First Published 11-13-10
“If you continue to extend people’s unemployment benefits do you discourage them from going out and looking for and finding work? Congress needs to answer that question quickly before federally funded extended unemployment benefits expire on November 30th.” A Fox Business reporter made this statement as a prelude to an interview with Heidi Shierholz, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute.
Ms. Shierholz stated the following, “You know there is some evidence in the economic literature that unemployment insurance benefits do actually increase the time it takes you to take another job a little bit, but the key is it’s just a little bit. And when we’re in an environment like this one, where there are literally 5 unemployed workers for every available job, that question is moot. Right now the reason people aren’t working is because jobs aren’t available to them. So cutting off unemployment insurance benefits, it will make workers more desperate to find work, but it’s not going to make them more likely to find work. The jobs are not yet out there.”
The Fox propagandist countered: “Shouldn’t the money then be redirected to whatever program you see fit not toward unemployment benefits but to programs that would do a better job at creating those jobs?”
This propagandist needs to stop calling herself a reporter as she is not reporting the news, but rather expounding an opinion that she wants to become our reality. What this reporter neglects to report is that we have already pumped billions into programs that accomplished nothing but transferring more wealth from the taxpayers into the pockets of the corporations. But then she wouldn’t mention that as these very same corporations provide her with a paycheck.
Ms Shierholz went on to say, “That is a very good point, I want to spend money in the place that will give us the most bang for the buck that will be the most efficient creator of jobs. But almost ironically, unemployment benefits are one of the best things we can do to generate new jobs. And the intuition is this, “
The propagandist interrupted saying, “We’ve been extending unemployment benefits for two years at least. Some people are receiving 99 weeks of unemployment benefits, then if it’s a job creator, why do we have 9.6% unemployment?”
Ms. Shierholz replied, “We would have higher unemployment if we hadn’t spent the money to increase UI.”
The propagandist interrupted again saying, “That’s almost impossible to prove.”
When we talk about the one trillion given away to banks and corporations through bailouts and stimulus and say it has failed, we are told that things would have been much worse if we had not done so. But this is impossible to prove. The only difference between the bailouts and stimulus and the unemployment monies is that the bailouts and stimulus monies are being stashed and horded by the filthy rich while the unemployment monies were spent and circulated through the economy. The propagandist’s assertion that the unemployment monies had no affect in helping the economy and jobs is a biased unreality.
Ms Shierholz went on, “There is a consensus among the economists that spending on unemployment generates jobs. Right now what’s on the table is continuing the extensions that were part of the recovery act. (Tiers 1 – 4) So we’re not debating whether or not we should add more. It’s just, are we going to continue what’s there. Those extensions would cost around $5 billion per month because we have literally millions and millions of unemployed.”
Again the propagandist broke in, “Republicans have said that they would agree to extending these benefits if the Democrats could come up with offsets to pay for it. That’s really the only issue there.”
When I hear this very same propagandist taking about more and more tax cuts for rich business owners, never is the issue of how it’s going to be paid for brought up. The propagandist asserted that the people want to know when enough is enough and how much is too much. I hope this horse faced bimbo gets mugged on the way home by a 99er.
Ms. Shieholz said, “There is no consideration of extending it further. We are going to continue what we have.”
The consensus seems to be clear. Unemployment will be brought up in the lame duck congress, but we the 99ers are to be excluded. We have to start making a lot of noise. We have to let Barry Soetoro and company know that we are not going to be dismissed and set aside. He must be made to understand that no matter who he greases, if we do not get help we will be organized in 2012, and he will go down in history as the first black one term president. Barry, if you are listening, you had better start making a stance and push for a Tier 5 unemployment extension.
Each day I am struggling to find a cent to even buy food I recall just how sickened and pissed off I am at the government and greedy corporate Fat-Cats. When I explain WHY I lost my job, I say it was because of the government and GREEDY politicians and corporations. Now, the tax cuts for the rich take priority as opposed to a trickle of money to we unemployed -struggling to survive? UNCONSCIONABLE. I support ANY public outcry and measure to vote DOWN the criminals running our government – our country – into the ground.
WE NEED TIER 5 EXTENSIONS! Guess we are the ’99ers.
For any politician that thinks the unemployed are not looking for work, they are delusional. So please ask Eric Cantor to stop those comments for the sake of humanity that have fallen on hard times. There are people threatening to commit suicide on blogs due to the defeat of HR 6419, which I pray they don’t do. I know times are tough, but I hope they hang in there and don’t give up hope.
Part of the 5th district only lists 25 to 35 jobs of which not everyone qualifies, are just companies attempting to exploit people or are old job posting. I have applied for many, many jobs and received only three interviews with no job offers yet.
Also people, like me don’t need to be retrained. I have a bachelor degree in computer information systems, 18 hours of graduate work, and certified in business and special education. Yet, I am still a laid off teacher – so I am not sure where the stimulus for teachers went, but there are plenty of teachers in the unemployment line. School districts have taken to hiring new teachers to cut the budget. These same districts openly practice age discrimination, whereby the unemployment office told me, they will only interview a teacher with less than 5 years experience. I had to inform this work force employee that they were assisting in practicing age discrimination. School bond elections keep getting voted down in my area, because the district does not realize that their dirty secret it out.
Second, when the stimulus went out, any one behind in child support did not see a check, because the state took it. Then they also have been taking part of people’s unemployment for child support. When the unemployment runs out, they take people’s 401(k) plans for delinquent child support. I guess this is why the politicians thought NAFTA was so good. The jobs leave and they get to raid people’s accounts.
Here is my proposal for helping to assist the unemployed. I have read the blogs of many talented individuals out of work. So extend the unemployment and provide economic development money so these people can band together to start companies, whereby they are all equal owners and vote on how the company is run. These companies should be given top priority on government contracts and subcontracts to mentor them along and by cutting all the red tape. I have seen two companies on TV that have been very successful in establishing these types of firms.
It is this type of thinking out of the box that will build jobs in America. Give us a hand up, not a hand out. Restore our dignity instead of shaming us. I know budget cuts are a great concern to many people, however, words can hurt and people are scared. Any one that reads the blogs and cannot shed a tear for these people has truly grown a cold heart.
I too am a 99er and I have been looking for almost two years and I have found the same
response with companies they are flooded with Resumes and they have a huge selection
to pick thru. So we have to keep looking and hoping.
Good luck to everyone who is searching.And keep praying .
Sincerely,
Shelley
been a 99er since april. I wrote a song about it called “only in America ” 1 verse “lost my job bout 3 years ago after 12 years of service now,unemployment done ran out 401k gone and im nervous now, congress said no to extensions ,no jobs no pension also should i mention ,oil in my waters done messed up my fishing,back in 2000 ,my mortgage was under a thousand,now they foreclosed my home ,put me on link ,now public housing (dam) what good is my degrees when all work is overseas, I’ve done dumb down my resume took work at half pay and still no J.O.B. (only in America ) 2 &3 rd verse @ http://www.reverbnation.com/lsdushun hear or download the song for free ,just tryin to help we need tier 5