Unemployment

Almost everyone is thinking about it.  The problem is the ones not thinking about it are the President and Congress. Obama came into office saying creating jobs was "Job One." What he forgot to mention was that like most worthwhile things, he never finished his sentence and meant it was Job One Hundred. In his failure, the nation suffers. Instead, we get non-solution solutions like the failed stimulus package that was to fund “shovel-ready” jobs to go forward, only to find later Obama admits the Tooth Fairy is more realistic than a shovel-ready job is. We also get extensions that stave off reality- much like the failed foreclosure prevention program.

Republicans aren’t much better, as they offer no solutions but extending tax cuts that offer future promise. You can’t pay the bills today with promises of a better tomorrow. In this sense, I somewhat depart from conservatism as I see nothing wrong with the people who pay unemployment tax now drawing on their contributions and beyond. At least people collecting have worked to earn unemployment as opposed to many politicians who have never drawn an honest paycheck. Unemployment is not evil but it should also not be a path to workforce invisibility. However, a balance between liberal foolishness and conservative futuristic thinking is possible.

What we need is benevolence with purpose. This means that there must be an end to justify the means. One does not go to physical therapy without expecting permanent improvement- so in like manner should be unemployment compensation. If I were President I would cap unemployment benefits at two years but within those two years there would be a retraining process that would lead to a new viable job in today’s workforce. Whether this would involve schooling or a trade apprenticeship, a person collecting unemployment would have to choose a new job for which they would begin training and then complete their chosen training within the two years. Benefits would not start until training is chosen and taxes would not be levied on benefits but would instead be withheld and given as a lump sum bonus when a new job is kept for six months. Future unemployment help would be denied for a predetermined time.

Dignity and hope would then create a productive worker. We need to consider our workforce as an investment, rather than an expense.