Absolutely correct - and here we are with the federal government acting like Santa Claus - the dirty little secret is that they are actually the largest organized crime operation in the world.

Who else has the power to indebt states, force payments / interest, with the power of the US military behind them.

Doubt me? Just try to not pay your taxes. At some point, they send men with guns. Chase, BofA, Wells.... not so much.

As bad as CEO behavior is, it pales in comparison to the criminals who run our federal government.

Real conservatives are going to have to step up and cut everything... including defense, social security and medicare. We need 8-10% cuts immediately across the board! There is no more money - just interest. We have to stop NOW. Stop the madness. Stop the mindless spending.

As for the benefits to the unemployed... how long do we keep paying unemployment? At some point there has to be a cutoff date. I know that most people are really trying to find work but I know over a dozen friends and family members who are "riding out" their benefits before taking a job.

I hope I never have to use unemployment but I know that if I were out of work for 1-3 years then I would be doing something even if it meant flipping burgers. This nation is becoming more and more dependent on the government teat.

If we want to get a job done we need to hire a Jewish woman to do it.

So I been told.

Well Guess what Paul...

B of A and Chase and JP Morgan... They have something better than a GUN... They have LAWS.. AND they have TAKEN MORE Property then the US Government has ever taken away from you....

And as Far as I see... The Bankers and Wall Street for 70 years have been working for Each Other.... against the Citizens of the USA...

Its Called Corruption... and One Bribes this one and the other one Bribes that one...

Now Its all SH%$...

So don't kid me... Its been that way all MY LIFE... The only Truth is that since Nixon took us off the Gold Standard... This country has been playing the SHELL GAME... NOW its time to PAY... If I have to loose my SS then SO SHALL EVERYONE... If I have to LOOSE my Medicare... THEN SO SHALL EVERYBODY... That's where I am AT!! PERIOD... I dont Care what the AGE IS... EVERYONE or EVERYONE...

duncancl,

I just sat in the same living room with a person the other night that claimed his employer cut his wadges from $21 an hour to $12 an hour.

His EXACT words were this, "I make more money collecting unemployment than I do working, so it's better for me to work side jobs and collect than waste my time working for nothing".

Right after that I drove him and his buddy to Walmart where he used a Michigan Bridge card (the modern day equivalent of food stamps) to pay for food and soda. I found it amazing how he concealed his bridge card and was spared and embarrassment in having to pay with tax payer money while wearing his Polo outfit. Right after that I had to pay with hard earned cash for my food while wearing a 3 year old snow suit and a jogging outfit underneath that I have had for 4 years. I wont even tell you about the shoes.

Anyway, I guess I am just a loser because I don't game the system. It's my own fault I have so much damn pride. Meanwhile I support my wife and two kids while this other dude and his buddy are divorced sucking from the government teat.

I should not have to pay for people like this! My family should not go without because of people like this! The people that took this money should be the ones to pay it back!

Well Gaming the System was designed and Played by Wall Street everyday...

And their are allot of People that Play that game... Its been since the 1980's that game became Smoke and Mirrors budgeting....

The truly pathetic thing that no one on the right will address is how much they have depressed wages for the middle class during this recession while continuing to rake in record profits. It is sad that it isn't easier to get a job that can out distance unemployment.

I have never Met a Real Conservative....

I would love to meet ONE... I hear this all day LONG... Guess what...

This Government and Wall Street has been playing that Game for Decades...

Real Conservatives would have fought about it 25 years ago... THEY DID NOT!!!

They would have been YELLING this has to STOP 25 YEARS AGO!!!! They DID NOT!!!

LOOK into the ABYSS... Because the WORLD as America knew it is ENDING as they knew it... Its going to be a NEW WORLD...

Pretty ain't the WORD that comes to mind!!!

Letter From the Boss

As the CFO of this business that employees 140 people, I have resigned
myself to the fact that Barrack Obama will be our next President, and
that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way.

To compensate for these increases, I figure that the Clients will have
to see an increase in our fees to them of about 8% but since we cannot increase
our fees right now due to the dismal state of our economy, we will have
to lay off six of our employees instead. This has really been eating at me
for a while, as we believe we are family here and I didn't know how to
choose who will have to go.

So, this is what I did. I strolled thru our parking lot and found 8
Obama bumper stickers on our employees' cars and have decided these folks will
be the first to be laid off. I can't think of a more fair way to approach
this problem. These folks wanted change; I gave it to them.

If you have a better idea, let me know.

Sincerely,
The Boss

Stellar007

I hear you man! My buddy is an electrician and he is "unemployed" but works about 30 hours a week under the table. He is playing the system perfectly and just bought a new Toyota Tundra. He plays a lot of golf and eats out a lot.

I have 3 family members who refuse to work because they make a little over $300 a week and get food stamps. Apparently if they work they only make $420 a week after taxes and then they make too much money to get food stamps. Basically they say there is more money in not working.

This system is crazy. I bet if we cut off the handouts or start cracking down on abuse then jobs would start getting filled. Our local paper here in Virginia has hundreds of jobs every week. They may not be the $50K a year jobs but there are LOTS of jobs... just not enough people in this area want them.

If I were a major employer I would much rather hire a fast food worker who has been doing something than a college grad that has been playing PS3 for the last 2 years.

When will govts at ALL levels quit spending so much money?! They all are spending money in places where they have no business being involved and that is why everything is so unbalenced. They take money from people who earn it and give it to people who dont earn it. Poor or lazy people go to college free, get their textbooks free, and get spending money. Children whose parents are still married , and both work, and the child works too, well that child ends up taking out large loans and graduates with a lot of debt, And the "poor" student graduates with NO debt. With all the freebies , the low income people , or the people who dont want work have more money than the two income families. Govt workers are paid much more than private sector workers , and get far better benefits. And the list goes on and on. Govts are spending way too much money. And now they are going to want all of our money to pay off their debt, because of spending too much money , when we thought that they should cut spending big time

Yes SPEND SPEND SPEND! The fed govt just keeps spending money when the working responsible people in this country are saying cut spending BIG TIME. The arragance of these politicians in Washington to spend whatever they want. And now they want us to pay for things we did not want. Between the fed govt, the banks, and wall street, I cannolt believe the corruption!

"The states, when they borrowed the money, hoped that the economy would have turned around by the time the first interest payments came due,"

What great financial planning.... borrow more, spend more, and hope for a miracle.

Get ready for the tidal wave of tax hikes, Illinois %66 increase is just the beginning.

Usury is the cause of it all.

You think the Fed charges usurious rates to states? That makes no sense.

@duncancl

We all know that presently there are about six applicants for every job available. If every job were suddenly filled that would still leave five out of six still unemployed. Now then. About this buddy of yours gaming the system. Are you too weak to turn him in? If so, then you are just as guilty of fraud as he is. Now about your family. How about you put a little pressure on them as well? Or are you simply making up stories in hope of supporting your obviously ill researched view?

Stellar007, Love the letter from the boss.

Not very hard to fix the problems:

• Cut all handout programs.
• Send illegals back to their own country.
• Make state run unemployment a state issue, not a federal issue.
• Have elected state officals pay for their own housing and transportation.

Wizard - Why is it my job to play Police? Last time I check there was a large portion of our taxes that went to the Police.

And who the hell are you to talk about my family loser? Should I send my two kids that are under the age of 10 to work so they can help support people like YOU wizard? I think not.

I work hard because the people on welfare depend on me.

Wizard, go take a flying you know what at a rolling donut.

Stellar007 Im glad ppl are waking up but i must address to ya that it has nothing to do with the citizens of this country.,,its the bureaucrats running it.Democracy=Ludicracy

@Stellar007

My post was not addressed to you. I suggested nothing about your children. My words were for duncancl. By the way, I did enjoy your letter from the boss. Perhaps in the future you might take a little more care in your unwarranted attacks. Have a pleasant evening.

Seems we are doing a lot of yelling about the problem, and a lot of finger pointing about the problem, but I don't think that we are seeing that the problem is our fault. Yes, that's right, I said it...OUR FAULT.

We have elected the people who have put these programs in place, while voting themselves raises, sending our jobs overseas, and making sure that Wall Street stays fat and healthy. We elect the first person who says "I'll give you a blank check for what you want", while having nothing in the bank. We elect these people who have no real business experience to run the business of our country.

Think about what we have elected for the last 20 years. An economist who saw what was coming, but only made the problem worse by starting wars and taking the leash off big business and letting it run amuck. Other then that, we've elected Lawyers. What does a Lawyer really know about running a business? An economist, I can understand...but Lawyers? So maybe we should be looking at Obama and asking "What's the Project Plan?" What has been the Project Plan all along?

You see, Government is a project. The very nature of a four year term and the fact that government is a business with budget, deficit, assets, and services to provide make this a project. So what's the project plan? Where's the Scope definition of this project? Any ideas Obama, or will you just give another mesmerizing speech about empty change?

Now, more on our problem. You're right Wizard. We all know one or two who are on unemployment. We all know that they work under the table from time to time. We all know that it is fraud which should be reported, but apathy has become a way of life in this country. The Employment Security Commission (or whatever it is called in your state) does not have the resources to investigate fraud unless someone drops a dime. They don't monitor bank accounts, they don't monitor people's purchasing habits, and they don't know people are buying new trucks (or whatever) unless someone clues them in.

Notice Stellar007, who says "Why is it my job to play Police? Last time I check there was a large portion of our taxes that went to Police." You're right. I'm not blaming you for being upset, and I'm not attacking you for your position. We pay taxes for police, this is true. However, you were also on here talking about how your tax money was going for someone who is dressing better then you, has more buying power then you, and had a better vehicle then you (sorry, that was an assumption. For all I know you might be driving a Jag or Rolls, but I digress). Yet you are turning a blind eye to it. We all see someone like this every day and say nothing. It's not like the Police don't have robbers, murderers, rapists, or crack houses to take care of. They should be looking for all those on unemployment who are frauding the system.

Welcome to the Socialist States of America. Take care of me, give me my handout, but don't mess with my taxes!

Our economy has been heading towards this result ever since we started our dance with Free Trade. It will continue until we start to put real change into our economy and bring back not just jobs, but good paying jobs. Wages are down, benefits are shrinking, and we are being forces to compete against competitive wages and benefits world wide. This leads to a flattening of our economy, and the end to a better life than our parents.

Well my employer just wont put me on the schedule. This way he doesn't have to lay me off, NO..instead he is trying to force me to quit and look for another.. JOB..(Like there are any). I have worked for them for 5 years and payed my fair share of taxes..I qualify for all the benefits..But I have to be laid off or fired, which will make his(Employer) unemployment insurance rates go up.

So I am going to just hang on as long as I can..wait for them to realise I am not going to quit..and they will just have to lay me off and then we (family of 6) will be able to eat food again instead of crow.

@JD

It's nice to see someone who has actually put some thought into this situation. I find it indeed refreshing. Thank you for putting your thoughts into print.

@ Wizard,

Well then I apologize for the misunderstanding Wizard, however I am curious about one thing...

Were you suggesting that duncancl turn in his own family? Or by "being hard on them" were you suggesting that he judge them? His own family?

I don't know... If unemployment money keeps a family together and is going to genuine people in a bad situation it's justifiable. Now if the parents are on drugs, or the wife or husband is a tramp, I say let them sink. But at what point does the people REALLY IN NEED start to sink the rest of us? At what time are they told "Sink or Swim"? And if they have kids, do we just let them sink too?

I know there are many people out there taking advantage of unemployment, but as much as I sympathize for their problems I am not prepared to take away from my family so these people can keep getting free handouts. Is that wrong? They should make these people pay back the money they take in assistance. An interest free loan if you will, or maybe a small fixed interest rate, broke down into small payments. That way it's fair to the rest of us. That's about the best I can come up with.

Allowing these people that take these unemployment checks and other such money without having to make good on it later is putting our states and government in a very bad position. Meanwhile these same people who collect this free money will be back on their feet in a few years driving new cars with not a care in the world for anyone else, acting like they don't owe anyone a damn thing. They need that small monthly payment to remind them, otherwise we may be paying for them again later down the road. It's quite clear with the amount of interest the government is charging our states for the loans on these programs that they (the government) could really give a crap, and that REALLY BOTHERS ME MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

I am not saying that I would never take help if needed, but damn, the people that brag about taking assistance money and then show no signs of trying to conserve really makes me ANGRY.

I just don't know Wizard, and I am not the person who created "The letter from the Boss", the author is unknown. But it does seem to have merit.

duncanci, those on Social Security and Medicare would be glad to take a cut, as soon as you take a pay cut. Why in the H should those on SS be the ones to suffer. Many of those people paid into the system all their working lives for what, nothing? So a guy like you can get out of doing the same thing? Sorry, but I`m not going to sit back and be made a scape goat because of a crooked inept government that took the SS money and blew it on everything but what it should have went for back in the late 50`s and mid 60`s. You want someone to pay the price for this? Take it from the governments retirement fund and other benefits.

@Stellar007

No, I wasn't suggesting that duncancl turn his family members in. He was complaining that they were sitting on unemployment rather than taking available jobs because there wasn't enough difference in pay to suit them. I was suggesting that he might actively prod them to get off their butts and go to work if it was indeed available.

His buddy, though, presented a different senario. From what he presented this man was as much as actively stealing from all of us by fraudulently claiming unemployment benefits. I believe that people such as that should be harshly dealt with. Simply by knowing of this and doing nothing to correct it, duncancl is guilty of complacity of fraud. That is not good. If people such as his buddy knew that we would not turn a blind eye to their crime I suspect they would not be so willing to engage in such activities.

Now, concerning your thoughs on other methods of keeping the unemployed afloat. Your proposals have merit and are worthy of further consideration. I certainly make no claim to knowing the answers, but perhaps if enough of us work together to arrive at a suitable solution we can indeed arrive at one. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it.

JD-1203795 said,

| "Notice Stellar007, who says "Why is it my job to play Police? Last time I check there was a large portion of our taxes that went to Police." You're right. I'm not blaming you for being upset, and I'm not attacking you for your position. We pay taxes for police, this is true. However, you were also on here talking about how your tax money was going for someone who is dressing better then you, has more buying power then you, and had a better vehicle then you (sorry, that was an assumption. For all I know you might be driving a Jag or Rolls, but I digress). Yet you are turning a blind eye to it."

@ JD-

My vehicle is paid for. It's not a Jag or a Rolls, but I'll go out on a limb to suggest you may be British, or at least an avid fan of British heritage vehicles. You might be surprised to know that Jag used to be a re-badged Ford, and is now made in India by Ta-Ta. Either way I don't feel the need to brag about my car, even though it may be worthy of such praise.

To me Polo clothing is a waste of money, and the fact that I keep my clothing for a long time should not dictate that I have no style. I simpily do not wear my suits to Walmart although many of them are over 1-2 years old some even older. On a 12 degree night I often wear my overalls, because honestly I'd rather be warm than look cool. That's just me.

With regards to buying power... Well as I recall I had several hundred dollars cash in my wallet, and the guy you claimed had more buying power was setting items aside when the display crept up to $40, mind you his stuff was being paid for with a bridge card, so you should digress. I am sure the ladies are all over well dressed men in Polo clothing sporting Bridge Cards! I wouldn't know because my wife would have my a$$.

So you are saying that it's OUR FAULT because people whom we elected lied to us and then screwed the pooch? Nice! Speak for yourself from now on buddy.

@Stellar...I believe that if you will check your Federal Income Tax Returen Stellar, You will find a line there that asks if you have received UNEMPLOYMENT Assistance. YOu have to report that money to the Feds and YES, it is taxable, so it really isn't FREE money for the unemployed. I agree that something needs to be done, but the best response is to do it at the voting poll. IF your State and local government is not taking actions to do more with less, then force them to by the power of the vote. The same applies to the Federa Government too, the old saying, some times you have to hit them across the head a couple of times before they start to get the message, and to be perfectly frank, I don't think much in going to change with the new Republican Congress, more of the same old garbage, just under adifferent name and color.

Jim,

Are you telling me that our states are paying interest on money borrowed from government to pay people on unemployment who in turn gives a portion of that borrowed money back to the government in the form taxes? Man, I am not a genius, but it sure seems like Uncle Sam has quite a racket going on. There has got to be something illegal about that too!

Wouldn't it just be much better to deduct the amount of taxes from the money paid to unemployment recipients so that the states have less money to pay interest on? I mean under that plan it's possible that 15-30% of all the money loaned to the states is drawing interest for the sole purpose of collecting it back in taxes?

If none of this makes any sence, don't feel bad because I am confused as well!

I should also mention that paying a small amount of money collected over 99 weeks + anadditional 13 weeks of unemployment IS FREE MONEY if the person only worked there for the minimum required time to qualify for such benefits. So your statement is somewhat false.

What about this idea: Stop sending billions we don't have to every Tom, Dick and Harry on planet Earth!

How about the promise that bought the election - work to bring jobs home to the US through incentives. Some state governors & mayors have done a better job of creating business than the feds.

The extended unemployment payments were voted on by the democratic congress - the feds dictated - the states merely complied.

I agree with someone up above - send a woman to do the job.

Stop the border bleed. The aliens aren't doing jobs no one else wants to do. They are under cutting American workers.

Get rid of the socialists that just want to grow government, wreck free enterprise and spend more money doing it.

After reading the original NYTimes article - I still couldn't find a list of the 30 states which owes the gov. interest? So don't know if our state is on it or not!

However - I vividly recall a few years back when our state was FLUSH and our Governor wanted to SPEND all that extra money (with a little help from the majority in Congress of course). Only because a handful of Moderates joined the "other party" in demanding that a RAINY DAY FUND be set up - were some of the surplus funds saved.

Well now we all know the rest of the story ... but what is it about SAVING vs SPENDING?

To be sure money needs to be spent for worthwhile projects - and I fully support emergency Unemployment checks. Also the money goes right back into the economy - and YES taxes are due on Unemployment!

Yet obviously the basic system is outdated and in dire need of overhaul! In the long run another CCC on the Federal or even each individual State level probably would have served at least the younger generations better than being unemployed long term. A HAND-UP is always better than endless handouts. Do an honest days labor - perhaps learn a skill - and get paid for actually doing something to BENEFIT the Country. (National & State Parks and Historic Sites are deteriorating due to lack of funds to pay for work which needs to be done!! as just one example).

We have to face the new reality that America is part of the GLOBAL economy. We can't keep pretending that gas prices are ever going to be "affordable" again ... or that food prices aren't going to keep rising. America is not only failing in Education - we are still living in the 20th Century. We can continue to SPEND freely without thinking - or we can figure out how to spend WISELY.

And the chances that unlimited good paying "manufacturing" jobs will ever return are less than winning the lottery ... or being struck by lightening. Our parents way of life was bolstered by the end of WWII. Spurred on by the surge in housing needs & durable goods desired by the returning veterans and the resultant baby boom generation. Now the housing bubble has burst and the jobs in steel, aluminum & textiles have sailed years ago. Logging & fisheries are depleted. Even the Big 3 automakers are hardly "100% Made in America" anymore!!

America can AND NEEDS to compete and WIN in innovation and technology - yet even if NO Child Left Behind had been adequately funded ... children do not LEARN by being taught to taking a test!! Take a page from those schools which have figured out how to turn things around for heaven sakes. I believe it was a Cleveland school which discovered that by 10 minutes of WRITING (NOT silent reading!) in EVERY CLASS inc. PE & Math - the results were amazing in ALL areas of learning as well as in the increased percentage of HS Graduates. But alas Our Nation still functions like it's back in the Dark Ages! Hello - INFORMATION HIGHWAY.

Pay the "Unemployed" to "volunteer" in our schools, libraries, reading programs ... the list is endless. EXPAND the funds for AmeriCorps and Vista. Think of the KNOWLEDGE that is just sitting there collecting unemployment. Though as already pointed out - FIRST the whole UNEMPLOYMENT system needs to be revamped ... and rebooted. Meanwhile we're wasting our resources and squandering our future by "continuing to dwell in the past".

And if you want to know where the money will come from - ending the wars is a super start (although then you have UNemployed soldiers - then again the National Guard is supposed to already have "jobs" waiting? probably? not?) BRING THEM ALL HOME ... if America ever figures out how to get with the program - rather than reverting back to being ostriches - we can all move forward. We also have to learn to be HAPPY by "owning less" and finally realizing that McMansions in the suburbs and supersizing merely serves to make us MORE dependent and fatter as a Nation.

Competing in a GLOBAL world will take an attitude adjustment not only on an individual level but on a government level, too. The current (& original!) system of Unemployment Benefits is a long overdue model in urgent need of complete OVERHAUL.

there must not have been any real conservatives when the republicans had a majority in the house and senate for 12 years 6 of those years with a republican president

now people lie Newt and Rush blame the dems

only in America

The states, when they borrowed the money

Slovenly masses, it is YOU who borrowed the money.

Have fun paying.

maggie b-1918317 said, "I agree with someone up above - send a woman to do the job."

I don't quite think you got the gist of the statement. Perhaps you should google it.

I'm not saying that an American Woman could not do a good job, I just hope we don't get stuck with Hillary, the scorned wife of slick Willy the cheater.

If she let her husband walk all over her it's safe to say we could expect the same when it comes to us.

Just say'n.. I have already been warned what will happen if I pull a slick Willy, and let's just say you won't have to read any more of my post should I do something so insulting to my wife, course it cut's both ways so I accept it.

Here's the answer... since part of the problem is that we've been robbing the social security fund for the past few decades... we quit paying SS to people if they make more than $60K; they never get it back.

Now people will hollar that it's "their" money, but it was also "their" politicians who they elected who over spent and borrowed from the fund and couldn't pay it back.

Do the same to medicare.

Once the debts are paid, then we can revamp the whole system. Right now we're punishing my 1 yr old watching The Cat in the Hat on the TV who's never had anything to do with any of this.

The politicians get us to only think about cutting services to the people. The vilify good ideas that are best for the people but not best for them and their fiefdoms.

Think out side THEIR box. DON'T CUT SERVICES cut the bureaucracy. They say "You can't do that! That would be terrible!" As opposed to what they are doing that is tragic?

Get rid of the IRS . Repeal and replace the tax system with a Fair Tax. This would eliminate BILLIONS in bureaucratic bull s. But they come out with their 10 second sound bites to vilify it. Do the same with just about every other bureaucratic program. Keep the services, get rid of their fiefdoms. Repeal what is best for the career politicians and replace with what is actually best for the People.

All it takes is to vote for candidates that will actually DO it. Not the career politicians who have shown that they won't. Outside the box? check this out:

copy and search the following (RECLAIMING AMERICA through "SINGLE ISSUE" CONVENTIONS by Kacprowicz citizen initiatives) click on the ORG result then click on SINGLE ISSUE CONVENTIONS It is outside the box. It can be done also. Their spin says it is dangerous. What they are doing is more dangerous. Also check out Constitutional Convention in Wikipedia. And remember that only 1/4 of the Constitutional Convention delegates that love the Constitution can stop it from being destroyed. I trust that.

In New York, which owes $115 million in interest on $3.2 billion, the cost will be passed on to employers in the form of a tax surcharge.

Now that’s a hell of a way to stimulate hiring new employees! When you find yourself in a hole, STOP DIGGING! You can’t just keep extending unemployment benefits and not expect to pay the grim reaper. If the democrats had been more interested in actually stimulating the economy for the last 2 years instead of cramming their own personal agenda and wasteful spending, we wouldn’t be in this mess today.

Why is it that 3 college students in my immediate family have been able to find jobs yet half the US can’t?

Medicare To Gain 7,000 New Baby Boomers Per Day In 2011

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/212585.php

How do you sustain that when no one is working???

I work for a large company. The increase in federal unemployment taxes alone is projected to cost us $5M in 2011. The sneaky thing about the federal increase is that they don't make the determination until November 2011 and then you have to pay the entire year's increase all at once. The full list of projected states can be found at www.talx.com.

The increase in state unemployment taxes is projected to cost us an additional $18 - $20M on top of the $60M we already pay. That's not counting the interest surcharges some states are thinking about adding. It's already 2011 and many states have still not finalized their rates and interest charges. This makes it impossible for employers to plan and incredibly hesitant to hire anyone.

(And we're one of the employers with fairly low rates because we have never had mass layoffs! You can still have a $70K/year job with a high school education at my company.....you'll just have to wait 15 years to have enough union seniority to get that position.)

Independent Jim - one doesn't have to be a conservative to balance their checkbooks! And obviously one also doesn't have to be a liberal to spend like a sailor on Cinderella Liberty.

So why are you listening to the likes of Newt & Rush? Self-appointed pundits and talking bobble-heads are just that ... regardless of which way they lean.

Personally I'd love to see the Democratic Party left to the loons and the GOP given over to the hardcore rightwingers ... AND the rest of America in the middle form a NEW Party! (wishful thinking eh!)

For those who would rather keep regurgitating OLD-SCHOOL talking points of mindless wonders - well yes - only in America. Although it would seem to be age-old human nature to always blame everyone else doesn't it - and it is not unique to America. Yet you would no doubt be much happier if you found other means of pastime like darts or bingo. Continuing to dwell in the past doesn't solve today's myriad of problems. TERM LIMITS for Congress would also go a long ways towards getting rid of the deadwood on both sides of the aisle!

The Congress is ( has been ) extending unemployment, the states have to pay it, the states don't have the money, the Feds lend them the money with interest that they know the states don't have to pay back with. Plus they tax the unemployment checks, because it is income ???? huuuuuummmmm, Almost sounds like racketeering to me , or a pyramid scam, How well they (Congress ) have learned from wall street.

http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=13294

here's the link for the 30 states which owe interest

Thank you historybuff, I was wondering about the full list.

One of these days China is going to be billing the United States for interest due...wow
The end of America, as it USED to be..

Let's see..... I'm Forty, have been paying into the unemployment fund for 20+ years, was making $30+/hr. and got laid off. While I was making a good living, I read all about how the baby boomers were going to retire anyday now and then there would be shortages in the workforce. I have a large family(6 kids) because for years I could afford a large family. I saved approx. 6 months salary at all times, in case of emergencies. I thought I was prepared. In mid 2008 I was laid off for the first time, and was stunned as there was still plenty of work going on in my area(Wisconsin). I quickly found a temp job (that paid about 20% less, and told the kids that times were going to be a little hard for a little while.) Then the bank foreclosed my house,(a mistake which the feds are looking into, but the local FBI office says it will take years to investigate and fix.) Then in 2009, the company I had worked for for thirteen years just closed up. Everybody else was downsizing, my union told us that if we weren't working, we probably wouldn't work in 09 or 2010.(true) I have tried to apply at jobs paying as little as $10/hr. and the story is the same. No one wants to hire a forty year old for an entry level job, when they suspect that he will just leave if his old job starts hiring. So yeah, I get benefits from the state, and unemployment. I'm not ashamed, and I'm not stealing from anyone. It's been over a year, and I dont see the end soon, the union says that anyone not working now might as well just find another career because their indications are that work will not pick up till possibly 2015. Yet the corporations are all making record profits.... They should be ashamed, as they are stealing from the american people.

No your employer has been paying the unemployment not you

Yet Obama would like to spend more!!!

Any entitlement is a bad investment PERIOD. Giving money to foreign countries to stabilize their economies is wrong. Current countries, governments, businesses, need to be able to succeed or fail of their own accord. If they make bad investments, and or poor financial decisions. No one should have to expected to bail them out when they fail.

Stop all hand outs immediately. Make those that need to use the food stamp, unemployment volunteer for a civilian program or work for the state in the field until they find other means. MAKE NOTHING A FREE RIDE. DON'T GIVE ANYONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SCAM THE SYSTEM. I believe this would greatly reduce the burden on the states monetarily While still allowing the states to get needed work accomplished. Basically all on unemployment would be picking up shovels and or cleaning out storm drains. I think this would greatly reduce the number of people on unemployment in a hurry.

Joe

No your not stealing you earned those rights. But the union doesn't seem to have any real answers for you and I am sure you were paying your union quotas on time every month.

I hope you find work soon Joe , best of luck

Love how Obama bails out the banks, then hires Daley as his chief of staff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssl5yb7FewA&feature=email

Gotta pay back your buddy George Soros right Barry?

California should be an interesting case.

They have HUGE debts as a result of driving businesses out of state with their anti-business climate, as well as uncontrolled public employee union pensions, but they also have a law that says that any increase in taxes or fees requires a 2/3 (67%) majority vote. Of course, the politicians will cry "If you don't give us a tax increase, we'll have to lay off teachers, police and firemen", but they won't tell voters that 65% of public employees are NOT 'teachers, police or firemen', but are actually just more bureaucrats, sitting in their cubicles and waiting to retire with huge pensions, some in their 40s, with great benefits for life.

The day of reckoning for California is fast approaching, and it should be interesting. They have a penchant for voting in tax & spend liberal Democrats, and now they will see the reality of their folly.

Night Hawk, maggie b-1918317, et al :

There seems to be a mixing of apples and oranges here :

State Unemployment Insurance pays 26 weeks out of the State Unemployment Insurance Fund.

The Federal Government pays for the Extended Benefits with general revenue funds.

The interest payments this article speaks of, is for money the States BORROWED from the Federal Government because the State UI funds were broke. They couldn't pay the 26 weeks they were obligated to pay.

The problem arose because many of these States BORROWED from their own UI funds during good times when there was a lot of money in them to "pay" for other "stuff"....leaving them with a big hole when times turned not so good. Blame your States for this one.

We may have gone past the "event horizon." (physics--black hole). This frightening analogy of having gone past the point of no return may well be true. In no particular order of importance, the ONLY hope of righting the ship is to do ALL of the following: 1) major reduction of ALL entitlements including welfare, foodstamps, AFDC, Medicare, Medicaid 2) reign in federal, state, county, city bloated governments incl. decrease in all but essential services with an associated reduction in the number of employees, their salaries, their benefits (certainly including retirement benefits), and their ability to belong to a union. 3) Redo our capitalistic system to much more control the entire banking system 4) Institute very strong straightforward rules of conduct and operation (can't get around them with cunning unethical lawyers and financial types) for Wall Street with serious rapid punishment for those who stray. Mandatory jail time and huge fines with no appeals all decided by a tribunal of experts in the field--still subjective, BUT always erring on the side of guilty till proven innocent. Some might be innocently convicted, but tough. Harsh. You bet. But most will then bend over backwards to act properly. 5) The same basic idea re labor unions. 6) The US Govt. has got to stop meddling in the the affairs of so many countries around the world. We are neither the arbiter of how others should behave nor should we be the World's policeman. 7) Foreign Aid--WWII is long over. Let all our so-called friends take care of themselves (with only rare and self-interest exceptions), and as for our enemies, both overt and covert--we know who they are--screw them, their govts. AND their people. Life is NOT fair, and we are not the tooth fairy. 8) Absolute TERM LIMITS for politicians. Experience has value, but carreer politicians have proven to be a disaster and experience a metaphor for accreting of power. 9) Incentivise big business to not ship jobs overseas with tax credits, etc. to counteract foreign labor very low pay competition, and penalize them if they don't. Free market capitalism is killing us, as are the shortsighted behaviors of labor unions. 10) Continue to maintain a very strong military, but get rid of the bloat and the pork barrel spending. Let other countries defend themselves; amazing how much more they will take of themselves if we pull out and focus on DEFENSE. 11) Mandatory population control. So many of those having more than 2 children are irresponsible in one way or another. "I have a wife and 4 kids and every thing was fine until I got laid off (or hours cutback or salary reduced)." What about your savings? "I had little (or none) and the payments on my new truck-or my boat, or whatever left little money to save." Sounds like irresponsibility just like all of our levels of government. And then we have MILLIONs who accomplish nothing but breeding. NO concept of personal reponsibility or accomplishment fostered by a progressively disastrous government. God, it's NOT looking good. The only hope that I can see is for honest, committed politicians (doesn't have to be an oxymoron) to institute these myriad of reforms acknowledging that they probably will not be reelected, but those who follow will also throw themselves on the sword of reform.

Mike you are absolutely correct.we just got a new governor elected. on the daybof his ignauguration, the first words out of his mouth were.WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SACRIFICE AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EASY!oh really, my pitiful tiny minded state did exactly what you said.it has been doing it for a long time.Borrow Borrow Borrow, now it's time to pay the piper because of this STUPIDITY,and it's us, THE PEONS WHO HAVE A KNIFE TO OUR THROATS.Blame the states but we're the ones that are going to pay for it, and pay for it.

@Historybuff;

Many of your points I'd agree with, and it's understood there's no simple or palatable answer for all.

I'd have to disagree about the manufacturing aspect, however, and most that have seen me posting here before know why. Short answer is; not everyone is wired for college, for service, business, etc.. . We consume manufactured products here; whether it be socks, undies, tractor parts, drills, etc... we all have to consume. There are those that are wired for varied manufacturing jobs, and are good at them, better than those overseas, and there aren't enough jobs to go around in other industries or endeavors without including a good deal of manufacturing jobs here in America.

It's not only a simple task to bring these jobs home, it has social benefits by stabilization and bringing back a sense of community; if you're machining for company A, let's say, and they're strong, making parts for euipment B and there's always going to be a need for equipment B nationally, then you have job security, you're content, and chances are you'll want to retire from there, get some form of pension or 401K you know is safe, and your kids will grow up being able to get this sense of community, friends throughout school.

Of course, people have options, and this isn't the life for some, but I really don't believe it's 20th century.... it's going on and must, the only difference is any but America are the one's benefitting from it. And yes, continue to work towards and on the future, many, MANY I'm certain want to be on the cutting edge of this here in America, be the front runners..... just not everyone can or wants to, and there's a big void that needs filled in manufacturing arenas.

This country is already unable to compete in the worlds market place..

So they will add another fraction of tax on top of all the other taxes, permits, tags, license, regulations, tolls, etc.etc.

No wonder the American people are throwing in the towel, and just give up..!

We want to work and have pride in our jobs..

It is hard to work when our government is scheming against us every step of the way.

We need a Government for the American people..!!

Mike in Delray, that`s exactly the same thing the Federal Government did with the Social Security money years ago. They took it because they didn`t think it would ever run out, and spent it on everything but what it was meant for. They are all, nothing but over spending, spend happy dirt bags. Instead of putting off projects till the money was there, or stopping projects that was just getting started, no, they thought it would either piss off the voters, or the dirt bags that paid their way into office, so they ripped off the systems that had collected interest over the years. Problem is, they didn`t just take the collected interest from it, they took the whole dambed thing. Those people are, and always will be low life scum crooks.

Unfortunately, the states don't have the same luxury as the Feds in their ability to print money whenever needed.

GuyLittle, yes, we do need a new government, but to do that, we will need to do away with the system we already have, and rebuild from the ground up. In other words, start everything new. new government and new banking system. And no more of this letting a private business run the money system like the Federal Reserve. Also do away with the two party system, that has never did this country a bit of good from the start.

Debi, do away with the Fed, like i said above, and you would be able to do just that.

As far as ideas on how to fix or repair what's happened, I doubt there's any real choices. Taking away from SS and Medicare, those people for the most part paid into these entities their whole lives, simply not right. Pick an age group (year of ability to work really) and don't deduct for SS, then it can be done away with for them if that's what the majority wants.

Cutting unemployment is only punishing those that have fallen on hard times, many to no fault of their own. Should there be limitations that are stricter, certainly... as well as time limits. Don't create more bureaucracy (sp there guys) to the tune of MORE government waste but given the conditons we're in, again not looking at what caused them because we are where we are, 52 weeks maximum on unemployment. That's more than enough time, and as the Fed Reserve is trading at 0% interest amongst their corporate thieves, while on unemployment banks forced to forgive interests for that year and take payments for homes principal only. Give people a chance, the same the thieves are getting.

As far as the State's interests go, prolong or forgive much of it for the same reasons regarding the Fed Reserve; they've made all the decisions, saved their own nationally and internationally, said it 'had to be' but yet expect all others to live by different rules and printed and continue to money like my daughter does pictures of her fave band.

When this all first started happening, anti-monopoly rules broken due to the orchestrated 'crisis', many should've been allowed to fall. Bottom line, it would've been much better for all. If you own business A in America, and have a loan through Bofa, and they fall, then guess what.... you'd still own your business, loan taken by a survivor, and life would go on. People are under the mistaken impression, or were, that if Bofa failed, you would too, and that's NOT the case. All this ever did was save corporo-government interests, and so now, it's time they took their hit.... should've then. Bofa just an example, many others included as well. That's the only bit about going back to causes, becuase to a lesser degree, it's still applicable.

Simply put, they (the Reserve and our 535) are saying 'we F'd up, we run the show, now everyone beneath us is going to save our butts. We owe the money, you're going to fix this because we're not getting hurt, we're getting the money from you, and if the States want to go down the chain and take from littler guys like we're doing to you, don't really care.... just do it one way or another'.

Sell it one way or another, lie about it, whatever it takes; jobs were sold overseas, there were and ARE no jobs to cover such a massive outsourcing and not only are we lied to about them not 'being able to come back' but are supposed to cover the debt for losing our livelyhoods.

Another part of the answer would be; any American (supposed) corporation that off-shored and was complicent in causing American workers to be unemployed should be paying back their workers unemployment compensation 100%. Since Congress won't get off their ass and grow a backbone to legislate towards such, perhaps this would be enough incentive to bring some home.

We need a protection consumer agency to protect us from our own government. Instead they finger point to the private sector for being the criminals, which often they are, but they omit the fact the are exactly the same criminals. That is why the media was formed to protect us from both. Unfortunately the media has become the government because the media to day has their own personal agenda. The banks support the government because they like the spending which benefits them. Really, both government and the private sector sleep in the same bed.

Only in America-2604171...I know...I been saying that forever.....we wouldn't even be talking about Social Security if the rest of the Government would have just left that money alone. As I had said, LBJ was the first to stick his grubby little fingers in the SS cookie jar to pay for his "Great Society" and they have stopped since.

Never read more nonsense and ignorance in my life. The big bad Wallstreet guys, oh so bad. Ignorance on parade. At least they will pay BACK the money, and have paid back nearly 80% of the "borrowed" money with interest. Now how about GM?, and the states?, WHEN are they going to pay back the money?, NEVER, is the answer. GM's stock must sell above $60 a share for them to have a chance at paying anything back, it will never get that high for years and years. They LIE in that ad by the way, "we've paid it all back", total LIARS. They haven't even paid back 20% of it.

You people blame Wallstreet, when they played by the rules that your ELECTED officials wrote, nothing more. Get mad at the "rule writers" not the folks that play the game. "a house for everyone, with just 5% down", there's your damn problem. As for the "stimulus", just paying off the "government employee unions", and "unions" in general. "save the teachers", hogwash, it's called "save my voting block", the hell with "regular" workers. we have reaped what we have sewn, never ending wars, and fools on both sides of the aisle. You want "change" then get off your butts and get a job, even if you have to move states to get one, and no one owes you a damn thing.

@theboys;

That's the problem; Glass-Steagall was done away with, NAFTA and other 'treaties of free trade' enacted, and none is being done about fixing these, no matter which colored clowns are the majority in Congress.... speaks volumes as to what sort of 'representation' we have had, and going back for at least 3 or 4 decades, repealing of G-Steagall about the mid section.

I believe what was American business did what they did because Legislature not only allowed it, but paved the way. Make X amount here, or 10X 'there'. If no laws, no punishing tariffs allow this, any will take advantage of it. Yet, they're still termed 'American businesses' but hire more than their fair share overseas.

This is why I personally believe the stock market has about as much to do with how America Herself and Americans are doing as my dog's ability to lick himself does. But, as with this bubble, as with housing, as with unemployment, as with the States' oweance..... we all know what falls down hill.

I believe all up on the Hill and the Reserve and Fallstreet CEO's should be FORCED to take extensive courses on what responsibility means and make it very clear that failing means just that... perhaps add in what civil and criminal prosecutions mean and outline they WILL happen. And for the Hill extra, VERY extensive courses, on what civil service and representation means; anything less than an 'A' means you're disqualified.

And, if any are invested in the Market, corporations.... IMMEDIATE disqualifier for running for any seat in Congress, perhaps even disqualifying for any Federal Government position that involves finances.... yep, any position involving monetary or legislating capacities.

Mike in Delray, Social Security is a "pay as you go" plan. There was NEVER a trust fund. Not in LBJ's time nor in anyones time. SS is fine, if they move back retirement ages gradually for people born from 1990 on, moving it slowly over 40 years to early retirement at 65 not 62, and regular retirement from 65 to 68, problem solved. The REAL problem is medicare and medicaid, now that is an issue. When you allow "old people" which I'm getting near to being, to spend more in their last 6 months of life than the preceding 70 years of life on "healthcare" then you have a recipe for disaster. Call it "death panels" if you want, I don't care, but THIS WILL END or it will collapse our economy over the next 40 years, period!

Mike in Delray,

Top of the morning to ya! Spot on as usual. Unfortunately, our state is in the red, but the good news is, our new governor has a plan to put Florida back to work and also mandatory drug testing of welfare recipients! There should be a mass exodus of entitlement abusers leaving Florida! HOORAY!!!

@MikeinDelray;

SS was doomed a slow death after the LBJ bit, but was likely set up knowing this... a bank account the Fed government thought they could use as unending credit, at some point, no intentions of keeping it afloat for purposes intended because = who or what's going to do anything about it?

Added in, my father worked for the Pipefitters ever since he got back from the Korean war, retired from there with a pension and some medical; he'd put in his entire working life at the same company. He collects his pension, his SS benefits are worked against his pension so he'll never collect what he put in to SS, but doesn't complain. Add in to that, he paid Fed taxes, state taxe, medical deductments, etc... so more than earned what he's getting and then some, the company is still flush. The little Medicare he does get isn't a handout, it's earned.

Some get so twisted by what's sold they react to the problem and don't really know the true cause of it or how to fix it. You seem to not have fallen into that category, and it's good to know some still see what is for what it is.

@fedup;

That's a good plan, and should be implented elsewhere; but PLEASE, don't send the exoditers north! Mexico sends their problems here, can't we send ours there?

Money? What is "money?" We haven't used REAL money in this country for YEARS... We use "Legal Tender." Thank you, international bankers and the traitorous congressmen who slipped through the Federal Reserve Act and the 16th Amendment.

You can read about the full story in; ''The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve" -- by G. Edward Griffin, or you can spend less than a half an hour and watch a video on the subject: (While it lasts.)

The more who learn the truth, the better!

{NOTE: No $ made from any purchases.}

For some reason the video link doesn't appear to have made it through. No prob. We'll just try a few things.

Video Link

-- or --

Go to youtube and after the dotcomslash paste the following and hit return: watch?v=ZPWH5TlbloU

Three trillion dollars, roundabout, missing from the Fed Reserve's ledgers; three hundred million Americans, men, women and children, equates to $10,000 each....EACH = that should either be accounted for or returned by the corrupt Fed Reserve and their International Wankers.

For what they've allowed to happen and purposefully caused, round to 18 trillion in national debt, that would equate to credit for each man, woman and child to the tune of $60,000 each. Most of government would fall, the Fed gone, and government would be rebuilt by true representatives and everyday Americans, and the wash of Everday Americans losing, losing, losing would end.

Simplistic, but what a dream to have, isn't it?

What a nasty bunch of people we have running the country right now (Democrats, Republicans and business leaders).

Always tons of money available for rich Wall Street bankers and greedy wars of conquest (You don't really think we are in Afghanistan to free women or in Iraq to bring democracy do you?) but none for states to fund vital services that millions of middle class and low income people depend on.

And now they are even going to take money away.

They ought to release all of those people doing time in jail for trivial drug violations (one illegal pill in the glove box or a joint on them when they got patted down outside of a concert) and put all of these corporate servants and thugs in orange jumpsuits.

The sides of the highways near me could use a could clean up, too.

JCB-1236504...I'm going to differ with you somewhat. When enacted SS retirement age was 65. The Life Expectancy was 58. I would better describe it as a ponzi scheme rather than pay as you go. Most people never lived long enough to collect. Money piled up. In 1940 there were 160 people working for every 1 getting benefits. Now old folks are living longer and the ratio of workers to retirees is now 3.3 to 1. as the Boomers hit retirement at 10,000 a day, what's a Government to do.

http://www.ssa.gov/history/ratios.html

And there really is a trust fund that has IOU's from the rest of the Government to the tune of some 2+ trillon dollars.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/CreateaPlan/5mythsAboutSocialSecurity.aspx

JCB: If there was a law written making it legal to murder, would you murder just because the government said it was acceptable?

Our government was wrong allowing Wallstreet to fleece the American homebuyers and Wallstreet was just as culpable in taking advantage.

Hi FedupwithFed

ModerationInAllThings.....There is so much true information available on the internet, that cuts through the weeds. It is a shame that more people don't take the time to question what they hear all over the place and find out what's real and what is agenda driven. I'm a sceptic by nature and it's never to late to keep on learning. One of my favorite quotes is in a letter by Thomas Jefferson to the son of his dying friend, that he pledged to care after:

"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear."

My other Favorite by Jefferson is;

@Delray;

Myself, similarly, I describe as cynical, which literally translated means 'dog like'.

Pretty much sums it up; trust is earned, others viewed with skepticism, but loyal once trust is earned.... to the bone. If crossed or threatened, well..... won't go into that.

Agenda driven relates to what you, I and others viewing this similarly have nailed. Just hope it's not too late when eyes become wide opened.

Some need to stand back, see the forest for the trees and view what's the big picture, what never changes regardless of which Donkephant is in control.

ModerationInAllThings

I cant determine where they SLITHER off too...if its your state, sorry. Just happy they will be leaving mine!

JCB-1236504 "Mike in Delray, Social Security is a "pay as you go" plan. There was NEVER a trust fund"

There IS a "Trust Fund', but there is no actual money in it. It was not set up as a "pay as you go" system, but it was turned into one when President Johnson started taking the money in it to pay for his "pet projects". It was really quite easy - Congress just decided that the only "safe" investment for 'Trust Funds' was Treasury Bills, and then they decided to treat the money they 'borrowed' from the Trust Funds as just another revenue source - Sort of like you making $50,000 in earnings and then refinancing your home and pulling out an extra $100,000. In this analogy, you could then brag that you earned $150,000 by conveniently ignoring the extra $100,000 of debt you now have. If a corporation tried to pull this off, the officers would be put in jail for fraud, but it's OK for the government.

When Bill Clinton bragged about his "Surpluses", there was not one single year under Clinton where there was a REAL decrease in the National Debt - All of the so-called 'Surpluses' were in reality just money 'borroweed' from Social Security Trust Funds and treated as 'revenues', causing the National Debt to just keep going up.

The proof is in the pudding. Over the 30 years through 2008, if you added up all of the "Deficits" for those 30 years, they would total about $4.6 Trillion, but if you looked at the change in the National Debt over those same 30 years, it increased by about $9.2 Trillion. That $4.6 Trillion difference is about $2.3 Trillion that the government 'borrowed" from trust funds, claiming it 'reduced the deficit', when in reality it increased the National Debt, thus a total 'swing' in the debt of $2.3 Trillion + $2.3 Trillion = $4.6 Trillion.

Unfortunately for Obama, this 'slush fund' game is pretty much over, since the roughly $2.3 Trilliojn 'borrowed' from the 'trust fund' will start having to be repaid. Now the government will have to start trying to figure how to repay that $2.3 Trillion - and obviously, the only way is to raise taxes. The 'free ride' is over.

How great it is, here in California, watching the government raise income taxes, declare (per our brand new Governor Moonbeam) that the Proposition 13 protection of property taxes will be abolished, and forever keep increasing employer taxes as hundreds of businesses flee the state.... For anyone who has wondered how long the government can pluck the goose before it hisses, it is moving from a hiss to a howl!!! When will they learn that as taxes go up to pay for anything, revenue goes DOWN. Hordes of people are fleeing to Texas or other states that have rational tax policies.

Texas has its own problems, like a 25 billion treasury shortfall. There is no state income tax but they make up for it with property taxes. Texas is a 'right to work' state, meaning no unions per se. I wouldn't look to Texas as a great place to relocate to, not just yet. Municipalities and school districts are running out of money (property tax pays for schools) and the foreclosures mean less money coming in so property owners are going to be hit harder to compensate for the losses.

As to jobs, Caterpillar is cutting back on the work week and hours. The burger jobs are getting harder to get into. Texas also has a large military presence and with those budgetary cutbacks the pinch will be felt here.

The states are scrambling and I don't think the Fed's loaning of money is going to save the day since the Fed has to print more money with no real value. This scenario is becoming eerily like the Weimar Republic. The current concern is inflation, more devalued money to pay for increasing costs of everything. Be grateful that cap and tax didn't get passed like Obama wanted. Remember him saying energy prices would go up if it passed? Guess what? Energy prices are going up and more people have less money to pay for them.

Then in Houston you have a couple who essentially opened a soup kitchen and the city regulators came in and closed them down. Said they needed a permit. The regulators want their pound of flesh, screw the hungry.

There will be more scenes like this as the nanny state tries to control the populace, unemployment money is better than food riots and for many its all they have between them and the soup kitchens (if the regulators allow them, that is...)

mygirl1...That was a very good post. Most people don't even know what the Weimar Republic is and what it symbolizes. And I was taken back reading about the soup kitchen... How dare they....next they'll be in your backyard if you have the neighbors over for a cookout or a Church pot-luck supper.....and this is in Texas ??.....The rest of us are really screwed then....Oh My !!.....

Mike: I heard that Montana is doing some interesting things in the state government. Texas is hotter than hell in the summer but Montana is colder than ditto in winter. Buy a fuel efficient RV would be my suggestion. I'm seriously looking into it...

mygirl1...You sound a bit younger and more adventurous than me !!...I finally made it to South Florida and I'm pretty sure this is my last stop till I exit the Planet for the Pearly Gates....What is this RV plan you're thinking about ?? Maybe my son could benfit from hearing it.....

The States will need to come together to fight our Federal Government. Many of the States are already fighting them over the new HC law. America could be on the edge of a complete revolution to change Washington. When you have the left like CBS News complaining about spending, you know we are in for a World of hurt. CBS named their piece "State Budgets: Day of Reckoning".

If you really think the housing market crash was nasty, wait until later this year when the Municipal Bond Market collapses. Since 46 out of 50 States are still spending more then they are bringing in, bail outs will be required to buy them time so they can do what they should have been doing over the past year, cut spending.

Now with inflation knocking on our door, America is about to feel real pain. I'm not saying being unemployed isn't painful, however, I am saying EVERY American will feel the burn since every product will be going up in price to levels never before experienced in the history of America. By the way, inflation usually means we are out of the recession and coming back. Unfortunately, this inflation is artificial caused by not managing America's debt.

My predictions for year 2011-2012.

• Unemployment numbers are going to grow beyond 10%.
• Inflation will go well into the double digits.
• Foreclosures and personal bankruptcies will increase.
• America will see her credit rating lowered causing even higher interest costs on the money we borrow. 14 trillion debt ceiling? Try again.

On the bright side, we can hold off on the border issue for now. Mexicans won't come here anymore if there is NO money to made and the cost of living here in America has quadrupled. Heck, Canada may want to build a fence now to keep Americans out in the future because they need to support their families. Sound familiar?

To all of you who personally know someone that is collecting unemployment or welfare and is working under the table, REPORT THEM!!!! to the proper authorities. If you can blog about them, you obviously have access to a computer. It is easy enough to do a GOOGLE search for the proper State division responsible for unemployment and welfare benefits.

I am not talking about "I have a friend who knows someone who is doing this". If you, personally, have the information, REPORT THEM!!!!

It doesn't do any good blogging about it on Newsvine threads. REPORT THEM!!!!

Question: Where did the Federal Government get the money to loan to the states in the first place? Assuming it was from "INCOME TAXES" and other FEDERAL TAXES that the average American and states pay, then isn't it our money to begin with? If this is true, then isn't this like taxing us (or the states in this case) on money we have already been taxed on at least once? Think about it: Most people pay income taxes, thus your income is taxed once. Then if you draw unemployment and make over a certain amount on this you are taxed again. Now while the unemployment you draw is supposed to be paid by your former employer(s) to the state and placed in a fund for you to use as necessary it is not always enough as we have found out. We all pay income tax to the Federal Government and then they have turned around and loaned the states money to keep our unemployment funded which not only do we have to pay income tax on but the states have to pay interest on this money that started out to be our money in the beginning.

Is it just me or does this sound like a "Ponzi Scheme?" "

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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1910 police mugshot of Charles Ponzi.

A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to separate investors, not from any actual profit earned by the organization, but from their own money or money paid by subsequent investors."

They get the money by having the FED print it.....It's why the FED is the biggest danger to the country at large, and should be eliminated.

Do I get this right? Congress extended unemployment benefits until some people have been on unemployment more than two years, and is now forcing the states to pay interest on the money?

ROFL

I want in on an extortion scam like that.

DUDE-875416

Thanks for the link to "State Budgets: Day of Reckoning"

It's scary, but I have no doubt it's true that the States are soon going to default on their bonds, and then, since most of them are "general revenue bonds", they will have first dibs on state revenues, leaving little for other state services.

California is a real mess because of public employee union pensions, which also have priority (thanks to Jerry Brown in his first go-around as California Governor). There will be some very unhappy people there soon.

@kc

Sorry, but no, you got it wrong. At the beginning of the rise in unemployment some states found that they didn't have enough funds set aside to cover the inital 26 weeks of benefits as required by law. Apparently they'd spent it on "other things", so they borrowed those funds from the feds to make up the shortfalls. That is the only money having interest charged on it. Any extended benefits over 26 weeks come from the feds anyway so there is no interest charged.

Afghanistan is 3 billion a month how about we bring the troops home and secure the country instead.

ModerationInAllThings
Of course, people have options, and this isn't the life for some, but I really don't believe it's 20th century.... it's going on and must, the only difference is any but America are the one's benefitting from it. And yes, continue to work towards and on the future, many, MANY I'm certain want to be on the cutting edge of this here in America, be the front runners..... just not everyone can or wants to, and there's a big void that needs filled in manufacturing arenas.

ModerationInAllThings sorry this reply is late in coming - so doubt you will see it ...

BUT YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT

If you'd seen some of my other posts - I've often stated that there are indeed JOBS RIGHT NOW WHICH ARE LITERALLY GOING BEGGING in "highly skilled" trades such as 100% precision welders and machinists (NO college degree required!). However these jobs are not to be confused with the AVERAGE factory or mill worker. QUALITY GOODS should always be a priority. If you can convince the American public to PAY MORE for textile products "Made in America" - then one should expect that THOSE ITEMS would be of superior quality to similar items manufactured abroad. Unfortunately in years past - the "Made in America" brands were often poorly made and seemingly without any pride in workmanship!!

Discussing the increasing dearth of SKILLED LABOR with my youngest child (who YES will soon graduate from College with a job waiting!) we concluded that the Millennial Generation have been raised to feel that "blue collar jobs" are beneath their "high-tech environmental upbringing"!! However the dismal rates of High School Graduates all across America is even more alarming. Kids without even a HS Diploma are the growing LOST population. (Many fast foods WON'T even hire a "drop-out" with no Diploma or GED.) Their futures are increasingly bleak - and all too often turn to drugs and then crime to support their addictions. (And our communities still can't figure out the growing drug & crime problems?) UNTIL we go back and address our failing education system - Americans will be left behind in ALL fields. (And our schools also have to wake-up to the fact that "pushing EVERY STUDENT towards college" - as you correctly pointed out - simply serves to "push more children right out the door" instead.)

IMHO - I just believe that too many folks out there are pinning their hopes on jobs such as steel & aluminum industry coming back ... or in textile fields where they "merely put in their time AND expect a fat paycheck while turning out lazy sloppy & shoddy goods".

Americans as a whole need to look FORWARD into the 21st Century - and accept the fact that we are NOW LIVING and COMPETING on a Global stage & economy. The world as we knew it in the 20th Century is PAST. We have to be practical as well as REALISTIC. MANY JOBS ARE NEVER COMING BACK ... the sooner we figure out which ones America CAN SUCCESSFULLY compete and succeed in - the sooner we can get back on track again AND prosper. But first it will take an attitude adjustment by ALL Americans.

ALL THINGS IN MODERATION ... amazingly that's always been my motto :-)

"I understand that times are tough. When you gave my administration YOUR money, I get that it was hard on you and your family. I also know when you and your state are in need its my job to use YOUR money wisely and to help you and your state the best my adminstration can financially...with YOUR money. However, you must understand that when I say my administration will help you and your state financially with YOUR money what I really mean (in fine print) is that Im going to charge you and your state interest on YOUR money to get even more of YOUR money. Im not really helping you and your state so much as investing in a plan to gather more of YOUR money for my projects. You didnt expect YOUR money to come back to you for free, did you? Its naive to expect YOUR money to help you... for free?!!! No, no, no, I need to fund Afghanistan, North Korea and soon Iran military actions (not wars - just activities). Yes, I know that your state and your family are suffering but, quite frankly, better you than me. What did you expect, its not my money you borrowed. Oh, and you should also come to the realization that once you give my administration YOUR money that it becomes my money. You can have YOUR - er, my money, for a price; even if it destroys your home and your state. I hope you like my change!" "Obama"

Steller007, those were my thoughts exactly, why are states paying interest on federal loans? I don't think that is what Alexander Hamilton intended when he created the federal bank.

Secondly, unemployment doesn't contribute to a huge deficit, those are for the most part people who need a source of income to survive and not to mention that income gets recirculated, unlike the top 5% of the wealthy.

If people are becoming complacent about job searching then allow businesses to provide proff of their applications.

RU;

You got it.... right there with what I'd posted 1.62.

Why should they? The voting public is gullible and will fall for anything you tell them. So why ruin a perfectly good setup ?

Now you have explained why true conservative politicians can not exist. They will never get re-elected since "the people" would rather have our "entitlements" than have our children live better.

bear fan,

Your post is correct but what you fail to mention is the same saying applies to the American people. Our pols are nothing more that the reflection of the American people. What we allow them to do we also allow ourselves to do.

I have to say, our polls are NOT a reflection of the American People.

We're given very limited choice, and for many years it's been a gamble, the lesser of two evils, trying to enforce some kind of change while where, when it counts, NOTHING changes.... these 2 supposed 'parties' are one in the same when it does come to this, the Donkephant.

Voting for one corruptorate or another is only attempting, feabily, to find the one that you hope against hope is going to minimally do perhaps something that is geared towards you and yours best interests.

The options fail legitimacy testing horribly, but are all we're given. Until something is done, really and truly changed one way or the other, we've no choices for representation in earnest, and only can try to 'shake things up a bit' when extremes present themselves. But again, they're really one in the same, so no effectual or affectual changes ever happen.

Moderation: You have that right. We have a shadow government that really runs things. The politicians are front men, the political 'differences' mere show and both groups work behind closed doors to cut deals and payback the corporations and lobbyists who got them elected. Reid is an excellent example of a politician who comes through for his campaign financers. He pushed for the Food Safety Bill as a nod to Monsanto, then he helps his casino buddies with getting on-line gambling going, then he supports a chinese company to build wind turbines, used here, made in china.

The guy with the best PR wins, always. The disinformation aka: propaganda machines work overtime. Then you have the voter fraud, the pandering to special interests (going to help those 'minortities' whether they want it or not) and out-and-out vote buying via welfare and entitlements.

The media is in the pockets of the corporations and guys like Soros and the Koch bros. and will dance to the highest bidder. Why do you think Palin was so heartily skewered? The tea party has been disenfranchised and co-opted, the liberal media working overtime along with the administration to demonize and marginalize them which is sad since the real conservatives are trying to get rid of business as usual and get some honest people in government. Not Palin, she has co-opted the party for her own ends as have many others. The core of the party knows this and is watching and waiting.

Time will tell but for many people and many states, time is running out

In debt we fall.

United? Who? the rich are divided from the poor, the non-union from the union, the old from the young, the govt. employee from everyone else, etc. The only people that are united are the ultra rich, who are laughing all the way to their estates in other countries. If the people ever figure it all out and stage a revolution, they will just flee with our money. Look at history, it happens all the time.

The Rich has always been seperated from the poor...

You want to know the real irony here? Without the taxpayer the government doesn't exist. We are the consumers, we hold the power, don't like something, don't use or buy it. The exception to that is not paying taxes, don't pay taxes...go to jail or get hounded by the IRS which is worse than jail. At least in jail you get meds, food, tv, shelter and someone to watch over you:)

Whether it come from the states themselves or the Feds, taxpayers get the bill either way.

...and we wonder why big business is running overseas. They don't want to pay the bill for a government that can't keep itself in check.

Oh, but bail them out so they can pay their executives.

I agree whole heartly with you pjam and JD.

i love your comment we need to kick all those old politicians that know all the sistem and know how to grab the monney from our pokets.

Sue the GOP because it would be not good for business to allow the Government to monitor wall-street or any companies. Only companies should monitor themselves and not the Government.

Lawence, I don't understand your comment. Wasn't it a GOP president and congress that deregulated Wall St.? How did that go for us? Enron ringing any bells? Unfortunately, to big business, ethics has simply become murals on a wall and scruples are a form of Russian currency.

Sue the Dems for ripping off the Social Security.

What about the Republicans? They voted for the budgets that raided the SS fund. Not thinking just spending.

hell yes....

Sue Obama for wanting the loans back with interest!

As I`ve said before, both sides are guilty. And why I made light of the Dems. here, is because LBJ was the one who came up with the idea of taking the SS money, in both the late 50`s and after he took office in the 60`s. Yes, the Repubs. are just as much to blame, for not having the guts to try and stop it. Both side wanted to spend spend spend on all their little pork projects. Hey, gotta keep the ones happy who paid to get them in office.

The problem is that most of those who put them in office never paid much in taxes. The rich had their deductions for crap and the poor had their whine about poverty, and the Democrats of the Nanny State to protect them. Result--the working class gets the screw job---now more so than ever because the SS trust fund is empty because those same politicians stole the funds to give away to their pet constutuents and projects.

It is becoming much like mimicking a reality TV show. Our Government wishes we could imagine that the economy is turning around, yet we continue to hear of job losses increasing and homes going into foreclosure. If the Government wishes States to pay back interest then boost the economy by providing people with jobs so they can pay taxes. Stop allowing other countries to buy up our businesses and lands. Keep jobs in America. Offer firms that have moved overseas incentives to move back and have products MADE IN AMERICA. Think of all the monies we gave to Wall Street and Big Banks, etc. bailouts! And they continue to give large bonuses as usual. Are they willing to help America? as America has helped bail them out? I do not think so. Greed and power runs rampart in the upper echelons of our society. Until we begin a realistic turn around in our economy the States should be allowed to extend what they owe the government interest free, how do you ever expect them to pay it back. So many States are now cutting bare bones expenses on the poorest people in their States. I originally had anticipated Obama would bring fresh air, change. Oh, yes, that is happening but not in a positive light. A lot of it I feel is Democrats and Republicans and all of their pull and tug tactics with one another, I do not sense a unified government whatsoever. Where has gone the "For the people, by the people." Lost in a sea of personal ambitions with so many of our politicians. They continue to spend millions to get elected and how does that even begin to serve our country. So many of us feel helpless within this dark forest that has grown and shut out the light. I am sick and tired as is most of our fellow Americans. Look how anyone in office once they retire maintains their salaries and perks, that they voted in themselves, do you think the people would have voted for this and it continues on, monies throw out the windows forever. What job have you ever had that would do this for you. Senseless and certainly not for the people it is for themselves. I could write volumes but I am tired and so disappointed in how this country if managed. I often think about Ralph Nader and how he was ostracizes by the two dominant parties. To me he was a bare bones man who believed in the people and was not your usual politician. And I think they were afraid of him that he might turn the tides of change we so needed, so they kept him out. What independent man or woman truly had a chance in the political arena we presently have?

Judy;

per my posts above, some of us see what's going on for what it is..... there MAY be hope yet!

Sometimes things have to collapse before they can expand. Americans always react to a crisis, generally it wakes them up and gets things going. We have gotten fat and complacent over the years, long as we were comfortable we could afford to turn a blind eye. We have also been lied to by professionals and lied to for years. Those who saw the lies and issued warnings were marginalized, ridiculed and told to shut-up. It's happening right now. Our president is a flim-flam man, talks a good line, looks good on camera while campaigning incessantly, but what has he really done? Ditto the congress.

Those who question the current administration are run through the demonization, ridicule machine. Have a problem with the current healthcare bill? If you do then you're a racist and a hater. Don't question a 2,500pg bill (is it even possible to decipher that much verbage?) It's helping a lot of people, which is wonderful, we need the help but how do we pay for it? Rather like a family deeply in debt, needing a car so Dad goes out and buys a top of the line luxury car. Mom says, how can we pay for it and Dad says, not to worry, we'll put it on a credit card and defer the payments and keep deferring the payments until eventually we're broke, the credit card company (government) is broke and there's no one left that the family can get money from ( in the case of the government it would be no country left to borrow from and taxpayers so squeezed that they resemble lemon rinds so no help there.) So, they declare bancruptcy.

Open your eyes wider, you are only seeing part of it. Obama extended unemployment so far that none of our states will survive it. The US gov loaned the states money to pay for extended unemployment. The states can't barley afford to pay the INTEREST on these loans. Know who takes over when the state fails? Scray isn't it? The government also extended the Patriot act (Obama lied and signed it again) that takes away our privacy and has now made a bill that will allow the government to shut down the Internet like a communist country (Iran) so that they can remove our best vessel for free speech. Our government removing everything our forefathers fought for right from under our nose.

LOL!!! You are the Government.. SO you are going to SUE YOURSELF...

Bingo!

Why cut the throat or bite the hand that feeds you?

lucy-263358....Why you ask ?? Because Americans are acting like chickens

And if real chickens knew who Frank Perdue really was, they wouldn't be

lining up for the free food.

Mike: I love the chicken comparison. As to the earlier post regarding RVing, I've been wanting to do that for awhile now, and I think more people are looking at the idea more seriously. With Illinois taxing the citizens into the ionosphere and many other states to follow suit there won't be any place that escapes crippling taxation to bolster crumbling infrastructures.

Continuing your poultry analogies: I'm reminded of the goose that laid the golden egg with taxpayers being the goose. Most people don't know the fable and how the goose's owners killed the goose to see if there were any more eggs inside. Wall street, big corporations, banks and politicians are the owners of said goose. That they don't see that the destruction that they create in the name of greed ultimately devalues the very money they're so greedy for amazes me.

wrong the extensions are federal so the states owe nothing for the extensions!!

Can you provide a link as proof to them claims Band-2782916? I am sure that the bill for them bennies will be forwarded to the state once they are tallied up.

Oh and just so you don't work too hard looking for that link, you should also realize that it does not matter if the extensions are federal, because we will still be paying for them in the end! WAKE UP!

I guess Band-2782916 and anyone who supports his response is collecting unemployment. Otherwise what difference does it make where it comes from? Someone is going to have to pay for it, be it in state or Federal taxes.

So now what Mr. Smart guy?

No it doesn't. As the article stated this is just for the states to pay for the initial 26 weeks or so and all the extensions are paid with federal dollars.

Obama was not the only one to extend unemployment. It was a deal cut with the GOP. The GOP knew the stipulation in order to extend the Bush Tax cuts was to agree on the 13 month extension of unemployment.

Please stop providing half of the facts. The fact is that the GOP is just as to blame for this bill as Obama and the Dems. I sure hope the GOP can deliver on the jobs as they said would happen if we did not tax business.

Would you rather having millions of out of work people be living on the streets Stellar? Someone before mentioned they would even flip burgers. Not many of those jobs opening up either. Now what needs to happen is bring back tariffs if the great US industrial machine wants to keep exporting jobs. Don't blame the unions either. Union workers only do what they are told, all they can do, as well as non-union workers. Much blame can be put on not only CEO's and managers of these factories because they are the leaders who plan what and how to make products. Union workers, the few left, only do what they are told to do. They are also making the wage, health care and retirement concessions, few executives are. And as for cutting social security, how is that going to balance the budget? Just the fact that the government won't have to pay back the trust fund as much? It is true many on unemployment resist taking jobs less than what unemployment benefits are. The benefits are already only 30 or so percentage of what working wages are. Who can afford even deeper cuts? I give the GOP 6 months to show improvement in the jobs market before asking where are the jobs. That is 6 months more than was given the Dems.

Do you think it really matters if the states owe the money for the numerous extensions or the Feds???? Don't they both get their money from your pockets??? The only way it may matter is if you are in a state with very high unemployment, the Feds can spread that debt out over the other states, thereby screwing their residents.

Re-read the article... The extension is funded with Federal $'s - not by the states... and yes, we will all be paying for it, regardless. And NO... I am not collecting unemployment.

Preface: When I use caps, I want the emphasis put on the words in caps; I want to set those words out so they are clearly seen, or they are initials, like 'GOP'. I'm not yelling.

Wait a minute. Greater Days Ahead is right - the GOP flat out delivered the ultimatum that, if tax breaks for the wealthiest (passed in 2001 and 2003 by the Republican House and Senate, and signed by the Republican President) weren't extended in the lame duck session, the GOP would block all the rest of legislation that needed to get done. They agreed to a 13-month extension of UI benefits for a TWO YEAR EXTENSION OF THE TAX BREAKS FOR THE WEALTHY.

Then there's this little factoid that has been floating around for several weeks in political discussions: The Corporate/Business world has been hoarding $2 TRILLION. No hiring. No investing over here. A lot of that money is offshore. Those would be the corporate buddies of the GOP and many of the significant contributors to their last campaigns.

Since it was the corporate world which laid off over 15 million employees, why hasn't the corporate world been paying those UI benefits all along? Well, the article states that various states have granted these entities great UI tax breaks in order to attract their businesses to those states.

Well, it's time for the CORPORATE world to pony up. They caused this mess. They laid off the people. Their Boards of Directors, CEOs, etc., got the big fat tax breaks on the even bigger compensation packages. Not just millions per year. NO. Tens to hundreds of millions per year for those Fortune 500 CEOs. Google it.

The article also said this:

And a bill was introduced in Arizona this month that would temporarily raise taxes on employers to repay both the principal and interest of the $258 million the state has had to borrow so far. One of the bill’s sponsors, State Representative Bob Robson, a Republican representing Chandler, said that many businesses understand the need to take action.

This sounds like the right approach to take. Why should states lay off even more people, cut more benefits and salaries, which will cost the state at the other end of the candle (you know, burning both ends...) in social programs when the affected workers begin to qualify through the means testing, and in medical costs when these employees can no longer afford COBRA or any health care?

If these corporations want to play, they have to pay, just like all the rest of us. And yes, 20% of our population controls about 85% of the wealth - thanks to deregulation and those happy little tax breaks.

http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

Instead of borrowing from state pension funds, and state rainy day funds, and increasing taxes on the workers and people getting UI (yes, UI is taxed as income), why aren't the ones who made this mess paying for it?

Every state that is going to owe interest, and every state that raided its back-up funds should be passing laws immediately and proportionately to make those who laid people off, hoarded money that could have been used to hire them back, and which are refusing to hire or invest to pick up this tab. It was Wall Street (stock market, CDOs, hedge fund managers, etc.) that ran this economy into the ground and those corporations all get the money that every investor put into Wall Street.

Make THEM pay. Taxpayers already bailed out big corps and mega-banks.

And along those lines, corporations and businesses that pay their full time workers so little that those workers qualify for FS and Medicaid can start ponying up on those costs, too. If they are cutting what used to be full time jobs into part time in order to avoid benefits, let them pick up the associated tabs for THAT.

Here's a PDF link to a summary article updated and published July 2010, by an often-cited economist, Emmanuel Saez, at Berkeley. The charts show income with and without capital gains. Note that in the top 1% experienced a certain small percentage decrease from 2007 to 2008 because of stock markets (capital gains type income) but their earned incomes actually increased a little.

http://www.econ.berkeley.edu/~saez/saez-UStopincomes-2008.pdf

The sad fact skeptic-227981 is that you are sooo right about it. But now, what to do about it?

So we raise the taxes on these corporations, who already feel that they pay too much in the US for labor and taxes, so they can pack up their shops and move them elsewhere? They already feel they can do it cheaper and faster in countries that don't ask for higher wages, better benefits, and business taxes.

Actually, you might have the right idea there. Get some of the dead weight out of the country to make room for someone who has the same idea, and might do it better, but has never had the chance because he or she already works for an employer who makes that.

@ Stellar07

typical uneducated minion....

fed extends fed is responsible

those on unemployment are victims for the most part. Yes you will have a few sponges, but for the most part good people have been screwed over massively

The corporations have a good gripe about paying too much in taxes!! But they are the ones that fatten the pockets on the campaign trail!! When President Bush made the announcemnet about the financial meltdown, there were banks that went under, but the CEO's WALKED away with MILLIONS!! They cried for stimulus money, a buyer, or Federal Reserve take over!! But those same banks in our community, kept on building new banks, while the employees were getting laid off!! Guess they'll get the contruction workers to wait on the customers since the tellers were gone!! Those same handful of banks who got $250 Billion in stimulus money, paid about $4 Billion in campaign contributions(to both parties) for the 2008 elections!! Look at the campaign fundraising for the 2010 and it wasn't even a presidental election year!!

Please don't be fooled!! The banks are not the only Corporates doing this!!

Our Tax System does need a serious overhaul!! However, you have to question the loyalty of some of these corporations toward the American people!!

Our politicians need to finally get started on the Job issue in this country!! Try and invent something and see how easy it is to get your product sold in some of these foreign countries!! But, imports flow into American like the largest water dam!!

JD, thanks. Rant alert in response to your question - not directed at you, but venting in general what I think should be done. LOL :)

The reality is, many corporations find that moving their operations cost a lot more than they think. First, upstart and training for the skills needed. Then they have to put up with other governments who might just think it's time THEY got a piece of the pie. And those comfy little execs may not be interested in staying in these foreign countries if what they are used to having at the drop of a phone call isn't available there. Leave execs here to run it? Oh no. If the corp moves, they have to move. That should be another little law. They also forget about the political power they lose when moving the business. It costs money to buy that power - why aren't they just doing their fair share in this country to support and defend the ones who made them who they are now? If they can buy the power, they can d@mn well put some Americans to work. Those are examples of the trade-offs.

As for 'they feel they pay too much in taxes', I have the chart somewhere in my several gigabytes of stored documents, but the fact is, corporate taxes are only about 2-4%. Wouldn't we ALL like to have that tax rate.

In 2009, Citicorp, GE, and BofA paid zero in corporate taxes. Zero.

That old 'we pay too much in taxes' mantra is a scam. These corps benefit from all the money we put into our own education and training, use that for THEIR profits, and then tell us we're only worth so much by threatening us with - "we can move, you know". So let them. But the money they accumulated here stays here. That should be a law. And I do firmly believe that there are millions out there, who, if given a decent shot at the market, could do things better, more fairly, and still pay decent wages to U.S. workers. And why aren't they contributing to the skill development and education of the workers they claim is necessary to do their jobs?

We shouldn't be importing anymore than we export. Ever. We shouldn't import from countries that have constant quality control issues where people and pets die, our Mother's Day flowers are soaked in deadly pesticides every year (banned in this country), our houses fall apart because of shoddy building materials, or they keep trying to hack into our corp systems to steal our ideas. That should be a frickin' no brainer. Use lead in glazes in our dishes or children's candy? Ban it. All of it, til the problem is resolved and we have proof for one consistent year. Generic meds causing illness and death because the manufacturing process is KNOWN to be shoddy? - don't allow the product in the country for a year til they clean up their acts. (The FDA actually did stop some shipments of generics by one manufacturer at the docks because the manufacturer consistently ignored FDA quality control requirements).

Surely, we can find someone in this country to make baby bibs, plastic toys with safe materials, manufacture generic drugs apart from the big pharms, and manufacture our own pet food, for Pete's sake. These banks we bailed out? They need to start lending the money we gave them instead of sitting on it or paying off their old bills - or face stiff penalties which can help offset some of our budget deficit.

And if they keep devaluing their currencies, tariff the daylights out of the products until THEY see the light. LOL

But as for states having to pay interest on these loans for UI benefits, our corporations and businesses that laid people off should be footing that bill. It will help them make more careful decisions about firing perfectly good employees. If they want their corporate taxes to go down, reductins can be tied proportionately to the number of workers who no longer have to rely on government programs like Food Stamps, Medicaid, and state health plans just to make ends meet. Since many programs, like SCHIP, the national health care provision for children is available to those earning up to +/- $88,000 for a family of 4, yeah, you read that right, then two earners should be able to earn enough between them to put them over the 200% level of poverty. That's how the measurement was arrived at. SCHIP, by the way, is fully funded by increased taxes on tobacco products only. Smokers and tobacco users are the only ones paying for that program - whether their own kids qualify or not.

This is America. Why are full time employees having to use government programs after working (usually at very hard and stressful jobs) all day or all night? It's insane.

What can we do? We can nag the you-know-what out of our legislators to get these changes in place and if they don't, just don't re-elect them. Start cultivating people to run in the next election (sane, viable, credible potential candidates, not some of the characters we just had to listen to for 8 months) who show the potential to do what needs to be done.

We can, and some already do, buy as much product made here as possible, unless the trade agreements are fair and import/export is pretty equal. And give credit where credit is due - if another country makes an item better than we do, then so be it. We either bring up our standards or buy their products with the understanding that they buy equal amounts of some of ours.

The next thing to do is lobby and push for the breaking up of these mega-corps, these oligopolies. One of the main problems in the foreclosure process right now is, no one has a clue who has what paperwork or which property is currently mortgaged by which bank. Try turning in a 30-50 page college paper without the bibliography and telling the prof you don't remember where you saw it, but you did see it, trust you. I don't think that would even occur to anybody to do.

Bernie Madoff was able to get away with what he did because he could generate paperwork that looked believable to his investors (victims). Strict accounting of what's in that paperwork, how it was generated, by whom, and when, is imperative in all financial transactions.

For every month that these corporations hoard that $2 trillion and don't hire at significant levels, they should be taxed up the amount it's costing the government - with interest included - until they come to their senses and start contributing to the country that allowed them to make those trillions.

It seems to me like we have been treating these banks, Wall Street, and oligopolies like gods and that has to stop. They are sucking everything out of this country and leaving us all on the curb. It's OUR work and OUR purchasing that made them big. It's time they developed a little corporate conscience and became good "corporate citizens", a phrase that was bandied about quite a lot in the 90s.

Yeah, unemployment should not be taxable income. But even then, few collecting those measly benefits will be paying tax on it so will be an extra bit in their returns. 60 or 66% tax increase is from 3% to 5%, bringing Illinois closer to what those in neighboring states pay now. Still lower than most of the neighboring states.

I understand that people are in need of help, however, if the states have to tax it then so be it...everyone else that works has to pay taxes so that you can receive those "benefits" so please do not complain about a 10% tax on the free money your getting while the rest of us bust our butts to earn a living and still have no choice but to pay those taxes.

Unions are terrorist organizations.

Banks and company CEO's are terrorists and both the GOP and Dem governments support them.

Everyone got a 2% reduction in their FICA contribution. The IL state tax went up by 2%. Net impact to IL residents: $0

howabout instead of the government playing unemployment, force the worthless companies that laid them off to pay their unemployment. OH MY GOD! I JUST CAME UP WITH THE BEST IDEA EVER AT THE DROP OF A HAT!!!

best idea ever youdaman! One step further..pay that at 100%! Bet they wouldn't lay anyone off.

Illinois also has one of the highest gas taxes, property taxes, they have not found anything they do not like to tax yet. They have decided to also raise the corporate tax. Let's see how much revenue they generate........I will wager less than what they were bringing in from the tax rates to start with and lose corporations, jobs and the tax base that went with them. Illinois is at junk bond status now, and are trying to go improve their rating by raising taxes. Does not one bit of good if you have not lowered your expenditures, and surely we could not do that first.

Illinois moving up the tax charts

January 14, 2011|By Bill Ruthhart, Tribune reporter

Illinois taxpayers long have paid higher than average sales and property taxes while the state's gasoline tax consistently has ranked among the nation's most expensive.

But they always could count on the country's lowest individual income tax (of those states that have one) to help balance out the other taxes.

At least that was the case until early Wednesday, when the Illinois Legislature's decision to raise the income tax 67 percent, from the current 3 percent to 5 percent, promised to pack on pounds to the overall tax burden carried by taxpayers from Chicago to Cairo.

You are NOT the ONLY ONE that has NEVER COLLECTED Unemployment!!!

what???????????????????/

Well then Ron, allow me to pass you the bed pan so you don't have to run to the bathroom to get sick.

LOL!!! WTF??? Thanks

You must have a government job. or close to it!

What a BS'er!!!

Stellar, I have never collected a days worth of unemployment in my life either. I was "let go" a year and a half ago because of company cutbacks. Since then, I have busted my a** on side jobs anywhere I can to try and pay the bills. The whole time I have been looking for a real job that doesn't seem to exist. Every day when I don't have side work, I am looking thru local news papers & the Internet for a real job. I have gone to the unemployment office for job leads ONLY, and when I get to where ever they send me, guess what? There's 50 people there for one job...most sent from the unemployment office. It's frustrating as hell !! I have 25 years of extensive electrical and mechanical experience in industrial maintenance, a automotive technology diploma, and 10 years of upper level management experience, six sigma training, lean manufacturing training, 5S training, and list of other credentials to go with these. I have been told on many occasions that I am "over qualified" and don't get the job. What the hell is "over qualified"!!!! Oh yea, did I mention that I have a broken back and suffer severe nerve damage to the point that lawyers have contacted me trying to get me to go on disability??? I am sure that they are only interested in getting their 20-30% commission from my case if I were to apply. Yet I am out there every day trying my best. It also makes me sick to see so many people abuse and use the system, while I am out there trying to earn a honest living any way I can. But you know what? I have a clear consience in knowing that whatever I have in life, I earned!! The old fashioned hard way! I worked for it!!!

And God help the would be thief who is too lazy to work that trys to steal ANYTHING that I have worked so hard for, because if I catch them in the act, I will make sure they get to meet him face to face.

It's not God that they will meet but Beezlebub the fallen angel.

I have been on Unemployment in the past. I was because of a "temporary lay off" until the plant closed. I feel no shame in taking those benefits, since my taxes paid into it until I became unemployed. Upon opening my own business, I dropped my benefits because I didn't need them. I take no shame in not collecting when I could make my own. Unfortunately, the bottom fell out the beginning of last year and I had to close the doors. As the owner, I cannot collect benefits now. That's part of the risk in running a business.

I am the same as you ELH-602027, in that I have extensive Electro-Mechanical industrial knowledge, six sigma, lean, and other team environment styles. I also have project management and project engineering experience because of my business. I happened to luck into a job the beginning of this month, that starts at the end of the month. You have absolutely no idea how greatful I am to be going back to work, because I hate sitting around the house. I do wish you the best of luck in your search, and hope you find something soon. If not, consider opening your own. Yes, it's a risk, however I would say that the rewards of success and employing others can sometimes (yes, only sometimes...) be more rewarding then working for someone else.

So what's the point of this? It's a simple one. I'm glad you have never had to feel the sting of having to be on unemployment Stellar. I'm glad you have never had cut damn near everything out of your budget because you aren't making enough to keep the lights on or heat in your house. I'm glad you have never had to look at your kids during Christmas, as they open the presents your family bought them and put your names on it because you couldn't afford anything for them. You see, I would not sell drugs or fraud the system because I have pride and integrity. It is an experience most humbling, I can assure you. However, I did use the benefits which I paid into since I was 15 (...and that is a long time, I'm just not going to date myself [working 25 years]). While the paycheck stopped coming, because the company couldn't do it as cheap here, the bills didn't stop coming. I hope you don't ever have to feel that sting Stellar.

Whoa! ELH-602027, you are preaching to the choir buddy!

Employees only contribute to the unemployment funds in 3 states. In the other 47 states, the state and federal unemployment contributions are 100% employer funded. I wish people would stop saying they paid into these funds when they really didn't. My apologies, JD, if you are in NJ, FL, or PA....the only states where employees contribute anything.

Where did you get the fact that employees pay unemployment taxes in FL? NOT TRUE. People do pay in CA.

POINT: Most people responding know so little it is astonishing!

Stellar 7 was a crap IBM Compatible game of the early 1990's.

That may be one silver lining.

and thas howyou get the ball rolling,you are on the money

band, i like your style. you know whats going on. i say we show up at these ceo's doorsteps with pitchforks and torches- and get our country's money back... these fat cats dont deserve to laugh all the way to the bank with money bags while we suffer.

1) Who is the "they" who would be able to lay-off the CEOs?

2) There would NOT be a stampede to the top if the max pay was $200K. Those people may be clawing their way to the top right now, because they eventually want to earn 10's of millions. The best would just strike out on their own if pay the pay is brought down to earth where they currently work. Millions of employees could thus lose their jobs via even poorer management than these companies might have right now. That doesn't do anyone any good.

3) If all the CEOs of all major US corporations were fired, and their ENTIRE compensation packages were banked instead, it wouldn't even make an economic dent. Your plan wouldn't work anyway.

I knew it...

You know, the part about you collecting unemployment.

How many of them 3% do you figure are in Government or Banking in some way? What about the other 2%?

Actually, it's 20% controlling 85% of the wealth. And 1% of that figure in Government and Banking? Probably not. There are higher paying jobs out there. The average salary of a multi-national corporate CEO is ten to twelve times what our president makes.

Belton... Let me HELP YOU....

DC... HAS Zero Dollars... They borrow to keep Running ever YEAR since 1865....but in the 1980's, that's when the Real Borrowing started...

And... Its is going to be real soon, when you find out the hard way that Wall Street is the Real Man behind the Curtain...

They better have all the Jets on the Runway and LINED UP with their Engines Running... Its Coming at Break Neck Speed

ron-1895187

american politics is the biggest soap opra ever. im pretty sure you have your business straight so why cant the politician follow the lead of the hard working americans that pay them for the drama the give the people

Because it is SIMPLY Easier to SPEND the FUTURE GENERATIONS MONEY then to Deal with it...

Or Have you NOT Noticed all the People who are Bailing OUT of Congress lately???

They are Leaving wht the Gettin is GOOD... I heard K BailING OUT Hutchensen is Leaving... ANYONE ... SH@@CKED...

Ron -

When you figure out who is really behind the curtain, you will wish it was Wall Street...

Hey Arizona...

I have a question... Who has Taken More houses then the US Government????

and these states owe washington big money but every chance they get they want to blame washington for everything now i see the problem washington wants that money back.

Sorry for all that went on in your state. Such a sin. the guy was a wack job. Plain and simple. I pray for all of you down there! Wish I could carry up here. It will never happen.

Belton... You forgot to Answer the Question...

Here is the Answer: WALL STREET has Taken MORE HOUSES then the US Government EVER!!!

The U.S. Government in their incestuous relationship with FreddieMac & FannieMae currently hold over 50% of all mortgages in the U.S..... Billions of tax dollars are pumped in regularly to Freddie and Fannie to prop them up. When they finish to go belly-up and the Federal Government takes them over....The U.S. Government will own over half the homes in America. Make your mortgage check payable to the U.S.Treasury. In effect eventually we will all be living in Government Housing.

They did it with Student Loans, by passing legislation hidden in the ObamaCare bill.....taking over and putting an entire sector of banking out of business. Just with the stroke of a pen....No debate, no public hearings....just did it.

There is nothing to stop them from taking over the mortgage industry. And they will tell us they "had" to do it to save us.

Government Housing for all. What is that sounding like ??

Guess who's paying for the insurance to banks for defaulted mortgages? Clue, it's not just the insurance companies. Another clue, bailouts.

Never let a crisis go to waste...Oh, and BTW, what would happen say, if the Federal Reserve Bank were removed from the equasion? Say the government said, Fed Reserve, little buddy, we don't want to pay you interest on money that we can coin ourselves as a nation. We here by declare that the money you got to fund European banks and other undisclosed receivers is all the money you'll ever get from us again, we're paid up. Goodbye...That right there would go a long way to solving the debt crisis.

One can always dream, right?

and then sobi, they cut taxes right at the time the wars began and borrowed the money to pay for the wars. Now would be a good time not to only raise taxes to the 2001 levels, but to double up on that for the very top earners who profited from the wars.

Of course, since most government debt is short term, that means we would have one helluva tax hike to pay off the debt in the next year or two. Don't forget all of your government savings bonds and the like would have to be bought, because that's part of the debt.

We should pay our bills. Make taxes consistent with spending and the repayment of the debt (obviously over a very long time). Of course this may be a tough time to do that. Just remember when the politician says, when times are good, we can't raise taxes to repay the debt we incurred when times were bad it may precipitate a recession, he is buying your vote with your money. No politician will ask YOU to be responsible. They will curry favor with their patrons. And play to your fears. A TRULY INFORMED electorate might help. Not likely.

If we did away with government we would at least have to keep the treasury to borrow money from China to give to us so would could buy stuff from China.

WRT to sending money to China. In 1972 during my first big design project I was told that we had to buy American wherever possible. So I bought Texas Instruments electronics which came stamped made in Taiwan (and a few other Asian countries). The other Chinas.

Tell me, how we the people can together (i.e. the government) or individually buy something that does not send money to China, India, etc., a Whirled Economy you know. I suppose we could have government controlled business - ugh - socialism, communism etc. Wow talk about inflation.

When I was a teenager in the 50's the prediction that Europe was recovering from WWII and would give us stiff competition and that by the end of the century China would dominate world markets. Seems they were right. All we do is complain, do not act, and complain, and complain.

We are kaput. So let's all point at each other. 1, 2, 3 ____— it's Harry, it's Obama, it's George it's us.

Cavalier-416769....Politicians of every stripe at every level of government used every trick in the book to make it look like they were doing a great job, insuring their re-election till they at least had enough to guarantee their comfortable retirement. And they knew it could never come back on them. Look at all the former this and former that on TV...still collection Government pensions blaming each others side for the mess we are in.

they do not work for obama, he works for them. hes the man running the shell game to keep us all occupied in the hopes we cant see whats really going on.

like its already been said people are waking up and starting to see the truth, and the goverment is trying its hardest to tighten the noose making it harder and harder to fight back.

Bet your Last Dollar on that ONE!!! Foreclosures will be Higher Next Year!!!

editori, I hadnt thought of that one. Yes, property taxes are getting so high that I do think propetty taxes will start to be another cause of people losing their houses.

actually if you look it up foreclosures are suppose to peak this year so the worst is not over. however when you reach a peak only one way to go.. thats the good news!!

The foreclosure problem and forfieture due to taxes are serperate issue.

Seizing a property for unpaid property taxes when it's under mortgage means the government will end up in court doing battle with the mortgage company for ownership, or the mortgage company will have to pay off the property tax.

It's a lose/lose propisition for both of them.

Denial or NOT...

Back in the 40's People making 400k would have been paying a 91% Tax Rate....

in the 60, they would have been paying 75%

in the 70's they paid 64%

So we are NOW down to 35% for someone making 200k to infinity... And that is NOT the effective tax rate after all DEDUCTIONS, that is Why Buffet paid 16% and his Secretary was paying 35%...

SEE THE PICTURE

it is true soon or later this will be no mans land

Ron -

100 years ago there was no income tax, so what is your point?

As far as the 40's, how many people made 400k back then when the average salary was less than $1500 per year? In 2008 the average salary was 50k so to tax the equivilent of the 40's 91% rate would take a salary of $13 million now.

And if Buffett's secretary makes enough to be taxed at 35%, I want that job!

Found the article about Buffett. With his low tax rate he 'only' paid 8.25 million in taxes. And his low rate is aided by the fact that most of his income is not salary, but capital gains.

As far as the secretary, the percentage reported makes no sense with a 60k income. The marginal rate for a single is only 25% with that salary, and after the std deduction the taxes due are $9757. That's an overall percentage of 16.2% which is lower than Buffett at 17.7%. And Buffett did pay $8.24 million more in actual dollars.

Ron... You are buying into the hype that those tax rates of 90% were actually paid. EVERYTHING you spent was practically deductible back then. When they dropped the tax rates they also removed a lot of the deductibles. When it comes to actual revenue being collected it went up dramatically.

Don't let the liberal talking points fool you by leaving out MOST of the big picture.

Just in case, you want some numbers to help you understand..

If you made $10,000 back then and you were able to deduct $8000 of it, then paid 90% tax on the remaining $2000, you ended up with a tax bill of $1800.

If you used modern formulas back then, you would only be able to deduct about $3000 from your income of $10,000 leaving $7000 to be taxed at 30% which gives you a tax bill of $2100 dollars.

Which system took more money away from taxpayers? the 90% rate, or the 30% rate?

And NOT even a Thank You card from one of those BASTARDS Either!!!

Entitlements need to be cut. People need to realize that if thye have children that they cant afford, the taxpayer is NOT going to foot the bill. If people dont want to work, they need to know that the taxpayer is NOT going to pay for them. And on and on.

so what are they to do? Throw the kids out of the house? Ever thought they might have had those kids when they were working for a living wage but now their jobs moved to China through no fault of their own?

They can plant seeds and grow food. Wake up long before dawn milk the cow and make cloths from feed bags. Hunt and trap just as my grandparents did. We call it personal responsibility.

The politicians get us to only think about cutting services to the people. The vilify good ideas that are best for the people but not best for them and their fiefdoms.

Think out side THEIR box. DON'T CUT SERVICES cut the bureaucracy. They say "You can't do that! That would be terrible!" As opposed to what they are doing that is tragic?

Get rid of the IRS . Repeal and replace the tax system with a Fair Tax. This would eliminate BILLIONS in bureaucratic bull s. But they come out with their 10 second sound bites to vilify it. Do the same with just about every other bureaucratic program. Keep the services, get rid of their fiefdoms. Repeal what is best for the career politicians and replace with what is actually best for the People.

All it takes is to vote for candidates that will actually DO it. Not the career politicians who have shown that they won't. Outside the box? check this out:

copy and search the following (RECLAIMING AMERICA through "SINGLE ISSUE" CONVENTIONS by Kacprowicz citizen initiatives) click on the ORG result then click on SINGLE ISSUE CONVENTIONS It is outside the box. It can be done also. Their spin says it is dangerous. What they are doing is more dangerous. Also check out Constitutional Convention in Wikipedia. And remember that only 1/4 of the Constitutional Convention delegates that love the Constitution can stop it from being destroyed. I trust that.

Stephen,

Let me add my two cents worth: Abolish the Department of Education.

Can anyone name one useful thing it does?

(School lunches could be provided by the Department of Agriculture - they could pay for them with the subsidies they pay farmers to tell them what to grow and not grow.)

Economan: Great post! Aside from the Department of Education, the same question can be asked of almost every Federal Agency, not to mention the "rates of pay, benefits and pensions for Federal and many STATE workers.

Federal and State Governments are ALL 'ridiculously OVER-BLOATED with USELESS and/or EXTREMELY WASTEFUL and INEFFICIENT agencies.

INow, The Congress votes to EXTEND benefits that states are FORCED to pay? I smell some "serious Supreme Court cases in the works?"

peace :-)

Dean, I actually plan to grow a vegetable garden this spring. I figure I can use half my yard, I would have 270sf and go vertical as much as possible. Chickens and other live stock is out of the question though, not many cities or towns would allow that. Maybe I will take up hunting, but fishing I doubt I would...too much Mercury and other pollutants from those same industries that laid everyone off. I don't mind the rags I have. I even have some rather nice pieces of clothing that I should be able to fit back into after I eat all them veggies. Maybe my doctor will take some fresh produce for payment if I get sick. Yeah, right. How about business taking some more responsibility and pay their fair share of taxes and quite exporting jobs. Where is their loyalty to the people that built their companies through hard labor? Without them, their business would only exist on paper as unfulfilled dreams.

rednawt: The businesses that scampered off did so because of the 'not so free trade agreements' Think about it. How can you compete globally against a country like China? They don't regulate the work safety, the employee safety, they don't tax companies, make the employer pay half the social security bill and a host of other items that companies have to comply with here. In China political dissidents are used as slave labor. "Enemies of the State" aka Criminals, were executed en masse and their organs were harvested from their bodies.

The playing field was not level and American businesses couldn't compete against third world manufacturing that destroyed the environments. Free trade has been very costly to American business and not in a good way.