Who has gone crazy [read post first]

[parsimonious]

This is the second time, watching the network news, when they
interview some person who has been unemployed for more than 2 years.

This person then complains that government isn't doing enough to
"create jobs" or EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS BEYOND 99 WEEKS!

Maybe I'm crazy, or simply cruel, or a sociopath. My thought,
yes thought, not feeling, is if you haven't found a job in your field
[the only field you are required to look in and still collect unemployment]
in 2 YEARS! It's time to reevaluate your life.

Maybe your field of expertise has become unnecessary, maybe you aren't
competitively skilled, compared to your peers.

Either way, ANY way, one must participate in society before criticizing it.
If one expects to be taken seriously.

 

[littletommy]

I still have a job, so I'm thankful. I think about some of my former co-workers as I'm driving to work at 4:00 in the morning, and how they are sound asleep. Then I think about how some of those guys are drawing the max amount of un-employment, and don't make half as much as me in a weeks time. I know that may sound arrogant, but I've grown accustomed to my life the way it is. Better them than me, so to speak. If I lose my job, I'll create my own job, and it won't take me 99 weeks to do it. Some of the guys I worked with are as happy as a frikken lark that they don't have to get up and go to work every morning, pay no mind to the fact that un-employment will eventually RUN OUT.

 

[88GT]

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Clearly there's no need to re-invent oneself. Or at least they don't see it.

 

[jsharmon7]

Does anyone have statistics on how many people in this country are receiving some form of government aid? How many on unemployment, food stamps, housing assistance, medicare, etc.?

 

[JetGirl]

is if you haven't found a job in your field
[the only field you are required to look in and still collect unemployment]
in 2 YEARS! It's time to reevaluate your life.

It's not just that "cut and dried".
I've had "real jobs" since I was 14 and gave up baby sitting to start working as a check out girl in a grocery store. Since then, I've had every manner of employment from that to museum curator to substitute teacher. When I was "downsized" from a sales rep job, I looked for two fricken years in every field...there were no required fields to look in (as you stated). You just had to be looking. Period. And I was... Every day/week/month - tons of applications (online, in person, phone interviews, FTF interviews) for everything from purchasing agent (which I'd done in my lifetime) to flipping burgers (which I also had done in my lifetime) and run the gamut in-between.
In an economy where there's nothing...there's nothing. There's no way to get around that fact.
And I'll tell you this much; after paying into "the system" for well over two decades, you're darn tootin' I took unemployment (for 20 weeks!). As far as I'm concerned that was MY money. I earned it by working all those years and paying into it. Think what you want about "persons" like me, but bear in mind that people aren't all from the same cookie cutter...regardless what your "thoughts" (or feelings) are about it.

 

[NYFelon]

My Brother In Law is a union certified operating engineer. He hasn't been able to find work in his field for longer than weeks at a clip in 2 years. The work simply is not there in our area. He does other work such as roofing and other labor based jobs, but geographical factors do come into play.

 

[Patternpimp]

This is the second time, watching the network news, when they
interview some person who has been unemployed for more than 2 years.

This person then complains that government isn't doing enough to
"create jobs" or EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS BEYOND 99 WEEKS!

Maybe I'm crazy, or simply cruel, or a sociopath. My thought,
yes thought, not feeling, is if you haven't found a job in your field
[the only field you are required to look in and still collect unemployment]
in 2 YEARS! It's time to reevaluate your life.

Maybe your field of expertise has become unnecessary, maybe you aren't
competitively skilled, compared to your peers.

Either way, ANY way, one must participate in society before criticizing it.
If one expects to be taken seriously.

You are being arrogant. Many people spent years of hard work let alone the expense of education and training to acquire jobs that provide a good living in the best of times. Are they expected to run to ivy tech and become medical assistants because that is the vocation they can train for in the time provided by unemployment? Grinding it out everyday looking for a job is called resolve, perhaps one day yours will be tested.

 

[confused89]

I am of the mind set that I will find work if I had to. I am not above doing any job. I will do what ever it takes to find work. I know a person that had been unemployed for a very long time. He was trying to find a job. He finally got a job.

It is not the governments job to baby sit us.

 

[hornadylnl]

I'm a buggy whip maker and have been unemployed for a century. Looks like the economy is coming full circle and I'll be employed again soon.

 

[hondatech2k2]

This is my view...
The government has in the last 6 years created a state of "dependency". They have taken over institutions, expanded unemployment, and not really actually done anything to "create jobs". This, in every sense of the word...is the beginning of a socialistic society. There are, as Jetgirl stated, those that do desire to work...and work hard at ANY job that is available to provide for their families. However, when one can simply draw a paycheck and do absolutely nothing for it.... you begin to see who the true hard workers and parasites really are. Now keep in mind, sometimes there are situations where a person just has extremely bad luck/results and cannot find sh*t. But, what you see now is the vast majority of those on extended unemployment developing the attitude of "Why do I need a job, the government will just take care of me". This is bad...very bad. This puts such a devastating burden on a system that was already unsustainable before millions more were added to it. So I offer my view.... when all else fails, it is time to turn to the "grey" area of employment- doing jobs that you do not pay taxes, work for a higher entity (self employed so to say), and..sadly have no healthcare/benefits. I will give an example so you can follow me more clearly.... I work on cars, have for many years. I am a Honda Certified master tech and have every tool I need to do any job on a Honda. If, for some reason, my career took a hit- which is very possible- and I was unable to find work in any field... I would go house to house offering my *services* to anyone that would take them. This would mean they pay less to keep their car running along with no taxes paid.. and I make money to feed my family- with no taxes paid. The same could be said for any blue collar profession really. And if things get really desperate... there is always the option of *trade skills* -I fix your car, you fix my roof (example). You see examples of this every day and pay it no attention-think Illegal Aliens. Jose Cuervo can make a decent living doing exactly this type of work... and its pure profit in your pocket. Sadly, I think we are in the beginning stages of a total meltdown... all great empires fall from within. Develop the natural skills needed to keep yourself and your family alive: Make fire, hunt, fish, build shelter, clothing, and most importantly... keep a clear mind. There are even harder times ahead, and I wish you all the best of luck.

*Disclaimer* While I am a firm believer in no taxation on your personal income (it's illegal under the Constitution), this would only be recommended as a last resort when things get really difficult.

 

[88GT]

It's not just that "cut and dried".
I've had "real jobs" since I was 14 and gave up baby sitting to start working as a check out girl in a grocery store. Since then, I've had every manner of employment from that to museum curator to substitute teacher. When I was "downsized" from a sales rep job, I looked for two fricken years in every field...there were no required fields to look in (as you stated). You just had to be looking. Period. And I was... Every day/week/month - tons of applications (online, in person, phone interviews, FTF interviews) for everything from purchasing agent (which I'd done in my lifetime) to flipping burgers (which I also had done in my lifetime) and run the gamut in-between.
In an economy where there's nothing...there's nothing. There's no way to get around that fact.
And I'll tell you this much; after paying into "the system" for well over two decades, you're darn tootin' I took unemployment (for 20 weeks!). As far as I'm concerned that was MY money. I earned it by working all those years and paying into it. Think what you want about "persons" like me, but bear in mind that people aren't all from the same cookie cutter...regardless what your "thoughts" (or feelings) are about it.

Yeah, but you've got integrity.


I've seen several fast food joints around here advertising positions available. For all the complaining people are doing about not being employed, I don't see them jumping at the opportunities that are there: those signs have been out for weeks now.

You are being arrogant. Many people spent years of hard work let alone the expense of education and training to acquire jobs that provide a good living in the best of times. Are they expected to run to ivy tech and become medical assistants because that is the vocation they can train for in the time provided by unemployment? Grinding it out everyday looking for a job is called resolve, perhaps one day yours will be tested.

I was thinking more along the lines of paralegal, but whatever floats your boat.

Arrogant is the supercilious notion that past behavior is a guarantee of future rewards rooted in an entitlement philosophy.

 

[hornadylnl]

It's not just that "cut and dried".
I've had "real jobs" since I was 14 and gave up baby sitting to start working as a check out girl in a grocery store. Since then, I've had every manner of employment from that to museum curator to substitute teacher. When I was "downsized" from a sales rep job, I looked for two fricken years in every field...there were no required fields to look in (as you stated). You just had to be looking. Period. And I was... Every day/week/month - tons of applications (online, in person, phone interviews, FTF interviews) for everything from purchasing agent (which I'd done in my lifetime) to flipping burgers (which I also had done in my lifetime) and run the gamut in-between.
In an economy where there's nothing...there's nothing. There's no way to get around that fact.
And I'll tell you this much; after paying into "the system" for well over two decades, you're darn tootin' I took unemployment (for 20 weeks!). As far as I'm concerned that was MY money. I earned it by working all those years and paying into it. Think what you want about "persons" like me, but bear in mind that people aren't all from the same cookie cutter...regardless what your "thoughts" (or feelings) are about it.

Yeah, but you've got integrity.

This.

Don't feel bad about it at all, JG.

I'm an industrial maintenance man. Over the last few years, I was given some temporary layoffs with definite return dates for a total of about 7 weeks. Had they been indefinite layoffs, I would have spent the first few weeks looking for other maintenance jobs. If it became clear that there were no maintenance jobs out there, I'd start to look at other jobs.

I don't understand why people get so hung up on a low wage position at the bottom of a fast food restaurant or retail store. So you're (you as in the collective you, not YOU personally) smart and have a degree. Who's to say you can't start out as a stock boy at Wally World and move your way up to management in a few years? If you're really as good of a worker as you say you are, you should have no trouble moving up in a sea of losers and malcontents. I talked to a guy who was a produce manager at a super walmart making $50k a year.

We need to get away from this notion that we just pick whatever career tickles our fancy, get a degree in it and start out making $50k + a year right out of school. I started out as a laborer in a factory making $10.95 an hour. In 6 years, I worked my way up from a laborer to a welder to a maintenance man. Now after 12 years, I'm making $22 an hour. I didn't get there by going to a different job because it paid a nickle more. I got there by doing my time and taking advantage of the opportunities given to me.

Again, this isn't directed at any of you here personally, but to society in general.

 

[Lead Head]

Those who have not been directly affected by the Great Recession by losing a good paying, career related job just don't have a clue.

Some people sit on unemployment looking for an exact replacement and some people realize they just need to survive. Some just don't feel right collecting unemployment for very long and feel the need to do something productive.

And a few just suck it up and get back in the game. It doesn't matter what game. In fact, it might be a different game, but the idea is to be part of the solution, not part of the problem AND the problem is very, very big.

Granted, the max unemployment rate might pay as much as a crappy non-career job, but employers are scrutinizing those applicants that have not worked at all. It's smells like a catch 22 and it is, but that's capitalism.

Right, wrong, fair, not fair, you decide. It won't get better until a person decides to make it better. Not trying just doesn't feel American to me.

I do think employers will come to regret the abuse they are subjecting to employees because of the glut of unemployed people. Once the job market rights itself (the Goobermint can't do it) many people will abandon their cheap ass employers for as little as a buck an hour increase.

Fear not, because that is the wooden stake in the heart of greed.

 

[parsimonious]

You are being arrogant. Many people spent years of hard work let alone the expense of education and training to acquire jobs that provide a good living in the best of times. Are they expected to run to ivy tech and become medical assistants because that is the vocation they can train for in the time provided by unemployment? Grinding it out everyday looking for a job is called resolve, perhaps one day yours will be tested.

Arrogant? I know I am no better than anyone else. I typically presume
to be near worthless. Which is why I am so upset by others, supposedly
better educated and better trained than I, who are so willing to cry
about how hard things are.

I am not arrogant enough to cite the definition of resolve. I think
we all have a general idea what resolve is. It has happened in the past,
many have resolved to do great, terrible, or foolish things.
One news story I originally mentioned showed this woman who, I think
she said,"surrendered" her car.

I resolve to live within my means, to bend with the wind, change
when I must, and change what I can for the better, and pray to know
what is better and what can be made better.

My intent with every post is intelligent discussion. Please don't take it
any other way... sometimes I do post in frustration.

 

[hooky]

I don't know much, but I know I've been unemployed a few times. Once with a 10 month old and then again when that little one was 2 and his little sister was 7 months away from joining us. You do what you have to do. Whining and crying about what the government is or isn't doing for you is YOUR problem, not mine. If you're doing everything you can to find work and can't (this includes more school and training), then I haven't lost any respect for you. If you're *****ing because you can't find the same job you lost, you're not going to get much sympathy from me when your 99 weeks are up.

Rub some dirt on it. Put your mitt on and get back out there.

 

[tgallmey]

I was unemployed for 6 months and i work at a bakery lol I think that shows how bad things are but I actually looked for work while unemployed Im no slacker I earn my money and everything I own and I worked on cars. now work is telling me there gonna lay me off again in September and this time around im gonna take my time and get some sort of certification to open up more horizons for myself CDL or become a machinist or welder Im not book smart but im good with my hands