because only bums take money without working for it.
It was the last time I ever applied for UI.
Gotta love government figure-fudging.
“with potentially significant implications for the recovering U.S. economy”
WTF??? They are parroting the regimes asinine claim.
Asking the AP to think independently and unbiased is asking a bit much of them. They have to keep up with the NY Slimes and all.
That’s 1.3 million that probably won’t be voting republican, despite the fact that it was a bipartisan bill and the democrats did nothing to challenge the cut. It was a setup and Pelosi has already blamed the Republicans.
And despite the fact that neither party has done anything significant about jobs.
Republicans should make a quick stand to restore the unemployment benefits and the military benefits. But they are too stupid to do so. The GOP has been lured into the rope-a-dope and will tire itself out taking the wrong stand.
The unemployment numbers are cooked. Shadowstats.com still shows 23%.
There...fixed. His entire economic policy direction is that the economic pie is a fixed entity and the only way for the poor to get more is to take it away from the rich. Hey...Stupid! How 'bout: "A rising tide lifts all boats." Grow the pie by X% and everyone wins.
Why are you creating a war between classes by trying to sell the idea that the rich don't pay their fair share? The top 10% of income earners in this country pay 68% of the tax bill. True, they aren't paying their fair share...they're paying too much and 51% don't pay anything. You liberals out there, ask yourself this: "How many of you were hired by a poor person?" You wnat to beat down the rich, but they're the ones who drive this economic engine.
How 'bout this: Try developing a plan that encourages companies to hire somebody. Your approach is just plain stupid:
Raise taxes on the rich. Really?
Kill the Keystone Pipeline. Good for your buddies in the Mideast...not so good for people in the US.
More gov't spending. Seriously? The fastest growing economy in the world has decreased the gov't spare of GDP from almost 35% to 17%. The country? Chile. Also, the gov't spending multiplier is always 1 less than the private sector multiplier.
Personally, my feeling is that if you don't pay at least 5% of your income in Federal taxes, you don't get to vote in federal elections. If you've got nothing in the game, why should you have any say in how it's played? Same for state and local govt.
Finally, I think you need to pass a current events test to vote. If you don't know who stands for what and your major voting criteria is that somebody told you how to vote in exchange for a free cell phone, I'd really prefer you to stay home and talk on the phone to all those other stupid voters with free cell phones.
This Republic is doomed unless someone realizes a free lunch is not sustainable in the long run.
Tell me about it. Technically when you are collecting unemployment, you are supposed to be looking for a job and providing information to the government on a weekly basis but that's a bit of a joke. People just set up phony interviews and report that - nobody ever checks up on them.
Unemployment is one of the only government transfers I approve of because it applies to people who normally work for a living and helps them get through a rough stretch when they are between jobs. 99 weeks however is crazy - that's almost two years of unemployment! Anybody who has been employed in the past can find a job in a couple weeks if they needed to. Even if it's to work at the dreaded McDonalds or WalMart for a short period of time while you are looking for something better.
The problem with extended unemployment is it allows people to be "overly choosy" about their jobs because they know they will be collecting an income. In fact, many people have the mindset of "maximizing" their unemployment benefits because they feel it is a perk that they have coming to them.
Speaking of taking a job that is "beneath you", I had a family member a few years ago get laid off from a well-paying job. He took a temporary part-time job at Home Depot and ended up loving it so much he was offered a full-time position and now manages the tool rental department. He now makes more money than he made in his old job and is much happier. So you never know what that "dead-end" job might turn into with the right attitude.
Monthly stipend? No mention of food stamps which will continue ...
North Dakota’s is a young persons game. ...but for them it’s an excellent choice. I’m in Chicago the job market is terrible. Met a guy yesterday who visited his sister in Lincoln NE. Said there’s lots of jobs. Picked up a good job and an apartment for $400.00. Said no way he’s moving back. People may have to bite the bullet and move.
You can’t be serious.
Real unemployment above 15% and you think that simply accepting lower pay will solve the problem?
The U.S. is slated to be just another has been country by the trans-nationals. In the 60’s, a 5% unemployment rate was considered a scandal, and the relative pay and benefits were higher then they are now.
not bloody likely
This will turn into another faux passion play w/ the dhimmis pulling up hard cases to parade in front of the moron press and the GOPers folding like a cheap lawn chair.
F ryan, bohner and mcconnell for this sorry charade of a budget deal!
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