House Moves to Extend Unemployment Benefits (Long-Term Unemployed 'Smashes Any Figure Ever Seen')

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

House moves to extend unemployment benefits

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer – Mon Sep 21, 6:31 am ET

WASHINGTON – Despite predictions the Great Recession is running out of steam, the House is taking up emergency legislation this week to help the millions of Americans who see no immediate end to their economic miseries.

A bill offered by Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., and expected to pass easily would provide 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits for more than 300,000 jobless people who live in states with unemployment rates of at least 8.5 percent and who are scheduled to run out of benefits by the end of September. The 13-week extension would supplement the 26 weeks of benefits most states offer and the federally funded extensions of up to 53 weeks that Congress approved in legislation last year and in the stimulus bill enacted last February.

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Critics of unemployment insurance argue that it can be a disincentive to looking for work, and that extending benefits at a time the economy is showing signs of recovery could be counterproductive. But this recession has been particularly pernicious to the job market, others say.

Some 5 million people, about one-third of those on the unemployment list, have been without a job for six months or more, a record since data started being recorded in 1948, according to the research and advocacy group National Employment Law Project. "It smashes any other figure we have ever seen. It is an unthinkable number," said Andrew Stettner, NELP's deputy director. He said there are currently about six jobless people for every job opening, so it's unlikely people are purposefully living off unemployment insurance while waiting for something better to come along.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090921/ap_on_bi_ge/us_unem...

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. "Critics of unemployment insurance argue that it can be a disincentive to looking for work"

Try living in Manhattan on $405 a week and THEN tell me that there is no incentive to look for work.

Assholes.

[StarfarerBill]

2. As someone who's been unemployed for over a year...

...and has put out over 200 resumes and applications in the two cities I've lived in since being laid off, I can tell you that my unemployment compensation (and two extensions) has made all the difference. I'm pursuing a new UC claim now.

This recession has truly been the worst economic disaster to hit this country since the Great Depression...and our governments on all levels are mostly what stand between us and the deprivations that the corporations want us to suffer in order to cow us into obedience.

[Mari333]

3. oh, but, please, by all means keep letting corporations outsource jobs

to countries that pay their workers 20 cents a day, many of them children.
god forbid we should pass legislation that might get in the way of letting all those CEOs and shareholders make huge profits off of slave labout..
and god forbid we pass legislation to protect the rights of workers here or the rights of workers to form unions..
because, usa america, until you have a decently paid middle class workforce, your recession is still going on and you might as well just call it a depression.

[Fearless]

4. Hopefully it is done quickly.

[Hugin]

5. KnR

[change_notfinetuning]

6. "six jobless people for every job opening" compared to fewer than

two in 2007. But the S&P is up 58% since its March low. The Bulls have hit the jackpot. I guess that's what you call a "BULLS HIT" recovery.

[CountAllVotes]

7. +1

you got that right and Welcome to the DU change_notfinetuning!

[lovelyrita]

8. Good news for my Husband who has been out of work since

January. We're in Central Florida and he is having no luck finding anything in his field. I wish we could move but there would be no way we could sell our house.

[clarence swinney]

9. TRIPLE A PARTY

ANTI CHRIST
ANTI AMERICA
ANTI WORLD

CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS

ANTI HELP TO UNEMPLOYED AND POOR

[e-mail]

[Alameda]

10. I've been out of work since the end of August and have not

received any Unemployment payments yet. Still waiting..........I got a letter for an telephone interview date. I guess I won't get anything til after that. Several other of my co-workers are in the same boat. We were laid off in a restructuring downsizing move. Thank G-d I have a little savings....but....how about those who don't.....and I really don't want to have to go through all my savings.