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Unemployment Benefits Extension

Should benefits be extended?


  • Total voters
    38
With real unemployment around 25 % in some areas, I think a lack of unemployment benefits would be harmful to the economy, and to those for whom there simply is not work.
 
Do we give them money forever? I did not work for a year. I did not collect unemployment. I got a job worked 6 weeks did not like the company and had another job in less than a week. I have had several companies call to offer jobs. There is work if you know where to look and are willing to do some compromise. I am making less than I did under Bush but I am working.
 
Keep digging your own grave, GOP.
 
Do we give them money forever? I did not work for a year. I did not collect unemployment. I got a job worked 6 weeks did not like the company and had another job in less than a week. I have had several companies call to offer jobs. There is work if you know where to look and are willing to do some compromise. I am making less than I did under Bush but I am working.

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.
 
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.

That has been a problem area for years due to the democrat leadership there.

I showed my situation.In the last 3 months I have found 2 jobs and turned down at least 5. Problem is people want what they had and as long as they can live on unemployment why take anything less.
 
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.
Sounds like more of a state issue.

I don't think it is as bad everywhere.
 
That has been a problem area for years due to the democrat leadership there.

I showed my situation.In the last 3 months I have found 2 jobs and turned down at least 5. Problem is people want what they had and as long as they can live on unemployment why take anything less.

No, the problem is recent, and coincides(surprise) with the recession. A little over 2 years ago I was working 58 a week, and every one who wanted a job had them. Sorry, but your whole "it's all the democrats fault" does not work.
 
Sounds like more of a state issue.

I don't think it is as bad everywhere.

It's not, but it is fairly bad most places. The "real unemployment rate", which includes underemployed and discouraged workers, is around 17 % nationwide.
 
No, the problem is recent, and coincides(surprise) with the recession. A little over 2 years ago I was working 58 a week, and every one who wanted a job had them. Sorry, but your whole "it's all the democrats fault" does not work.

Maybe but I was up there a couple of weeks ago and delivered in Grand Rapids and loaded in Traverse City.

As I said people will not take less than what they had if they can live on unemployment. I am on my second job since March. I so far like this company. I am making less than I was under President Bush and less than before my back surgery.

People need to understand that companies will try to get people to work for less in these hard economic times.

There are jobs if you know what fields to be in and are willing to work for a little less until the economy improves.
 
Maybe but I was up there a couple of weeks ago and delivered in Grand Rapids and loaded in Traverse City.

As I said people will not take less than what they had if they can live on unemployment. I am on my second job since March. I so far like this company. I am making less than I was under President Bush and less than before my back surgery.

People need to understand that companies will try to get people to work for less in these hard economic times.

There are jobs if you know what fields to be in and are willing to work for a little less until the economy improves.

2 weeks ago tells you nothing about when the hard times here start. It's a manufacturing area. When the economy is good, it excels. When the economy goes bad, it goes really bad here. The problem is not that people won't take less, the problem is there are no jobs.
 
2 weeks ago tells you nothing about when the hard times here start. It's a manufacturing area. When the economy is good, it excels. When the economy goes bad, it goes really bad here. The problem is not that people won't take less, the problem is there are no jobs.

I deliver there and load there but there is no work?
 
Extend unemployment benefits, end the homebuyer tax credit.
 
It's not, but it is fairly bad most places. The "real unemployment rate", which includes underemployed and discouraged workers, is around 17 % nationwide.

Not according to Obama / Biden.
 
Here are the numbers of unemployment right now. U3 is the headline number.

Labor force = uemployed + employed
U3 = unemployed/ (employed + unemployed) = 9.7%
U4 = (unemployed + "discouraged") / (unemployed + employed +"discouraged") = 10.3%
U5 = (unemployed + "discouraged" + marginally attached) / (unemployed + employed +"discouraged" + marginally attached) = 11%
People that are "marginally attached" to the labor force are people who want to work but are not looking for a job.
U6 = (unemployed + "discouraged" + marginally attached + underemployed) / (unemployed + employed +"discouraged" + marginally attached + underemployed) = 16.6%
Underemployed means people working part time but would like to work full time.
Another important statistic to remeber is that the median time spent unemployed right now is 23.2 weeks, with the mean being 34.4. This suggests there is a large amount of skewness with the highest amount of workers getting a job at 23 weeks and a long "tail" with some people taking a very long time to become employed again.
 
That has been a problem area for years due to the democrat leadership there.

I showed my situation.In the last 3 months I have found 2 jobs and turned down at least 5. Problem is people want what they had and as long as they can live on unemployment why take anything less.

Gosh, if everybody was as special as you are this country would be in much better shape.
 
Gosh, if everybody was as special as you are this country would be in much better shape.

I admit it took me a month or so to get a job but then the offers started rolling in. I am a truck driver. From November until March freight was slow when it picked up companies started hiring. My problem was being out of a truck for a year and back surgery. Still I got a job and then several offers I would say 5 or 6 off the top of my head. When I was in orientation with my current employer I got a job offer.

It is not hard. Find the right industry and be willing to work for a little less until the economy improves. I am making $0.04 less a mile than I was when Bush was president. Bad economy wages go down. You can't sit and wait for a job as good and that pays the same as your old job. Some compromise may be needed.
 
Here are the numbers of unemployment right now. U3 is the headline number.

Labor force = uemployed + employed
U3 = unemployed/ (employed + unemployed) = 9.7%
U4 = (unemployed + "discouraged") / (unemployed + employed +"discouraged") = 10.3%
U5 = (unemployed + "discouraged" + marginally attached) / (unemployed + employed +"discouraged" + marginally attached) = 11%
People that are "marginally attached" to the labor force are people who want to work but are not looking for a job.
U6 = (unemployed + "discouraged" + marginally attached + underemployed) / (unemployed + employed +"discouraged" + marginally attached + underemployed) = 16.6%
Underemployed means people working part time but would like to work full time.
Another important statistic to remeber is that the median time spent unemployed right now is 23.2 weeks, with the mean being 34.4. This suggests there is a large amount of skewness with the highest amount of workers getting a job at 23 weeks and a long "tail" with some people taking a very long time to become employed again.

U6 is generally referred to as the "real unemployment rate" and what I was referring to.
 
Why should unemployment bennies be extended? The economy is booming. Ain't it?
 
Why should unemployment bennies be extended? The economy is booming. Ain't it?

No one is saying that, so why would you?
 
No one is saying that, so why would you?

We're in recovery. Obama said so. Haven't you been watching the news?

Instead of extending bennies, with money we don't have, Obama should stop creating a hostile environment for businesses and let the private sector fix the economy by creating wealth and jobs, because the government can't do either of those.
 
We're in recovery. Obama said so. Haven't you been watching the news?

Instead of extending bennies, with money we don't have, Obama should stop creating a hostile environment for businesses and let the private sector fix the economy by creating wealth and jobs, because the government can't do either of those.

Being in a recovery, which we undoubtedly are, is not the same thing as "booming". If you want a hostile environment to business, take away unemployment benefits and watch consumer spending drop.
 
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