The Government Shell Game

From Thursday's USA Today:

"WASHINGTON — Senior White House adviser Dan Pfeiffer had an offer Wednesday for congressional Republicans weighing legislation to renew long-term unemployment benefits: Pass a three-month extension now, and President Obama will negotiate ways to offset the costs of extending them for the full year.

The benefits for those who have been out of work for 26 weeks or more expired just after Christmas, and reviving them has been a top administration priority. But spokesman Jay Carney as recently as Tuesday refused to bite when asked if the White House might discuss "pay-fors" in an effort to win GOP support.

In an interview with USA TODAY's Capital Download, Pfeiffer indicated a willingness to negotiate if the House and Senate would pass a three-month extension being considered without offsetting its $6.4 billion cost. "That will give us three months to work out how to do it for the whole year," he said."

Including negotiating those budget offsets?

And, how about the track record which precedes this latest round of White House proposals? Does it seem a bit hollow to think there is even a bit of sincerity in Mr Pfeiffer's response?

If the Republicans think that the Obama Administration is turning over a new leaf, the sun rising in a new day with this latest offensive, they will be played for fools. After five years of the bobbing and weaving, being used as the administration's version of the old Joe Palooka wobble punching bag, and being politically bloodied in the process, they may as well dig in their heels and stand up for the taxpayers and our progeny. It would be the honorable thing to do.

Yes, there are many people still unemployed through no fault of their own. But they are also responsible for their own destinies, their own lots in life. They, for a large part, have not made the concerted effort necessary to find gainful employment. We have, as a society, taken the easier way out. 

The problem, really, is that we have technologically and productively eliminated jobs that were once necessary to maintain business in this country. We have been downsized by our own efforts to make our lives, our jobs more efficient. And that's the problem.

Unemployment is there as a safety net, not as our lifestyle. It is not an entitlement. It is really an insurance policy  that we and our employers have paid into in the event the economy tanks. And as with any insurance policy, we are betting the worst case will happen, but we pray it doesn't. 

And in reality, it is not the Federal government who should be responsible for the payments, since no one paid into a federal unemployment fund. In New York, the maximum payment is $405 for 26 weeks. Certainly, within that time, the individual could easily find a job that would pay that much. If he is content with that payment, then WalMart has a job for him. 

So, to all our government "leaders", look at the Federal checkbook and realize we are seriously overdrawn. As I used to say to my bank customers, just because you have checks left in the checkbook, doesn't mean you have the money to spend.

And, as heartless as this seems, the law expired on December 31. If the President wants to re-up this "transitional benefit", perhaps he should start by staying in the White House and not take those lavish vacations or those trips to Las Vegas that we pay for. He can easily get his message out by using those new-fangled inventions called radio, television and the Internet. 

The waste has to stop. Face it, we are BROKE, and nothing will fix that, not even super glue.