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Up on the soap-box: Extending Unemployment Benefits

I've been meaning to write about my frustration with extending unemployment for some time.  I can complain about extending unemployment because I was on it for 7 months after being "laid-off" from a job.  Anyone that thinks you can't find a job without having 2+ years of unemployment available to you is just being unrealistic.  Yes, it's a difficult market.  Yes, you may have to take a paycut.  And yes, you may have to do work you wouldn't normally want to do.  But there is work to be found.  You have to be willing to look to find it.

I am so fed up with hearing out "President" talk about how unemployment benefits can spur the economy.  Really?  I was getting $415 a week, with no taxes being taken out.  And that's the max you can get here in Kentucky.  I have a house payment, insurance, car payment and other bills to pay out of this "benefit".  Do you think I went out and bought a new TV, computer or clothes?  Nope.  We actually worked hard on either paying off debt or making changes around the house that would lessen our monthly bills.  If it hadn't have been for savings and my wonderful wife being able to work overtime (TONS of overtime to be honest.  She's a saint for doing that), we would have lost everything.  I don't know how people are living off of this amount or less of money a week.  But I guess they do.  And I guess that is all they want to strive for.

I was amazed at the amount of people not willing to look for work or make changes to their life.  My wife and I went together one day to the unemployment office.  She, like me, was appalled at the people who flat out said they were not going to look for work.  They just wanted their "check".  You only had to show that you applied for one job a week to continue getting your "benefits".  Many didn't even want to do that.  I did have some who were really looking for work like me.  I had my list of 10-20 jobs I had applied for with me as they did.  And the comments we got from some of the people was that we must really want a job.  Of course we did!  I even had one person tell me that he was not willing to take a pay cut, so he would continue to take his "benefits".  Crazy!  As long as I was getting enough to cover my bills, I would be happy.

So, does continuing to give "benefits" to people who aren't looking for work make sense?  Nope.  For many of those out there it won't make a difference if you give them 1 year, 2 years or 20 years of "benefits".  They still will not work.  By the time about 6 months had passed, I had decided that if I had to work nights stocking shelves, that's what I would do.  I was fortunate enough to have someone contact me about a job.  Yes, it was delayed because of the earthquake in Japan, but it did finally give me work.  I got on me knees and thanked God for the work.  I was blessed with working for a great company and even make more than I did before. 

There are jobs to be had.  You have to be willing to look and take a job.  It's amazing how people don't want to work.  Just sit on their behinds and take a meager handout.  The company I work for now is trying to add people to our department, but they either show up not ready to truly interview for the job or they just don't show up at all.  You want to motivate people to work.  Only give them about a year of "benefits" and they should be motivated.  Stop giving everyone a handout and you'll be amazed on how many will step up and work.  Stealing for an old Smith-Barney commercial, in order to get ahead in this life you have to do it the old-fashioned way.  You earn it by working and not taking handouts.