Am I the only one...

[YoUDeeMan]

Simple solution, lift the cap on earnings subject to the .08% un-employment benefit tax

There would be enough $$$ in the fund to keep the economy moving even at 15-20% un-employment

Would cost me about an extra 400 bucks a year, which i would gladly pay

You can send your $400 here:


How do I make a contribution to the U.S. government?

Citizens who wish to make a general donation to the U.S. government may send contributions to a specific account called "Gifts to the United States." This account was established in 1843 to accept gifts, such as bequests, from individuals wishing to express their patriotism to the United States. Money deposited into this account is for general use by the federal government and can be available for budget needs. These contributions are considered an unconditional gift to the government. Financial gifts can be made by check or money order payable to the United States Treasury and mailed to the address below.

Gifts to the United States
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Credit Accounting Branch
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Hyattsville, MD 20782

Any tax-related questions regarding these contributions should be directed to the Internal Revenue ServiceExit the FMS Web site at (800) 829-1040.


Please post a copy of your check so we can see that you put your money where your mouth is.

ZING!!!!

[YoUDeeMan]

Let's just cut through the BS. If you've been out of work for 99 weeks (we'll call it 2 yrs, since that's 104 weeks). You need to A: Analyze your local job market for the type of job you're looking for, B: adjust your compensation expectation, C: Look at other job fields, D: Look at any potential re-training or knowledge you'll need to acquire to get a new job.

I interview & hire people all the time, and one of the black holes you don't wanna have on your resume is job gaps. It would be rare that I would even tell a recruiter that I want to interview a person that hasn't worked in the past 12 months (outside of a pregnancy), much less someone that hasn't worked in 99+ weeks. You have to realize if you've been out of work for a long period of time, your chances of getting anywhere near the job you want are dwindling every single day. God bless the spouses of these people, I know if my wife were "looking for a job" for that long and we needed that income there would be marital issues.

I also won't hire a person who has been unemployed for too long. There is a reason they are unemployed.

After being laid off, my friend took a $140K job cut...to $60K annualized, for a 6 month temporary position with no career path...away from home...and in a field he doesn't know. He knew if he was unemployed for too long it would make things worse. Smart guy. He will land on his feet again because he will work his way back.

[bluehenbillk]

Let's just cut through the BS. If you've been out of work for 99 weeks (we'll call it 2 yrs, since that's 104 weeks). You need to A: Analyze your local job market for the type of job you're looking for, B: adjust your compensation expectation, C: Look at other job fields, D: Look at any potential re-training or knowledge you'll need to acquire to get a new job.

I interview & hire people all the time, and one of the black holes you don't wanna have on your resume is job gaps. It would be rare that I would even tell a recruiter that I want to interview a person that hasn't worked in the past 12 months (outside of a pregnancy), much less someone that hasn't worked in 99+ weeks. You have to realize if you've been out of work for a long period of time, your chances of getting anywhere near the job you want are dwindling every single day. God bless the spouses of these people, I know if my wife were "looking for a job" for that long and we needed that income there would be marital issues.

I also won't hire a person who has been unemployed for too long. There is a reason they are unemployed.

After being laid off, my friend took a $140K job cut...to $60K annualized, for a 6 month temporary position with no career path...away from home...and in a field he doesn't know. He knew if he was unemployed for too long it would make things worse. Smart guy. He will land on his feet again because he will work his way back.

Agreed Cluck, it amazes me the ignorance some people have. There have been articles on CNN.com lately about the unwritten rule that a lot of recruiters don't even look at people that are not currently employed. I wouldn't go that far, but the one piece of advice I'd give to people that have been unemployed for 6 months or longer is, sharpen your interview skills, beacuse that's gonna be your best shot at getting a job, wowing the interviewer on the other side of the table.

[D1B]

**** you dickhead. Not everyone has a government **** (welfare) job like you do. You've been sucking off the government (welfare) pracitically your entire vocational life.

Again, you DO have a cold heart you hippocrit catholic piece of ****. I know you'll never answer this, but I 'll try again you **** coward, but, What would jesus do?

Aint holding my breath for an answer....

Jesus would tell the community (NOT THE GOVERNMENT) to help those in need...that's why I willingly give to local charities that help the homeless...unmarried pregnant women...local food banks...

Hillary Clinton was not wrong when she said it takes a community...

Jesus would want it to be willing assistance...not forced as in taxes and government hand outs...

YOU LOSE!!!!!

Hey, welfare whore, you're fucked. The government is part of the community, dumbass. The community relies on government as a safety net for many things, like natural disaster relief, etc. The current economic disaster (THE RESULT OF CONK ECONOMIC POLICIES, CONK CORRUPTION AND CONK ETHICS) is an appropriate cause. Jesus would approve of our safety net.

Fucking lifelong welfare whores like Hogan bitchin bout government spending.

[OSBF]

OSBF.

I love how you pull out the bible reference. Newsflash Frances, I'm an atheist. You can wipe your ass with that book for all I care. As far as the implication that thinking 99 weeks is a little long to be on unemployment indicating a lack of caring for my fellow man? Blow me. Get a fucking job already. Guess what? If you can't find a job in 99 weeks, there is something seriously fucking wrong with you, even in this economy. Time for a little slice of reality pie.

why do you hate poor people and brown people so much?

your sister get ass tapped by a mexican on welfare or something?

[Col Hogan]

Jesus would tell the community (NOT THE GOVERNMENT) to help those in need...that's why I willingly give to local charities that help the homeless...unmarried pregnant women...local food banks...

Hillary Clinton was not wrong when she said it takes a community...

Jesus would want it to be willing assistance...not forced as in taxes and government hand outs...

YOU LOSE!!!!!

Hey, welfare whore, you're ****. The government is part of the community, dumbass. The community relies on government as a safety net for many things, like natural disaster relief, etc. The current economic disaster (THE RESULT OF CONK ECONOMIC POLICIES, CONK CORRUPTION AND CONK ETHICS) is an appropriate cause. Jesus would approve of our safety net.

**** lifelong welfare whores like Hogan bitchin bout government spending.

For a guy who claims Jesus didn't exist...you know a lot about him...

Government is the repressor of the community...not the saviour...

Government on the national level has its place...regulate interstate commerce...the military...the Post Office...the federal court system...and even some things like large-scale natural disaster relief...

But why is the federal government involved in unemployment insurance...I'm not opposed to the concept, but its a state responsibility...if a state wants to give 200 weeks of unemployment insurance, they have that right...and states could pay for it if we'd stop the federal government from taxing us for things that are not the federal governments responsibility, allowing the states to then tax for what they want to do...

Donks - feel-good policy paid for by someone else...

[Col Hogan]

OSBF.

I love how you pull out the bible reference. Newsflash Frances, I'm an atheist. You can wipe your ass with that book for all I care. As far as the implication that thinking 99 weeks is a little long to be on unemployment indicating a lack of caring for my fellow man? Blow me. Get a **** job already. Guess what? If you can't find a job in 99 weeks, there is something seriously **** wrong with you, even in this economy. Time for a little slice of reality pie.

why do you hate poor people and brown people so much?

your sister get ass tapped by a mexican on welfare or something?

Like I said...all you got is emotions...

[YoUDeeMan]

OSBF.

I love how you pull out the bible reference. Newsflash Frances, I'm an atheist. You can wipe your ass with that book for all I care. As far as the implication that thinking 99 weeks is a little long to be on unemployment indicating a lack of caring for my fellow man? Blow me. Get a **** job already. Guess what? If you can't find a job in 99 weeks, there is something seriously **** wrong with you, even in this economy. Time for a little slice of reality pie.

why do you hate poor people and brown people so much?

your sister get ass tapped by a mexican on welfare or something?

Where did DD mention color? And where did DD say he hates poor people?

Sounds as though you are spewing excuses and incorrect information. No surprise...people who can't deal with reality are prone to making things up and using irrational excuses.

And why does the concept of personal responsibility seem so foreign to you?

[YoUDeeMan]

Agreed Cluck, it amazes me the ignorance some people have. There have been articles on CNN.com lately about the unwritten rule that a lot of recruiters don't even look at people that are not currently employed. I wouldn't go that far, but the one piece of advice I'd give to people that have been unemployed for 6 months or longer is, sharpen your interview skills, beacuse that's gonna be your best shot at getting a job, wowing the interviewer on the other side of the table.

Longer than 6 months? For some upper level jobs, sure. Talent is hard to find.

However, for the lower level management jobs, a person unemployed for longer than 6 months won't get a chance to demonstrtate those interview skills because they won't get an interview because of their long absence.

If not employed, they better have something on their resume...volunteer work would be an example...but something verifiable.

[death dealer]

OSBF.

I love how you pull out the bible reference. Newsflash Frances, I'm an atheist. You can wipe your ass with that book for all I care. As far as the implication that thinking 99 weeks is a little long to be on unemployment indicating a lack of caring for my fellow man? Blow me. Get a fucking job already. Guess what? If you can't find a job in 99 weeks, there is something seriously fucking wrong with you, even in this economy. Time for a little slice of reality pie.

why do you hate poor people and brown people so much?

your sister get ass tapped by a mexican on welfare or something?

Classic. Can't win the argument, try to insult the other guy and piss him off. Nice try, but as with the rest of your life: FAIL!!
I am a minority, dumbass! Albeit, not a particularly brown one. Nevertheless, this is not a issue of race. Pulling that tire old shit isn't gonna work here dickweed. This is simply a scope of govt. issue. An issue of when does it become necessary for the govt. to cut the cord and let people fend for themselves. Unemployment benies are a short-term gap filler, not a lifestyle. 99 weeks is long enough.

[mebison]

Question: How long should it be?

Those who don't want 99 weeks, is 26 weeks reasonable? Or something in between temporarily?

On the flip side, those in favor of 99 weeks, is that long enough? Should there be a limit at all?

Where is the line?

I lost my job on Jan 4th. The first week off I did absolutely nothing to get a job, b/c it was my first week off in 8 years. Yep, I never took a vacation and was always on call. I felt I deserved it and still think I did.

Weeks 2 and 3 I called in favors, talked to friends, called on contacts, etc. etc. and came up empty. So I filed for unemployment b/c I learned it is really hard to get a good job in this climate. 8 weeks of unemployment with all the BS about "proving" that I was looking for a job (nobody cared or asked me to prove it). Then I landed a job in my preferred field. True, I am getting a lower salary than I am used to, but it sets me up for future moves up.

If I can find something better than what UI Beni's paid in 8 weeks, 26 seems good. 52 weeks seems very liberal, 99 weeks seems like enough time to brainstorm a new business/ write the business plan/ attract investors/funding, and get that bitch running.

Interesting timeline, thanks for posting that. Gives me hope as I'm getting close to needing to job hunt. (finishing grad school, though, not laid off)

This is one of the few level headed posts on this topic.Good for you.

Don't get used to it, I doubt I'll let it happen again.




I'd still be interested in more people's responses to my question. DD, OSBF, Cluck, care to weigh in?

[From the class of 09]

If I can find something better than what UI Beni's paid in 8 weeks, 26 seems good. 52 weeks seems very liberal, 99 weeks seems like enough time to brainstorm a new business/ write the business plan/ attract investors/funding, and get that bitch running.

[Grizalltheway]

I lost my job on Jan 4th. The first week off I did absolutely nothing to get a job, b/c it was my first week off in 8 years. Yep, I never took a vacation and was always on call. I felt I deserved it and still think I did.

Weeks 2 and 3 I called in favors, talked to friends, called on contacts, etc. etc. and came up empty. So I filed for unemployment b/c I learned it is really hard to get a good job in this climate. 8 weeks of unemployment with all the BS about "proving" that I was looking for a job (nobody cared or asked me to prove it). Then I landed a job in my preferred field. True, I am getting a lower salary than I am used to, but it sets me up for future moves up.

If I can find something better than what UI Beni's paid in 8 weeks, 26 seems good. 52 weeks seems very liberal, 99 weeks seems like enough time to brainstorm a new business/ write the business plan/ attract investors/funding, and get that bitch running.

Interesting timeline, thanks for posting that. Gives me hope as I'm getting close to needing to job hunt. (finishing grad school, though, not laid off)

This is one of the few level headed posts on this topic.Good for you.

Don't get used to it, I doubt I'll let it happen again.




I'd still be interested in more people's responses to my question. DD, OSBF, Cluck, care to weigh in?

Ditto for me, only finishing undergrad. I'll be 20k in the hole in six months' time, too.

[YoUDeeMan]

I lost my job on Jan 4th. The first week off I did absolutely nothing to get a job, b/c it was my first week off in 8 years. Yep, I never took a vacation and was always on call. I felt I deserved it and still think I did.

Weeks 2 and 3 I called in favors, talked to friends, called on contacts, etc. etc. and came up empty. So I filed for unemployment b/c I learned it is really hard to get a good job in this climate. 8 weeks of unemployment with all the BS about "proving" that I was looking for a job (nobody cared or asked me to prove it). Then I landed a job in my preferred field. True, I am getting a lower salary than I am used to, but it sets me up for future moves up.

If I can find something better than what UI Beni's paid in 8 weeks, 26 seems good. 52 weeks seems very liberal, 99 weeks seems like enough time to brainstorm a new business/ write the business plan/ attract investors/funding, and get that bitch running.

Interesting timeline, thanks for posting that. Gives me hope as I'm getting close to needing to job hunt. (finishing grad school, though, not laid off)

This is one of the few level headed posts on this topic.Good for you.

Don't get used to it, I doubt I'll let it happen again.




I'd still be interested in more people's responses to my question. DD, OSBF, Cluck, care to weigh in?

26 weeks is long enough. Half a year to find a new job is fair enough. There are jobs out there...maybe not the best jobs, but jobs are available. If unemployed people think the "community" owes it to them to pay them until they find a job that agrees with their preferred spending levels, then they are part of the problem and not the solution.

If you have a job, and you aren't stocking away money for a rainy day, then you are living beyond your means. If you don't make much but have spent your money on a big screen TVs, cable with all of the movie channels, beer, cigarettes, etc, and you have no savings off which to draw during hard times, then YOU have failed basic money management and you deserve to flounder until you find a better way of doing things. Why make other people pay for your lifestyle choices?

When did it become shameful to live with your parents until you had enough saved to make it on your own? When did it become shameful to live within your means...so shameful that we needed to bloat up government and tax our children's futures to support a soft generation of leeches?

Hell, let's make it a human right to have a 5 bedroom, 3 bath home on the waterfront...and once you reach a certain income level, you can't be forced to take anything less because it would hurt your ego.

99 weeks? Are you kidding?

[kalm]

What about entitlement programs? 75 years old is enough. If you can't create a nest egg that will take you into your 90's than you need to die younger.

[mebison]

What about entitlement programs? 75 years old is enough. If you can't create a nest egg that will take you into your 90's than you need to die younger.

Sarcasm true to your avatar.

Its a valid consideration for entitlement programs as well, though, but realistically working from the opposite end. When should you be able to start to draw society security? Is 65 reasonable? Should it go up as the life-expectancy increase? Or should it go down? This is all a question for another thread though.

[kalm]

Businesses owners, rental owners, and mortgage companies all over the country are benefiting from those on entitlement programs and unemployment having a few extra dollars to spend.

Some of you have made a really good argument for why 99 weeks is too long, but there are some benefits.

[Col Hogan]

Businesses owners, rental owners, and mortgage companies all over the country are benefiting from those on entitlement programs and unemployment having a few extra dollars to spend.

Some of you have made a really good argument for why 99 weeks is too long, but there are some benefits.

I'm not going to debate benefits...or how long is too long...

But what really frosts my ass on this debate is that the only things most republicans asked for was a cut in other spending to compensate for the extra billions...and the democrats would not even discuss it...

Just keep borrowing and spending...driving up the debt...

[kalm]

In other words, unemployment and social security checks are like a direct deposit from the federal government into the accounts of Wal Mart and Granny's Buffet.

[GannonFan]

Businesses owners, rental owners, and mortgage companies all over the country are benefiting from those on entitlement programs and unemployment having a few extra dollars to spend.

Some of you have made a really good argument for why 99 weeks is too long, but there are some benefits.

While I'm one who has argued that 99 weeks, in this economic climate, might not be too long, I did so from a compassionate standpoint. I wouldn't want to be out of work that long and have nothing to fall back on. I've only been between jobs twice in my life and I was never umemployed in one case (was technically unemployed for a weekend) and then collected unemployment for 5 weeks the next time. But even that little time was plenty stressful enough.

With that said, while there are surely benefits to having unemployment insurance, let's be real, it's one of the weakest economic stimuluses out there. It's never a substitute to money instead being used to hire people and actually grow the economy through increased production of whatever they produce. It's little more than treading water, which is certainly better than drowning but not really a way to get out of the water completely.

[kalm]

Businesses owners, rental owners, and mortgage companies all over the country are benefiting from those on entitlement programs and unemployment having a few extra dollars to spend.

Some of you have made a really good argument for why 99 weeks is too long, but there are some benefits.

While I'm one who has argued that 99 weeks, in this economic climate, might not be too long, I did so from a compassionate standpoint. I wouldn't want to be out of work that long and have nothing to fall back on. I've only been between jobs twice in my life and I was never umemployed in one case (was technically unemployed for a weekend) and then collected unemployment for 5 weeks the next time. But even that little time was plenty stressful enough.

With that said, while there are surely benefits to having unemployment insurance, let's be real, it's one of the weakest economic stimuluses out there. It's never a substitute to money instead being used to hire people and actually grow the economy through increased production of whatever they produce. It's little more than treading water, which is certainly better than drowning but not really a way to get out of the water completely.

I agree, it's a stop gap.

[BlueHen86]

Businesses owners, rental owners, and mortgage companies all over the country are benefiting from those on entitlement programs and unemployment having a few extra dollars to spend.

Some of you have made a really good argument for why 99 weeks is too long, but there are some benefits.

I'm not going to debate benefits...or how long is too long...

But what really frosts my ass on this debate is that the only things most republicans asked for was a cut in other spending to compensate for the extra billions...and the democrats would not even discuss it...

Just keep borrowing and spending...driving up the debt...

I'm okay with extending the benefits, but I agree 100% with you on this. Extend them as part of the existing stimulus package, not in addition to it.

[D1B]

Businesses owners, rental owners, and mortgage companies all over the country are benefiting from those on entitlement programs and unemployment having a few extra dollars to spend.

Some of you have made a really good argument for why 99 weeks is too long, but there are some benefits.

I'm not going to debate benefits...or how long is too long...

But what really frosts my ass on this debate is that the only things most republicans asked for was a cut in other spending to compensate for the extra billions...and the democrats would not even discuss it...

Just keep borrowing and spending...driving up the debt...

This, I can agree with.

[kalm]

I'm not going to debate benefits...or how long is too long...

But what really frosts my ass on this debate is that the only things most republicans asked for was a cut in other spending to compensate for the extra billions...and the democrats would not even discuss it...

Just keep borrowing and spending...driving up the debt...

I'm okay with extending the benefits, but I agree 100% with you on this. Extend them as part of the existing stimulus package, not in addition to it.

And I'm ok with that notion too as long as tax increases are on the board as well. Case in point, prior to 9/11 and regardless of what anyone personally thought was worthy of funding, we agreed on a budget that funded the government to a certain level. Then came two wars, Hurricane Katrina, etc while we were cutting taxes.

Just like with increased spending, it don't add it up.

[Col Hogan]

I'm okay with extending the benefits, but I agree 100% with you on this. Extend them as part of the existing stimulus package, not in addition to it.

And I'm ok with that notion too as long as tax increases are on the board as well. Case in point, prior to 9/11 and regardless of what anyone personally thought was worthy of funding, we agreed on a budget that funded the government to a certain level. Then came two wars, Hurricane Katrina, etc while we were cutting taxes.

Just like with increased spending, it don't add it up.

And I've said many times that a major mistake Bush made was running the wars on a credit card, rather than paying for it with taxes...and war bonds...and any other creative way to raise the money needed...

Yea...he started us down a crap hole of debt...the current Congress and administration are taking it to a new low, though...