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Unemployment Benefits Extension

Should benefits be extended?


  • Total voters
    38
How is this the fault of republicans?




House lines up second vote on unemployment benefits
By Vicki Needham - 06/29/10 06:33 PM ET

The House is expected to approve a stand-alone extension of unemployment benefits on Wednesday, leaving the matter up to the Senate.

The House Rules Committee agreed to set up a same-day rule for the bill for Wednesday.

An attempt to move the legislation on Tuesday under suspension of House rules failed after it did not win the two-thirds majority that is necessary. In the 261-155 vote, 16 Democrats crossed party lines and voted no, while 30 Republicans voted for the measure.

All but two of the Democrats are members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition. The 14 Blue Dogs were: Reps. Marion Berry (Ark.), Travis Childers (Miss.), Jim Cooper (Tenn.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Jim Marshall (Ga.), Betsy Markey (Colo.), Frank Kratovil (Md.), Baron Hill (Ind.), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.), Walt Minnick (Idaho), Glenn Nye (Va.), Bobby Bright (Ala.) and Heath Shuler (N.C.). The other two were Reps. John Adler (N.J.) and Melissa Bean (Ill.).

Those Democrats are from 14 different states — half of which recorded double-digit unemployment in May — Mississippi (11.4 percent), Alabama (10.8), Illinois (10.8), Tennessee (10.4), North Carolina (10.3), Georgia (10.2) and Indiana (10). New Jersey is in line with the national average of 9.7 percent and Idaho's rate is 9 percent. Colorado is at 8 percent, Arkansas at 7.7, Maryland at 7.2 and Virginia at 7.1 percent.

Herseth Sandlin's state has one of the lowest rates of unemployment at 4.6 percent.

The approximately $35 billion six-month extension appears to be two votes short of the 60 it needs to pass in the Senate.

Democrats want to move the extension before Congress adjourns later this week for the week-long July 4 recess.

The legislative week has been further tightened by the death of long-time Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), who will lie in state in the Senate chamber for most of Thursday.

Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.) said Tuesday that if the bill isn't with other spending cuts or tax increases, it won't get his vote.

With the Senate missing Byrd, three Republicans would need to back the measure to ensure passage.

So far, Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine) is the only Republican who has voiced support for passing an extension without offsetting its cost.

Ohio Sen. George Voinovich (R) said he's unlikely to vote yes if the bill is not offset.

If the House passes a bill, the Senate will have one shot at sending it to President Barack Obama's desk. Any changes would require the lower chamber to consider the measure again. The House is expected to complete its business by Thursday night.

Without action, 1.2 million people are expected to lose their extended benefits by Wednesday. That number will rise to at least 2 million by July 10, some right after finishing up their state-funded 26 weeks, before Congress returns from its weeklong recess, according to Labor Department figures.

Benefits expired June 1.

A total of 54 percent of workers exhaust all of their unemployment insurance benefits, up to 99 weeks in states with high levels of unemployment.

Americans receive an average of $304 a week, providing about $6.7 billion a month in economic stimulus, according to the National Employment Law Project, a group studying the issue.

Those who have exhausted their benefits could potentially be without their weekly checks until the middle of July if the Senate can't reach an agreement.

The House bill under consideration extends unemployment benefits through November but will not include the extra $25 included in checks as part of last year's stimulus bill.

If Congress is unable to extend benefits, all 50 states would lose emergency funding that provides between 34 and 53 additional weeks on top of the state-provided 26 weeks.

Overall statistics on unemployment benefits are staggering — 46 percent of the 15 million unemployed Americans have been out of work for at least six months, with an average person jobless for 34.4 weeks, the highest in history, according to NELP and Labor Department statistics.

Under the extension, unemployed workers can receive up to 99 weeks of benefits based on the state's unemployment rate. Every state is affected if Congress can't resolve the issue before recess begins. If a measure isn't passed, lawmakers wouldn't take it up again until at least July 12, when they return from the weeklong break.

It will soon be time to put some extra deadbolts on our homes and buy some spare ammo, especially in states like Mich.
 
But not everyone is like you. Some people have a much harder time getting a job. The problem isn't that people aren't willing to take low enough pay, but there aren't any jobs because there isn't enough demand and therefore not enough hiring. Hence some people will end up unemployed before the confidence in the economy improves and people start hiring again.

Also, they will want a job, because a job pays better than unemployment insurance. Also a job is more secure, because as we have seen. It's very easy to lose the unemployment insurance, and it will certinally be removed when it is easy to get a job again.

Then explain the freight picking up and trucking companies hiring

So we should limit the time of unemployment so people go to work and look for jobs
 
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Then explain the freight picking up and trucking companies hiring

So we should limit the time of unemployment so people go to work and look for jobs

You act like the country is made up of a bunch of truckers.
 
Then explain the freight picking up and trucking companies hiring

So we should limit the time of unemployment so people go to work and look for jobs

With a high unemployment like 10% .. people are looking for work...

You act like the country is made up of a bunch of truckers.

Made some merlot come outta my nose. Very funny lol.
 
But not everyone is like you. Some people have a much harder time getting a job. The problem isn't that people aren't willing to take low enough pay, but there aren't any jobs because there isn't enough demand and therefore not enough hiring. Hence some people will end up unemployed before the confidence in the economy improves and people start hiring again.

Also, they will want a job, because a job pays better than unemployment insurance. Also a job is more secure, because as we have seen. It's very easy to lose the unemployment insurance, and it will certinally be removed when it is easy to get a job again.

I realize that when working unemployment insurance is taken out of ones check and the employer also pays in. The problem comes in when people have been out of work so long that they have used up all of what they have paid into the system. Congress did extend payments, but that has now expired. My question is where to do want the money to come from to pay for the extension? We are so much in debt as a country that imo its at a critical level. If you want the social payments to continue, we need to cut expenditures somewhere (aid to other countries, war effort, welfare, etc).

Its interesting, so many out of work, yet some want open borders to allow more people in. IMO, we have to many people for the economy to support.
 
I wonder how many of those who are unemployed are volunteering their time somewhere. That would make them feel better and also get them out there and possibly make contacts they never would have thought of on their own. When jobs are this hard to find, you need to think outside of the box.
 
No, seriously. It's really not as easy as you believe. And what is with all the "They" and "Them"? As though they are not JUST LIKE YOU.

How did you survive without collecting unemployment? This has got be rich.

And why should "They" work for it? Because they're not lazy, and they want to be productive members of society. How old are you that you are still so woefully ignorant when it comes to how life works these days?

No get a job. I am on my second job this year. That after not working for a year because of back surgery. I did not collect unemployment. If you give them money why should they work or look for a job?
 
We should not be asking if Unemployment benefits should be extended. We should be asking if we should continue the Unemployment benefits program. We should be asking, where the state gets the money to pay for such benefits. We should be asking if there is a better way than the current program. We should have more questions and then maybe we’ll get real answers.
 
No get a job. I am on my second job this year. That after not working for a year because of back surgery. I did not collect unemployment. If you give them money why should they work or look for a job?

You keep claiming that "I did not draw unemployment" for a year, yet you are a cartage contractor. You do know that you aren't eligible for unemployment benefits, don't you?
 
I understand that some conservatives don't like "hand outs" but come on, this isn't an issue plaguing some liberal demographic. Jobs are hard to come by and cutting benefits to the unemployed is only going to hurt them. This whole don't vote for anything Obama pushes forward thing is getting out of hand. Ok, you don't like the guy but you do have some people in your state or district that voted for you and are now unemployed, why would you leave them in the dark like that?
 
While you're asking all those questions, the bottom is falling out of peoples' lives.


We should not be asking if Unemployment benefits should be extended. We should be asking if we should continue the Unemployment benefits program. We should be asking, where the state gets the money to pay for such benefits. We should be asking if there is a better way than the current program. We should have more questions and then maybe we’ll get real answers.
 
You've never experienced the hopelessness of looking and looking and applying and applying and going on interview after interview after interview after interview because oh guess what, Sparky? UI doesn't have benefits!! That's right. So you truly believe people will sit on their collective ass eating bonbons and watching the telly because it's so <expletive-deleted> cushy being on UI?

Then explain the freight picking up and trucking companies hiring

So we should limit the time of unemployment so people go to work and look for jobs
 
I'm still waiting for him to answer my question as to how he survived. Because SOMEBODY kept that household afloat.


You keep claiming that "I did not draw unemployment" for a year, yet you are a cartage contractor. You do know that you aren't eligible for unemployment benefits, don't you?
 
We should keep them going as long as unemployment(real unemployment + underemplyment) is so high that the reality of finding a job in some areas is next to zero.

News - Economy - Unemployment Map - WOODTV.com and WOOD TV8: Grand Rapids, MI

This is a map of the west Michigan area where I live, with county by county numbers. The numbers are the "official" unemployment rates, not including discouraged people and underemployed. Tell me what you think the odds are of being able to find a job around here.

it's pretty bad here in FL as well. i was actually opposed to extending the benefits beyond 1 year until i had a conversation with a staunch conservative who was upset at not extending them. for certain types of job seekers, there's literally nothing here in FL. i work for a WI company, so i'm lucky to have the salary and benefits i do. at this point, i agree that they need those benefits as there are not a lot of job opportunities.
 
I think one of the best things I have found to do is share EVERYWHERE links for telecommuting jobs. I have lots, I've been working at home since February 2009 and yeah, it's just me. Now granted, some portion of that was unemployment but only six months of the past what? 16 months. If people can connect to the internet they can make money. If they're skilled at say writing for instance, they can make money writing articles. They can start websites and go into affiliate marketing, or they can find a job in their own field and telecommute. But it's a matter of finding the links (and not having to pay for anything).
 
Good thing the vast majority of people don't make minimum wage.;)
That's mostly the area of teenagers.

that is a novel twist on the 'blame the victim' strategy
now it is spun to insist that the blameless victims are only teenagers
stunningly simplistic
 
that is a novel twist on the 'blame the victim' strategy
now it is spun to insist that the blameless victims are only teenagers
stunningly simplistic

Not at all, employment is always subject to market conditions.
Everyone knows this.

You are supposed to be prepared for your future.
 
Not at all, employment is always subject to market conditions.
Everyone knows this.

You are supposed to be prepared for your future.

again, you embrace the ideal instead of addressing the reality
hence the sophomoric responses to complex issues
 
again, you embrace the ideal instead of addressing the reality
hence the sophomoric responses to complex issues

So lets run the numbers.

Unemployment in my state pays approximately $360 a week max.
Your mortgage is $800 a month.

Your basically ****ed with unemployment and no savings.
Game over.

It's really sad that personal responsibility is considered an ideal.
 
My mom used to think that only people who want to be homeless are homeless. It's a choice, right? They're all mentally ill anyway. It's not like they did everything they were supposed to and then one was hit by a catastrophic illness, and wiped out the family savings, and they lost the house in the .... oh wait. Yeah, as it turns out, life happens to EVERYBODY. You never know when you're going to be hit by a tsunami. Or Katrina. Or GM is going to leave Flint MI. And if you think you do, then you are choosing willful ignorance as a viable response to the possibilities. There but for the grace and all that.

People who think they have life figured out cause great hysteria amongst the gods.
 
My mom used to think that only people who want to be homeless are homeless. It's a choice, right? They're all mentally ill anyway. It's not like they did everything they were supposed to and then one was hit by a catastrophic illness, and wiped out the family savings, and they lost the house in the .... oh wait. Yeah, as it turns out, life happens to EVERYBODY. You never know when you're going to be hit by a tsunami. Or Katrina. Or GM is going to leave Flint MI. And if you think you do, then you are choosing willful ignorance as a viable response to the possibilities. There but for the grace and all that.

People who think they have life figured out cause great hysteria amongst the gods.

It has nothing to do with catastrophic unplanned events.
Most of the people have not had this happen to them at the same time as losing their job.

The problem stems from the fact that practically no one in the U.S. saves for that emergency and even if they do it's a paltry amount.
People are more likely to over extend their lifestyle with debt, than to save for that rainy day.
 
Here to make you frustrated. Gotcha.
 
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