Unemployment

Paul Krugman reports that the Republicans are strongly pushing the idea that we have high unemployment because we have unemployment benefits. No doubt there are some Americans prepared to buy into this mean spirited and economically unsound idea, but if the Republicans want to fight it out on this ground, I say bring it on. I think entirely too many Americans have seen hardworking friends, neighbors, relatives or themselves spit out of the economy to buy into this latest nastiness of the right.

Sure, there are a few people who would rather collect unemployment than work, but the rules make that fairly difficult, at least for very long. So how about replacing unemployment benefits with a government sponsored job corps, in the fashion of Roosevelt in the 1930's? No doubt the Republicans would love that idea.

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