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Why some stay on Unemployment / welfare

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by Salty, Jul 18, 2010.

  1. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    Expected

    make that EXPECTED
     
  2. Melanie

    Melanie Active Member
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    I agree that there is a percentage of folks who exist "happily" on welfare, particularly if their experience has been generational....parents etc.

    Most folks do not fall into that category. My neighbour who is a marine worker has a wife and kids and he is supposed to makedo on $350.00/week, where one guy can get $130.00/week. The whole weekly mandatory harangue is soul destroying....particularly when there are a thousand applicants for less than 10 job offers/week and more folks coming into the system as they are let go by businesses closing down.

    Then there are the folks who just can't really fit the system, the cognitively challenged, the strange and the slow. Oh and of course the old folks who are retrenched.

    It is easy to think "loser", but it is a whole new ball game when you get the "farewell".

    Thank the Lord I do not live in say Spain where there is 20% unemployment or more....taxidrivers who are biochemists etc.:sleeping_2:
     
  3. targus

    targus New Member

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    Let's not leave out the percentage of people who collect unemployment and also work for cash at the same time.

    Those people have no incentive to get off of unemployment ever.
     
  4. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    You must see allot of that in Michigan I'm thinking
     
  5. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    At a cocktail party the other night in Manhattan, I met an attractive young lady, head of personnel for a notable insurance company who tells me how she & her staff coerce the unemployed to work on commission for the company. The conversation with the unemployed prospect would go like this....well we will offer you a great opportunity here to build up a large portfolio of clients while you are collecting a government check..... you can fill in the blanks!

    How superbly villainous.....taking advantage of both a person struggling to make ends meet & taking advantage of the US taxpayer. The thing is this young lady felt there was nothing wrong with that tactic. :laugh:
     
  6. Thinkingstuff

    Thinkingstuff Active Member

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    This is a very comon tactic. Its about what I can get.
     
  7. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    Brilliant actually till you get fired & sued...perhaps thrown in jail.
     
  8. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    I would venture to say this is a VERY small percentage of people...and UE doesn't last forever.
     
  9. Thinkingstuff

    Thinkingstuff Active Member

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    Or more disasterously have the unemployement agency garnish future earnings through the IRS to include fines and interest. After you get out of Jail that is.
     
  10. targus

    targus New Member

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    I don't think that the percentage is very large - but it is not very small either.

    While unemployment doesn't last forever - my wife has a friend who has absolutely no intention of taking any kind of job - ever - who is on year three of unemployment.

    She lives in a five thousand square foot house - they recently bought two bicycles at $700 dollars each - bought a new Jeep - etc. and etc.

    When she was let go from her job two and a half years ago she got a nice severance check of $25,000 to boot.
     
  11. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    In a fallen world there will always be exceptions.
     
  12. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    Targus, I thought severance packages were factored into unemployment....IE, severance is looked at as income & so they wont pay you Unemployment insurance until you exhaust your severance, at least thats how it works in beautiful downtown New Jersey. Besides that, income coming in from unemployment cant be all that much, can it?
    Lastly if she is on Cobra now as supplementary health insurance, isnt that helping to deplete her government income. I just dont see how it can be that rosy of a life.....could you explain?
     
  13. Melanie

    Melanie Active Member
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    Certainly in the Antipodes there are folk who try that line, the department and such certainly take an extremenly dim view of them when caught and monies are recouped through other means.
     
  14. targus

    targus New Member

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    I don't know about that.

    About $375 per week - for almost three years now.
    She is not on COBRA - she is covered on her husband's insurance.

    She is married and her husband makes a good income.

    But she still takes the unemployment - and has no intention of ever looking for a job.
     
  15. targus

    targus New Member

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    So just how long should taxpayers support those who do not work - either through unemployment or welfare?

    One year?
    Two years?
    Five years?
    No limit?
     
  16. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    So how long do we bail out the banks & the fat cats on Wall Street?

    Targus....do you have anything constructive to say or are you just venting? Venting is a symptom of frustration, yes I understand that but seriously what does this nation do to turn it around. Perhaps Works programs like we had in the last depression to rebuild the infrastructure & put people back to work. I would suggest you direct this anger where it belongs....at the politicians & the Obama Administration who appears inept in dealing with the situation.

    A gal like her should be put to work in a labor capacity to pay off her debt to the taxpayer .... Id hate seeing her situation also. Now I have a neighbor that through no fault of his own got layed off & he would do anything to get back to work. This is killing him & he is in danger of loosing his home....situations are different in this case & I pray for him

    Blessings.
     
    #36 Earth Wind and Fire, Jul 22, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 22, 2010
  17. targus

    targus New Member

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    Non sequitar

    No anger - just participating in the discussion.

    Isn't that what the stimulus bill was supposed to be about?

    My wife actually contacted the unemployment bureau to report the situation.

    They didn't seem to care.


    Yes, everyone's situation is different.

    So how long should unemployment benefits last?

    One year?
    Two years?
    Five years?
    Without limit?
     
  18. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    I do...unemployment starts depending on severance. I received 16 weeks severance and was not able to file until those 16 weeks were used first.
    Impossible...the max weeks are between 79 and 99 depending on which state you are in.
    Well, if it's been almost 3 years she is no longer receiving benefits so it shouldn't concern anyone at this point.
    Unemployment and welfare are apples and oranges. Unemployment (a benefit, not a handout) should be considered on a state by state basis depending on unemployment in each state, and the safety net should be in place until there are actually jobs out there. Welfare is an entirely different animal.
     
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