US senator single-handedly freezes unemployment payment

reply to post by ExPostFacto


Thanks for sharing this.

About 4,300 of Mr. Bunning’s constituents are expected to exhaust their benefits next week under current law.

Amazing he'd do that to people in his own state. It looks as if Republicans are going to get the bill passed...with added BS of course.

Maybe the GOP was testing the waters on this one...and let Bunning take the heat as he's not running for re-election.

Like I stated...this looks bad on the GOP big time. In case they didn't realize, CONSERVATIVES are on unemployment too!!

30 million people unemployed...that's 30 million possible voters. Think this may have changed a mind or 2?

This senile 77 year old Senator is concerned about the economy? The one that gave and continues to give trillions of our hard earned dollars to the off-shore banksters with no strings attached? But we dare not give any scraps to the ever increasing numbers of unemployed of this nation.

Anyone else think this country is on it's last leg? I am sure we are about to see a final assault on what little freedom we have left. The writing is on the wall, folks. A two-hundred, thirty-four year experiment in democracy is about to end in failure. See ya at the soup kitchen.

Originally posted by David9176
reply to post by ExPostFacto

 

Thanks for sharing this.

About 4,300 of Mr. Bunning’s constituents are expected to exhaust their benefits next week under current law.

Amazing he'd do that to people in his own state. It looks as if Republicans are going to get the bill passed...with added BS of course.

Maybe the GOP was testing the waters on this one...and let Bunning take the heat as he's not running for re-election.

Like I stated...this looks bad on the GOP big time. In case they didn't realize, CONSERVATIVES are on unemployment too!!

30 million people unemployed...that's 30 million possible voters. Think this may have changed a mind or 2?

Conservative don't expect or believe in long term govt handout and social entitlement programs. Conservative are not sitting there screaming 'Give me my check!'. My unemployed conservative friends agree with what Bunning did. In fact they hope they even mention that when they received unemployment, they witnessed first hand how the apathy to find work and work hard starts to happen. They are working part time now, since thats all they can find, but they took the work and are doing it now. You truly don't understand conservatives. We don't believe in or want govt handouts.

Let's start by cutting out all welfare first.

Some of these people are 3rd and 4th generation recipients.

People that actually need welfare or are disable should still get it, but the ones that can work need to, get off their lazy behinds.


Next all Politicians, government employees pensions, and benefits need to be cut.

Unemployment should be the last thing to go since all of these people have paid into it over their work careers.

[edit on 2-3-2010 by Realtruth]

Originally posted by Realtruth

Unemployment should be the last thing to go since all of these people have paid into it over their work careers.

Unemployment is paid by the employer. I will put together a thread tonight regarding the law around UI benefits, and how companies avoid paying into the system. Like all things there are ways rich people avoid paying into these systems designed to protect the public.

reply to post by Grayelf2009


Bingo. And that is what they wanted. When the people expect the government to support them they go from citizens to slaves.
Check into the phrase"A country boy can survive."

Unemployment was never intended to be a long term income. I don't think this guy is saying he wouldn't support an extension, but he wants to see where the money is coming from. Thats just proper leadership/governing.

From my perspective, unemployment is a luxury, a benefit, a buffer for if times get hard. I don't expect it to keep me afloat forever. If I lose my job, I immediately cut expenses to the extreme, no diner out, not moives, cut the cable off, no paying extra for caller ID, etc. If its getting close to running out, I look at downgrading my living conditions. All of this, in conjunction to having saved up a 3-6 months of living expense as an emergency fund, and not getting into any sort of credit card debt. If it runs out, I am doing anything to bring income in, from fry cook to dishwasher, or both and I will live within those means. If for some reason, despite all of that, things still or too much, I turn to family, friends or other charitable organizations, there are many who exist to guide and help peopel in this situation.

That being said, how long do you think the government should support a person not working?

reply to post by David9176


I guess I need to explain that one. It doesn't really matter who was the source of the problem to the great unwashed masses. They only see it as an uncaring government that is withholding unemployment benefits. But since it is the government's fault....and the government is heavy on Democrats...it must be the Democrats that caused or refused to immediately fix the problem.

Yes it is a false conclusion and rush to judgement, but there are people that think in those terms (when helped to think that way--like they are too busy pushing Healthcare for example). But I did say it was a daffy stunt.

But the funny thing is I had to look up if Bunning was a Republican or a Democrat because it is not being overly published oddly enough. Which was what tipped me off that it was a stunt.

And given the track record, stunts like these are to make the other side look bad in some fashion. Even if it turns out to be "Dems would rather spend billions and billions on extending social support and welfare programs creating dependency instead of job creation so Americans can build a better future for themselves."

reply to post by Ratkiller


Yep, the American people have been slaves since the Great Depression when unemployment benefits were created.

Stupid slaves....how could we have gone through all these years without realizing it?

Many of those people were in the situation we are now...which is why the whole thing came into existence....and why FDR got 4 terms.

You'll be dependent on someone..whether it's the government or corporate power.

Let me know how electing a CEO works for ya.

How many meals do you miss before the riots start?
Was it 9?

This is complete bull#. Some humans have a complete lack of regard for human life and it makes me sick. The fact that this individual blocked the bill should have been thrown out of office.
How dare they stop peoples only means of support. This will only lead to an increase of crime, though secretly i hope if they are looking for a few nice things to steal, they start with that assholes house.
Bet he owns a few things that are worth a few bob.

Its disgusting.

reply to post by SearchLightsInc

How many meals do you miss before the riots start? Was it 9?

So they say...

Hey...hasn't anyone watched Chili lately? How long did it take for them to start looting stores?

2 days?

Ultimately the workers are the ones that help generate the money to pay the percentage.

That would be interesting to see how to avoid payment into this system.

en.wikipedia.org...

Unemployment insurance is a federal-state program jointly financed through federal and state employer payroll taxes (federal and state UI taxes)[18]. Generally, employers must pay both state and federal unemployment taxes if:

(1) they pay wages to employees totaling $1500 or more in any quarter of a calendar year; or,[18]
(2) they had at least one employee during any day of a week during 20 weeks in a calendar year, regardless of whether the weeks were consecutive. However, some state laws differ from the federal law.[18]

To facilitate this program, the U.S. Congress passed the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), which authorizes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to collect an annual federal employer tax used to fund state workforce agencies. FUTA covers the costs of administering the Unemployment Insurance and Job Service programs in all states. In addition, FUTA pays one-half of the cost of extended unemployment benefits (during periods of high unemployment) and provides for a fund from which states may borrow, if necessary, to pay benefits. As originally established, the states paid the federal government.[18]

The FUTA tax rate was originally three percent of taxable wages collected from employers who employed at least four employees,[19] and employers could deduct up to 90 percent of the amount due if they paid taxes to a state to support a system of unemployment insurance which met Federal standards,[17] but the rules have changed as follows. The FUTA tax rate is now 6.2 percent of taxable wages of employees who meet both the above and following criteria,[18] and the taxable wage base is the first $7,000 paid in wages to each employee during a calendar year[18]. Employers who pay the state unemployment tax on a timely basis receive an offset credit of up to 5.4 percent regardless of the rate of tax they pay their state. Therefore, the net FUTA tax rate is generally 0.8 percent (6.2 percent - 5.4 percent), for a maximum FUTA tax of $56.00 per employee, per year (.008 X $7,000 = $56.00). State law determines individual state unemployment insurance tax rates.[18] In the United States, unemployment insurance tax rates use experience rating.[20]

Within the above constraints, the individual states and territories raise their own contributions and run their own programs. The federal government sets broad guidelines for coverage and eligibility, but states vary in how they determine benefits and eligibility.

Originally posted by ExPostFacto

Originally posted by Realtruth

Unemployment should be the last thing to go since all of these people have paid into it over their work careers.

Unemployment is paid by the employer. I will put together a thread tonight regarding the law around UI benefits, and how companies avoid paying into the system. Like all things there are ways rich people avoid paying into these systems designed to protect the public.

[edit on 2-3-2010 by Realtruth]

[edit on 2-3-2010 by Realtruth]

Originally posted by Wolf321
...That being said, how long do you think the government should support a person not working?

Oh, let's see...about as long as it would take to equal the trillions that were given the rich off-shore banksters.

Wake up, it's the banks and corporations that are getting the welfare, friend.

reply to post by SearchLightsInc


Yep, nine meals. If you are used to 3 squares a day that is three days. Most people start looking mean on the fourth day. It doesn't mean they will indeed riot, just that they are more likely to realistically entertain the thought.

Which would have been another point. Should the people riot, "It would be under the uncaring Democrats 'leadership'". I have heard that broken record too many times. And the B-Side of it is the same speech only the Republicans are the villains.

[edit on 2-3-2010 by Ahabstar]

reply to post by Ahabstar

And given the track record, stunts like these are to make the other side look bad in some fashion. Even if it turns out to be "Dems would rather spend billions and billions on extending social support and welfare programs creating dependency instead of job creation so Americans can build a better future for themselves."

True. I still think it's more worse for the GOP though...despite what others are saying on this website...there are those who consider themselves to be conservatives who are on unemployment. Everyone seems to act like anyone who is out of work is a liberal/progressive which is ridiculous.

It looks to have polarized both sides even more though. I've made the military spending point countless times...everyone ignores it though. It's almost as if it's invisible and the read beyond it.

Anyway, Is this uproar/fighting going to happen every time they extend unemployment?

I"m reading other website's comments and people are being nasty. Accusing those on unemployment of actually stealing from their own kids and vice/versa.

The job market is going to be crap for YEARS...and because of that...wages will continue to stay stagnant or go down for those who are still working because competition for each job will continue to be immense.

It's going to get far worse I'm afraid. I hope of course that I'm wrong and we hit a new golden age...but then I'd be fooling myself.

What this senator did is not illegal. What he is doing is committing political suicide by taking a stand that we are spending money that WE DO NOT HAVE! He is right in saying that. He will not be re-elected because he choose to take a stand when dealing with unemployment benefits. His principle is correct though.

We do not have the money to be spending on any or ALL entitlement programs.

Social Security is dead.
Welfare is a joke.
Most state pension plans are not even 60% funded.


Yet we spend money so "we don't have to endure a depression or great recession." What makes us more special than our grandparents?

Eventually, if we like it or not, we will have to go through tough times economically. What we are going through now is nothing compared with what is headed for us shortly down the road.

Government--Stop spending money that we do not have. Unemployment benefits should last for a short time then run out. They cannot run on forever.

People--Elect those that run on the platform of no spending and job creation through the private sector, not the government sector.

reply to post by Realtruth


I'll give you a hint how employers avoid paying into the system. The less their employees use UI benefits the less the employers percentage rate for contributions are.

How many times has an employer you have known cut an employees hours? How many have you known that instead of laying someone off, they eliminate the position and demote them to a lower position? How many times have you seen someone terminated instantly for some policy violation that didn't warrant a termination on a first offense? How many times have you seen that terminated employees position be eliminated afterwards?

The hint: Attached Workers

If employers were paying by the rules there would be a surplus of monies in the system. An employer could dispute every single attempt of an employee to collect UI benefits. There is no penalty for an employer to dispute a case if they lose.

I'd just like to know how 1 person has this much power, this is absolutely rediculous. Who is this guy? Like emperor of the senate or something? I thought majority rules? Whatever happened to that?

Originally posted by NoJoker13
I'd just like to know how 1 person has this much power, this is absolutely rediculous. Who is this guy? Like emperor of the senate or something? I thought majority rules? Whatever happened to that?

Its very simple. Senator Reid tried to pass the bill with a unanimous vote. When you go that route it bypasses the normal debate process, and consequently 1 simple no vote kills the bill. If he put it through the normal process it would have passed. However he didn't because just last week him, Pelosi and Obama promised to start using 'Paygo' in spending bills. What this means is that and new spending has to have a corresponding spending cut or tax increase so it doesn't add to the deficit. The normal process would force him to have to explain and vote for going back on his word just one week after making it. What this Senator wants is simple; explain how to pay for this bill...... either a spending cut or a new tax. Agree to that and the bill can pass.

reply to post by David9176


Most definitely. No one would argue my conservative leanings. Okay, so I make Reagan look like he french kisses ash trees as opposed to just hugging.

I am still considered on the U6 roles because I took a minimum wage job after 2 months of employment in 2008 and have not bettered the position. Yesterday, I received a phone call from a representative of my old union wanting to sign me up for a certification program for manufacturing. I told him sign me. It is not like a certification is worthless even if I never do a manufacturing job again.

We discussed a few things and he will see about having me do coursework online and sent a proctor over for testing.