Why Would We Extend Unemployment Benefits?
As the Senate gears itself up to attach all sorts of additional, and unnecessary, pork spending to the “economic stimulus” legislation that is really just a check from the government that will do little to stimulate the economy, one of the provisions looking to be tacked on is a federal extension of unemployment benefits.
Keep in mind that state unemployment insurance already covers about 26 weeks of being unemployed.
Several GOP senators backed the proposal to extend unemployment payments for 13 weeks for those whose benefits have run out, with 26 more weeks available in states with the highest jobless rates. Some also have asked for more business tax breaks.
“Many of these additions have bipartisan support, and I hope that the president will recognize that the White House needs to negotiate with the Senate as well as the House,” said Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, who backs both the rebates for seniors and the unemployment extension.
Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, a Finance Committee member, called the unemployment extension “critical” and said she supported ensuring that the rebates reached the elderly.
Under Senate plan, some 20 million senior citizens not covered by the House plan because they don’t have income would receive rebates.
Got that? We’re going to rebate tax dollars to people who never paid those tax dollars in the first place. Again, that’s not a rebate. That’s just a check from the government intended to buy the love of the citizenry.
Anyway, back to the unemployment situation: Why are we doing this? Are we really saying that 26 weeks, about 6 1/2 months of unemployment benefits isn’t enough? We’re going to extend that out to over a year (in some situations)?
I understand the thinking behind unemployment insurance. It lets a worker keep paying the bills until a new job can be secured, and that’s not a bad objective. But I think we’re meeting that objective already with the unemployment insurance we have now and see little need to extend it, which would ultimately just give workers incentive to put off getting another job for longer.
I’m fine with helping people who legitimately need help. I’m not fine with helping those who won’t help themselves.
