Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)
Unemployment in the United States remains high, with the jobless rate hovering at around 7.9 percent.
In an interview with a local radio host this morning, Republican congressman Randy Neugebauer (TX) had his own theory for why Americans are unable to find work — he suggested that we give them too much in government benefits so they are too lazy to simply take jobs:
NEUGEBAUER: Well unfortunately Tom we’ve gotten to the point in this country where we’ve incentivized people not to work instead of incentivized them to work. With unemployment benefits going for as long as 99 weeks, we’ve seen food stamps in this country increase 40 percent in the last 40 years, so basically unfortunately, there’s not a lot of incentive for a lot of people to work.
Listen to the congressman’s full explanation here (the relevant section starts at around 4:50).
Let’s get something clear. The average unemployment benefits in the third quarter of 2010 was $295 weekly — about a third of the average weekly salary at that point of $865.
Neugebauer is basically suggesting that Americans are too lazy to seek work because they are living too comfortably on $295 a week.
Let’s also keep in mind that there are about four jobless Americans for every job opening, the main problem in the economy is a lack of demand that would create good-paying jobs. We need government investment in the economy to stir that job creation. We don’t need ill-informed Members of Congress running down the unemployed.
He’s right. The overwhelming number of Democrats/liberals/progrogreessives would rather sit on their ass and collect a government check than to work for a living. Those who voted for Obama are either moochers or moocher enablers.
What an asinine statement. If that were even remotely true, the unemployment rate would be a hell of a lot higher than 7.9%. Did you even think for five minutes before posting that?
No Fox does his thinking for him
This is probably why the economy isn’t getting any better. Our leaders denigrate the people they serve rather than see the flaws of their own policy. Unfortunately, too many stupid people are more than willing to believe this B.S. instead of realizing that if the job doesn’t exist you can’t go to work and get a paycheck.
I would challenge the Congressman to live on $295.00 a week and feed his family, keep a roof over their head, pay all the bills. For that matter, even if he tried to live on that amount as a single person he couldn’t make it.
Well unemployment benefits COULD disincentivize people to look for work perhaps if they benefits easily available, overly generous, and at the same time there was an infinite supply of jobs so that anyone who wanted one could easily go out and get one.
As it is, however, there are many fewer jobs than job-seekers so the Congressman’s entire argument is false.
typo correction:
“…if the benefits were easily available…”