December 20, 2010

Me versus Democrats on jobs

Americans Are Looking For Jobs.
I haven't been posting all that much this month for a couple of reasons. A while back I lost my job so I've been busy interviewing and looking for a new job.  Things have been looking pretty promising on that front which bodes well for getting back to more political posts, and of course for me as well.  Being out of work is not fun. Of course Congress, the lame duck Congress mind you, is happily extending unemployment benefits for another two years or some such nonsense. That just seems like a national paid vacation for a bunch of people.  Of course some people need help.  But as others have said, the social safety net isn't meant to be a hammock.

I digress.

The other reason I haven't been posting is that it's the holiday season and I've been busy getting ready for Christmas.  Merry Christmas by the way.  That's right, I said it.  Again.

I expect to be back to regular posting soon after the holidays.  That's because I expect to be back at work and back on my regular schedule.  Why do I expect to be back at work? I feel confident about my prospects.

In my post about losing my job, I made the following comment;
Being laid off gives me a chance to practice what I preach about the government backing off and letting the private sector, as much as possible, handle it's own affairs.
Am I worried? Of course, a little bit. But I'm also confident that I will outperform my severance coverage period in being re-hired. Contrast that feeling, which granted could be misguided optimism, with this;
...And many Democrats felt that they held the high moral ground on the issues -- reauthorization of unemployment benefits extensions (regardless of cost) and giving the lowest income earners more or their money to put back into a flagging economy, not to mention taking the extra income from the reapplied taxes to the wealthiest (which would begin in the new year) to pay for federal programs and forestall increasing the national debt (which extending all of the Bush tax cuts for two years increases by $458 billion).
"I don't think it's a fair deal," Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) said. "I think a ransom was paid, and it was a very high price."...
In the end, however, after all the posturing and rhetoric has been put on display, the measure will no doubt see passage. Both parties know that to not vote for the unemployment benefits extensions would be a very unpopular move. They also know that to allow the deadline for the Bush tax cuts for everyone would be another extremely unpopular move. And since every politician's basic instinct is to perpetuate his/her tenure in office, there will be compromise.
Perhaps. But, ironically, the possibility exists that Democrats, who have long lambasted Republicans for their unwillingness to compromise, could thwart the proposed efforts to find a little common ground, pushing the Bush tax cuts beyond the deadline and watching the long-term unemployed continue without assistance into the coldest months of the year.
Am I too confident or is Congress too cowardly?  Just asking. Like most people I don't want to be unemployed.  Like most people I can't imagine being out of work for two years.  That doesn't mean it won't happen.  But if government were to pay me to be out of work for two years, and pay me to buy a new car, and stop the bank from foreclosing because I'm getting behind in my mortgage payments, I'm not going to be too motivated.  There's no fire lit under my, er, feet. 

Safety nets are good. Paid unproductivity is not.

P.S. Thanks to Paul Mitchell at Mean Ol' Meany, who was very supportive and offered to take a resume. Very cool, and not very mean at all.

5 comments:

  1. "Safety nets are good. Paid unproductivity is not."

    Truth.

    You're going to find work. I am confident you will be employed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Safety nets are good. Paid unproductivity is not."

    Truth.

    You're going to find work. I am confident you will be employed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Shamus! I'm confident too.

    ReplyDelete

Disagreement is always welcome. Please remain civil. Vulgar or disrespectful comments towards anyone will be removed.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Share This