Congress, Stop Extending Unemployment Benefits

THE DOCTOR IS IN
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LAS VEGAS- Hello America, and how is the world treating you?

Today, the Congress again passed the extended unemployment benefits package which will cover individuals until November, 2010. And, believe it or not the Democrats already said that if they have to extend the benefits after November, 2010, they will do that also. What a rip off!

People, each time the Congress extends the unemployment benefits for an additional thirteen (13) weeks, it costs us taxpayers somewhere about 33 million dollar for each 13 week extension. But the Democrats are extending benefits for a minimum of 26 weeks (six months), with no end in sight.

Up to this point in time some of these unemployed persons have been collecting benefits for for over two years. That's a long time to be out of work, don't you agree? Where does the hand outs stop?

Imagine if you would some neighbor saying they are out of work and ask you for a handout. You do the right thing and give them a helping hand but after a few weeks they come back and ask you for more money. Here you are supporting your own family and making ends meet and this person expects you to support him also. There has to be an end to the goodness of your heart.

Many of the unemployed have given up looking for a job. That's a fact. The government has statistics on this special group but the Democrats want to keep all of these people on the payroll even when they refuse to look for a job.

I submit, the jobs are there. The problem is that many of these unemployed people do not want to take a job that may pay only what unemployment pays. Why should they? If the government is paying them (X) amount of dollars each week why should they take a job that pays what they are receiving from the government for not working?

Look in the classifieds in any paper or on any computer and see all of the jobs: Fast food jobs, Wal-Mart jobs, convenience store jobs, gas station jobs, tire repair jobs,--I could go on and on. There are jobs in many areas but many of these unemployed people actually refuse to take them. Many have said it's beneath them. Come On! A job is a job.

I agree that a person needs help initially when they lose their job. Thirteen(13) weeks, even twenty-six (26) weeks, (six months) of benefits should be paid but after that there has to be an ending point. People collecting a free hand out for two years, three years and more is obscene. These unemployed people collecting hand outs for so long get accustomed to the free monies and they lose incentive of working for someone again.

My thoughts: Help the unemployed by paying them benefits for thirteen weeks with an extension of an additional thirteen weeks but after that. No More! If they cannot find a job in six months they should look to their families and friends for help, not the taxpayer.

I say that when these unemployed people know they have to find a job within six months and cannot collect any more monies after that six months, they will find a job. They will take a job that they snubbed their nose at weeks before. Tough love? You bet!

My advice to the Congress, stop enabling the unemployed and stop giving them a continued paycheck for two, three, four or more years. There has to be an end to these free hand outs.

Quoting the White House with one of their pet sayings- "Just say No!- And, that's my opinion. Make your own decisions. You decide.

Bradley W. Kuhns, Ph.D., O.M.D.
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Dr. Kuhns can be reached by e-mail at:
bradleykuhns@gmail.com