Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Unemployment Benefits Extended


Yesterday, the Senate overrode the filibuster to restore extended job benefits. President Obama is expected to sign on with this. Meanwhile, there are several in the conservative world, most of which I hold the deepest respect, who criticize this move. There are several members of congress who also do not approve. It may sound hypocritical of me to say, but THANK GOD!
This is the worst recession since the Great Depression. The Obama Administration’s and congressional bungling has exacerbated the situation. What should have been a simple dip in the economy for a few months has become a multi-year disaster that no one can predict an end to.
Over the past few weeks I have heard some very wise and learned (and some not so wise or learned) offer commentary on this issue. I have heard criticisms about people who are on unemployment are lazy, shiftless, not trying to find a job, don’t want a job, are holding out for the perfect job, etc. Generally these statements are being made by either elite, wealthy politicians or people who are gainfully employed with health care and other benefits. They say that if a person can not find a job in six months, they are not trying. I have a challenge for these people. Go look at the job boards, newspaper, websites, etc. If you were to lose your job at the end of this month, could you find a job in the next six months?
The job boards are full of jobs. Let me tell you about these jobs that are being offered. There are plenty of opportunities in the food service industry. You can wait tables or if you are so inclined, be a restaurant manager. There are several opportunities out there if you would like to sell insurance or financial services. For a small fee, they will train you start your own business selling to your friends, relations, strangers, etc. After you have exhausted everyone you know, where do you go from there? Unless you have a God given talent for sales along with the training, it is almost impossible to do well in this industry. Just ask those who are in it who are not trying to recruit you. There are several “work at home” opportunities available. These range from bill collecting to data entry for about $8 an hour with no benefits. Other jobs for the professional include nursing and accounting. Also, if you have more than ten years experience in a specific program for a specific company, you too can find a job. I know very few people in those professions or situations who need jobs. Anyone else with any professional experience or degree, see the above paragraph.
The point is there are no good paying jobs with benefits to be had. It is hard to believe that with unemployment hovering around ten percent, all these people are lazy, welfare cheats. I never considered myself one of those. But, since I have not been able to find a good, steady job with benefits, there are those that consider me just that.
I have been out of work since October 2008. I have looked for a job ever since. I can not count the number of jobs I have applied for. I moved to Virginia a year ago. Since moving here I have had one phone interview. I have a second face to face interview with a car dealership as an internet sales consultant. This was not exactly what I went to undergrad and graduate school for. I am not diminishing the job of selling cars. But, I did not have to get my MBA to do it. I could have started right out of high school and saved myself a lot of time, money, and trouble. This is just an interview. It is not a job offer. So I do not have my hopes up, yet.
I hate being unemployed. I miss working. I was not reared in a household where we just waited for someone else to take care of us. I have worked since I was sixteen. But, to take a job making less than what unemployment is sending me, is foolish. By the time I had arranged day care for the kids, I would actually be losing money by working for less. Do you know the cost of child care? I really do not like the idea of having ten-year-olds be latch key kids. But, I guess those judgmental elites do not care about that. Their kids are probably grown, moved out, and have high paying jobs as well as the connections to get more if these do not pan out.
While I am unemployed, I want my benefits. I need my benefits. Besides day to day expenses, we have doctor bills to be paid as well as being cosigner to a defaulted student loan. Right now, I am not too proud to turn down any aid. But, I would prefer to be working again. Being at home is fun for the first few weeks or even months. After that, it gets really boring to the point you will do anything just to get out of the house. But, if I take a part-time job at minimum wage bagging groceries at Kroger, I lose my unemployment benefits. So far, that has been the only offer I have had. I would prefer the government stop meddling in the economy and let businesses get back to work. Once they do, we can all get back to work.

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