By Sam McCollum
More than a million Americans will lose employment insurance at the end of the year unless Congress takes action, according to The Huffington Post. Unless the Congress takes action, within the last of December an estimated 1.3 million people will lose action to an emergency program providing them with other additional coverage as well. If the Congress doesn’t take action there will be hundreds of millions of people searching for jobs and answers they won’t be able to receive because the government shut them out.
The United States Congress is still far from a budget deal and is struggling to find alternatives to the $1 trillion long-term cuts, creating it hard for the lawmakers to get them to have a chance at extension very slim. According to Wisconsin Representative, Paul D. Ryan, the House budget chairman, “He is committed to finding common ground, and he hopes both parties can work together to cut spending in a smarter way.”
The unemployment insurance extension was created in 2008 to find a way to combat poverty and help those unemployed workers get through one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression. Although the Congress has extended this program since 2008, but legislators have been haggling over the program’s cost because it is just too much.
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Although many Americans have been out of jobs not too long, about four million have been searching for a job for more than six months and share the working-age population with a job that has declined greatly over the past year. Already, about 2.5 million who are unemployed and have not worked within the last six months or more are receiving no federal jobless benefits.
Jonathan Galliher, a 31-year old computer programmer from Chicago is living with family and freelancing which searching for a full-time job. He quotes, “For a long time, I felt like I didn’t have any momentum. It has been difficult. I spend my days sitting at home, working and not really seeing a lot of other people. That kind of isolation is not good for people.” Not only is the unemployment rate dropping, but it’s also brining down Americans, leaving them with no hope and motivation.
In my opinion, something needs to be done about the unemployment benefits, meaning they should be extended for those who are less fortunate to have a job. Yes, this program will cost us an extra $25 million on top of the $250 million we have already spent, but it would help people get on their feet again and leave them with a little bit of hope. The Congress should also either extend the program into 2014, or they should quickly come up with something else before it gets to be too late.
Bartash, Jeffry. Initial Jobless Claims. 2013. MarketWatch, Washington. U.S. jobless claims fall slightly to 339,000. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Delaney, Arthur. "Unemployment Benefits Set to Expire For 1.3 Million At End Of Year." Huffington Post [New York City] 6 Nov. 2013: 1. Print.
Lowrey, Annie. "Extension Of Benefits for Jobless Is Set to End." The New York Times [New York City] 17 Nov. 2013: 3.The New York Times. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
"Millions of U.S. Workers to Lose Unemployment Benefits." YouTube. YouTube, 8 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezQLSaEer38>.
Plumer, Brad. Unemployment Benefits. 2013. The Washington Post, Washington.Unemployment benefits set to disappear. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Sam, I agree with you that something needs to be done. Half of the unemployment checks that go out are for people who simply don't want to get a job. I know so many people that are like, "I'm just going to quit my job and collect unemployment and get the same amount of money on my checks". However, that is not how the world should work. Our government needs to do something to help those who are incapable of finding a job but are capable of working. With that beings said it will boost the economy with more people employed. Disability checks as well as collecting unemployment should be only for last resort scenarios. If that person absolutely cannot work or make enough money. Other than that the government needs to find a way to distribute money more appropriately, perhaps towards programs that help people find jobs or allow the disabled to work for their checks by helping out the community in any way.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with you, we need to help the unemployed not rely on the unemployment benefits. Although I feel we need to create a new kind of way to get people on their feet working again. Giving these people money for not working isn't helping them or our economy by any means especially considering the U.S. is already 17 trillion in debt. We need to create more organizations and funds to help support these people who are struggling without jobs so they can get motivated to work again, instead of them relying on the money that they know they can expect.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that something needs to be done, and also understand that 25 million dollars is a hefty amount to add to the budget but it is necessary for those who need health care and are unemployed. Those looking for jobs can continue to look for jobs more efficiantly if they don't have to be burdened by healthcare costs they simply cannot pay. I agree, we need to help the unemployed in other ways than giving them money like creating jobs and continuing their health care benefits. This will increase motovation to find an actual job, therefore decresing unemployment.
ReplyDeleteSam, great piece I definitely agree with your view. Too many people are living of unemployment benefits willingly, while there are others who are searching for jobs, daily and want to be employed but don't live off the unemployment benefits. Obviously there's two different types of people to address here. Considering Congress still hasn't really taken any serious actions yet, and probably won't for a while because they're congress, they should really break down who is worthy of unemplyment benefits and who is not. It's not fair for people who gladly sit on their bums all day to recieve benefits while there are others who are searching for a job all day and recieving none. What can also be said is that it's really unreasonable and inconsiderate towards tax payers. All in all I hope with the time congress is taking on this matter that they are able to come up with a very superior solution.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree Sam, your view on how too many people are living off of unemployment benefits is too big a subject. We are paying for these benefits they receive while they sit at home and do nothing. We need a better determinant of who is eligible for unemployment because as a nation we are in a deep hole in which congress cannot fix this because they are already in too much trouble from the crisis and laws being passed. It is raising our taxes and doing so badly to know that we pay so other people can sit at home and do nothing while receiving money and we are hard at work. The only solution will be when our nation can take a stance against this and find a better way to dissolve this problem.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you in that we need to find a solution for this pressing unemployment issue; however, I don't exactly agree with this new program. $25 million is a substantial amount of money--money we don't have. I say instead of spending even more money, we make budget cuts. That will teach us to be more careful with our money, and will insure we spend our money in the right areas.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is incredibly important for the government and both parties to work together to try and defeat the deficit. Our nation is constantly losing programs and getting the short end of the stick because we just so happen to be the generation who decided to cut costs, which I guess is a good thing. Although I agree some programs are excessive, it is time that the US has an incentive to thrive in our economy. Unemployment does not necessarily need this huge issue because it is just a hand out.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is important to be able to have benefits for those who can not afford to pay for them, I seems ridiculous for the government to pay out of pocket for benefits of those who can't get a job to work for their own. You said yourself that unemployment is dropping, so obviously the benefits of those works who now have jobs is rising. If the government wants to give more benefits to people, they should start by creating more jobs in order to circulate more money into the economy.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that it is important that there needs to be some sort of change. There are some people who are really need these kinds of benefits in order to keep going but then there are those who are simply abusing this kind of system in order so that they don't have to work and don't have to find a job. The unemployment rate is going down so there are more and more jobs becoming available that people can get jobs. But there still needs to be more things that are done in order to help circulate more money into the economy and get rid of this huge deficit that we have. Trying to really spend more in order to fix it is not working out. It is simply adding more and more to the debt and that needs to change. Both parties really need to work something out and come up with a solid plan that they will both like in order to fix it otherwise we will keep digging a bigger hole that we will not be able to get out of.
ReplyDeleteI agree that they should continue benefits for the unemployed. What they should do though is give them less of an insurance and benefits so that the $25 billion would hopefully be decrease a little more so that it would make it easier to not cut it from the budget. On the other hand if they completely cut the unemployed benefits then it would pretty much be adding insult to injury so it they shouldn't cut it.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that the government would let unemployment benefits simply disappear. America has been providing at least some source of sustenance for the unemployed since the 1930's, and to all of a sudden cut that off now would be extremely surprising, not to mention detrimental to the 1.3 million currently living off these benefits. In the long term, maybe we can find a solution that does more to encourage the jobless to go find work, and discourages the feeding off of government money. But I think politicians realize that we can't just abruptly cut off the life support of these unemployed people. It would be my guess that they are just putting off the writing of the bill until later, or are currently debating the size of the new benefit program.
ReplyDeleteThe government wouldn't just leave people hanging and take away the benefits but the fact is people do need to realize that they can't just be a free rider on these benefits and not look for a job. The government needs to figure out a way to boost peoples moral and really get them pointed in a direction towards a job towards employment. With giving them so much and helping them so much it's all fine and dandy but the fact is these people can't just live off unemployment benefits they need to realize they need to get a job and figure it out on their own. But that's what the government needs to find out, how to do that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what everyone is saying. We all need to work together to get rid of the deficit. Too many people are living off the benefits that unemployment can give you. It isn't exactly giving people incentive to get off their couches and get their own jobs. All in all, a solution is definitely needed.
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ReplyDeleteThe problem with claiming that the unemployment rate is dropping is that people with any job at all are considered employed. That means that someone who used to make $60,000 a year who now flips burgers at McDonald's is not considered unemployed. If you factor that info in with what you wrote about, America does not look like a very nice to be if your out of a job. Overall something needs to be done that will fix the problem and not just treat the symptoms.
ReplyDeleteCleary the government is trying to find a way to cut spending, and the hard part is that no single cut will make a difference. Cutting unemployment insurance might urge people who are unemployed to find a job quicker than they would otherwise, but it also puts families in danger of going under. Maybe a better alternative would be having a set amount of time for a family to receive unemployment benefits before it runs out.
ReplyDeleteIn order to really influence individuals to want to work, the government clearly needs to find method as to how they can persuade their consumers. Clearly, if their are less individuals that are unemployed the economy as a whole will appear to stay stronger as well. Helping citizens find jobs or even persuade them to pursue in finding a job will help not only them, but the government as well. It's a win win system essentially. One fair idea recommending in this article would be the fact of supporting those who work with some type of health insurance. This would extremely influence those who dread costly insurance bills, resulting in a greater population striving to find jobs. Overall, more employment will create happier families as well as a stronger economy--no one can loose in this entire process.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with the expansion of the amount of funding, we need to make sure that while we're attempting to keep the working class in working condition so that we can make an economic recovery, we also need to make sure it doesn't become to comfortable for them to lose their motivation to reenter the working force.
ReplyDeleteI think the government find a way to improve unemployment rates without spending a lot of money. The economy is bad enough to begin with, and if this program is extended, we will go more and more into debt - something we can't afford. So, I believe that the unemployed should get benefits, just not as much, in order for the government to recover.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the government should find a way to improve the unemployment rates. The economy and people living it in are struggling with everyday life if they don't have a job that can provide for the necessities in life. The government should be able to provide better benefits for those employed, and also an alternative for those who aren't employed that can strengthen the economy.
ReplyDeleteI think it is right to stop the extension of benefits for jobless. Some of these people are those who are looking for a job to make an honest living but others are just attempting to receive free money from the government. These extensions of benefits had allowed those people to live better off this, so the stopping of this extension will hopefully discourage those free loaders.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it may seem unfair to cut the benefits to the jobless, sacrifices need to be made. Yes, the possibility remains that if those individuals are sick, they may not have enough or any health insurance coverage to help them, but that should motivate those that are unemployed to prevent that from happening rather than complaining about it happening to them. If the budget is going to be cut down, certain programs and funds will have to be significantly cut back from, causing some big changes. But change is not always a bad thing, although it can negatively impact some citizens at first, after the long term effects set in, there will be a whole lot less to worry about. With a stable economy comes more jobs, which brings more wealth, which brings more business - the multiplier effect goes on. With cuts to funds like the unemployment benefits, our country will have it easier in the future.
ReplyDeletei disagree, i believe that unemployed people shouldn't be receiving compensation. by giving unemployed people free money you have to be taking it from people that are working. the question now is if i can work and earn money but give some away, or sit around all day and earn free money why not sit around? unemployment has too many free riders who simply have decided not to try and find a job because they like to not be working and still receiving a check. by not giving them money it will force them to go out and find a job.
ReplyDeleteI believe that there needs to be some benefits for the unemployed, however it is very important to not give the unemployed too many benefits to the point where they become comfortable with being unemployed. By giving them less benefits, they may be more motivated to find a job, and also by giving the unemployed less, our government will have more money to spend in other areas of the economy which could help boost the overall economy of the country, which would help raise the unemployment rate.
ReplyDeleteBenefits for the unemployed should definitely be continued, but only at a certain extent. People that are unemployed shouldn't be able to get benefits and insurance if they are not attempting to find a job. It might be hard to tell if they are putting forth the effort into finding a job but if it is possible the government should some how look into that. Lastly, if someone is unemployed because of an injury that's a different story and they should be covered with unemployment insurance/benefits.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the government should be continuing to pay for unemployed people's benefits, but I do think they should do something to help. It doesn't have to cost $25 billion, but we need to be more helpful to everyone. Like Alec said, it doesn't make sense that the people that work hard are not getting what they deserve because some of it is going to people that don't have a job. People could really take advantage of this situation, so I think the government needs to come up with a new solution. This was a good topic to write about though because it affects so many people recently.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there needs to be change in the US congress but I don't think that the US will ever cut supplies to the unemployed. I believe that the unemployed shouldn't get any money directly but have soup kitchens they can eat at. Other than that there should be no money given to the unemployed. It seems wrong that the tax payers have to pay for the unemployed. This was a good topic to write about though because it affects so many people.
ReplyDeleteI think that Paul Ryan’s quote, “He is committed to finding common ground, and he hopes both parties can work together to cut spending in a smarter way.” this is exactly correct. The right way that the government should be operating is working together. If government could set aside differences and work together in a smarter way they could accomplish much more than just fight with each other on who is correct.
ReplyDeleteThe definition of employment is a struggle that many lawmakers have dealt with for a long time. On one hand, you don't want people to go hungry because they can't get a job, but on the other hand, how do you define how hard they're working to find a job? And how do you still incentivize them to find work if they can make a good living on welfare? It's a question that determines how much we are willing to help them and how much we let them be self sufficient.
ReplyDeleteThe true problem our economy deals with is struggle with employment. The two difficulties we face are aiding those who are involved in the unemployed group and those who require benefits that are employed. Both parties both appear to have huge struggles when it comes to the economy, but the government is only capable of aiding one of these parties. The economy is dependent on cash flow because without consumers presently purchasing goods, there will be no growth in the economy. In fact, businesses will begin to fire their employees and go bankrupt as well. Overall, the government has several ties between benefits and who to aid when it is necessary.
ReplyDeleteWelfare is a very touchy subject that has been discussed for many years as a money waster and debt adder. While these are true we must take a step back to look at what is happening. The government needs a better way to determine who is self sufficient and who cannot work. Too many people are unemployed and are living off of our taxes in America in this time of economic crisis in which we live this cannot be happening. Government needs to crack down on who deserves to be living not off their own work but other peoples. We need to find a way to determine who "can" work and who cannot for the economy to rise.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree Sam, this is a huge problem. We have deffinitely seen improvement but there is still a pretty high unemployment rate. I think this is a worthwhile place for the government to spend their money. It seems like investing in unemployment would benefit the economy in the long run. The real problem is getting the government to agree on things. We could solve this issue quickly but with such opinionated leaders a solution will most likely be delayed. Until a solution is created, not only will the economy suffer, but also the American public. There will be less money flowing throughout the economy and the income level will decrease. Cool topic!
ReplyDeleteI think the unemployment rate alone doesn't mean very much because it leaves out so many vital statistics. It doesn't include people who have been out of work for a very long time and have given up. Also the type of unemployment is important. If this was all seasonal everything would be fine, on the contrary, if it was all cyclical there would be a major problem.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Sam. I think unemployment rate is right in the middle to higher end. I don't think the government should stop the paying benefits for the unemployed because if they did that people would have no hope at all. So if they continue this program it will help get back on their feet and have hope for a better future. It is the governments job to keep the country going and keeping the unemployment at a low rate.
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