Does extending unemployment benefits keep the jobless from looking for work?
From the left: No, not in a recession like this one. 45% of jobless Americans have been out of work 6 months or more – the highest since the 1930’s. There simply aren’t enough jobs for the people who WANT to work – 5 job seekers for every position, on average. And most people receiving unemployment benefits do want to work. They aren’t lazy drug addicts sleeping ‘til noon and getting rich off taxpayers. No one can live well on unemployment benefits which amount to about 75% of the poverty level for a family of four. On a related note, extending unemployment benefits also creates jobs and helps boost the economy. The long term unemployed have to plow every penny they get back into the economy just to make ends meet. Extending unemployment benefits in this situation is both morally right and economically sensible.
