America's Love Affair With Unemployment

@gewcew23 (8007)
United States
July 27, 2009 11:43am CST
Today is my first day of unemployment. I got to experience the joy of the unceremonious down sizing. I was a territory manager, yet my former territory does not exist anymore, so I do not exist any more. Yesterday I wrote all of my territory reps that going farther I would no longer be their supervisor, and they would be split into still existing territories. Everyone that contacted me from my former territory told my, like I did not know, I could go on unemployment. I finally had enough of hearing the same line, I finally said to one of them I have no desire to go onto unemployment. This individual was dumb founded that someone would pass up on unemployment to find a new job. I cannot nor will I just set at home while receiving a check from mother/father government. What happen to America's self reliance?
1 person likes this
7 responses
• United States
27 Jul 09
This love affair with uemployment started a long time ago. The middle class watched people with three or four children go on welfar. No, welfare is not the same as unemployment but for years employed people watched those people on welfare. They had child after child and the checks just got bigger. And It really ticked people off because they were the ones going to work just to pay for the welfare that benefited those people. Finally, they say--it's my turn! Unemployement is not the answer, but I can see why they feel that way.
2 people like this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
28 Jul 09
They call it unemployment INSURANCE for a reason. WE pay into it...it's not welfare.
• United States
28 Jul 09
Deb, I am not saying that we don't pay for employment insurance. We do. However, many people get tired of watching people not work while they go to work each and everyday. After awhile, it is easy for some after they are laid off to go on unemployment rather than look for another job. He is asking WHY the love affair with unemployment. They want a break of the everyday hussle--especially knowing there are people who receive a check and have done so for many years without working. It is not about who is paying for it. You don't have a choice. You have to pay for it.
@KupoSin (680)
• United States
27 Jul 09
well the american dream will only stay as a dream. i believe that with the government always giving people unemployment benefits, people will be more reluctant to put their best foot forward into self reliance. people always just keeps thinking that the governemnt will catch their fall, but we need to learn to get back up ourselves.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Aug 09
oh come off it,we all pay into unemployment insurance just so we have the funds to look for a new job and to survive til we find one, food is not free, rent is not free, those have to be paid from money whether you are employed or not.l you are all so wrong, it doesnt keep people from working it helps them to live so they can find that job. why do you think if a person is broke when he is let go that its not good to use the insurance that he paid for in the first place? quit putting us down when we use unemployment insurance to help keep our families afloat until we find that scarce job. we do put our best foot forward but we have to eat pay bills and etc while we hunt for that job. I hate this kind on inuendo,my son is taking unemployment while he searches for a job, and he is not lazy,he is not self reliant,but he was broke when he lost his job,it brokeour family up so down with these nasty inuendos.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
29 Jul 09
America has fallen off of the deep end and I do not ever see it coming back to the surface. Things are getting worse here daily. Unemployment does not pay people near enough what they need, to survive on. What happened to the jobs that were supposed to be created? It is such a mess.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Aug 09
well gewcew23 thats just ducky for you being able to so nobly' refuse unemployment but for a lot of us less fortunate p eople whether its so awful to accept unemployment or not,we have to as this great unemployment has left us with out that great stuff called money. not everone can afford to be so self sufficent If one is truly broke unemployment insurance will help one to be able to take the bus to look for work, to eat so one will not fall on ones face while out hunting for that scarce thing, a damned job. We are still self reliant, we just use some help so we can get that blasted job and be more self reliant. we paid into the unemployment insurance so why the heck not use it to get to that new job.My son has been out of work for months now,unemployment is the thing that saves him from being homeless and on the street.He paid many dollars into the fund so why not use what he paid for.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
27 Jul 09
It's good you have the resources to do that. I admire self reliance. Unfortunately most Americans on unemployment were living from paycheck to paycheck and need that little bit of money to survive until they find a new job. It IS something that you pay into all the time you are working. And is there for your use when you need it.
1 person likes this
@jiayiluo (28)
• China
6 Aug 09
I think have a job is good thing.You can depend on yourself.I like working.
1 person likes this
@jonakyl (493)
• United States
29 Jul 09
I'd say about the same time that politicians realized if they gave money to the poor instead of helping them better themselves; they could keep them dependant on the government. There by creating a rather large group of people that will vote for the person that A) keeps this program going and/or B) increases the money they get from it. In a nutshell, politicians are you using our tax money to buy themselves votes.