Jed233. Your statement is outrageous. Here in NJ you can't pay rent with a $10 an hour job. It's either holding on to unemployment benefits while searching for a reasonable paying job or be forced to go into further financial deprivation. You should be more understanding to different case scenarios as opposed to generalizing all benefit recipients as being lazy.

So RDR are you saying the entire country is like NJ. I Think not. How is it my fault you live their? You chose the place that has the high cost of living.

Auto 101 - Did someone indicate that it was your fault that they were living in NJ? I believe that they were only hoping that people would understand that different people in different places were facing different situations. Of course hoping that everyone had the ability to understand these things and be able to use logic is a pretty tall order these days.

I live in NJ and within the 3 counties surrounding me the unemployment rate is around 10% if not higher. The only places hiring around here right now are very part time temporary retail jobs that are only hiring seasonal workers for the christmas season. After that you are screwed. It costs money to relocate to a "better" place where the grass may or may not be any greener than it is right here. People on unemployment generally do not have cash laying around to just move where ever they need to. No one is blaming anyone else for where they live, its just how it is. I work in the medical field, which saw huge layoff's where I live. There are no jobs and those that are hiring will only hire 1 person now to work between several offices, and this is the trend we are seeing. Its the employers that are taking advantage of the situation, not the unemployed

I'm sorry you cant find a job. I have an easy time finding a job and Im almost guaranteed to find one for 19-24 an hour in the first week of looking(unemployment rate is about 9.8%). Your field my not be hireing but mine and many others are always hireing. good luck finding a job that pays the 60 an hour that you need to live their.

What the states and the fed should do is require all of those that are drawing the extended unemployment to work for that benefit. They can clean up their neighborhoods, trash patrol, neighborhood watch, graffiti clean up etc. and work off the benefits at $10 an hour. This way they can say they are working for their money and for those that have become complacent, it could give them a reason to actually take those jobs they have been passing up on.

I am an equal opportunity person. Those on welfare that are not disabled should be required to work for their entitlements also. This will give them a sense of worth and also make the people that are actually paying taxes feel like their money isn't being given to some couch potato.

Michael -

I like the idea of actually working for my money. I would gladly do it if they also offered daycare or assistance in paying for daycare. At 10$/hr I would get 1600$ a month. Subtract 15% for taxes and that leaves 1360$. Subtract 900$ (on the low side in my area) for daycare and that leaves 460$ for gas, groceries, utilities, and rent. In my case I am married so I dont need to pay rent but my UI goes towards gas and groceries and utilities right now (plus paying down as much debt as possible before I run out in case I still cant get a job). 460$ is not enough to cover all of that.

Like I said its a great idea, and if they help with some sort of daycare I am all for it. I would much rather do that than drive from place to place, and search the internet over and over, and use minutes on my cell phone. Believe me I would be alot happier.

Also in my state, if you get a job that doesnt pay as much as you got at you last job, then you can still collect. Your amount will be reduced but you could end up working, collecting UI and getting more money every week than you were before losing your job. So that is a major incentive to find work. I really wish I could get someone to hire me but I am overqualified for the few positions available. It is not my fault I am overqualified for these jobs. And it is not my fault they wont hire me. I want them to. I have thousands of apps turned in to prove it. I even tried driving 2 hrs away to get low-paying jobs that I am pretty sure wont cover the expenses of gas and daycare but maybe if I get a job I can figure something out and not have to pay 900/mo for daycare.

Michael that's great and if you are working full time (for the government now) then when are you supposed to look for work ? The whole idea behind unemployment is to give some type of relief until you can find new employment. The problem stated in the article is that the unemployed can only find jobs that pay less than what they are making on unemployment benefits. That should really be no surprise. The decrease in the average income has been going on for quite sometime now. It obviously is the plan to take us down to the same level as the developing countries around the world. It would be nice to see the people of this country take their country back from corporate control.

Look - it's easy to point fingers and make accusations when you are financially stable. But desperate people do desperate things. If unemployment is bringing in more money than any job available at a particular moment, obviously it would be human nature to hang on to the benefits.

It's surprising to me that this could be the case. I honestly doubt here in Virginia that unemployment could outweigh a job. Even a job at $10.00 per hour would earn you more than collecting full unemployment benefits. I guess we're just a more conservative state. Seems like it would be a gamble to pass up too many opportunities - the benefits don't last forever.

gillanator

People have passed up jobs because they don't pay enough. If a person has been on extended unemployment for a year, I would submit that they have either put in their application at just about every place in town or are sitting on their thumbs and waiting for Obama to create millions of more jobs with the next great stimulus.

I have sympathy for those that can find absolutely no jobs in their area. However, if a person has the opportunity to get two, lower paying, jobs and might have to work an extra 20 hours a week to make up for the income lost from their original job, those people do not have my sympathy. In fact they are the ones that are sucking from the system. Many people here on the VINE and across the U.S. are afraid they might have to do a little overtime to make ends meet. To those people I say TOUGH S&*T. Get off your high horse and join the crowd. Many of us have been doing it most of our lives so that we might be able to retire and enjoy it before the age of 65

You can't tell me that once a person has been on unemployment that long that they are still dedicating 40 hours a week to looking for a job. Also if a person is making $400 a week on unemployment then the state is stupid for paying such a high rate in the first place.

Becca

Daycare could be one of the things a person provides if they are on the extended unemployment. Some people that are qualified can watch children while others do their service. That way a person would not have to pay anything from their unemployment.

Unemployment benefits divided by $10 per hour equals what a person would need to put in to work for the extended benefits. $270 in weekly benefits equals 27 hours of community clean up and service. If a person were allowed to set their own schedule as to when they had to work most would be able to do it without affecting their family life or their job search time.

You don't know if these people that might have had higher paying jobs are waiting to be called back, are retraining (which I know people who are retraining to take a different job where they were laid off) or just can't make ends meet by taking a lower paying job. What about a single parent who can't leave their kids at home while working a second job which wouldn't pay enough for them to work and pay for a baby sitter? You are generalizing too much, which is really a common characteristic of those who like to sit in judgment of others. I know about working long hours, I have done it my whole life, and though it allowed me to provide well for my family, I also regret missing out on so much while my kids grew up around me.

I also find it interesting that the same people who are so quick to hold the average working class American worker accountable for everything they collect, are also the ones who defend corporate welfare or the outsourcing of American jobs. That would include defending the deliberate decreasing of the average American middle class income (buy power) over the past 40 years while the bottom line of the same corporations continues to grow and the executive bonuses swell at the expense of the American worker, and family.

gillanator

So what if they are waiting to go back; what does that have to do with what I posted. A person waiting to be called back can get out and do something in their community to work for the extended unemployment. Who cares if they can't work from 9 to 5? They can pull a 5 or 6 hours of neighborhood watch at night a few times a week or work their time on the weekends.

An excuse not to do something can be made up for every idea but I WOULD BET THAT IF IT WAS MANDATORY TO WORK FOR THAT EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT THAT PEOPLE WOULD FIND A WAY TO DO IT if they couldn't find a job. Same with welfare. A person on welfare and not disabled should be forced to earn their money and food stamps. They aren't doing anything else!

By the way, just because I am an American and I create a company or corporation does not mean the jobs that I create are American jobs. Living in a free country allows me the freedom to move my corporation to wherever is most profitable. If a company outsources jobs it is usually to the benefit of the corporation and not as a punishment on the people. You cant blame a company that owns those jobs for where they decide to move them. Unless you created them with your own money you do not have a right to tell them where to set up shop.

As for being judgemental, possibly, however there is an end to the entitlement wagon. It cant go on forever. That job a person turns down today may not be there when they cut the last of the unemployment off. Keep in mind that the money those on extended unemployment are getting is being paid for by our tax dollars. That means adding to the National Debt. It also means taking the money from some and giving it to others.

Im sorry if a person has to work more hours or doesn't get to spend as much time with their children or spouse but that is the risks that life brings. Suck it up and get on with life.

I have a right to complain about outsourcing pal, because I have paid taxes my whole life and if a company wants to outsource than they shouldn't get a tax break to do it. Period. If they want to leave the country fine that is their prerogative. But they shouldn't be compensated in the process. I have every right to not like that and spread the word about those who support giving tax breaks to those who do this. These companies cost us the tax payers a lot more than just jobs. You might want to look into this before you take sides. Let me know if you need some links.

Also those who outsource to and help build and strengthen the economies of communist countries like China I have a problem with that. I have no idea how old you are, maybe you don't know about the Korean and Vietnam wars. But we lost lives in those wars, trying to stop the spread of Chinese communism and anyone who questioned it was branded a communist or unpatriotic, just like anyone who questioned the war in Iraq, and now American corporations that are moving their manufacturing operations to China is helping support a communist economy. Pure and simple. And you try to call this freedom. Most Americans should call it treason. And you think we should give these people tax breaks to do this and go after some poor schmuck that doesn't have a job.

Michael - I don't know what you think you have done to be able to tell people what they have to do in their life. But anyone who pays taxes has a right to make these decisions for themselves. Of course if you feel like coming over to try me how to run my life just let me know. People like you are usually nothing but talk.

gillanator

It obviously wouldnt do any good to talk to you in the first place. I find people like you have their heads so far up their 4th point of contact that they cant here anyway.

I wasn't around for the Korean War and too young for Vietnam. As for building up the communist china economy; You and your buddies do that everytime you trip on down to Walmart to get in on the savings. As for giving them tax breaks, go ahead and take those tax breaks away from those companies and see how many people in the U.S. are out of a job then. The only way that would work is to close off almost all trade with other countries and become a totally self supportive nation. Otherwise the companies that are still here would also move overseas because they wouldnt be able to afford to hire anyone and no one would be able to buy their products in other countries.

The U.S. becoming completely isolated won't happen because there are products,goods, minerals etc in many other countries that we need/covet. It also won't happen because three quarters of the clothes/possesions in 99% of the households in the United States already come from other countries.

No I wont come and try to tell you what to do or how to live your life. I have better things to do. However; if you need an attitude ajustment and feel like traveling to get it just let me know.

I don't buy Walmart. And I don't buy into the fear tactics. Let the companies leave. Without the American market China's manufacturing base would collapse. This is a known fact. It is because the intellectually bankrupt buy into the stupid crap that you are trying to sell. Let the corporations leave, it would be the best thing to happen to this country if the government would quit selling out to big business. There are plenty of replacements for every company that would leave.

three quarters of the clothes/possesions in 99% of the households in the United States already come from other countries.

Wasn't always that way. And it doesn't have to be that way again.

No I wont come and try to tell you what to do or how to live your life.

That would be the smartest decision you will ever make. Attitude adjustments are for turds. A D-Bag like you wouldn't last 30 seconds.

gillanator

"Let the corporations leave"

You were the one in earlier posts crying and wetting your pants because the corporations were taking your so called precious "American Jobs" remember or is your memory so poor that you cant think past your nose.

"There are plenty of replacements for every company that would leave"

Right; genius, that is why so many people have gone back to work in the last few weeks. If there are so many businesses ready to step up and replace the ones that have left or would leave then where are they and where are the jobs they have produced. That statement alone goes to show that you are ignorant of the subject and not worth talking to. Your head is so far up that you are in danger of breaking your neck if you sit down wrong.

By the way it would take me less than 10 secs to deal with a powder puff, loud mouth, blow hard, panty waste like you.

You were the one in earlier posts crying and wetting your pants because the corporations were taking your so called precious "American Jobs" remember or is your memory so poor that you cant think past your nose.

If they want to leave the country fine that is their prerogative. But they shouldn't be compensated in the process.

post 1.13

Michael

Get the facts straight or take some classes to improve your comprehension. I wasn't complaining about corporations leaving. It is giving them a tax break for outsourcing that I have a problem with.

New start up companies wouldn't fix things overnight. I would take time but if regulated correctly we would recover in better shape than we are currently in or will be in if we continue to allow big money to rape this country for their profit. Outsourcing our economy was a process that occurred over decades, and it will take time to rebuild it. Of course that is concept that I wouldn't expect you to be able to process in the intellectual feces that you loosely call your brain.

As far as I'm concerned this conversation is going nowhere. Later

I get less than half in unemployment than I was making when I was in my former position, so being on unemployment isn't any get rich quick scheme. I have worked 31+ years of my life, and always paid taxes and unemployment insurance. I'd rather see someone that is without a job due to the economy be helped with money they put into the system until they can find another job, than see all these people claiming some type of disability because of their drug dependency so they can get SSI, while still having money to buy their drugs and cigarettes

I took advantage of taking a hybrid class for several months when unemployment here was urging people to go back to school last year. After that was finished and I was still having no luck even with the school's worthless placement services, and the states job bank was only sending me positions in Illinois and other states and pretty much wishing you good luck on finding someone to help you with relocating, then they were urging people to volunteer, I have even seen billboards dotting the highway in the city with Obama urging people to volunteer while they are losing their jobs and houses. There were even a few radio commercial spots with him urging american's to volunteer. That's wonderful that we should all just be urged to work for free to stay poor on the unemployment dollars, but realistically where is the sense in that? It does pump up your resume a bit more and show that at least you are doing or willing to do something, but my current experience with interviews tells me employers don't really care that you are volunteering, they only care about your length of unemployed status, so the longer you are out of work, the less desirable you are to any employer. So I volunteer with a food bank when they need me doing a variety of things. I guess I'm one of those "government welfare unemployment" cases that isn't sitting around on my butt waiting for the sky of opportunity to open and lavish me with a job paying $60 an hour. Unfortunately, I know doctors here that aren't even making $60 an hour, not with all the bureaucracy in the health care field.

Actually I receive 400$ a week on unemployment (after taxes) so at 10$ an hour I would make less in a 40hr week. I dont mind taking yet another paycut and actually work for my money but noone wants to hire someone at less than half of what they used to get paid. Believe me I tried. It isnt going very well.

Becca - I hope things work out for you. And you shouldn't feel as though you have to justify the fact that you are receiving unemployment. Boneheads like Michael think they have a right to sit in judgment of people. I have paid taxes longer than he has and I happen to believe that the people should have more rights than big corporations. As a matter of fact I have read a document that starts with We the People a few times. And the funny thing is I don't recall anywhere the word corporation being mentioned.

gillanator-you do choose how your taxes are used, it is called government. You choose who gets ellected and then they choose how to use your tax money. That's the way it always has been going. We usually don't get to choose where our taxes go. Sometimes in smaller communities, you are able to vote weather to raise taxes for a specific thing such as jail or school remodel but that doesn't happen at the national level.

Yea we kind of get lost in the process don't we? I mean we elect people on what they promise they are going to do once elected. And some of those promises are about how they are going to spend our taxes, but they are not always kept I'm afraid. Either way I guess my paying taxes entitles me to complain, to some degree. Not that it will effect anything, but...... : )

Have a good one Jackel.

To bad we can't force them to write down everything that they promise and give them midterm report cards and if they haven't done well enough, they are taken out and can no longer run for any government elected position from President to mayor and they don't recieve their benefits anymore. Now that would make them actually do something in Washington. I also believe that these report cards will effect their pay. If they do barely enough to get by, they get a pay cut. The only way their pay increses is if the score perfect on their report and then it goes to a vote by the people that elected them in the first place.

Oh I can dream can't I

write down everything that they promise and give them midterm report cards and if they haven't done well enough, they are taken out

Ya know. That's a good point Jackel. If they can't give a REALLY good reason why they didn't keep the promise, than that's it. You should publish that somewhere.

But the only way that will come into being is if they make it a law. Why would they make a law that will force them to do their job?

Entitlement is the ONLY way to describe someone who turns down a job to stay on unemployment. I've been there, I stuggled but I made it & so will everyone else. Your credit score might drop or you have to go into debt management & you have to cut back on your lifestyle but being a parasite is NEVER the solution.

asvinpa, there are no jobs here in fl. to speak of and if you're at a certain age they really don't consider you as an asset. Most of the construction jobs and the service jobs are taken up by illegals and as well the legal workers. It's the corporations and the owners of businesses whom have created this through our government It's called slave wages and just isn't the right thing to do to your fellow Americans.

I've worked all of my life, collected UB for two weeks,when first out of the service in 79, been working every since until the construction downfall. Made just enough money to raise my family and take care of those needs.

Never asked anyone for nothing, just maybe you should be addressing congress and the likes for your concerns. Oh and no dept solutions or anything like that, never charged anything I couldn't pay. However at this time I'm losing my house that I've worked so hard for but that's ok when things get real bad I know exactly what to do and will do it. It's called survival.

As well I don't care to hear about the demo's or the repub's it is both of them whom is responsible for this mess America is in right now.

darrell- I agree with you 100%. For those who say that collecting unemployment is an entitlement, you do not know what you are talking about. When you work, your company pays unemployment insurance premiums to the state. The money for state unemployment does not come from tax dollars, it comes from the premiums paid by the corporations that do business in the state. The only unemployment that comes from tax dollars is the federal extension, not the base 26 weeks paid by the state.

As far as saying someone should take a job paying less than they get on unemployment, it is obvious that those making these comments have never been there. How can you justify asking someone who is already scraping by on half or less than they were making to take an even further cut. Unemployment insurance pays half what you were making up to the maximum in your state. Because the maximum weekly amount is so low in most states, many people are actually getting far less than half. When it comes down to trying to keep a roof over your family's head and food on the table you are going to do what will give you the best chance of doing that. Also, if you take a job for less than you are getting on unemployment and then get laid off again (which has happened to many people in this economy), your new benefits rate is based on this lower salary. This means you would then get half of what was already less than the previous benefit.

Do not criticize the people who stay on unemployment because it pays more than the job they can get would pay, they are only doing what they need to try and survive. If you want to criticize anything, criticize the system that is set up to make this more advantageous. It would be very easy to fix this by simply continuing to pay people the difference between what they make working and what they get from unemployment out of the unemployment fund. This would allow people to go back to work and feel better about themselves without penalizing them financially for doing so.

Now if you really want to do something to help those that are out of work start writing your congressman and senators asking them to do something. They need to fix the illegal immigration problem that is taking many jobs away from legal Americans. The illegal problem is also resulting in a lot of money being sent out of the country instead of going into local economies. Illegals send large potions of the money they make back home to support family there. This means that money is not going to support local businesses in the communities where the illegals live. Also ask you representatives to start adding tariffs to good coming in from countries that use unfair trade practices like China. China has been artificially holding down the value of their currency which makes their products cheaper over here and throughout the world while making foreign made products far more expensive in China. Ask you Representatives to work to repeal, or at least fix NAFTA and our other trade agreements to help bring jobs back to the US.

Jed & Asvinpa:

It's evident that possibly your circle of influence is not as large as a 'Baby Boomer'

In WI Unemployemnt insurance is paid in on every employee that walks through the door Yes the employer pays on your behalf; however you must not have addressed in a job interview the concept of receiving a higher wage in leu of a benefit. Yes it works !!! If the employer has less expenses to pay out on an employee, that employee ( if smart) can use that as a leverage for higher wages received. That's the kicker !! UE is not selective; it's mandatory; 6.6% (WI premiums) of a high dollar construction industry woker quickly adds up TENS OF THOUSANDS OF $$$$$$$$$. You say don't collect on an insurance you paid in on for years.

Think about another "MANDATORY" insurance in the news; then use your thinking in that situation and what do you have???

At interviews it is surprising when the HR person asks 'why are you taking such a lower paying job?'....or makes a statement 'we're interested, but; we know you will be leaving when a better position upens up...'.

Please understand vast amounts of "Economical Collateral Damage" has spread throughout our conuntry. Possibly it hasn't been evident in your part of the country. Jed/Asvinpa if the older population was so lazy....please explain why so much was built,....... why USA made it to the moon..... why the technology of today makes the '60's look the the 'stone age'....why workers of my generation started so many businesses employing so many other workers.....why those same individuals that produced so much are now at best 'under employed'

I will be awaiting your dialog.

I am a small business owner. Those unemployment "insurance" payments we have to make force us to increase fees or lower pay rates. If we have to fire someone and they get unemployment our rate increases. I am not rich. We support a family of 8 on 40K. Some years were better, some are worse, but we make adjustments. It is not easy. When offering a job we have had many people want to be paid cash so they can stay on unemployment or not effect their social security payments. One young man wanted a job but asked if he could wait until his unemployment payments expired to start working. Our society has now been conditioned to let the government take care of them. Working hard is not always fun or glamorous or highly profitable. We are running our country into the ground with excess entitlements. If a person needs help, if there truly are no jobs to be found, then yes, as a civilized society we are obligated to help them. But many, many times that is not the case.

I can understand your plight momkd, however, it is not the persons that have lost their jobs to illegal workers but the people whom hire them for better profits. Paying cash and therefore do not pay into the compensation plan that usually decides how much even you pay into it.

It is the greedy mentality of the rich and not so rich employers that has brought this upon our nation, really what happened to the I take care of my own mentality. You know the taxes they really don't want to pay, no workers comp, no unemployment comp. and not to mention they are treated like dogs and will accept it so they don't get caught.

Kind of seems like the old slave mentality to me and I'm not going for it. So if you can see all of this, wherein lies the problem? Is it the people whom were let go for cheaper labor, because, it surely hasn't brought down any prices on anything. Just like congress to give themselves a cost of living raise, yet deni it to our seniors, hmmm good ole boy attitudes needs to go out the window right along with their beni's and their jobs.

I'll say this, why is anyone in our government collecting a paycheck, they haven't performed their duties in a long time. Does this require people to think of them as parasites as they call the people on unemployment, when in fact they are the problem. I know people will say oh don't blame them, whom is to blame? They make the laws and either choose to act on them or not. They have bailed out their big buddies, gave out their bonuses and even vacationed on the American dole and this is a good thing.

As well I've known a few guys whom just lost their jobs to the work program that pays 80% of someones salary for two months and 30% after, just as long as the employer keeps them on for at least 6 months. How's that for loyalty for busting your butt for a company for long time. Just because, the company needed to cut some spending somewhere. Most employers do this not because they are paying anymore or less, business is down they do not want to lose their own personal possessions.

Go for it Obiewon. I'm a boomer too and I still have good longtime memory.

Entitlement is the ONLY way to describe someone who turns down a job to stay on unemployment. I've been there, I stuggled but I made it & so will everyone else.

You have to love the intellectually bankrupt who think that it is a one size fits all world. I did it this way and any deviation from that is wrong. Because I said so. You have no idea what everyone's situation is, and to make a blanket statement like that just shows a lack of intelligence.

Corruption is indeed the problem. They want dems fighting repubs., they want racial divide, they want us to worry about terrorism so they can make patriot acts, and now monitor internet usage. It is getting out of hand.

You are fortunate to have good Health...Some people do not.

Disgusted, then you sir are part of the problem, give up one of your jobs so someone else can have it. Make due with less like you are asking everyone else too do ,or, is that out of the question. Why don't everyone with two jobs make a good jesture and quit one, this way we can at least all go down the drain together. Does this make sense to you?

There are no real jobs to speak of and what is being offered has more than enough applicants to cover it ten times. Then it comes down to being over qualified, sure, what the hell does over qualified mean anyway. It means if a job comes along with better pay, benifts and a retirement plan this guy is gone, so why waste our time with him. That is what it means.

We are allowing our country to become a third world country simply for the fact we refuse to stand togeher. Remember people united we stand, divided we fall. Let's get our country back together and not allow big companies or corporations to have it!!! thx Darrell

darrell-so you would rather stand together in the unemployment line than stand and work? And in most places, you can find jobs even with high unemployment. In the area where I work, it is around 12-15% and within a week of findind out I was going to lose my job due to the place going out of business, I found 2 full-time jobs. I know that my situation is different than everyone elses but for a hard worker, there are jobs out there.

darrell-so you would rather stand together in the unemployment line than stand and work?

They used to stand together and work in the cotton fields. Yes sa. And the master used to sip on mint juleps on the porch of the big house. But they stood and worked. Is that what you want missa Jackel sa ?

I didn't say, become slaves. Atleast I don't remember that. Darrell said that we all need to stand together, and I was wondering where we were standing?

Jackal, I worked many two full-time jobs while raising my kids and taking care of my family. At my age working two jobs is really ridiculous, why should the American people be reduced to working like a third world country person? I've paid taxes just like most people all of my working life, which would have been when I was around 13 yrs old, at 16 yrs. they started taxing my wages.

So is this a good thing that my government takes these tax dollars and just erodes them away to their buddies and other countries while we Americans are not good Americans if we just don't keep putting into this rip off system. When I talk about standing together, I'm talking about getting rid of the people in our government and replacing them each and every one. Make limits on their time in the government, stop all lobbyist and special interest groups from getting in the politicians pocket. These are things that as a nation we should be concerning ourselves with.

I don't care if corporations want to take their businesses out of the country, just make them pay to ship their services or goods back to us. Listen I more than likely won't be around much longer anyway so this is not a self gratification position.

I've served this country which in fact is a whole lot more than most of the people we have in the government would do. The only service they've been giving in the last 50+ yrs. is the lip. Most of the people in congress creating our laws are WHAT/// lawyers go figure huh. Why make stupid laws to bring such adversary to the people? The reason is, that, they are still mad because people actually asked to be treated fairly. Not many people back in my day asked for special treatment, worked like dogs for not much money and all the while these f-k's just lived like kings.

So my stance is that the people of the nation allowed this to happen, because they did not stand together and revolt this type of behavior from our kings and queens. Could have sworn we left Great Britian long ago, however, here we are again.

Another thing I find amusing is the Republicans said give us another chance and we,ll get it right this time, we are listening to the people! Why didn't they do it right the first time? What I'd really like to know is just what this means for our nation that they have given away so freely.

When I talk about standing together, I'm talking about getting rid of the people in our government and replacing them each and every one. Make limits on their time in the government, stop all lobbyist and special interest groups from getting in the politicians pocket. These are things that as a nation we should be concerning ourselves with.

I agree with that 100% Darrell. I'm glad you explained it to me. I though you wanted us to all go on unemployment and kill the USA but in turns you think we need to revolt and I agree with that.

The problem with that is that there are too many clueless people in America that keep voting these people into our government. They are too busy seeing a D or R behind the name instead of taking the time to look at what they are voting for. I personally think that we need a complete overhaul of the political system. We can't afford any more of this, we need to pass the law so you can see it stuff that comes from Washington.

Darrell, thank you for clarifying that.

Yw welcome jackal, however, this is just my opinion and since I'm just an average person we to them are not intellectual enough to think for our selves.

We are only smart enough to vote them in but not smart enough to know how horrible they are.

I'm glad you guys found atleast a start. And not to get all religious on you or anyone else, (I noticed you said God Bless so I think it is ok) but I recently had someone ask me how I can believe in a God that has my best interest in mind when the economy is so horrible and people have to live with their parents and then it hit me hit me that maybe God made this happen so people started noticing what was most important in their life, family.

Todd, you obviously don't have children for whom you would have to pay someone to watch while you work. How do you expect someone to work two jobs if they have children? And it's not always easy to move locations. How do you come up with a security deposit for a rental when you have depleted any savings you may have had paying bills? It's not always that easy! Not eveyone has family or a spouse to help! And the government is too busy helping the real lazy people who have never worked and live off of welfare!

ML:

Don't mind the holier-than-thous...they come out of the woodwork whenever an article goes up that mentions the economy being in the tank, and if you squeezed every single one of them you still wouldn't be able to come up with a single ounce of sympathy. The country has been holding greed and selfishness up as the pinnacle of human traits for so long that there's no more room for honor, sympathy, or generosity among the general public as a whole.

As per your post itself, this is why even as someone that sees the inherent good in systems like UI and Welfare, I advocate its reform. Not elimination, but audits, things of that nature, to screen out those that don't need it so that those whom truly need it can pick themselves back up. My mother having to ask the state for help is a shame I still have yet to live down even 20 years of blood sweat and tears later, but I'm infinitely grateful it was there when I needed it. It kept me fed and sheltered through the worst years of my life, and because that situation didn't kill me I was able to work and repay society for what it'd done for me.

Seriously are you delusional, people can't even afford to live on unemployment much less party on it. I'm going to say this now, before I would wish this crap on no-one. However it is my wish that all these people on here that is talking all this crap about unemployment, looses their jobs and have to deal with this personally.

Then say what you will and you would have a right to say it. A lot of you have been cheating the government anyway, lying on your taxes so you won't have to pay, using illegals workers to make extra income and then call it smart business.

Hopefully they have a cheaper guy just as qualified, or a little less as you and willing to take a little less pay and you're gone. It will be happening to a lot more people in the near future, like around Nov. and I will be happy to watch you sqirm for just a little while.

You people crack me up with all your highhorse attitudes. I know, I used to have the same attitude until I was forced to go through this crap!! Never cheated on my taxes either, remember it is your duty to pay taxes and not whine about it. So why are you whining now?

Darrell, I have dealt with it and got through it.Yeah you have to cut back on may things. I had to eat pb&j pretty much for two meals a day before I found another job. I've gone through this song and dance twice now, and I'm only 21. I worked for 3 years at a place to start paying for school and then was laid off. Then I got another job after a couple of years and they closed after a year. During this time, I could afford my $600 rent and around $500 in loans. Now my savings are drained and I still can barely make it by. The only thing that I paid for when I was unemployed was phone, gas, rent, and student loans. The phone was a cheap pay by the minute phone.

I like how you assume we own businesses also. When I was working my second job, to help restructure the company, they fired us all and hired us as "contract labor" so then they could claim that they have no employees so they didn't have to pay unemployment taxes and got things for not having employees on their pay roll. And since they offered us all jobs as contract labor, we could choose to collect unemployment but it was better to stay and work.

I understand your plight jackal, however, if you don't own a company or worked as a subcontractor then the above would not apply to you right. I was 21 when I was honorably discharged from the Army. That was 31 yrs. ago, had unemployment for two weeks and then worked from then until now!

Think about it, over 30 yrs. of being able to find work and now the only ones they are hiring these days are illegals and legal immigrants,or, if you are willing to work for slave wages. Is the reason because they work much harder than the regular guy, in my field hell no, you have to work hard it is just the nature of the construction business. Unless you are employed by the unions of course.

I have work and as a subcontractor and owned a business, things were good at one time and yes I'll get through this too! We really need to get the government to start doing as the people want and not what the corporations want. This is the plight that stands before the American people at this time!

Oh and believe me I've been eating as cheap as possible, ramen noodle soups and burritos, with each meal costing about .75-1.25 per meal and yes only two per day. Some times I'll indulge myself to a couple of peanutbutter sandwhiches and a bowl of ramen noodles. Refuse to collect food-stamps and not because I don't feel like I'm too good. Just believe there are families that need them more!

We really need to get the government to start doing as the people want and not what the corporations want

I agree with you.

Some times I'll indulge myself to a couple of peanutbutter sandwhiches and a bowl of ramen noodles

Emphasis on the and?

Refuse to collect food-stamps and not because I don't feel like I'm too good. Just believe there are families that need them more!

In my life though, I see most of the people that need them think like you and the people that really don't are on them or feel entitled to them.

Darrell, I think we are more like eachother than we want to admit.

Emphasis on the and, means I'm over eating once in awhile!

Wouldn't it have been much more effective for our economy to have taken Obama's loan from China (our illustrious Stimulus Plan) and just handed it out to every tax-paying U.S. citizen?

Let's look a little deeper. Consider the fact that in November of 2009 the US paid over 380 Billion dollars in interest on our National Debt. That would be debt incurred before January 2009, from our National debt. That money goes right into the pockets of our creditors. But hey we don't really want to get into that one do we ? Because that would be pointing a finger at the ones who created the disaster that got us here wouldn't it. I am so glad that the 700 Billion dollars (and counting) that was spent on finding those WMDs went to good use. That could have been spent creating jobs back home.

Gill, I couldn't agree with you more, but, you have to understand it is not one side or the other. Remember they all know one-another, know the same contacts and have mainly the same donors. They play the people like good cop/ bad cop thing you know what I mean!

We as a nation really need to put r differences behind us right now and think what is best for our Nation and our children.

darrell - I am well aware of the fact that both sides have attributed to the problems we face today. I also know that the most immediate threat that we as Americans have is from big money, and the fact that big money wants the US to collapse under their debt. And if anyone takes any effort to look they will see that the deficit problem started long ago not on January 20th 2009. And I never heard anyone complain when a waste of a president once said

"I'm not worried about the deficit -- it's big enough to take care of itself."

and then proceeded to increase the deficit in record percentages. But you are correct. The people of this country are the only ones who can fix it. And there is obviously every effort being made to keep that from happening isn't there ?

Yes Gill, it is and it's not only sources here in America anymore, we have a major job in front of us and I'm hoping the American people are up to it. Yes this has been going on since the early 1900's and it's not one side or the other. It is and has always been the corporations.

The people at one time were taught in schools the history of this great nation and the atrocities that were placed on the people then. Corporations wants to bring the people to their knees and make slaves out of them, just look at the amount of unemployment going on in the nation! Is this due to economic downturn? No it's simply because they aren't getting their way with the laws and the labor practices. So they withhold their monies and do not invest in this country, period.

Sometimes I wonder what the American people think about the lessor of the two evils. It's sad to say the people don't matter anymore, it's all about foreign dignitaries and big corporations, or, anyone else with deep pockets. Well it's only a matter of time before everyone starts to effected by all of this and then what will be their excuse, blame it on those whom were unemployed, probably.

You got my vote darrell.

Darrell, I agree with you on that. The big money in the US has got us too busy hating eachother so we won't know that the real problem is them. I can't wait for a day to come that we don't have Reps and Dems but Americans once again. A day that we don't have Blacks and Whites but people and we don't have illegals. I figure I have around 80 more years here but doubt that my wish will ever come true.

America though seems to be so scared of each other. We are to worried about political correctness and not offending anyone and have taken our values away as a result. I'm not oppossed to someone down on their luck getting a handout to get back on their feet, I am oppossed to someone looking for a handout just so they don't need to work. American's are lazy and want everything while giving nothing. This country was build on the blood, sweat and tears of the working class and now I see it as it will crumble with the blood, sweat and tears of the working class.

Sorry for the rant.

Jackal it is ok to rant every now and again, this is how we release the frustration that has been bringing us down. Thing of it is we need to figure on what to do about it and not let it lead us into whining about it. Just find what eases you mind and go with it.

Seems like I need to do it more often now than I used to though. And that scares me. And the problem with it is I don't want to make it turn into a whine so then I just figure that there is nothing that can be done so no sense worrying but then I feel like the lazy people that I rant about.

Yes once again jackal the time to do something will raise it's head and that will be the time to take the appropriate action. We all have a certain liability in this.

I think most of us people on a certain level has to be somewhat alike, since the middle class is considered to be making $250,000.00. Jeeze, when I made a measly $60,000.00 one year I thought I was doing good. Oh well just goes to show you all of us don't need it all, just enough to get by on.

margd - A voice of reason and compassion from the darkness. I too am truly thankful, who knows what tomorrow will bring.

A mindset that I can wholeheartedly agree with...thank you for letting your compassion show in these times.

A well-written letter in its time, and something everyone posting on this article should read. Thank you for sharing it.