Laid off workers rent summer home.

[mdcrim]

My neighbors sister lives in rural North Carolina in a relatively poor area. Most of the people she associates with are "disabled"... Not really disabled, but "disabled" enough to collect all sorts of benefits. It's totally the norm down there. I would love to see a breakdown of disabled adults by area, zip code, etc. I'm sure it would be very telling.

[disneysteve]

My neighbors sister lives in rural North Carolina in a relatively poor area. Most of the people she associates with are "disabled"... Not really disabled, but "disabled" enough to collect all sorts of benefits. It's totally the norm down there. I would love to see a breakdown of disabled adults by area, zip code, etc. I'm sure it would be very telling.

I work in one of the poorest cities in America. I can tell you that the number of "disabled" people here is staggering. Why? Because they earn more on disability than they would earn if they worked. On disability, they get full health insurance which they would lose if they got a job. Many of these people would actually like to work - many do with "under the table" jobs - but they can't afford to give up their health benefits. Just one more reason why we need some real health care reform.

[cptacek]

When I was unemployed last year, I "made" more on unemployment than any other job close to us. It "paid" $10.50 an hour (based on a 40 hour week), and most other jobs were maybe $8? I "worked" for DH on the farm, and sent out massive quantities of resumes, and found my current job, which I totally love, make about $40/hour. People suggested I work at the grocery store or co-op in town, but as the system is set up, financially, that wouldn't have made sense.

I felt guilty getting unemployment. I am glad that I made a concerted effort to get this current job and didn't take the one hospital job that was offered to me, as I don't think I would have been happy there, and it paid about $25,000 less than this one.

I am thankful that I had the unemployment, and the COBRA subsidy. That helped a lot, especially after my miscarriage, which eventually would have cost about $5000 once all the hospital bills came in. We were able to cover all of our monthly bills and food, though not sending extra debt payments, and the farm payed for itself those months, so we were getting by ok.

I do question 99 weeks for unemployment, though. I have read stories of people who are getting to the end of that time period and they haven't found anything. Really? In this whole country, you can't find one job? I moved 8 hours from home to get a job when I was first out of college, moved 6 hours again, and finally got back to Kansas when I met DH, then drove 2.5 hours one way for a year after we got married. I currently drive an hour one way. I find it really hard to believe that someone can't find a job within an hour or two hour commute of their house. Sure it sucks. But sometimes you have to make sacrifices to provide for family.

[disneysteve]

I do question 99 weeks for unemployment, though. I have read stories of people who are getting to the end of that time period and they haven't found anything. Really? In this whole country, you can't find one job?

Exactly. That's why I think extending the benefits doesn't accomplish anything. It doesn't get people back to work any faster - just the opposite. People won't go out and look for work until their backs are against the wall and they see the last check coming.

[Scanner]

Maybe we need to wean the babies slowly off the government tit - every week after a certain point, slowly reduce the payout by 10% or something - have the gov't milk dry up.

[PrincessPerky]

I am on extended UI, and I agree it is dumb!

Not that I think my husband would have found a job paying what he used to without the extended treat...I do think he would have found something less, or moved back home, or something.

Though at the same time, thanks.

[GrimJack]

I find it pretty interesting how 'unchristian' some of the comments in this thread are. That plus the cherry-picking of data (using friend-of-a-friend stories rather than actual, er, data) is at least as interesting as the stories. I had a psychology professor who called that the 'aunt Minnie' effect - everyone has an outlier story that they bring up to prove a point that is more to their politics than their knowledge.

The story that started this thread is so vague that it is like a Rorschach test of your politics - collecting unemployment is not evil, not a sin, it is not even a bad thing. Are there people who game the system? Of course - so what! Any way you slice the population will contain someone who games the system - in financial terms it is called 'the bezzle' (the %age money that is being siphoned off illegally). Why do people get so torqued off at the small time stuff when there is much worse stuff happening?

but I digress

[am_vanquish]

Any way you slice the population will contain someone who games the system - in financial terms it is called 'the bezzle' (the %age money that is being siphoned off illegally).

This is logical, and many of the people in this discussion have said (or will admit) that unemployment has a useful intention. But that isn't the real issue (IMO). The real issue is that any system should be designed in a way to minimize "the bezzle." The UI system is not designed well, which results in WAY too many people taking advantage of the system.

Why do people get so torqued off at the small time stuff when there is much worse stuff happening?

Although the outlier examples we've brought up may seem like "small time stuff", they are simply examples of a greater theme ... entitlement. The US gov't has continually expanded entitlement programs, distorting many of the programs from their original intential (a social safety net) into a political platform to gain more votes. Take a look at Europe and tell me if you think the US should continue to expand entitlement programs. The money's gotta come from somewhere, and austerity measures in the future are looking more and more likely.

[disneysteve]

This is logical, and many of the people in this discussion have said (or will admit) that unemployment has a useful intention. But that isn't the real issue (IMO). The real issue is that any system should be designed in a way to minimize "the bezzle." The UI system is not designed well, which results in WAY too many people taking advantage of the system.

I agree. Unemployment is fine. It serves a vital purpose for millions of people. But the system is broken and rather than trying to fix it, the government has been making the problem worse by further extending the benefits. In effect, they are incentivizing people to stay out of work longer and longer. Where is the incentive to go out and find a job? I'm not sure what the solution is but I'm sure the answer is not extending coverage more and more.

[Scanner]

find it pretty interesting how 'unchristian' some of the comments in this thread are. That plus the cherry-picking of data (using friend-of-a-friend stories rather than actual, er, data) is at least as interesting as the stories. I had a psychology professor who called that the 'aunt Minnie' effect - everyone has an outlier story that they bring up to prove a point that is more to their politics than their knowledge.

The story that started this thread is so vague that it is like a Rorschach test of your politics - collecting unemployment is not evil, not a sin, it is not even a bad thing. Are there people who game the system? Of course - so what! Any way you slice the population will contain someone who games the system - in financial terms it is called 'the bezzle' (the %age money that is being siphoned off illegally). Why do people get so torqued off at the small time stuff when there is much worse stuff happening?

but I digress

I never said this was the "worse of the worst" things that could happen or anything. In the scheme of things, it's moderate I suppose (borrowing from China as a society to pay out people who aren't producing)

The data is simply, as DisneySteve points out, we keep extending unemployment benefits without any incentive to get off.

Am I being Unchristian? I dont' think so. You would say I am being uncharitable, right?

Well, unemployment isn't a charity. . .it's an entitlement program.

I think you are mixed up between what should be charity in our society and what should be the function of government.

No, collecting unemployment isn't a sin.

What's a sin is collecting unemployment and renting a beach house in an upscale beach community.

It's right there in the Bible. . .Commandment 11:

Thy Shalt Not Rent A Beachhouse In An Upscale Beach Community While Collecting State Unemployment

[lovcom]

I find it pretty interesting how 'unchristian' some of the comments in this thread are. That plus the cherry-picking of data (using friend-of-a-friend stories rather than actual, er, data) is at least as interesting as the stories. I had a psychology professor who called that the 'aunt Minnie' effect - everyone has an outlier story that they bring up to prove a point that is more to their politics than their knowledge.

The story that started this thread is so vague that it is like a Rorschach test of your politics - collecting unemployment is not evil, not a sin, it is not even a bad thing. Are there people who game the system? Of course - so what! Any way you slice the population will contain someone who games the system - in financial terms it is called 'the bezzle' (the %age money that is being siphoned off illegally). Why do people get so torqued off at the small time stuff when there is much worse stuff happening?

but I digress

1. There is nothing "un-Christian" about this thread.

2. Collecting unemployment is bad. It is shameful and one should find a job as fast as they can to get off public assistance. Sure we paid into it but that does not mean it should not be shameful to be on. The problem with the current society is that they no longer feel any shame for accepting public assistance...it you are a good responsible person you will fill bad for accepting it.

[GrimJack]

1. There is nothing "un-Christian" about this thread.

2. Collecting unemployment is bad. It is shameful and one should find a job as fast as they can to get off public assistance. Sure we paid into it but that does not mean it should not be shameful to be on. The problem with the current society is that they no longer feel any shame for accepting public assistance...it you are a good responsible person you will fill bad for accepting it.

I will just assume you meant to put a smiley in there somewhere or maybe your just a troll - either way this post is just funnier-than-hell.

[lovcom]

I will just assume you meant to put a smiley in there somewhere or maybe your just a troll - either way this post is just funnier-than-hell.

I guess it would be funny for you. You must love your tax money going to entitlements, welfare and such. I guess that you're okay with receivers of public assistance being "okay" living on the dole.

Yes, 90% or more will agree with you, so you can feel good about that.

I prefer to go with the minority on this ;-)

And since it was you that brought up christianity, did you know that it was the Apostle Paul that wrote "Those that don't work shall not eat.".

[disneysteve]

ollecting unemployment is bad. It is shameful and one should find a job as fast as they can

I do not think that collecting unemployment is bad or shameful but I totally agree that you should find a job as fast as you can. You shouldn't collect unemployment just because you can. What is bad and shameful is what I referred to earlier - people who intentionally stay on unemployment as long as they possibly can before taking a new job. That's abuse of the system plain and simple.

[cptacek]

And since it was you that brought up christianity, did you know that it was the Apostle Paul that wrote "Those that don't work shall not eat.".

Lol, that is the first thing I thought, too!