Lone senator blocks unemployment benefit extensions

Retroit · March-01-10, 03:56 PM

My sympathies to the unemployed. I've been there myself and unashamedly collected my unemployment benefits which were paid for out of the wages extorted out of my paycheck by our government.

However, I wonder how many jobs could be provided if people and businesses were able to reinvest more of their earnings into the economy instead of supporting our bureaucratic socialistic government.

**d.mcc** · March-01-10, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by Retroit

My sympathies to the unemployed. I've been there myself and unashamedly collected my unemployment benefits which were paid for out of the wages extorted out of my paycheck by our government.

However, I wonder how many jobs could be provided if people and businesses were able to reinvest more of their earnings into the economy instead of supporting our bureaucratic socialistic government.

Well, from my personal experience, my job was lost DIRECTLY do to banks failing. Even when the banks had received billions from the government, rather than funding already approved and current projects, all funding had been cut off while the banks continued to sit on the money they received. To my knowledge, some of these projects still have not made progress due to stalling by the banks...

**Thames** · March-01-10, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Retroit

My sympathies to the unemployed. I've been there myself and unashamedly collected my unemployment benefits which were paid for out of the wages extorted out of my paycheck by our government.

Employees don't pay unemployment taxes.

**firstandten** · March-01-10, 04:47 PM

Damn, I'm so disappointed. Jim Bunning was one of my favorite pitchers growing up.I guess ole Charles Barkley was right, Athletes aren't role models.

**Sstashmoo** · March-01-10, 05:59 PM

Orf,

I walked barefoot back and forth to school, uphill, both ways...

**oldredfordette** · March-01-10, 07:03 PM

Gawd I pity you. Nobody knows the trouble you've seen.

Back to reality, there are no frigging jobs. Period.

**Sstashmoo** · March-01-10, 07:22 PM

Quote: "there are no frigging jobs. Period."

Agreed. But, What are we supposed to do just keep paying people indefinitely? Unfortunately it's going to take something drastic to get our government to act. Every day we continue on this path we dig ourselves deeper , closer to full blown depression, collapsing dollar, total failure.

You have to believe the lobbyists twisting arms for extensions are working for the folks fleecing our manufacturing sector. The longer they can keep the masses quiet, the more of our country they can make off with.

That's why the extensions need to stop. Piss people off, get them angry, get them involved in righting this catastrophe our Politicians and lobbyists have made.

**ghettopalmetto** · March-01-10, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by Sstashmoo

But, What are we supposed to do just keep paying people indefinitely? Unfortunately it's going to take something drastic to get our government to act. Every day we continue on this path we dig ourselves deeper , closer to full blown depression, collapsing dollar, total failure.

Why not continue unemployment benefits indefinitely? European countries do so. As long as the recipient can document that he/she has been actively searching for a suitable job, why should they have to starve or become homeless on top of it? I mean, we already ensure that the unemployed can't do jack shit if they get sick.... Let's just pile it on 'em while they're down, right?

I'm curious to know how extending unemployment benefits leads to full-blown economic depression. The amount of money spent extending unemployment has been a tiny fraction of the money given away to millionaires in the Reagan and Bush tax cuts--money which isn't doing a fucking thing in our economy other than earning interest in a Swiss bank account.

**313WX** · March-01-10, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by firstandten

Damn, I'm so disappointed. Jim Bunning was one of my favorite pitchers growing up.I guess ole Charles Barkley was right, Athletes aren't role models.

Dumb Americans voting these unqualified people in solely because of Name recognition!

Frankly they deserve whatever this guy gives to them.

**Thames** · March-01-10, 08:01 PM

Volunteer in your field of expertise. It leads to a lot of wonderful things, including employment. At least, it did for me.

I wasn't looking for work, I was volunteering and one day someone [[a frequent visitor to the establishment) offered me a job.

The volunteer position required a resume and references, so I had to brush up my resume. Good thing. It had been a while since I did that. At the time though, I couldn't believe I had to submit a resume and references to work for FREE! That's okay, I'm still working for free, but sometimes I get paid to work too. :-)

**oldredfordette** · March-01-10, 08:07 PM

People who have their money cut off are not going to hit the streets in nonviolent protest, they're going to get themselves food and shelter first. by any means necessary.

I agree that unemployment should be a short term solution, but what are we going to do? How can you defend the outrageous bonuses the Bank fuckers paid themselves with our tax dollars then begrudge the relatively little paid for unemployment? And defend the lack of universal health care in this country? Sstash, ARE YOU JIM BUNNING?

lilpup · March-01-10, 08:21 PM

No jobs? There are some if you're willing to do them. They might not be in your degree field or up to your expectations, but they pay the bills.

One of my coworkers pulls in over $50k/year as a contracted newspaper carrier. It's seven days a week, no holidays, find your own substitute if you want time off, you provide the vehicle, and since you're a contractor don't expect anything from the company except a 1099, but it still pays the bills.

**Sstashmoo** · March-01-10, 10:14 PM

Quote: "Why not continue unemployment benefits indefinitely? European countries do so."

Are they 12 trillion in debt, soon to be 14 trillion, are they borrowing this "free money" from the Chinese? China is dumping our dollars as fast as they can, trading them for gold. Why do you think they're doing that? If our money is so solid, why would anyone rather have anything else. The Chinese see the writing on the wall, we are in over our heads and printing paper money on nothing to back it up. Nigerian dollars anyone?

You're worried about someone paying their rent in lieu of moving in with a relative or back home with the parents, I'm worried about a total collapse of our dollar. Just priorities apparently. The answer to our woes is not building a false economy out of Chinese backed dollars. This is tantamount to quitting your job and living off of your charge cards. It will work for a while.

As far as what the "bank fuckers" got, they should have never gotten such exorbitant sums in lieu of the conditions.

**Thames** · March-01-10, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by oldredfordette

People who have their money cut off are not going to hit the streets in nonviolent protest, they're going to get themselves food and shelter first. by any means necessary.

I agree that unemployment should be a short term solution, but what are we going to do? How can you defend the outrageous bonuses the Bank fuckers paid themselves with our tax dollars then begrudge the relatively little paid for unemployment? And defend the lack of universal health care in this country? Sstash, ARE YOU JIM BUNNING?

I don't see anyone defending "the outrageous bonuses the Bank fuckers paid themselves" on this thread. Nor do I see anyone "defend the lack of universal health care in this country" on this thread. Enough already.

I see people sharing how they are coping now, and how they coped before, during a past recession. You act like this is the first time you've ever experienced a recession. That's okay and I'll admit the current economic conditions remind of what my grandparents lived through, but this is not the first time or even the second, that I've had to go through this. I've reinvented myself more than once. More people need to try it.

**oladub** · March-02-10, 12:13 AM

The richest 1% of Americans own 70% of US financial assets. 400 Americans now own as much as 155M Americans. 40 state unemployment programs ore on the way to going broke. "If our income had kept pace with compensation distribution rates established in the early 1970s, we would all be making at least three times as much as we are currently making." "The past decade proves that -- whether it's the Republicans or the Democrats running the government -- our tax money is not going into our community, it is going into the pockets of the billionaires who have bought off both parties - it is obscene."
-alternet1 and alternet2

One tax measure no politicians have explored, and probably for good reasons of their own, is taxing corporations for rewarding their executives excessively. For instance, companies that compensate executives 500 times more than the company's average worker would pay a tax based on that ratio. A company which paid it's top executive 15 times its average worker would pay a much smaller tax on that ratio. Calculate what the company pays workers in foreign countries too. That would be an incentive to manufacture here without being considered an import tax. Don't go after the executive. Go after the company. Make it in the stockholders' interest to cut executive pay and hire decently paid American workers.

**d.mcc** · March-02-10, 01:36 AM

Originally Posted by Sstashmoo

You're worried about someone paying their rent in lieu of moving in with a relative or back home with the parents, I'm worried about a total collapse of our dollar. Just priorities apparently. The answer to our woes is not building a false economy out of Chinese backed dollars. This is tantamount to quitting your job and living off of your charge cards. It will work for a while.

Is it that simple? What about food? What about healthcare?

How many times have I forgone going to the doctor because I need to weigh whether or not my condition is worth the backlog of other bills in my delicate balance? How easy is it to move in with a relative who may also be hard up financially because they need to support others in the same situation?

It's not cut and dry like you make it out to be Sstash... Not looking for sympathy, but perhaps a little empathy would do you good in this situation. People who are unemployed don't just sit around collecting a paycheck.

I for one have gone through serious bouts of self doubt and borderline depression over the fact that I have been out of my field for over a year with no sign of any end to this on the horizon. I don't know how to explain it to someone who hasn't experienced it, but being out of work has been no picnic...

**barnesfoto** · March-02-10, 02:14 AM

"When I lost my job in the late 70's, there were absolutely no jobs around here, and nobody was giving me a fucking thing."

When you lost your job in the 1970's, methinks that perhaps you didn't have to worry about age discrimination. It's great that you managed to get through a kinder, gentler recession.
I got through the early 1980's by living in my parent's basement, and by leaving the country for a while.

The reality is that many jobless people are not 25 years old, and will never have significant jobs again in their lifetimes, and have no surviving parents into whose basements they can move.

One can blather about how those out of work should start their own companies, but of course, it would be easier for people to start their own companies if we had a sane national health care policy, one that offered an alternative to premiums that cost over 500.00+/month, and did not deny people coverage because of "preexisiting conditions"

Conservocrite translation of "preexisting condition: "
Your are defective because God hates you! Go die, you underachieving loser!

**sumas** · March-02-10, 08:19 AM

Barns, you are perceptive. I am middle aged and self employed but not exactly by choice. There isn't a job out there for me. I have plenty of talents, a college degree and years of experience.

Sometimes I think it is a plot to deny health care to people so the social security system won't go backrupt. We will all die young.

My mother is 90, and has had great health care bennefits all along. We live with her and certainly earn our keep but otherwise would be homeless. When she dies we will be. My husband has health issues and can't work. Can't afford the doctor bills so we just muddle along. The stress is sometimes overwhelming.

I believe it is imperative that extensions get granted so others do not go through what we go through. People deserve a little dignity in these hard times.

**Sstashmoo** · March-02-10, 10:36 AM

Quote: "You act like this is the first time you've ever experienced a recession."

Most women would not respond to this accusation. This is a true damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario.

**Sstashmoo** · March-02-10, 10:52 AM

Quote: "It's great that you managed to get through a kinder, gentler recession."

Was it? I don't think things are as bad here now as then. I don't see people walking down the street with "Will work for food" signs etc. They were very common in the late 70's, early 80's. Any sort of assistance was almost impossible to get.

**kenp** · March-02-10, 11:07 AM

When there is a earthquake in Haiti the US is first to help
When there is a earthquake in Chile, ditto
When there is a Hurricane in New Orleans were not so quick to react.
This extension is a serious matter to many Americans, both sides have good points, but come on this is like our own disaster.
I work for a small company, been here for 24 years. Never once have we had somebody require unemployment benefits, yet we pay and pay and pay for the rest of Michigans unemployed. Its very frustrating yet I can see the need to help these people out.

**gibran** · March-02-10, 11:35 AM

we are all our brothers keepers in a way...we pay in with the hopes that we won't ever need it, but in case we do ...it is there....

Retroit · March-02-10, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Thames

Employees don't pay unemployment taxes.

Whether it is taken from me before or after my paycheck is printed is immaterial. It is a cost of labor that does not get paid to employees, but instead is paid to the government.

**ghettopalmetto** · March-02-10, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Sstashmoo

Are they 12 trillion in debt, soon to be 14 trillion, are they borrowing this "free money" from the Chinese? China is dumping our dollars as fast as they can, trading them for gold. Why do you think they're doing that? If our money is so solid, why would anyone rather have anything else. The Chinese see the writing on the wall, we are in over our heads and printing paper money on nothing to back it up. Nigerian dollars anyone?

I agree. This is a consideration that should have been made when we decided to take BORROWED money and give it to MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES in the form of tax cuts, while we send the children of the POOR AND WORKING CLASSES off to an UNNECESSARY WAR.

I guess some people don't feel like they need to pull their own weight in this country, as long as they get the big house, expensive car, and neato job title.

EastSider · March-02-10, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by sumas

We live with her and certainly earn our keep but otherwise would be homeless. When she dies we will be.

Isn't your name on some old guy's house down by the river? I thought you told us some story about the guy's taxes going up after adding your name to the place. Couldn't you just move in with him?