Right-wing media renew assault on unemployment insurance

[NNN0LHI]

http://mediamatters.org/research/201011190019

November 19, 2010 10:03 am ET

Fox Business' Charles Payne and MSNBC's Pat Buchanan both promoted the myth that extending unemployment insurance disincentivizes unemployed individuals from searching for work. But economists agree that during a period of economic downturn, unemployment insurance does not discourage recipients from seeking jobs.

Right-wing media promote myth that unemployment insurance provides a disincentive to find work

Payne: "You may actually be doing people a favor by saying 'you got to get off the sofa.'" On the November 19 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Fox Business contributor Charles Payne, discussing the extension of unemployment insurance, suggested that benefits keep people from "get off the sofa." From Fox & Friends:

[hobbit709]

1. I'd like to see how long those asshats would make it on unemployment

They'd be pissing, moaning, and panicking when they saw the amount of their first check.

[NNN0LHI]

2. Notice how the Rethugs stay on message while Dems run around like chickens with their heads cut off?

That is why they win.

And then when the Dems finally do stop running around and everything is all fucked up we are like "Wow man, what happened?"

Don

[B Calm]

3. Ain't that the truth!

[saigon68]

4. Obama ain't going to do shit for the helpless and the hungry

[Historic NY]

5. Really 548 people showed up a civil service test...

for police officer when there are announced lay offs planned for the positions. I guess being unemployed or under-employed is stopping people from job searches.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2010/11/13/news/doc4cde219e20457134398324.txt

[NNN0LHI]

6. kick

[Taitertots]

7. It does "disincentivize" people to accept shitty jobs

That is a good thing.
It is only a moral hazard if the outcome is not preferable to the alternative. Massive wage deflation is a terrible alternative to moderately high unemployment.