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Obama Logic: Paying Unemployed Creates Jobs?

Fresh from his two week holiday getaway to Hawaii, President Obama stood before the American people this past Tuesday and called on Congress to extend unemployment benefits for millions of people whose benefits expired at the end of 2013. The unemployment benefits extension comes with a price tag of $6.4 billion—which is close to the $6 billion price tag of the military pension COLA adjustment that Obama, many Democrats and several Republicans rejected as part of a bipartisan two year budget deal last month. As a result of the budget passing, military veterans under age 62 will now receive a decreased cost of living adjustment (COLA) to their pension consisting of inflation minus 1%; then would receive a “catch up” increase at age 62 which would supplement the COLA rate during years prior. This provision of the budget deal received no known veteran advocacy from Obama despite numerous veteran and veteran advocacy groups protesting the decreased veteran’s benefits.

In his typical blaming manner, Obama stated: “Voting for unemployment insurance helps people and creates jobs and voting against it does not.” To date, Obama has supported the unemployment benefits extension more than he’s supported the numerous Americans negatively affected by Obamacare, the recent government shutdown, or those who have lost their lives as a result of his incompetence and negligence. We’ve heard more words from him supporting unemployed Americans than we have those with cancer or other terminal illnesses who have been left without medical treatment as a result of his botched, mandatory health care plan.

The proverbial blind eye that he has turned to those he has decisively neglected and abandoned only speaks to the selective attention and advocacy he provides to certain groups only when it serves his own interests. If you receive support or backing from Obama, or belong to a group that does, chances are it is to further his own agenda and you somehow serve an integral part to his personal gain. He knows how the impoverished think and vote and knows that by supporting this benefits extension, he will be credited as the one who was able to make it possible for dad to pay the rent, mom to buy the groceries, etc. He failed his fan base with the disastrous Obamacare roll-out and knows that it may be possible to win back a number of people by “pulling through” on this one.

So, the secret to creating jobs and uplifting the economy is to keep paying the unemployed? There’s one I haven’t heard yet. I’m no financial analyst, but I would dare to imagine that it is not the continuation of temporary unemployment benefits that would create jobs and stimulate a stagnant economy. In no way did Mr. Obama state or even allude to there being a plan set in place for the unemployed to not only receive  their government check but to also actively participate in their job search and skill building in order to be a more viable and contributory employment candidate.

Although unemployment benefits vary state to state, it can be said that a standard needs to be created for skill building and participating that extends beyond a person collecting government aid and sending a resume out here and there. According to NBC News, House Speaker John Boehner stated that: “One month ago I personally told the White House that another extension of temporary emergency unemployment benefits should not only be paid for but include something to help put people back to work. To date, the president has offered no such plan.” Even Boehner gets it.

So, here we are again—a legitimate, cyclical problem that is perpetuated by the individual who swore to fix it. Should Congress agree to extend the unemployment deadline, it is feeding Obama’s never-ending addiction of throwing money at a problem in hopes of it fading into the background and his coming out like a rock star. However this situation works out, it’s a win-win for Obama. If Congress votes “No” on unemployment extension, Obama will look like the humanitarian who tried to go to bat for the jobless and help them continue to survive. If Congress votes “Yes” and passes an extension, he still looks like the humanitarian and people might actually attribute the continuance of their benefits to him. Through blind ignorance, adherence, and sheer negligence, liberals and uneducated Americans have managed to allow Obama to remain on his princely pedestal while doing no wrong in their eyes no matter what the reality is.

The truth is, we are all struggling. Whether your unemployed or not, many Americans are finding it difficult to do the things we’ve never given a second thought to such as paying the mortgage, insurance, groceries, college, etc. We’ve found ourselves in a vicious cycle of working, paying bills, working harder, paying higher bills, and operating under a substandard of living that before Obama came into the picture, was unacceptable. This is what happens when everyone is forced to share their “pie”—most people are simply getting by and have no means of transcending beyond the financial ceiling their government has placed upon them.

Obama and the Democrats have pushed socialist financial policies and let the economy take a back seat and have therefore created a vicious cycle of government dependence. They have created the struggle that they claim to want to help people overcome and made it so difficult for companies to hire employees. Obama has rewarded the unemployed yet punished the employer.

Being the crusader for income inequality that he is, perhaps Obama could have given up his two week holiday vacation in Hawaii (which cost taxpayers $4 million) for a measly Christmas in the White House.

Image: Courtesy of: http://www.spaulforrest.com/2011/05/why-rich-love-high-unemployment.html

Gena Michael

Gena Michael is an Arizona transplant/U of AZ Political Science graduate living in Boston, MA. She values God, family, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. She enjoys cooking, traveling, girly stuff, guns, politics, and Boston sports.

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