This shows the problem with the government Things are always done, and then grown to cover some silliness, with the best of intentions. But, unfortunately, the best of intentions can never account for the cleverness of individuals.

On March 10th, 2010 at 12:57 pm, SpeakEasy said:
Degrade your family’s lifestyle? I hope that is not actually as selfish as it sounds.

It is exactly as selfish as it sounds. You think I work for other people for their good? While I do find joy in ensuring that the work I do is as high quality and value added as I can possibly produce, I do the work so my wife and I have a standard of living that allows us to enjoy life reasonably well.

As such, I do not spend my time taking people’s words out of context. Here is my full quote

I do not degrade my family’s lifestyle permanently

Which you fully copy pasted into the quote zone, but truncated for the effect of making your claim of my selfishness. Seems you missed that word permanently. Our current lifestyle is far removed from what my working days lifestyle was. We have cut back on every luxury with exception to a telephone and internet access. Those I use to remain informed, and do my work searches.

You think I would shy away from being called greedy, or selfish? Those are virtues not bad moral character. They become bad character flaws when they are abused, but when employed in general, they help all people.

The selfish desires of manufacturers produce products everyone uses and benefits from, if they did not, they would not remain in business. The greedy nature of bankers allows businesses to grow faster than they would if they had to earn every penny in advance before expanding.

On the other hand, the evil sides of these things produce what one would expect. The selfish abuse of government to get votes forces them to subsidize the unemployment of voters, to the negative effect of harming businesses and feeding the unemployment line more and more workers. The Greedy call for more power in the government causes them to create new entitlements, and regulations and demands for more taxes, which again, feeds the unemployment lines.

As I said, I will not willingly permanently cause my families lifestyle to be degraded by taking a job that pays less than the unemployment that I am offered.

I am selfish, and I am greedy, and I will accept any money that is offered to me, so that me and my family do not suffer. I am a hypocrite, because I would prefer that every last social engineering endeavor on the part of the federal government was repealed. SS, Medicare, Department of Education, SCHIP, Unemployment extensions, home interest deductions, in fact each and every single tax deduction and worse yet every last tax credit, any money for research and development, get rid of the EPA and every last regulation that does not have something to do with the direct business of doing the work enumerated in the constitution.

I am selfish just like every other American. When it comes time to collect medicare and SS, just like every single last person who got to that point, I will collect, just as every last one of you will, if it is still there. Just like every last one of you, I will use the tax credits and tax deductions offered to keep that money in my pocket where I can spend it on my selfish interests.

SpeakEasy said:
As someone who is subsidizing your “family’s lifestyle,”

That part of your argument is silly, SpeakEasy. Astonerii could just as easily demand you stay off the highways that he “subsidized”. Not picking on you – just pointing out if that is your basis, it works both ways. Well, actually, “millions of ways” as it would include all Americans who’ve paid taxes.

pabarge said:
“give ‘em unemployment and they’ll stay on unemployment” is wrong and you are wrong for peddling it.

To be fair, pabarge, it is unfortunately true of a certain segment of the population. But I agree with your overall point about painting with a too-wide brush. I suspect that’s why Kyl just did a minimal amount of cheerleading but stayed very clear of joining Bunning’s indiscriminate offense against the unemployed as a whole. Kyl isn’t at all trustworthy but he’s not a complete idiot, especially when unemployment is pegging 10%.

On March 10th, 2010 at 2:11 am, astonerii said:While I applaud you for doing it, I will not feel bad that I take the opportunity to make sure that I do not degrade my family’s lifestyle permanently by getting stuck in a 60 hour a week job that barely pays what I am eligible for through unemployment.

Degrade your family’s lifestyle? I hope that is not actually as selfish as it sounds. As someone who is subsidizing your “family’s lifestyle,” maybe you could sacrifice a little of that during tough times. Only you know whether you can or can’t, but if you can and choose not to, you are wrong.

Employers are not footing this bill people so save the greedy capitalist crap. Employers pass this cost on to consumers so everyone suffers from this practice.

I have held up to three jobs simultaneously to make ends meet so I have no sympathy for the unemployed. Somehow, the illegal aliens everyone condemns (I do as well, so I am not being hypocritical) find work to support themselves and their families by lowering their standards. Are you too good to do their job? When, with lots of government intervention (just like last time) this recession turns into a depression, you will do the things you choose not to do now so why wait? Get with it already and stop crying.

As for you college students, how’s that change working out for you? Suckers.

I’m an unemployed Conservative who always votes Republican. I voted for Sarah Palin (not for John McCain). I work on a project basis in the IT industry on all the latest technology.

And I’ve been on unemployment for almost a year because across the board, American corporations have been so terrified of the economy these corporations have killed every upcoming IT project.

I’m glad you don’t need the unemployment. But some of us need it until the economy turns around and businesses restart their IT investment.

Just remember this … it may sound good but some of the people you are kicking to the curb happen to agree with you some of the time.

Certainly not this time.

“give ‘em unemployment and they’ll stay on unemployment” is wrong and you are wrong for peddling it.

conservativesRus said:
Do people not understand that unemployment benefits come from somewhere and “that somewhere” is their pay.

Just to be clear, CRus – I’m sometimes a bit slow on the uptake,lol – what you’re saying is that the you see the UB cost as taking away from what you would otherwise pay them directly? Do I got that right?

Weird. I see it differently.
My first week of my two week notice of intent to lay me off I made 240 separate work contacts. My second week, I made about 40 contacts and 30 follow-ups. My third week, I made about 20 and 15 followups. My fourth week, about 12 and 6. My fifth week about the same. I put as much effort in each week after the 4th week, but there are actually limited number of job openings showing up. Recruiters are not calling people up to even let them know that jobs they applied for have already been filled, and they are just as slow as we are that are unemployed. My job search includes the entire USA, and even though I hate with my soul certain states, I still put my applications in and make the follow-ups. Most job contacts through the internet though give no form of follow up method, so not all jobs I do follow up on.

My biggest problem, is that my disability, while it does not affect my performance, it does affect my ability to go to work every day. It is just not possible to go to work with a long lasting migraine. So any company I have worked for in the past never rehires me. So, I have been burning bridges for the last 18 years.