Should jobless benefits be extended?
You know the issue.
On one side, you have out-of-control federal deficits that need to be reined in.
On the other side, you have millions of unemployed workers who have not been able to find jobs because of the weak economy.
Which side are you on? Should jobless benefits be extended?
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190 comments Add your comment
watch what you say...
June 25th, 2010
9:02 am
Our government is to busy supporting those who do not work and depend on government to support them.They collect food stamps, medicaid, housing assistance and whatever else they can get for free. In the meantime they buy lottery tickets, nice cars and steak and shrimp with the welfare checks. Someone told me the other day that she knew a lady who got $600.00 a month in foodstamps with a bunch of kids and she sold her stamps for cash. Yet, we get our unemployment cut and cannot qualify for welfare. We are shot down because we worked for a better life, THAT is what is wrong with our screwed up country…
Jason T
June 25th, 2010
9:04 am
Change
June 25th, 2010
8:55 am
The reason we are in debt is because of a money,oil driven war started by the White man…Then once the economy takes a dip and millions lose jobs, they want to cut off the Unemployment benefits…Wow..
almost an all time low
this ranks up here with the worst that the white man has done
1.katrina ( opening the levys, then not helping them, then calling them REFUGEES)
2.Iraq ( Lying about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, just as an excuse to get over there, i thouight the people who did 911 were from Saudia Arabia right? WHY ARE WE IN IRAQ) and we will be there forever…
3.Vietnam(the white man lied and said that a ship owned by the Us was blown up by Vietnam( IT NEVER HAPPEND) to start that war.Then off course they used blacks as shooting dummies…
4.Slavery
5. Stealing the election for George W Bush
6. Not extending the benefits for thousands out of work, red necks remember all these people HAD JOBS, they didnt get fired, they got laid off…
The best example of an idiot, racist, bigot I have seen in a looong time. Did you lose your job with ACORN?
sr. citizen dawg
June 25th, 2010
9:08 am
If people could find a job they would work. Put yourself in their shoes. What if you couldnt find a job? Would you need help? Walk a mile in their shoes. If they can’t find a job, they need help. I’d rather help them than the fat cat bankers who got us in this mess with their real estate shenanigans.
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
9:10 am
The problem here is not national politics. The problem here is Georgia used to be a state filled with fast thinking independent people. The State of Georgia resisted Federal government intervention. The State of Georgia did just fine on its own. Our Governors used to stand up and tell the Federal Government. Stay out of our business. I hope someone like a Herman Talmadge or Zell Miller runs again. We need to think for ourselves. Very important in this very bad situation. It’s no joke.
OneofReason
June 25th, 2010
9:11 am
For all of you who support the Senate not passing the “extended unemployment benefits” to help the umemployed and for those who continue to talk about not wanting to the increase the US deficit and for those who say it the lazy who can’t find a job and for those who are blaming President Obama and the democrats and who are placing NO blame on Bush and his administration and the Republicans today, please let me educate you, if possible. It was Bush and Chaney that passed the bill to “bail out” big business. It was Bush who passed TARP. It was Reagan’s “Trickle Down Economics” that actually started this country on its downward economic spiral and the rapid GROWTH OF BIG BUSINESS! You want to blame Obama for this mess and he has been in office for only TWO years! The mess we are in started over 12 years ago when companies closed in America and went overseas. It started when you voted for and supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the US $4 Billion dollars a week! Wars we have been in for 10 years with no end in sight!
Lou
June 25th, 2010
9:12 am
Extended unemployment benefits are nothing more that a welfare program. If you get 355 dollars a week for up to 99 weeks (with all extensions which some have already gotten and is the max rate for Georgia with the additional federal money) you get to stay home and enjoy life, with no gas to put in a car to go to work, no work clothes to buy, no hassles with a boss, hang around until “you get the job you deserve”, rather than a job where you put in a hard day’s work for fair pay. I wonder how many of the new apple I-phones (with 4,000 folks standing in line) were paid for by their unemployment insurance check? The recession is lasting a lot longer than it should because of this program. Yeah, just let the socialist communist democrats make unemployment permanent-and let the illegals vote too-why not? Have to stop now to see if my heart made of steel is still beating away.
Derek
June 25th, 2010
9:12 am
To Be scared,…………..ha ha ha……..I make over 100000 a year….you???
When will Whites Change
June 25th, 2010
9:13 am
I keep hearing people say “Get off your lazy ass and get a job”…
Some body please tell me where a decent job is hiring at, and no sorry Republicans(whites) i will not take a job making 10000 a year when i was making 40000 a year..i would be an idiot to give up my unemployment for a job paying less than my unemployment.Do whites know that people have to pay bills?..U will never get us back to slavery people..its time to be fair…all of this is just the NEW WORLD ORDER..The white man have been planing this for years….blacks and Whites who are struggling just have faith….and if i was white i would feel extra bad, when i go to the department of labor i see almost more whites than blacks..PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS EVERYDAY..So that means Whites only care about people who are rich they really dont care about their own people who are struggling along with these so call “LAZY” people
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
9:15 am
Yawn. I don’t mind extended benefits for people that paid in at an almost 40% tax rate. Heres to you.
Derek
June 25th, 2010
9:15 am
both sides are always butting heads……politicians speak unity but its only promises
www.hostdawg.net
June 25th, 2010
9:16 am
Stop Complaining, and finger pointing, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT !!!
When will Whites Change
June 25th, 2010
9:18 am
Lou,
the i phone costs more than a full 1 week unemployment check…
dummy
Lisa
June 25th, 2010
9:21 am
Derek, I make over 150000 a yr, but that doesn’t give me the right to demean other people. You might be in your little comfort zone today, just remember, what goes around comes around you idiot.
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
9:24 am
Most people I know claim to be Christians. However work or you don’t eat. Doesn’t seem to mean much these days. Follow the rules. Or please don’t wave your bible around.
Anonymous
June 25th, 2010
9:25 am
I’d like to know how many nasty phone calls and e-mails our senators are getting today?
Metro
June 25th, 2010
9:25 am
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Some of the long term unemployed may not be lazy, but most are financially stupid. If you had saved properly and been prepared for unemployment, then the $300 a week would be just fine (if even needed at all).
@ Bob Drop the attitude if you so desperately need a job, your age and hostility are working against you. People your age that are now in dire financial trouble should have been prepared for this inevitability.
Jason T
June 25th, 2010
9:27 am
When will Whites Change
June 25th, 2010
9:13 am
I keep hearing people say “Get off your lazy ass and get a job”…
Some body please tell me where a decent job is hiring at, and no sorry Republicans(whites) i will not take a job making 10000 a year when i was making 40000 a year..i would be an idiot to give up my unemployment for a job paying less than my unemployment.Do whites know that people have to pay bills?..U will never get us back to slavery people..its time to be fair…all of this is just the NEW WORLD ORDER..The white man have been planing this for years….blacks and Whites who are struggling just have faith….and if i was white i would feel extra bad, when i go to the department of labor i see almost more whites than blacks..PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS EVERYDAY..So that means Whites only care about people who are rich they really dont care about their own people who are struggling along with these so call “LAZY” people
Another fine example of an Obama supporter.
Torn
June 25th, 2010
9:30 am
I’m really torn on this issue. I hear people that have been in the same job for 15, 20, 30 years, and are all of a sudden unemployed. At the same time, I’ve been through at least 10 jobs in 20 years due to layoffs, downsizing,eliminations etc… so I’ve always been in survival mode. One time I worked the front desk of a hotel making $7.00 an hour, another time I spent almost a year working as an assistant manager at Blockbuster video making $9.00 an hour. Point being that I took whatever was available. And yes I have a degree, but my pride always was put aside to focus on what needed to be done. Luckily I survived those times, and make a great living now, and work in an industry that can’t be outsourced. However, I do recall the times that I was an hourly worker, and these same people that were on their supposed “career” path, were the ones that had the most condescending attudes toward me. So I don’t know, not sure whether to feel sympathy or justification, or just figure that Karma must be real.
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
9:32 am
Work is for everyone. What I am trying to say here. As a state we can come up with some alternatives here. That works program which I will remind you originally came from Washington. Its a great idea. What I am saying is that on a State level. We could make this thing work. The old wives tale of WPA workers doing nothing in Roosevelt’s day. Is nothing but bad management. With good management. Things like water and sewer for everyone…. Who stopped our right to compete?
When will Whites Change
June 25th, 2010
9:38 am
jason T
U want blacks who lost their jobs making 50000 a year to take a job at taco Bell right?
are u a typical white boy who was given everything by your ancestors? do u understand bills and kids?
do u understand Umemployment equals out to 8 a hour…If a person is struggling to make ends meet with a benefits check what makes u think that a man can live off 7 or less an hour…
thats the problem i have with most whites…its like u all live in a fantasy world….U act like like its our fault that we lost our job…what did we do wrong? If it were reasonable jobs out there people would take them
Jason
its time for u to grow up and get over this racist s—- that people are still on
If the US needed to draft people to go fight one of they unfair, corrupt wars, Blacks would have to go just like whites so grow up
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
9:40 am
See there is no point here in disagreeing on what is a simple thing. Look closely. We have the LABOR. Frankly I am not that good at it. We need to put our heads together. Not work this thing out. But say get a little uh entrepreneurial about things. Other States well thats their problem. 100 dollar electric bills please. We have things we can do here.
scott
June 25th, 2010
9:42 am
People need to get off their ass and get a job. Stop being lazy all ready and stop collecting free money. Plenty of jobs out there even if its low paying jobs. Tired of people complaining
about benefits this benefits that. If you a normal person you would have a job all ready.
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
9:43 am
If we have congressmen and senators. That like to play for Washington instead of for the State of Georgia. Vote them out. It’s our survival in a really tough situation. If we are together on this as a State. If we play for ourselves. I think we can easily win here.
scott
June 25th, 2010
9:45 am
I am going to drop some knowledge on you people. People need to get off their ass and get a job. Stop being lazy all ready and stop collecting free money. Plenty of jobs out there even if its low paying jobs. Tired of people complaining
about benefits this benefits that. If you a normal person you would have a job all ready.
When will Whites Change
June 25th, 2010
9:45 am
SCOTT,
How can people survive off a job that cannot even pay the bills?
U are a perfect example why the whole world looks at white people like the devil…u are an idiot
i bet your dad still helps with your bills
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
9:50 am
Look going out and starting a business is nothing. You think it requires a loan it doesn’t. I would never give my profits away to interest payments. Never. This requires thought.
Jason T
June 25th, 2010
9:54 am
When will Whites Change
June 25th, 2010
9:38 am
jason T
U want blacks who lost their jobs making 50000 a year to take a job at taco Bell right?
are u a typical white boy who was given everything by your ancestors? do u understand bills and kids?
do u understand Umemployment equals out to 8 a hour…If a person is struggling to make ends meet with a benefits check what makes u think that a man can live off 7 or less an hour…
thats the problem i have with most whites…its like u all live in a fantasy world….U act like like its our fault that we lost our job…what did we do wrong? If it were reasonable jobs out there people would take them
Jason
its time for u to grow up and get over this racist s—- that people are still on
If the US needed to draft people to go fight one of they unfair, corrupt wars, Blacks would have to go just like whites so grow up
Got a little problem with race, do you? Perhaps if you could see past your “issues”, and judge people by “the content of their character, not the color of their skin”, as MLK said, you might just be successful in a civilized society. You’ll never be successful depending on Government.
Metro
June 25th, 2010
9:56 am
Isn’t it ironic how President Obama and his Democratic friends can shove a Healthcare bill (that the majority of Americans OPPOSE) down our throats, yet these same band of theives are “stymied by the GOP” and can’t get jobless benefits extended. Do you socialists EVER use your brains and think for yourselves?
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
9:59 am
See we are a smart people. Here in Georgia. We are also a very strong people. Combine those two things. We can come up with ideas. Also we can carry them out. A real physical product. If you understood NY. How they do things. You might not think they are independent. However they are very self-contained. Atlanta is lucky enough to have the diversification of business. We are not a one industry town. If we start now. One place to look believe it or not is NY State and how they do things.
Larry
June 25th, 2010
10:00 am
Maybe it is time for our elected officials to start focusing on repairing the economy and job markets rather than buying votes with give a way programs. IE drilling moratorium in Gulf that will cost jobs and put more worker on unemployment.
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
10:03 am
Con-Ed is state owned in NY!
pookfester
June 25th, 2010
10:13 am
Another thing that NY does that is really magnificent. Is to build a series of reservoirs throughout the state. Not just one or two lakes. True it hides just how much water they have. They never want for water. Ever. They even charge downstate.
Atico
June 25th, 2010
10:17 am
Best thing that could have happened. I am sick at watching known slackers use my tax dollars rather than taking some type of job. There are jobs out there to be had: they will not pay 65 grand for 8 to 5 jobs for pushing paper. Unemployed workers, especially laid off Government slackers just sit around and expect Daddy Democrat to keep tossing them cash for their six packs.
Thank goodness we have 41 people that disagreed.
Anonymous
June 25th, 2010
10:21 am
For those who are against those “lazy unemployed workers” I can only hope that you lose your job too. It will cure your selfish ignorance.
NY-er
June 25th, 2010
10:29 am
I’m reading all this from New York. Our NY state legislature is completely dysfunctional unable to pass a budget that is now 86 days overdue. Three people, yes THREE PEOPLE control the whole NY legislature: The governor (lame duck), the Assembly speaker and the Senate majority leader. (This is not political hype, it is true, check it out.) We have a state deficit that is unreal and NO JOBS. So, Georgia, I’d go find another state to emulate if I were you.
As to unemployment (or even welfare). It’s time to take an economics course. What do those recipients do with those checks? Think…….they SPEND them. Where? At YOUR grocery store, YOUR gas station, YOUR clothing store. Then at the end of the year, a portion of that goes to taxes. Where do taxes go? Think……back to the GOVERNMENT! Ah, so if we as the government responsibly PAY DOWN the deficit with the tax revenue, then there is not a dollar-for-dollar increase in the deficit for each dollar spent on unemployment. So to say that extending unemployment increases the deficit dollar-for-dollar is a lie.
Instead of electing all those lawyers who know nothing about economics, let’s elect more regular folks who at least took Eco 101. AND BY ALL MEANS EXTEND THE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS lest a worse economy be the immediate result!
linda
June 25th, 2010
10:30 am
The one thing I see is that these big wheel Republicans profess that they want the economy to thrive. Well, It’s just God’s will that it will not when his children (unemployed recipients which are human beings are left out to suffer and scrounge and be intimidated by these evil cold folk. The economy will only thrive when the right things are done. What I don’t think they realize is that GIANT’S do fall. Example “BP” so we just need to stay mindfull of that. Just know God is still in control not these egotistical greedy ___ Republicans with no blood running their veins, just self gratification.
Nowayoutofhere
June 25th, 2010
10:47 am
Cost of War in Afghanistan/Iraq
Total Cost of Wars Since 2001
$1,009,755,341,230
OK folks, we would all be better off if this were not chocking the heck out of us and some floks perdict another 10 years. So who did we really FREE? We are so short sighted if we bring our men and women home OR HECK send the “right” package over there this would be all ova. But we doing wnat to admit this.
War Trillions sunk into a whole – OK
Bank system bail out – OK
USED to be hard working amercians need assistnace NO Way. Heck here is an Idea ALL and i do mean ALL Aide we send to others countries stop it and once and you can fund the unemployed here for a few more years. If the little checks stop, so does the limping economy. Can we stop to think for a change and take politics out of it and look at the PEOPLE
Terie
June 25th, 2010
10:54 am
Congress doesn’t care about anyone but themselves, they have jobs and making big money so why should they care about us that are barely making ends meet. My nephew has been out of work for over a year and they just cut him off. So how is he suppose to live? There is going to be more homeless people out there if they aren’t careful. And then they will complain about that. But still won.t do anything.I will be out of work in the next 2 months, my job is closing up shop.What is a 50 something year old do, very few people will hire me because of my age.
Metro
June 25th, 2010
10:59 am
“For those who are against those “lazy unemployed workers” I can only hope that you lose your job too. It will cure your selfish ignorance.”
I am unemployed right now, and have been more times and for longer periods than you could ever wrap your tiny brain around. I have worked 3 decades in the same unstable industry, however I always saved for the unexpected. NEVER had the need to use umemployment benefits either! NEVER have I been without heathcare benefits and paid by me for as well! I am at the point in my life now that I can pick and chose if and when I need to work. What I have accomplished is all done through hard work, financial wisdom, and personal responsibility.
So take a look in the mirror at what “selfish ignorance” looks like and own up to your mistakes!
Metro
June 25th, 2010
11:03 am
@ linda Bless your heart … you are pathetic!
Anonymous
June 25th, 2010
11:05 am
Metro,
It must be nice to be able to afford to be pious and judgmental too.
“So take a look in the mirror at what “selfish ignorance” looks like and own up to your mistakes!”
Metro
June 25th, 2010
11:08 am
“There is going to be more homeless people out there if they aren’t careful. And then they will complain about that.” LMAO, do you actually believe that or is that just a dramatic statement?
“What is a 50 something year old do, very few people will hire me because of my age.”
No one will hire you with that kind of attitude.
Metro
June 25th, 2010
11:16 am
@ Anonymous Stop posting and look for a job. Wallow in your own self pity in private, please!
linda
June 25th, 2010
11:17 am
Metro I might be to someone like you who want to boast about your arrogance. At the end of the day I could give a rats a–about how you feel. You don’t count!!! We are talking about people who dedicated themselves to their jobs to provide for their families and suddenly their laid off through not fault of their own. And right now companies are not hiring because you know why. We are in a recession everyone has down sized in some way or another. And Republicans want to treat unemployment recipients as if it is their fault /ignorance. Thats why there is always going to be racism because of ignorance.
TnGelding
June 25th, 2010
11:18 am
Extend them. It’s a pittance compared to the Pentagon’s budget much of which ends up in foreign coffers. Deficit spending has been a big part of economic growth since Reagan sold his soul.
jomoes
June 25th, 2010
11:29 am
People should write there senators.
linda
June 25th, 2010
11:31 am
Metro move out of your parents house and maybe have a couple of kids and a wife and become unemployed. Then post your situation I think things will be a lot different. Thats reality.
Metro
June 25th, 2010
11:45 am
“You don’t count!!! ”
Oh linda, I most certainly do “count”, and a heck of alot more than you do since I am not a burden to society. You and others are simply pathetic, your problems are you own and no one else is to blame. If you think personal responsibility is arrogance, then so be it! President Obama and the almighty majority Democrats are turning their backs on you, and you have the unblinding allegiance to blame the Republicans. They have the power to force ObamaCare, yet they can’t find a way to help you with unemployment.
Wake the heck UP! You are part of the socialist agenda that exists today, which means you are part of the problem. Socialism is a mental disease that is rotting your brain linda, and unfortunately I doubt you are covered under ObamaCare.
DannyX
June 25th, 2010
11:50 am
Of course the Republican “fiscal conservatives” still can’t say how they plan to pay for their UNFUNDED Medicare Part D. They can’t say how they will pay for their UNFUNDED trillion dollar wars.
Put up or shut up.
Steve
June 25th, 2010
11:51 am
I love the line that goes “heck i’ll dig ditches if i have too” hardy har har har. Noone digs ditches anymore you idiot. Have you ever heard of trucks?