For all of you who have been collecting unemployment

[yogi3939]

I heard on the news today that Obama is supposed to sign into law a new 13 week extension of the unemployment benefits and it will be 20 weeks for the states with the highest unemployment rates. If you have already used up all the previous extensions you need to be on the lookout for how to apply in your state for this new extension.

[soapbox]As much as I need this extension I don't see it as curing anything and it may just be a part of the problems of wasteful government spending that is at least in part responsible for making things worse. No government has ever taxed and spent its country back into prosperity. It takes the hard decisions to actually try and solve the core problems instead of just throwing taxpayers money at them to find the way back to prosperity. Reduce taxes, make the climate better for small businesses, reduce red tape, etc; these are the things that will get us back to being productive and productivity is the true path to national wealth and health.[/soapbox]

[4timedad]

They are extending unemployment benefits to keep people dependent on the state. It's all part of the plan. Jobless numbers will keep rising but BO will keep extending unemployment benefits. That's not a stimulus, it's welfare, and that's what they want. Reagan's stimulus cut taxes and gave the private sector incentive to create jobs and investment. That's why in the first year after his stimulus was passed we had a 2.5% DROP in unemployment!! Not a 2.3% INCREASE. And it's only going to get worse.

[FarmBoy]

They are extending unemployment benefits to keep people dependent on the state. It's all part of the plan. Jobless numbers will keep rising but BO will keep extending unemployment benefits. That's not a stimulus, it's welfare, and that's what they want. Reagan's stimulus cut taxes and gave the private sector incentive to create jobs and investment. That's why in the first year after his stimulus was passed we had a 2.5% DROP in unemployment!! Not a 2.3% INCREASE. And it's only going to get worse.

They are extending the benefits because they know there are no new jobs in sight, not just to keep people dependent. Would you rather they cut these famlies loose? Yes they are dependent on unemployment but what alternative is there?

[4timedad]

They are extending the benefits because they know there are no new jobs in sight, not just to keep people dependent. Would you rather they cut these famlies loose? Yes they are dependent on unemployment but what alternative is there?

I wasn't saying anything against the people receiving the benefits. Please don't take it that way. It is the government's fault that things are as bad as they are and the government isn't making things better. Sorry if you took it that way.

[HisAlways]

I am already on extended benefits, and while I'm thankful for another extension, I would be more thankful for a job. It's ridiculous out there.....noone is hiring.

I have an interview Monday though !! YEAA!! Fourth one in 9 months. I am praying that this one comes through. If not......then the Lord has something better in mind, and I will continue to wait on him.

Notice they didn't extend the COBRA subsidiary though. That was a huge help for us, because now on Dec 1, my health ins will go to $880/month. I cannot afford that.

But...we all know why they didn't extend those benefits. They want us dependent on THEIR health care that they want to pass. Once again...they think we are idiots.

[cocopea9052]

Well, when I was laid off in 2006, they did not have or give extensions. I was out of work for 2 and 1/2 years. I wish they had. Quite possibly I would have not had to make some of the financial and living decisions I did. But on the other hand, God surely did provide for me and my son, all the way to me not losing my apartment and even getting my car back after it was repossessed for only owing 2 last final payments. And later, when things got really bad with the economy and they announced the first extensions, I was disqualified--had missed by just a month. But my two sisters were able to refile and receive them. At one point out of 4 of us, 3 of us were all laid off. There was no help we could even give each other. I finally got another job in Sept. last year.

Yes, God is bigger than anything the Government can do. But I am happy to see people receive extensions. It could be the difference between a eviction notice, or even buying a pair of eye glasses to see. When you are out of work, you forgo a lot. I never sought treatment for a broken toe because I had no insurance. We just don't know really what it means to some. Some people it is a supplement to their spouse income. Some young folks live at home, and have no rent or bills. But for some people it is all they have and still not enough.

And really, where are the jobs they would go to? I could not even get hired at Wal-mart or JC Pennys for the Holiday season and my son worked at JC Pennys!!!!

[Bernardd]

I wasn't saying anything against the people receiving the benefits. Please don't take it that way. It is the government's fault that things are as bad as they are and the government isn't making things better. Sorry if you took it that way.

And this is how the welfare state continues to grow. Those who oppose this type of calculated government spending are painted as insensitive and are then dragged over the coals.

I oppose this spending completely. It's unconstitutional and it simply doesn't work.

I've made some poor decisions in my life that led me to the point where I had no money and no job. It's a horrible situation and it requires difficult decisions.

My neighbor lost his job a while back and now has to work three jobs in order to pay the bills. (2 during the week, and something on Sat & Sun). Not very glamorous jobs but he'd rather die than deal with the government.

[Tall Timbers]

While I'm sure it is helpful to some, the government has no business taking from one citizen and giving to another. The extension of unemployment benefits is not part of the unemployment insurance benefits that workers who have paid into that program are due upon being laid off or fired.

[yogi3939]

I am a 70 year old maintenance and manufacturing engineer. I was forced into retirement by a company downsizing. I then proceded to have a series of medical problems that led to, at this point, 4 cardioversions for atrial fibrilation and an operation to remove 12" of my colon for diverticulitus.

It took a couple of years in which I was able to live off of my savings and unemployment compensation but my health finally improved to the point that I was able to take a job (definitely not my first choice) in the produce department of a Wal-Mart near me.

I was actually gaining strength and feeling better when I got a urinary tract infection that laid me up for nearly a week on some strong antibiotics. I got through that and returned to work on a Friday. I only made it through 20 minutes and I was so soaked from sweat that I literally looked like someone had dumped a five gallon bucket of water on me. And I was working in a 40 deg walk in cooler.

I took Saturday and Sunday off and returned on Monday and made it to noon before I was feeling so bad that it took me 20 minutes to make the three minute walk to the lunch area. I checked out and went to my doctor the next day.

The doctor wouldn't release me to return to work and put me on bed rest until he cou;ld figure out what was wrong. Since I hadn't been working at Wal-Mart long enough to qualify for FLMA leave I lost the job. But in the long run that didn't matter because when the doctor finally found the problem it turned out to be a semi permanent condition that has made it impossible for me to ever again work at a job requiring heavy physical labor. I had two pulmonary embolisms in my left lung that were enough to knock me for a loop and one of them seems to have calcified so I will never have any stamina for hard physical work again. I was lucky though that they were not serious enough to kill me as they did to my chiropractor just about a year ago.

It was about that time that the first of the unemployment extensions became available. Since I had worked at Wal-Mart for only a short time, and lost the job through no fault of mine, I still qualified for my original maximum U C payment during the extension periods.

At first I was gung ho about trying to start a consulting business and / or find a job in my field but it soon became apparent that there was nothing available in my field that wasn't being applied for by hundreds of younger and healthier applicants. So as I ran through a total of three extensions, two federal and one state, I tried to get work in my field as a consultant. I did get some work at first but as the economy continued to tank that dried up too.

I did, at one time, have considerable savings and retirement funds but I blew that wad in the late 80's and early 90's trying to keep my second wife from dying of cancer. When we lost that battle after four bouts of cancer over a six year period, the first two bouts being the only ones covered by insurance, I ended up with no savings and a tax lien that ate up the value of my house when I sold it.

So here I sit having never been in good enough health in a good economy for long enough to fully recover my earlier financial position.

I just ran out of the last of the extensions recently and I am looking forward to the new one to help for a while; hopefully until the economy recovers enough for me to get some work again.

And yes, even though I have been sitting on my keister for a long time, I am looking forward to being able to do what I love to do in the engineering consulting field at least enough to be able to support myself without having to be on any kind of dole. And I am also just starting a private tutoring practice that I hope will provide some income too.

If Obama doesn't completely destroy our economy it will feel good to be able to do something useful besides helping out at church. But I am also not going to hold my breath; just pray fervently for G_D to provide enough to tide me over as he has been doing for the last couple of years.

[yogi3939]

While I'm sure it is helpful to some, the government has no business taking from one citizen and giving to another. The extension of unemployment benefits is not part of the unemployment insurance benefits that workers who have paid into that program are due upon being laid off or fired.

I agree with you but what Obama is doing is trying to cover his butt with tax dollars until the economy improves and he can claim that his policies were what did it. However all the economists who really know how things work say that if he doesn't stop spending our great great grandchildren into unbelievable debt we are headed for a depression that will make the "great depression" look like a practice run.

[ivote4Jesus]

My husband lost his job of 14 years June 2008. We lost our health insurance too. He was on unemployment for about 3 months and he finally took a job making 1/2 of what he had made. He mainly took it for the insurance and that it is only 1 mile from our home. I won't lie to you it has been tough but we have a strong faith in God and He always provides what we need. I feel so bad for everyone who is struggling. Which now days seems to be just about everybody.

[savedatcamp]

I am a 70 year old maintenance and manufacturing engineer. I was forced into retirement by a company downsizing. I then proceded to have a series of medical problems that led to, at this point, 4 cardioversions for atrial fibrilation and an operation to remove 12" of my colon for diverticulitus.

It took a couple of years in which I was able to live off of my savings and unemployment compensation but my health finally improved to the point that I was able to take a job (definitely not my first choice) in the produce department of a Wal-Mart near me.

I was actually gaining strength and feeling better when I got a urinary tract infection that laid me up for nearly a week on some strong antibiotics. I got through that and returned to work on a Friday. I only made it through 20 minutes and I was so soaked from sweat that I literally looked like someone had dumped a five gallon bucket of water on me. And I was working in a 40 deg walk in cooler.

I took Saturday and Sunday off and returned on Monday and made it to noon before I was feeling so bad that it took me 20 minutes to make the three minute walk to the lunch area. I checked out and went to my doctor the next day.

The doctor wouldn't release me to return to work and put me on bed rest until he cou;ld figure out what was wrong. Since I hadn't been working at Wal-Mart long enough to qualify for FLMA leave I lost the job. But in the long run that didn't matter because when the doctor finally found the problem it turned out to be a semi permanent condition that has made it impossible for me to ever again work at a job requiring heavy physical labor. I had two pulmonary embolisms in my left lung that were enough to knock me for a loop and one of them seems to have calcified so I will never have any stamina for hard physical work again. I was lucky though that they were not serious enough to kill me as they did to my chiropractor just about a year ago.

It was about that time that the first of the unemployment extensions became available. Since I had worked at Wal-Mart for only a short time, and lost the job through no fault of mine, I still qualified for my original maximum U C payment during the extension periods.

At first I was gung ho about trying to start a consulting business and / or find a job in my field but it soon became apparent that there was nothing available in my field that wasn't being applied for by hundreds of younger and healthier applicants. So as I ran through a total of three extensions, two federal and one state, I tried to get work in my field as a consultant. I did get some work at first but as the economy continued to tank that dried up too.

I did, at one time, have considerable savings and retirement funds but I blew that wad in the late 80's and early 90's trying to keep my second wife from dying of cancer. When we lost that battle after four bouts of cancer over a six year period, the first two bouts being the only ones covered by insurance, I ended up with no savings and a tax lien that ate up the value of my house when I sold it.

So here I sit having never been in good enough health in a good economy for long enough to fully recover my earlier financial position.

I just ran out of the last of the extensions recently and I am looking forward to the new one to help for a while; hopefully until the economy recovers enough for me to get some work again.

And yes, even though I have been sitting on my keister for a long time, I am looking forward to being able to do what I love to do in the engineering consulting field at least enough to be able to support myself without having to be on any kind of dole. And I am also just starting a private tutoring practice that I hope will provide some income too.

If Obama doesn't completely destroy our economy it will feel good to be able to do something useful besides helping out at church. But I am also not going to hold my breath; just pray fervently for G_D to provide enough to tide me over as he has been doing for the last couple of years.

yogi3939....
Have you ever thought of selling stuff on ebay? It does provide extra income and is easy on the bod.
Praying for you
savedatcamp

[yogi3939]

yogi3939....
Have you ever thought of selling stuff on ebay? It does provide extra income and is easy on the bod.
Praying for you
savedatcamp

Been there, done that, nothing left to sell. but thanks for the suggestion.

[April]

Yep now up to two years.....I have no idea how Businesses are going to survive all unemployment benefits to when this healthcare reform passes.
The Gov't also, changed the Laws on Cobra, Now Businesses have to Pay 90% of the benefits. Small Companies are not going to be able to stay in business.

Plus, There is NO NEW JOBS out there. Due to this GOV'T....

Once Small Businesses are all Gone, and Big Companies Down Size as much as they can...What is Next??? And when the State can't keep up with all the Money going out to Welfare, what is going to Happen?

Mayhem, in the Streets.....3rd World is where I feel we are Definetly Heading too.....
Bananna Republic.....

[Bernardd]

If there's going to be an unemployment program, perhaps the government should simply return the social security money to those who've lost their jobs.

[Jaybird74]

I just got my unemployment reinstated yesterday.

I have been applying for work all summer. I was briefly employed for 3 weeks - but the boss didn't think I was a good fit (wasn't the slave he wanted, without giving any sort of training whatsoever).

If I didn't have unemployment, I would be homeless. PERIOD. I know what it's like to send out 20-30 resumes per week to look for work - and not get anything back, even though you're college-educated. Companies are NOT. HIRING. PERIOD.

WHY?? Because through this nasty recession they've learned to operate on a leaner staff, and increase productivity in the meantime. They're working these employees to the bone, without increase in pay. But the company still needs to make a profit to break even. Yet people AREN'T spending like they once did. And if the people aren't spending, then the companies aren't making as much money. Which means the current employees are working harder to make a profit. But there's no more money to hire extra people.

What does that mean for the unemployed? CONTINUED UNEMPLOYMENT.

People - we are living in a GLOBAL economy. Americans are now struggling and competing against workers in other countries for jobs. Jobs are being exported out of this country at a rapid rate - why? Cheaper pay overseas, no required health insurance, etc. It's difficult to compete against that when trying to make a profit here . . . .

[Jaybird74]

If there's going to be an unemployment program, perhaps the government should simply return the social security money to those who've lost their jobs.

What social security money? Where? You mean the pool that the government dipped into? The pool that they, Congress, are entitled to? The pool that I'm paying into but will never see when I get older?

[Bernardd]

What social security money? Where? You mean the pool that the government dipped into? The pool that they, Congress, are entitled to? The pool that I'm paying into but will never see when I get older?

Call it whatever you want. The government collects the money (soc sec) by taking it from our paychecks. I don't think it's unreasonable for those collecting unemployment to be entitled to receive that money back instead of collecting additional money in the form of "unemployment."

[Jaybird74]

Call it whatever you want. The government collects the money (soc sec) by taking it from our paychecks. I don't think it's unreasonable for those collecting unemployment to be entitled to receive that money back instead of collecting additional money in the form of "unemployment."

My regrets - I didn't word it correctly. What I meant to ask is - where is the money in the social security pool? I didn't think anything was there - and that the taxes for SS being taken out of my paycheck were going to pay the benefits of the retired who were getting them. I thought that coffer was empty already - especially since Congress was allowed to dip into it a while ago. That's what I meant by paying into something that I'll never see in the future - because nothing will be there but dust and cobwebs - kinda like it is now.

[Rinji]

Call it whatever you want. The government collects the money (soc sec) by taking it from our paychecks. I don't think it's unreasonable for those collecting unemployment to be entitled to receive that money back instead of collecting additional money in the form of "unemployment."

The money is already gone. That's the problem.
The government just takes what it needs when it needs it, like a college student from a banking account mommy and daddy fills up from time to time.
To be honest I don't think they even have the books on where it all went. They definitely can't tell us where the stimulus went 'now'.

My grandmother paid into a system because the government started the program, and instead of it being temporary, they kept the program. So she was sort of paying for herself. But the government kept dipping into it (and I'm pretty sure the government really didn't have money to start the program in the first place, but let's keep that aside for now).
People in her generation lived a long time because they are actually raised on a good diet and retain a lot of good lifestyle habits, but in the end years of their lives deteriorated due to lifestyle changes (mostly forced on them as they grow less able to care for themselves), and prolonged medical care. They stay on the system longer and draw form it longer.

My aunt (who is 20 years apart from my dad) paid for her S.S.
The reality: She was paying for my grandmother's generations expenses. Now she's a retired baby boomer. Any 401 K or anything like that she had has dwindled. Her reliance on S.S. is more pronounced.

My dad is paying social security for himself.
The reality, he's actually paying for his mom's generations expenses, his sister's (baby boomers), and himself. There's the added stress of people's other retirement plans failing on them just before they retired.
Let us remember also, their is no money in S.S. for the government to invest and make grow in pace with cost of living increases and inflation.
The government is still dipping.

I'm paying for my grandmother's generations S.S, my aunts, and my dad's (who is still working).
There's the added stress of people's retirement plans failing on them and becoming more dependent on Social security.
There is also the fact that there will be a smaller work force to support each retiree is placed in this generation. Instead of two workers to support a person on S.S. It will take more than 6.

On top of that, The government says have to save for my own retirement.
To be honest, why should I? Would I end up like those people down the road who lost much of their retirement and to become dependent anyway? Do I hide it under a couch? nope, inflation will hit me. Do I invest in something not tangible like gold mine stocks? Nope, they are already selling more of those than really exists, too risky. Do I buy gold? Nope, the government will take it from me is stuff gets bad enough. The likelihood, the extra money for retirement simply won't exist. For me, my brother and my half brother (whom I'm 18 years apart), we'll simply be worked into the ground, unless the government decides to give up or revolution occurs. Personally, I believe we are over due for a shift in political thinking. This time it will be on a global scale. I think it's a ripe time for global socialism to occur. If I am correct, then there will be no revolution, just apathy or welfare until socialism makes sense. Anyone who revolts, we all we know what happens.

Then I must manage to get health insurance if the government mandates it with no affordable public option.
Then, I must try to graduate college, to be most likely be doomed because by then the economy will be in shambles and not want to hire a white collar worker.
I'm not stuck in a housing bubble, or a retirement bubble, but an education bubble. A debt in which I cannot get out of but at the time seemed like a great investment.

My head is pretty full right now. I'm just waiting for some random country to blink, and they all try to get rid of all their U.S. dollars.
I just want it to be over with.

In summary:
Even if they did collect that money back, they would rewrite the law such that you'd have to work until you are almost dead to get any Social Security what-so-ever. No easy retirement for anyone.
So to stay in office, they play it safe and just collect from the businesses instead, which isn't an answer either, because that means less people putting money in the system which the government will steal from anyway.


If I have any of this wrong, feel free to correct me. But this is the jist of what I have been understanding.