200,000 long-term jobless Americans will lose their unemployment checks this week

money.cnn.com...

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- More than 200,000 long-term jobless Americans will lose their unemployment checks this week, when eight states roll off the federal extended benefits program.

Nearly half of them live in California, and the rest reside in Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Texas.

The federal extended benefits program has provided the jobless with up to 20 weeks of unemployment checks after they've run through their state and their federal emergency benefits, which together last up to 79 weeks.

Personally, I dont have a problem with this at all. Unemployment is supposed to be more of a safety net, not a long term solution. I feel that people around the country grow complacent and lazy when they know they have a check thats always going to be rolling through. People need to stay motivated, they need to stay on the job hunt and they need to try to better themselves. It cant always be left up to the government to handle everyones personal issues. What I hope is that we dont see an increase in crime (robberies, muggings, etc.) because desperate people start resorting to desperate measures committing crimes.

My question to ATS is, do all citizens here in the United States deserve a basic financial protection?

I'm 49 years old and I have NEVER collected unemployment in my entire life. So seriously, you can't find any job in 79 weeks? Not buying it.

This is great news due to the fact that when they loose it the unemployment rate will drop and obama will be praised!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think like any system it is being manipulated but thats not the peoples fault thats the systems fault. It has served me well in the past when I was out of work for a month or two but I actually went and looked for work rather than sitting home all day. Anyone who remains on it after 2 or 3 months is obviously not trying hard enough or at all and need to get out of the house and go talk to people.

Originally posted by ratcals
I'm 49 years old and I have NEVER collected unemployment in my entire life. So seriously, you can't find any job in 79 weeks? Not buying it.

Exactly, and say we are living in a healthy economy which is 5% unemployment rate, do those 5% who are unemployed deserve to keep getting checks past the deadlines? I feel like everyone puts this crisis on the economy and job market, but even in a healthy economy I bet those same people would make the same case they are making today... "there are no jobs"....

Personally, I dont have a problem with this at all. Unemployment is supposed to be more of a safety net, not a long term solution.

So what happens to these people now? What will they do?

And dont you care?

Edit- I find the basic lack of empathy in America to be disturbing. And it seems to go beyond a lack of empathy. It seems many Americans delight in the misfortunes of others.

Also,there are no jobs. Your corporate overlords sent them all to China and India. What are these poor people going to do?


Edit- Do any other countries in the West have such a terrible cruel welfare system? I have never heard of one.

My question to ATS is, do all citizens here in the United States deserve a basic financial protection?

You can only get unemployment if you were terminated by no cause of your own or select reasons if you quit. You make it sound like everyone who doesn't have a job can draw unemployment, when they can't.

In order to receive unemployment compensation, workers must meet the unemployment eligibility requirements for wages earned or time worked during an established (one year) period of time. In addition, workers must be determined to be unemployed through no fault of their own.

*There are, however, situations in which you may be found eligible for unemployment even when you quit your job. These situations are rare, and the decision whether you can collect unemployment may be somewhat arbitrary - and often only decided by making an appeal, and having a a special appeal hearing.*

unemploymenthandbook.com...

jobsearch.about.com...

Originally posted by lobotomizemecapin
This is great news due to the fact that when they loose it the unemployment rate will drop and obama will be praised!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think like any system it is being manipulated but thats not the peoples fault thats the systems fault. It has served me well in the past when I was out of work for a month or two but I actually went and looked for work rather than sitting home all day. Anyone who remains on it after 2 or 3 months is obviously not trying hard enough or at all and need to get out of the house and go talk to people.

Bingo!

The unemployment rate will go down.

These 200,000 people will then become non-people.

Or, candidates for Obama's new army.

Originally posted by Germanicus

Personally, I dont have a problem with this at all. Unemployment is supposed to be more of a safety net, not a long term solution.

So what happens to these people now? What will they do?

And dont you care?

Edit- I find the basic lack of empathy in America to be disturbing. And it seems to go beyond a lack of empathy. It seems many Americans delight in the misfortunes of others.

Also,there are no jobs. Your corporate overlords sent them all to China and India. What are these poor people going to do?

edit on 11-5-2012 by Germanicus because: (no reason given)

There are plenty of jobs. I am employed with three companies. Only one of my jobs is a "good" job, the other two are for supplemental income.

They could get jobs.. 79 weeks is 1.5 years. If you can't find a job in 1.5 years you should do the world a favor and check out early.

Originally posted by Germanicus

Personally, I dont have a problem with this at all. Unemployment is supposed to be more of a safety net, not a long term solution.

So what happens to these people now? What will they do?

And dont you care?

Edit- I find the basic lack of empathy in America to be disturbing. And it seems to go beyond a lack of empathy. It seems many Americans delight in the misfortunes of others.

Also,there are no jobs. Your corporate overlords sent them all to China and India. What are these poor people going to do?

edit on 11-5-2012 by Germanicus because: (no reason given)

I guess your solution for them is to allow them to just sit back and keep collecting checks, even though the US govt. is going broke.... They are all adults, they need to figure it out.... I'm sorry for sounding harsh but 79 weeks is a long time... I guess some people just refuse to take a step back in their careers and they expect to keep making they same amount of money they made before the recession...

reply to post by Germanicus
I think what may be confusing you is that you've been brought up in a socialist environment where that "safety net" has been there cradle to grave.

In America, we didn't have that, never wanted that, and get upset when it is utilized.

Originally posted by ratcals
I'm 49 years old and I have NEVER collected unemployment in my entire life. So seriously, you can't find any job in 79 weeks? Not buying it.

I'm not sure how it is in the USA. But obviously it was much easier to get a job in the past. One of the reasons it's harder to get a job now is that they always ask for experience. At 49 years old I'm sure you have plenty of experience, so your not in the same position as many younger people.

But yeah 79 weeks is a long time your right, I'm sure part of the reason is lost motivation after the first few months of failure and being looked down upon as losers. Maybe stopping the benifits will be a good thing after all (for motivation) Or they can just starve (seems like a poster above me would love that)

reply to post by RealSpoke

You can only get unemployment if you were terminated by no cause of your own. You make it sound like everyone who doesn't have a job can draw unemployment, when they can't.

This is not entirely true either, and you're just as guilty of representing the truth in narrow terms. A person can also quit their job and if the reason for quitting was due to bullying from their employer(s) this also will get a person unemployment.

However, I don't think the point of the O.P. was to make it appear as if anyone can get unemployment. I think the point is that after a year and half of collecting unemployment, at the very least, some decent job leads should be lined up.

The truth is that the system isn't perfect and there are always going to be some who take advantage of it, pulling in an extra check while taking cash under the table from another job or just being lazy and sitting at home smoking and watching TV all day... but I think most people who resort to standing in line and having their lives "monitored" so they can get free money would MUCH rather be working and providing for their families themselves.

The assumption that people without jobs are in that situation because they want to be disturbs me.

Originally posted by Germanicus
I find the basic lack of empathy in America to be disturbing. And it seems to go beyond a lack of empathy. It seems many Americans delight in the misfortunes of others.

This...

Originally posted by jhn7537
My question to ATS is, do all citizens here in the United States deserve a basic financial protection?

No. But most do. If you have been laid off through no fault of your own and you're doing all you can to secure employment, then I think you do deserve help. And I'm willing to help them. I'd much rather help them than help our military kill innocent people. I guess it's a priority thing.

Originally posted by TinkerHaus

Originally posted by Germanicus

Personally, I dont have a problem with this at all. Unemployment is supposed to be more of a safety net, not a long term solution.

So what happens to these people now? What will they do?

And dont you care?

Edit- I find the basic lack of empathy in America to be disturbing. And it seems to go beyond a lack of empathy. It seems many Americans delight in the misfortunes of others.

Also,there are no jobs. Your corporate overlords sent them all to China and India. What are these poor people going to do?

edit on 11-5-2012 by Germanicus because: (no reason given)

There are plenty of jobs. I am employed with three companies. Only one of my jobs is a "good" job, the other two are for supplemental income.

They could get jobs.. 79 weeks is 1.5 years. If you can't find a job in 1.5 years you should do the world a favor and check out early.

Thats a horrible thing to say. And if you work three jobs they must be crap jobs. If one is so "good", then why do you need the other two?

And you can claim there are jobs all you like.There isnt. Do you really see a heap of vacancies? Have you seen how many people are out of work? You really think there is that many jobs in America? Do the math. It doesnt work.

And you think people should kill themselves if they cant find a job? Maybe a heap of them will starve. That would be good hey?

I hope an unemployed,depressed American ATS member doesnt read your comment and take your advice.

Originally posted by jhn7537

Originally posted by Germanicus

Personally, I dont have a problem with this at all. Unemployment is supposed to be more of a safety net, not a long term solution.

So what happens to these people now? What will they do?

And dont you care?

Edit- I find the basic lack of empathy in America to be disturbing. And it seems to go beyond a lack of empathy. It seems many Americans delight in the misfortunes of others.

Also,there are no jobs. Your corporate overlords sent them all to China and India. What are these poor people going to do?

edit on 11-5-2012 by Germanicus because: (no reason given)

I guess your solution for them is to allow them to just sit back and keep collecting checks, even though the US govt. is going broke.... They are all adults, they need to figure it out.... I'm sorry for sounding harsh but 79 weeks is a long time... I guess some people just refuse to take a step back in their careers and they expect to keep making they same amount of money they made before the recession...

How about forcing the Corporations into returning a percentage of the jobs to your country? How about Gingrichs idea of forcing them to train or study while they are having a hard time. How about some public works?

There are many things that can be done. Jobs need to be returned or created though. Yet you guys keep cheering for corporations like catapiller. Imno unionist but the workers are right. The jobs need to stay. And they need to come back.

This is, of course, part of the plan.

Part of the Cloward-Piven Strategy.

The methodology is known as the Cloward-Piven Strategy, and we can all be grateful to David Horowitz and his Discover the Networks for originally exposing and explaining it to us. He describes it as:



The strategy of forcing political change through orchestrated crisis. The "Cloward-Piven Strategy" seeks to hasten the fall of capitalism by overloading the government bureaucracy with a flood of impossible demands, thus pushing society into crisis and economic collapse.

www.americanthinker.com...

Originally posted by Germanicus

Originally posted by TinkerHaus

Originally posted by Germanicus

Personally, I dont have a problem with this at all. Unemployment is supposed to be more of a safety net, not a long term solution.

So what happens to these people now? What will they do?

And dont you care?

Edit- I find the basic lack of empathy in America to be disturbing. And it seems to go beyond a lack of empathy. It seems many Americans delight in the misfortunes of others.

Also,there are no jobs. Your corporate overlords sent them all to China and India. What are these poor people going to do?

edit on 11-5-2012 by Germanicus because: (no reason given)

There are plenty of jobs. I am employed with three companies. Only one of my jobs is a "good" job, the other two are for supplemental income.

They could get jobs.. 79 weeks is 1.5 years. If you can't find a job in 1.5 years you should do the world a favor and check out early.

Thats a horrible thing to say. And if you work three jobs they must be crap jobs. If one is so "good", then why do you need the other two?

And you can claim there are jobs all you like.There isnt. Do you really see a heap of vacancies? Have you seen how many people are out of work? You really think there is that many jobs in America? Do the math. It doesnt work.

And you think people should kill themselves if they cant find a job? Maybe a heap of them will starve. That would be good hey?

I hope an unemployed,depressed American ATS member doesnt read your comment and take your advice.

I'm set up to retire at 55. I'm about to buy a second home and start renting out my first one.

I am a software engineer for a logistics company. I also photograph vehicles and other items on lien that are about to get repossessed - I get paid by the job and get maybe 10 assignments a month, considering all I have to do is drive somewhere and snap some photos for $25 (more if it's out of range) a pop, I guess you could consider this a pretty 'good' job too. Not enough to pay the bills, but good for stuffing into savings toward my family's future.

And, 3 nights a week for about 3 hours a night, I deliver pizzas. All the pizza money gets put in a safe for a rainy day. This isn't a "good" job but I have been averaging between $14 and $17 an hour on a nightly basis.

Yeah, everyone is hiring. There are always jobs in food service and delivery. ALWAYS. The problem is people think they're above some hard work. They have the attitude that they are "crap" jobs, like you. Lazy people who will never amount to or own anything of actual value.

I'm sick and tired of watching people sit on their asses and do nothing. My 11 year old daughter walked dogs all summer long last year to earn money for camp and some other things she wanted. Some of that money went into savings. She will probably do it again this summer too - and this was not only her choice but her idea. Why is my 11 year old more driven and enterprising than the majority of the USA?

While you're judging my 'crap' jobs I think it's fair you tell us what you do? I'm sure it's lucrative and intriguing. Please do share.

I just want to add - I don't like buying things on credit. I try to buy everything but the huge stuff (cars, houses) with cash. Right now I have $954 in bills and a huge glass jug full of silver change that could be a few hundred or more dollars. That money is "rainy day" money. There is a reason I have three jobs, and it's because I have financial goals. I am wise enough to realize that no one is going to take car of me when I'm old and brittle if I am not going to take care of myself.

Not too bad considering I have "crap jobs" eh?

Yeah, I've been collecting unemployment since my end of service in the Marines. Was only supposed to be for a few months, but I couldn't find anything to match what I was getting paid. I know it may sound horrible, but it was keeping my family afloat. With those benefits ending, it's time that I go out and grab a job or two flipping burgers until I can find something more suitable. That's how you work the job market. No job is below you. You take whatever you can get at the moment for SOME income while you look for something better. Just because you wind up flipping burgers doesn't mean you're stuck doing that. If anything, it's extra work experience.

My unemployment insurance benefits are ending. Oh well. Time to get back to work. I'm excited.

Many job hunters couldn't find employment in their same field of expertice and would try other avenues only to be told they must have previous experience, even when they were willing to train, there were no exceptions. Some were over qualified. Many were told that there were hundreds of applicants for the same positions and they would get back to them.

Many would even seek unadvertised companies to see if there were possible positions available and were told that either they laid off a lot of their people or they went to 4 day work weeks because things were so slow or they were on the verge of closing the business etc. There are many reasons why people are unemployed and it isn't just people who are lazy and not trying. There has been far too many jobs that are outsourced. With so many citizens who are sincerely looking and still unemployed while an illegal immigrant is taking a job, that doesn't help matters either.

reply to post by Night Star


There are people who legitimately got screwed, and to them I am sympathetic.

I don't have a problem with unemployment benefits within reason. I think it's important, especially for people with families, because if the bread-winner loses all sources of income that's an entire family that is now potentially contributing to homelessness, crime, drug use, etc. It's good to give people an opportunity, and I will gladly contribute to that.

79 weeks.. Where I live you have to submit at least 2 resumes a week to remain on unemployment. They will audit and investigate you after a time, and if you cannot prove that you have done that you will be forced to pay that money back. I think right now the system is flooded and people aren't being audited or lots of them would have been dropped by now. There are definitely a lot of loafs slipping through the cracks.

There is no possible way someone submitted 2 resumes a week and didn't receive a job offer at one point. If you refuse a job that pays at least your unemployment benefit you should be dropped. It's help, not a free ride.

If you were letting someone stay at your house until they got on their feet, and they were refusing jobs and still unemployed 1 and 1/2 years later, would you let them keep walking all over you?