Congress fails to extend jobless benefits, hitting 21,000 Kentuckians

[R&W 5]

I think it is good to not extend the help so people will get more motivated to help themselves. Move to where work is. Be humble. Mow someone else's yard. Clean houses. Baby sit. And besides, Christmas season.. I bet they can find a job in Kroger, Walmart, Target, General Dollar, Dollar Store, 99Cents, Ross.

I know that a lot of people who lost their jobs have Bachelors and some Masters. Like with our company, we moved our R&D to India. Some of our engineers lost their jobs.

I know some of them, and one right now is working at Target. It's a humbling experience but I salute him how he takes care of his family. Some of them, are still sitting and waiting for job interviews, getting federal money, and whine.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I've known 11 people personally who have been laid off. They have all had varying levels of success and defeat. Three found new jobs that were comparable (one moved to Singapore and then Vancouver). Another 2 are working retail jobs. One has been laid off twice in a year...fingers crossed he gets a job he just interviewed for.

Another four can't find a position...not even at McDonalds.......and the final one....yes...isn't bothering to look. I'd say for anyone against continuing the program, please at least take the time to visit the find work in America thread. I read a few that were real eye openers, the biggest of which is that its pretty hard to get a simple Target job.

I do believe things are changing for the better, but I'd say its too early to cut this program off.

[R&W 5]

I've known 11 people personally who have been laid off. They have all had varying levels of success and defeat. Three found new jobs that were comparable (one moved to Singapore and then Vancouver). Another 2 are working retail jobs. One has been laid off twice in a year...fingers crossed he gets a job he just interviewed for.

Another four can't find a position...not even at McDonalds.......and the final one....yes...isn't bothering to look. I'd say for anyone against continuing the program, please at least take the time to visit the find work in America thread. I read a few that were real eye openers, the biggest of which is that its pretty hard to get a simple Target job.

I do believe things are changing for the better, but I'd say its too early to cut this program off.

I don't under estimate the hardship on looking for a job. It's real world and harder that we can imagine. I don't know the graphs and percentages on who's wise or who's abusing the benefits. But if for some reason there's more people that are wise and benefits don't stop them for motivating themselves, then extending this program is good. But if it will bury them farther more, it's not.

This is just my thought and feelings toward it. Because I've seen a lot already. Free milk, free eggs. $900 a month. Some have free rent. ... and then some would want more kids because they will get some more.

I think this is where the "family" should come and help, not the government. Because our government is drowned with debt already.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

I think this is where the "family" should come and help, not the government. Because our government is drowned with debt already.

H3lls yeah to that!

In the US we have come to depend on the government for way too much. I'm tired of paying taxes to support other peoples' relatives (both seniors & babies). My kids & parents are taken care of without government handouts.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I have no problem with people who actually need it collecting the money. UI is meant to be a stop gap measure, nothing more. The real problem is how do you redesign the system to cut out those who simply want to collect money for a year and a half and not work. One of the problems today with unemployment is that in many cases, it gives no inscentive to take a part time job or a job that pays significantly less than what you made before. If your options are working your ####### off for horrible pay working at Walmart, or sit at home looking for a better job making roughly the same money, I don't think that's a difficult choice.

[^_^ 5,021]

...how do you redesign the system to cut out those who simply want to collect money for a year and a half and not work.

Get serious about how you verify the details of peoples job searches. In NJ you are expected to apply for a certain number of jobs every week you file a claim. You're expected to keep records of where you applied and what you applied for. This is reasonably easy to get around. Write a ####### resume. Most employers won't call you back anyway and the ones that do.... don't pick up. They don't verify whether you followed up or not. They assume good faith.

The redesign would cost a lot of money. You'll need a lot more staff to basically badger (in corporate speak, be project managers) claimants and track their progress. We could end up spending even more to properly administer a redesigned program with tougher oversight.

Or... we could take the easy way out and say after x weeks you're out.

[Harsh_77 718]

With Christmas less than a month away, more than 21,000 Kentuckians are expected to lose their unemployment benefits this week after Congress did not act Tuesday to extend emergency benefits, according to state officials.

And the number of affected Kentuckians will surpass 75,000 within the next eight weeks if Congress keeps the benefits extension cut, said Lanny Brannock, spokesman for the state Office of Employment and Training.

Frustration and some despair Tuesday flooded the Jobs Center, where Lexington's unemployed go to register for benefits and look for work. Quietly waiting among the many there, Latoya Collins, 27, said maybe Congress doesn't notice the working man.

"Look, they got jobs," Collins said.

She'll be talking to her family about moving in with them and looking for a job without money, which is harder than it sounds, she said. She hasn't been without a job since she was 15, she said.

It is the third time this year the nation's lawmakers let the emergency benefits expire, even though the nation's unemployment rate remains steady at 9.6 percent. In those cases, jobless workers got retroactive benefits once legislation was passed.

The benefit extensions granted over the past two years have given the nation's long-term jobless up to 73 weeks of financial help, depending on the state's jobless rate, beyond the usual 26-week benefit.

Nationwide, the number of people slated to lose benefits is estimated at 2 million.

Both U.S. senators from Kentucky, Republicans Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning, oppose the benefit extension, noting the extra spending would increase the national deficit. Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler of Versailles has supported the extension in the past but could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

To read the complete article, visit www.kentucky.com.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchy...l#ixzz16sE1bpNq

Lot of them have been receiving jobless benefits for over 2 years ....... so how long u think the employeed ppl should continue supporting the ppl who are not willing to go to work or dont want to work coz govt is paying for their needs.

We are turning into Europe, where ppl intentionally do not want to work, coz govt pays for the food, living, edu, and medical care.

This got to stop somewhere and sometime, everyone cannot be pleased ever.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Harsh_77

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Just thought I'd bring something positive into this thread, the guy who was laid off twice that I mentioned previously did get the position yesterday.

[R&W 5]

Just thought I'd bring something positive into this thread, the guy who was laid off twice that I mentioned previously did get the position yesterday.

Congratulations to your friend. Hard work pays off.

Let America be America .. the most hard working people on earth! (that's how I perceive it ... may not be true to some.. but true to me.. per what I see)

[The_Dude 1,142]

Congratulations to your friend. Hard work pays off.

Let America be America .. the most hard working people on earth! (that's how I perceive it ... may not be true to some.. but true to me.. per what I see)

LoL, you just negated your own statement there. I'd agree with "America, some of the hardest working people on earth"

[Amby 490]

I have no problem with people who actually need it collecting the money. UI is meant to be a stop gap measure, nothing more. The real problem is how do you redesign the system to cut out those who simply want to collect money for a year and a half and not work. One of the problems today with unemployment is that in many cases, it gives no inscentive to take a part time job or a job that pays significantly less than what you made before. If your options are working your ####### off for horrible pay working at Walmart, or sit at home looking for a better job making roughly the same money, I don't think that's a difficult choice.

I worked with a girl who would show up late or screw things up because she wanted to lose her job so she could collect benefits. After about 9 months she ended up quitting because they decided they weren't going to fire her since they knew that's what she wanted I always think of her when I read stories about unemployment.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Amby

[The_Dude 1,142]

I worked with a girl who would show up late or screw things up because she wanted to lose her job so she could collect benefits. After about 9 months she ended up quitting because they decided they weren't going to fire her since they knew that's what she wanted I always think of her when I read stories about unemployment.

I think this scene from the movie Trainspotting best displays the attitude of those on the dole (both in the U.S. and U.K.) who don't really want to work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apCtRg6mOVk

[ScottThuy 140]

If they get rid of the minimum wage, then the unemployment rate will drop.... supply and demand economics unmolested...

[DEDixon 39]

I think this is where the "family" should come and help, not the government. Because our government is drowned with debt already.

Right on! Liberals have replaced family with gov't. It used to be family took care of the elders in the family, but liberals have made it so family can throw family into a care home, let gov't pay for it and never look back.

People used to depend on family but still they now depend on gov't, they can tell family to f#ck off. It used to be that you had to stick with family like they do in 3rd world countries, but now, no need to stick with family, the gov't will be there.

I can't see this as progress.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Right on! Liberals have replaced family with gov't. It used to be family took care of the elders in the family, but liberals have made it so family can throw family into a care home, let gov't pay for it and never look back.

People used to depend on family but still they now depend on gov't, they can tell family to f#ck off. It used to be that you had to stick with family like they do in 3rd world countries, but now, no need to stick with family, the gov't will be there.

I can't see this as progress.

We should have gone back to Depression era soup lines....