Prolonged Unemployment and Angry Taxpayers

I hope I placed this in the correct forum. It seems that the old "unemployment is getting better" line has finally been addressed by the mainstream as just that, a line.

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Additionally facebook has a new page created and populated by angry taxpayers.

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Any thoughts?

Heres a story for you. I am employed full time, and am having a hard time "making it", paycheck to paycheck...and still going without. I have no bills except my mortgage (no car payments/credit cards etc) I pay cash for everything. If I do not have the cash, I do not buy it. I do have a friend although, who has been unemployed for 9 months and living better than ever. She gets her unemployment checks, recieives free medical coverage (medicaid) no grocery bill (foodstamps) and lives better than she ever did working. And her unemployment benefits are bing extended for 6 months. She has not even looked for a job at all. She is "living it up" while she can. Lives better than when she was working. And living better than alot of us who are working our tails off. The sad part is... YOU AND I ARE PAYING FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY NOT WORKING. . Not all people are like this I know, and not all people are better off collecting unemployment. But too many are!

reply to post by tinker9917


I understand your frustration. There was a time I was doing okay, not even really middle class, but a comfortable lower class. Then lucky day I get promoted; "finally I made it to middle class" Wrong again me, the bubble burst, things started the fast track to where they are now and "making it" is a constant battle. I also know people who depend on government programs for everything and live better than I did when I thought I was middle class. The thing that really bothers me is when they try to get you to join in on the program.

reply to post by DrCarter


As of today ...neighbors mail. all extended unemployment benes...are null and void after April 2nd...Im reading this off the letter...he has not made it to the 99 weeks, he was laid off Nov 09...and will be without money come next week!

reply to post by Doc Holiday


I am truly sorry to hear that. Being laid off and screwed by the system happens all to often these days. I am certain your friend was not bleeding the system and was not the type of person I was referring to. I was referring to people like my sister who has never held down a job and has five children. I asked her why so many to which she replied "I get more for each one." Her suggestion to me was to get my son who has Asperger syndrome on social security so I can get extra money each month.

The links are about how the unemployment situation is not really improving and how taxpayers are starting to realize the are getting hosed. It seems to have gotten side tracked somehow. I have really got to work on my thread starting skills, with the cool boxes and new fangled properly formed links

There will always be leaches on the system anytime you give things away to those who don't earn it. It's a fact that I've never heard disputed.

Personally I'm fully employed, have 4 kids, my wife is a stay at home mom (daycare would negate any amount of money she could make), and am doing mostly fine aside from being really dependent on my job.

There are no easy answers here aside from the fact that there are jobs out there but the benefits prevent people from taking them because many times the benefits outweigh the money they would get from the jobs available. The system is not working and I'd just assume keep the money I make rather than keep paying into these social "protections".

People keep telling me we don't live in Europe, but my tax bill seems to disagree.