E Erickson AC360: "(folks) collecting unemploy. benefits are using them to go on "a little vacation"

[1776Forever]

From last night AC 360 - Erick Erickson, who is the managing editor of RedState.com, the largest online community of conservative activists, and Roland Martin discussed unemployment benefits and Mr. Erickson spoke on how he believes people are using them to go on "a little vacation" and "there are other ways they can get some money and help themselves out."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1003/02/acd.01.html


....COOPER: So, Erick, in the end, who benefited from this? Did the Democrats get the hit that they hoped to get? Did -- did -- you know, Republicans, did they -- by -- by not supporting Jim Bunning, did they, you know, not come out of this looking bad?

ERICKSON: You know, I think that probably the Democrats will benefit a little more. Sadly, the people who are going to benefit most are the ones who are going to able to collect unemployment benefits for -- some more, instead of having to go out and look for a job.

MARTIN: Oh, you know what? You know what, Erick? That is a trifling comment to say.

(CROSSTALK)

ERICKSON: I think it's dead on.

(CROSSTALK)

MARTIN: No, hold on, hold on. Erick, one second.

Erick, you have you a job. I have a job. Anderson has a job. But I know many people who would love to work, who work in Detroit, who work in Oakland, who work in New York, in L.A. who would love to be able to go get a job.

And I think it is wrong for people like you to denigrate those who would love to work.

ERICKSON: Look...

(CROSSTALK)

MARTIN: But, Erick, it's a reality. Some folks are in a situation where they have gone six, 9, 12, 15 months...

ERICKSON: And there are some folks who are still collecting unemployment benefits, when they don't need them. And that's part of Bunning's objection.

(CROSSTALK)

MARTIN: No, no, no.

(CROSSTALK)

ERICKSON: You know, I don't think it's a coincidence that the states that pay the least amount of unemployment benefits over time have the lowest unemployment. When we keep subsidizing the behavior, the behavior continues.

MARTIN: Let me be clear. Again, though, you can -- that's a nice little line, but there are people who are Republicans, who are Democrats, who are independents, people who don't even affiliate with a party who are unemployed.

And I think you insult Americans when you suggest that those getting unemployment benefits don't want to go get a job.

ERICKSON: Look, you know, the unemployment stories are tragic, but so is the deficit for our children and grandchildren. At some point, we are going to have to fish or cut bait on the serious issues.

MARTIN: Well, then you know what? I pray you God you get in a situation where you have to ask for unemployment benefits if you can't get a job.

ERICKSON: Well, you know, I appreciate that, but, again, there are people -- in fact, I was talking to a golf course owner the other day who has members of his golf course applying for jobs at his golf course that he knows they are not going to do just because they want to keep getting their unemployment benefits and have a little more vacation.

Until the government comes up with regulations that can stop people from cheating on unemployment, we are going to keep having these situations.

MARTIN: Fine. Call those out, but don't you sit here and say all the folks who are getting it somehow don't want to go to work. Many folks want to go to work, and they do not like having to apply for those unemployment benefits.

ERICKSON: I think there are -- there are other ways they can get some money and help themselves out.

MARTIN: OK, like what? Like what?

.........

This is what the Repub's do best - talk to the base - no help for anyone in their little minds! They seem to forget these people have worked to get these benefits and it was their policies that put them where the unemployed find themselves now!

:argh:

[FSogol]

1. The only business owner he can use as an example is the owner of a golf course?

Can he be more out of touch?

[lonestarnot]

2. Same fucking richie types want another tax cut.

[zbdent]

3. Wonder how many Bush/Cheney & McCain/Palin bumperstickered SUVs

are loaded with beer after the driver cashes his unemployment compensation checks?

[1776Forever]

4. Oh good one! I wish we knew but then again those types probably didn't even know what happen!

It does make one wonder how anyone that is a working stiff can vote Repub! They brainwash people into thinking they are the righteous ones and then stick 'em in the back! Sorry sickos.

[zbdent]

7. wouldn't take long to find out ...

just sit in the local Wal-Mart parking lot for a while ... you'll get a good count ...

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. So................

People whom are unemployed suddenly don't have to keep paying bills AND are getting paid by the government to go on vacations?
:wtf:

REALLY??!

It's a wonder that unemployment isn't even higher. :eyes:

Just more proof that right-wingers aren't members of the "reality-based community". *sigh*

[MineralMan]

6. Not all blindness is curable.

Erickson is a perfect example.

[1776Forever]

8. Yes a perfect example of Repub's arrogance! So W like! Always comes back to me with this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn4daYJzyls

[scorpiogirl]

9. What a fucking asshole!

Unemployment is great! My family and I have only racked up $20k in credit card debt to survive since unemployment is so little. Where else would we get money? Well, if I was a less honest person, I'd probably be turning to crime right now. That's where people will find money. I can see how easy it would be.

So now the government is enabling the unemployed. Christ, that's some backwards logic!

[Subdivisions]

10. So, he thinks people can afford to vacation on unemployment income? I'd

like the number to his travel agent.

[Brewman_Jax]

11. Basic GOP philosophy

they've always hated social programs and tax money funneled in that direction. They like taxes and government program--only when they go up the economic foodchain and helps their big business and big money benefactors.

[TK421]

12. I guess the cat is out of the bag, fellow unemployed slackers! Oh..I didn't take a vacation

but instead, invested my millions in unemployment payments ( MWHAAAAMWHAAAAAAA ) in ramen noodles!!

SHIT!!!! THEY'RE ON TO US!!!@#@$% THIS IS SERIES@@@@@@#@@#222

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E-1UW-S4zb8/R6SzCRh1-XI/AAAAAAAAAaA/rpSwvD3sntQ/s320/Maruchan+Ramen+-+Chicken+Flavor+Package.jpg

[gratuitous]

13. So, what does Erick "son of Erick" Erickson propose?

Since, contrary to Mr. Erickson's assertion, there are already plenty of laws on the books to deal with people "cheating" on unemployment. So if he disapproves of the way out-of-work people are spending their unemployment benefits, he must think that some sort of law is in order, so that the unemployed spend their money only on approved expenses. Or maybe he thinks that they haven't "paid" enough for their benefits. Would it suit him to have them crawl over broken glass? In an arena where he and his similarly sinecured friends can hoot and throw popcorn and catcalls?

I notice that Mr. Erickson also seems preoccupied with the notion that the unemployed can get some money in "other ways." Not everyone is eligible for Republican Welfare in the guise like you are, Mr. Erickson. Can you enumerate some of the "other ways" that unemployed persons "can get some money"? How about just one way? Ooh listen! Crickets!

[Berry Cool]

14. "Cheating on unemployment." How?

How are they cheating? By applying for golf-course jobs that they know will pay less than what they currently make on unemployment and doing that to fulfill the condition that they seek work? I don't think so! Because one of the things unemployment asks you is whether you were offered any jobs you didn't take. So nobody on unemployment deliberately applies for jobs they have no intention of taking if offered. True, nobody wants to earn less at a job than they would make on unemployment--but if you get an offer for such a job and refuse it, your application may be rejected. So it doesn't behoove you to deliberately apply for jobs that you don't really want because the pay is too low.

Nor does it behoove you to "go on vacation," even if you have the money (and most people on unemployment don't). Unless he means they are vacationing at home, I don't know what he means. If they go far from where they live, out of state, on "vacation," they're making themselves potentially ineligible for benefits. To keep collecting, they have to be available for work. Vacationing out of state doesn't qualify as "available for work."

[gratuitous]

17. That's part of the reason I put "cheating" in quotation marks

Rules vary from state to state, so a particular behavior in Oregon might be allowed, but disallowed in Washington (for example). The last time I was on unemployment, while I diligently searched for a job, it wasn't all I was doing by any means. I even managed to take time for a long weekend once or twice, paid for out of my savings, and sustained by my unemployment benefits. I get the impression from Erickson that anything except pounding the pavement or waiting by the phone for a callback is unacceptable behavior for the unemployed. You can sleep when you have a job!

Real, live actual cheating on unemployment is indeed addressed by the rules set up in each state. People who work under the table, quit looking for work, or violate any of the other rules are indeed ineligible for benefits, and have to pay them back if they get caught. I don't know why Erickson made his fatuous comment about the government coming up with regulations to stop people from "cheating." There are already plenty of regulations, and they're pretty well enforced from what I can tell.

[TroglodyteScholar]

15. I bet this guy...

...doesn't know ANYONE who is unemployed, and has probably never even spoken to an unemployed American. I know a lot of unemployed people (and have been one on a couple of occasions), and to act like these people are taking a subsidized vacation is ignorant and offensive. These privileged politicians have no idea what it's like to wonder where you will get your next meal, but they're going to preach to us about how unemployment insurance encourages laziness? SHAME on them for judging the less fortunate like that. It is a disgrace.

[Berry Cool]

16. You know, I am even more pissed off than I originally was.

Here's what Erickson said: "I was talking to a golf course owner the other day who has members of his golf course applying for jobs at his golf course that he knows they are not going to do just because they want to keep getting their unemployment benefits and have a little more vacation."

Know what that means? That means Erickson was assuming it was TRUE when the golf course owner told him that he "knew" the members of his course (?...does he mean "club"? Unemployed members of the course's golf club?) who applied for jobs there were not going to do those jobs because they want to keep getting their benefits. This is so many ways of WRONG it's hard to count.

First, Erickson is assuming what the course owner said is right--that the job applicants really don't want the jobs. Second, he's assuming that even if it's true, that the applicants at that course represent people on unemployment as a whole. Which is probably all kinds of untrue.

If he's talking about members of the golf club who were laid off from white-collar jobs, who he says are now applying for greenskeeper or something just to fulfill their unemployment requirements, and don't mean to take the job, well, they're nothing like the average person on unemployment. First, they're probably in a better situation financially; second, they're applying for the jobs because they don't want them and know they won't be hired but they want the unemployment check so they need to apply. Yeah, these people are probably not desperately living unemployment check to unemployment check. At least not now. But someday they might be. And they bear no resemblance to and do not have the same motivations as people who have NO savings and NO cushion and NO recourse but unemployment checks as a means of paying their bills. For them, this is no "vacation."

[1776Forever]

19. I think he was saying the "good ole' boys" where looking out for each other - they didn't want those

jobs. I think you are so right that there are two classes. It is OK for the rich to go after bailouts but not for the unemployed who actually worked for this and didn't break any laws to get them!

[upi402]

18. It's REPUBLICANS who exploit the socialist safety net!

In my experience;
It's Republicans that use socialist unemployment.. even when they shouldn't. Some liberals I know refuse to and live off rainy day savings until a half-assed job comes up.

Republicans I know use L&I to pay for surgery or rehab from a work injury... a socialist program. And they scream for the full 80% of wages if L&I cheats them (from Republican mandates) - socialist again! And they are the ONLY ones I know suing under torte law and sex discrimination lawsuits.

And all the Republicans in socialist unions who were screaming me down when I refused to support Bush and had anti-Bush bumper stickers, etc - effemall!

Fony phuckers!

[1776Forever]

20. All we have to do is look at the bailouts program - they broke the laws but got paid for it!

Those unemployment payments are made to people who lost their jobs for no reason of their own! They worked in order to get these! I am so with you!

[heli]

21. Truly despicable scum