after hearing these same claims against unemployment benefits for, well, 80 years...

[acroyear]

...i'm really getting sick of them and the ignorant and hateful attitude behind them

Dispatches from the Culture Wars: Dumbass Quote of the Week #2:

From former House speaker Dennis Hastert:

Basically, a big part of that (stimulus package) went for extending unemployment. It's a nice thing to do, but when you extend unemployment, you take the incentive away from people to go out and get a job. So it almost has a counter negative effect.

Right. Because all those unemployed people are just sitting around eating bon bons. They just don't want to find a job in this booming economy. What an asshole.

And an asshole from the supposedly "American Christian" party at that. Sickens me how people act as though they never read a word written by Him yet claim to "read it every day".

Comments

[fiona64.livejournal.com]

Umm ... most people cannot live on the $290/week that constitutes the maximum unemployment benefit. I applied for more than 500 jobs during the 10 weeks I was on unemployment -- during which time I also cashed out my previous 401K ... because we could not afford to live on me bringing home less than $1200 a month.

Those 500 jobs I applied for before getting this one? That was when the economy was *better.* There just are not any jobs out there to be had right now.

What a completely ridiculous assumption for someone to make.

[faireraven.livejournal.com]

North Carolina apparently has better unemployment benefits than most, but my mother says one of her friends is getting close to 2K per month.

I, on the other hand, got 280 a week when I was on unemployment.

Plus, while I don't know about other states, VA requires that you have at least three job contacts a week and if you get an offer, you have to take it. If you get a job and don't accept it, they don't give you any more bennies.

That's my incentive for getting off unemployment right there.

[thelongshot.livejournal.com]

As my wife if it is an incentive to not get a job. She's been unemployed for 6 months, at least, and she's begging for a job.

Unemployment is helping to cover daycare expenses right now. If it runs out without her finding a job, we will have to seriously consider pulling my son out of day care, which my wife doesn't want to do.

[faireraven.livejournal.com]

Oh shit! Sweetie, I wish you guys luck!