99 Weeks

The Senate passed a $34 billion unemployment package today and it will be voted on by the House tomorrow. The Republicans filibustered the bill in an attempt to find a way to actually pay for the benefits (Remember Pay-go? You don't? That's OK, neither does the Congress). The filibuster was broken by the Maine Republicans (Collins and Snowe should just change the letter behind their name to a D already) and the newbie from West Virginia.

I have been in the unfortunate position of receiving unemployment benefits for about three weeks. I was living in Nevada and I was laid off a mining job. At that time in Nevada you used to have to apply at three potential employers every week. You had to have a card signed by the potential employer as proof you made an attempt. I was living in a very small town of less than 200 people. There were only 2 businesses in the whole town. So I commuted 60 miles (one way)to a town slightly larger (25,000 people)twice a week and flooded it with applications. Because of the expense of the trip and time required, I had to take a job that paid about 1/2 of what my former position paid. In addition I had to commute 60 miles which I didn't have to at my former employer.

I was going to be working for a small gold mine that had a bit of potential. I scraped by for a year until I finally could afford to move closer to work. I ended up staying with that company for 8 years and made much more money than at my prior job.

I told that long story to help me explain my thoughts on unemployment. I always thought of unemployment insurance as just that, insurance. Enough to get you by until you find your next job. I'm sorry but 99 weeks of unemployment insurance is a bit much. That is no longer insurance that is an income.

I have had to hire people within the last year as I am sure other business people have. I have offered several folks positions which they refused to accept, because the unemployment they are getting exceeds what we can pay them (usually these are people that had a much more lucrative job which allows them higher benefits). There is no incentive for people to actually take a job that might be less than what they were making (If I was in the same situation, I might do the same thing. Why would you take a job and have to actually go to work when you can get paid more for walking to your mailbox).

I think this is where a little tough love comes in handy. It is time to say enough extending the insurance. Let's not make career unemployed.

I have another little story that I can't remember if I have told in this blog or not, but if fits nicely here. During the Great Depression work was so hard to find that my grandfather would go to the feed lot in the morning with several other guys. They would just start cleaning the stalls. They didn't ask, they weren't interviewed or hired. They would just start cleaning. All day, doing the best job they could on the stalls. At the end of the day the owner would come out, look at how good of job you did and then make his hiring decisions for the day... you just worked. So if the owner didn't have enough money or you did a less than perfect job, you may not get paid for that days work.

What I am getting at is, you do what it takes, and everything it takes, to take care of your family. If you are subsidized by the government it removes the incentive for Americans to do what it takes to get a job, even if it is a lower paying or menial job. You never can tell, it could be the move of a lifetime.

By the way that little gold mining company I started working for, that had a bit of potential...was Barrick Goldstrike Mines, last year they mined 1.3 million ounces of gold. You never can tell what can happen with a little faith and no government subsidy.