Unemployed - "This is the first time I've been financially stable in a while"

[maxrandb]

What an indictment of the past 40 years of CONservative economic policies.

Not sure what the point of these stories about people not being willing to risk their lives for Wall Street is, but if it was an attempt to convince me that people on unemployment are "lazy takers", it failed miserably.

No, the issue here, as it's been since Reagan rode into office telling us about the horrible plight of the 1% is...WE AREN'T PAYING AMERICANS ENOUGH FOR THEIR LABOR and, THE MASSIVE TAXCUTS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO TRICKLE DOWN we're complete bullshit.

My God! This woman is unemployed during a pandemic and "it's the first time" she's felt "financially secure" in a LONG TIME??

She was able to pay off her car loan - That's good for the car company and the bank. It's good for the mechanics, the fuel companies, the local gas station.

She's able to pay her rent - that's good for the apartment manager and all their employees.

She's able to buy food - that's good for the grocery stores and all of their employees and suppliers.

But most of all... she's "financially secure for the first time in a long time"

How is this even possible in America?

How are 10's of millions not marching in the streets?

https://m.

[Docreed2003]

1. Just wait for the Lindsey Graham types to trash this young lady

"See we told you unemployment benefits were too good...these people would rather be unemployed and get government benefits than work."

[2naSalit]

3. +1

Back a month or so ago, maybe longer, I came to the notion that with all of us staying home for such a long time there will be a lot of introspection going on after everybody calms down which takes about a month. At this point more are taking a good hard look at life in America and they actually have time to stop and think about why they haven't had time to figure this out before now. And it's what the Rs fear most.

And they will do/say anything to try to force everyone back to the old model which is crumbling fast because everyone can see what was hidden in the smog produced by the rat race.

Now that the curtain has been pulled back and everyone has the time to look at what's wrong with everything, people are starting come to similar conclusions about the whole mess and looking for solutions, real solutions that directly impact our survival. How we transition into the new normal, a lot has to change, I hope enough are dedicated to the endeavor to make it happen in a good way and with good results.

[Docreed2003]

9. Excellent post, I agree 100%

My wife and I have been having an ongoing conversation about things that have changed as a result of Covid 19 and what things both on a larger scale and in our daily lives that should stay "changed" or should become a new normal.

I think your post speaks to the fact that so many Americans had just come to accept certain things as being just "the way they were". This pandemic has upended so much of that mindset and now is the time to address those vital issues. From the fact that many jobs could be performed at home, cutting down on commuter pollution, to the fact that so many in our country are incredibly vulnerable in so many ways and there should be and can be a better way of, not just providing for our citizens, but a mindset that supports all individuals, not just the super wealthy.

[2naSalit]

10. Indeed.

A great correction is here, what is required now is for us to grab the rope while it is within reach as it swings around, dangling before us if only we reach out to grasp it. Time is short and we won't have such an opportunity for long.

I've been thinking about the anthropologist, Stephen Jay Gould, and his theory of Punctuated Equilibrium lately. Though this theory is formulated in regard to genetic/biological evolution, I would argue that what is now upon us is a punctuated equilibrium event with regard to culture, psychological stasis and philosophical understanding... all at once. It's in our face and we had better take heed or we lose as a species.

I have discussed this concept with numerous friends and acquaintances, some of whom are also cultural anthropologists, and they all agree with this assessment.

What I'm seeing among the populace is what I was hoping to see as far as recognition of what needs to happen now and in the immediate future.

[Docreed2003]

11. +1

You should put all of this into an OP. Great posts

[FM123]

12. yes, I agree - would make a great OP

[essme]

2. This is going to be used as fodder

for the RW--

New "Welfare Queens."

They will tear the young lady interviewed to pieces, and show the clip of her saying, "I think people have the right to be comfortable," over and over. She probably just became a meme.

[maxrandb]

5. That might work with 4-5% unemployment

But that dog don't hunt at 20-25%

Oh, I have no doubt the wingnut authoritarian Nazis will try that, but there are now a lot of Americans are having a WTF moment.

[iluvtennis]

18. + agree. nt

[MichMan]

4. Perfect opportunity to campaign on a $2500 per month UBI promise

Needs to be the centerpiece of the party platform

[maxrandb]

7. I'm not sure that is a bridge too far

I'd prefer minimum wage increases to $15, or to whatever is 150% of the poverty level in your state.

I'd also tie any future taxcuts to wages. If a corporation gets a tax cut, 80% would be required to go to wages, or it gets clawed back.

[Lonestarblue]

13. And we need to stop exempting restaurant workers and other who have to depend on tips to supplement

I have never had bad service in a European restaurant, where tipping is not really expected. European restaurant personnel are paid a living wage. We should do the same.

[radical noodle]

21. That would be difficult to monitor

The 80% would probably go into the wages of the top dogs in the corporation if it went to wages at all.

[FreepFryer]

6. You dont get unemployment forever. If your income on unemployment is stable,

U should be finding a job because that shit runs out

[Lokee11]

8. Exactly!

[link:|

[stopbush]

15. And exactly how to you find a job when there are close to 40-million Americans

newly unemployed in the last two months?

Most of those jobs are not coming back.

Even if half of those people can find work that leaves 20-million people without a source of income. Do we just cut them off from all relief, let them go homeless and eventually starve?

Find a job = pull yourself up by your bootstraps..

[FreepFryer]

25. Lol please. Not at all the point of my comment. Grade school stuff is wasted on me. Nt

[LanternWaste]

43. Is anyone arguing it does last forever?

Is anyone arguing that the individual should not in fact, engage in seeking a job when safe?

Or were those simply grade school stuff wasted on us?

[FreepFryer]

44. Lol

[bullwinkle428]

14. Can anyone possibly make a better argument for paying a genuine

living wage?

[iluvtennis]

19. Exactly. The trump tax cut to businesses was supposed to help increase workers wages...BUT

instead the companies pocketed it all for themselves/shareholders.

[dameatball]

16. And yet, billionaires at Pompeo's dinners need to take home goody bags, courtesy of us.

[Trailrider1951]

17. The answer is simple: RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE, WITH RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES

INCLUDED (NOT EXEMPT). $15 per hour is a living wage in most areas of the country. This should be the federal minimum wage for ALL employees. Restaurant employees in Europe are NOT paid a lower, "special" wage, they are paid on a par with other hourly employees and there are still plenty of restaurants open and apparently making enough money to stay open. Why can we not do that here?

On a side note, I'm 68 years old. I bailed from my job on March 11th, and the office closed the following Monday, March 16th. I'm in a high risk group due to my age and my asthma and hypertension, and if I get the virus, it will probably kill me. I will not be going back to work until I am sure that I'm not risking my life to do so. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PAYMENTS! And I have been employed (at various companies) full-time since February, 1981. I now get $850 (after taxes are taken out) per week. This is more money per week than I made for full-time work. I want to slap the face of anyone who calls me "lazy" for using this money to pay my bills at this time when my LIFE IS THREATENED by merely going to work each day. I will return to my job when they open and the threat is gone. AND NOT BEFORE! Lindsey and his ilk can go f**k themselves!

[iluvtennis]

20. Well said. nt

[MichMan]

31. If tips were eliminated and waistaff we paid the $15 per hour, you propose....

do you realize that it would cut their pay?

If your workplace opens and you refuse to go back, you would likely forfeit all of your unemployment.

[Trailrider1951]

33. I never said, "eliminate tipping". I said pay them a living wage.

And I work for a small (25 employee) company here in the Seattle area. It is my understanding that I and my co-workers will be phased in according to our State's guidelines for our type of work (environmental consulting), so as one of two laboratory analysts, I may be one of the last to be called in. I cannot do my laboratory testing from home. If I am among the last to be called in, I'm good with Washington State until 12/31/2020, even though I will probably lose the extra $600 at the end of July. By the way, a big shout out to our congressional Democrats who engineered this extra payment and managed to get it by McTurdle: THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[MichMan]

34. Of course people can tip whomever they like at any time

If people are making a living wage there is no need for tipping. People's compensation in service jobs shouldn't depend on how attractive they are or other external factors unrelated to their job performance.

Most people tip servers because they are aware that it is part of their compensation. People generally don't tip gas station cashiers, dry cleaning clerks, car dealership service techs, or department store cashiers.

Tip the gas station cashier 20% the next time you fill up if you so desire

[Squidly]

39. Thats pretty cold

I don't tip to supplement the wages of a service worker, I tip because they do a good job most of the time and I feel its only right to reward someone for a job well done. Don't tip if you don't want to, but that just shows what kind of person you are.

I've waited tables, I've bartended...its like most jobs, you are rewarded for your performance...at least in the jobs I've had in my life that's been the case..guess I've been lucky.

[MichMan]

41. If you tip to reward someone for a job well done, do you tip those other people I mentioned ?

Gas Station cashiers

Deli counter employees at grocery stores

Dry cleaning clerks

DMV employees

Car dealership mechanics

Fast food drive through window employees

Retail store employees

Bank tellers

Pharmacy clerks

Auto parts counter help

They are all service workers. I admit that I do not tip them, nor do I know anyone who has either. Restaurant servers are not the same as other service workers, because tips are how they are compensated with the wage structure that has been in place. I am all for servers getting a living wage, but when they are paid the same as all other service workers, there is no longer any need to tip them.

If you want to call it cold that I don't tip those I listed above, that is your opinion.

I worked at a restaurant decades ago as a busboy clearing and resetting tables. Made minimum wage taking home $15 per night and had to listen to servers bragging about pocketing $100 per night tax free. One of them one time handed me $1. I did notice that the younger ones with the good bodies and biggest boobs seemed to make a lot more than the older or less attractive women.

[Squidly]

42. I called it cold...

...because you advocated for eliminating tipping altogether....and yeah, I have tipped mechanics quite a few times.

[JI7]

40. in California they have to pay minimum to waitstaff plus they get tips

So it can end up being a pretty good job for some people if they end up working in a place where people are likely to tip well.

[SammyWinstonJack]

22. When the $600/w Fed. runs out the end of July, it's back to being unable to pay rent etc.

GOP IS EVIL.

[iluvtennis]

23. I know a couple of young people like the woman in the video who are service industry workers

who were laid off due to CV. Both of the young folks I know are opting to stay on unemployment to get the $600/week add'l unemployment paid by federal gov't. They know it runs out at end of July, but they are going to take it until that time and then go back to work.

And neither of these young folks I know are lazy. They are just being pragmatic and taking the money to "put away for the rainy days".

And as many of you have said her on the board, what does it say about America when these young folks can make more from unemployment than they can from their jobs - that's disgusting.

p.s. Media should aslo be focusing on the companies that got the BIG BUCKS from the PPP loans/grants. Many of those companies were underserving of the monies while the true sole proprietors got nothing. Public needs to be outraged at this corruption versus being upset about the unemployed poor getting a little money.

[LizBeth]

28. Old folks too, like myself that does not want to go back to public service that is still a risk.

[iluvtennis]

35. I'm with you.

[LizBeth]

36. +1

[MichMan]

32. It must be different in other states I suppose

In Michigan, you can't just decide to stay on unemployment until you feel like coming back. You have to certify every 2 weeks if you are either working or were offered a job and refused. If so, your unemployment is immediately stopped.

[iluvtennis]

37. Process works the same way in California. The two folks I know (one restaurant worker and one

smoke shop worker) haven't yet been offerred their jobs back. It may be a while for them as many people (including me) aren't ready to go out to restaurants nor shop - we're staying home except for limited trips to get essential items.

[LizBeth]

38. Oregon, we do that weekly. If a boss insists we come back then I guess it would put an illegality

slant on it. Personally, if my boss calls me to come back I am going to tell them I am not ready because of risk factor and the type of business it is, that has large numbers of people in a non ventilated room without proper distancing, people mad and yelling and I do not know they would even allow me to wear a mask. They are good guys, I think they would be ok with that. But I do not know for sure and I may be kicked off.

Also I am getting mouth surgery so if they call, I will tell them I need a couple weeks to heal. I think they will go for that since a lot of my job is talking and what they value so with me. Smooths customers angst.

[uponit7771]

24. K&R, her financial security will last for a couple of more months and she doesn't have to go out ...

... with the MAGA Suckers and Cluckers breathing on each other.

[Tink41]

26. What's not being discussed

When the benefits run out and there isn't a job to go back to. There isn't a job to go back to before they run out. Some jobs are not coming back. I myself have not visited any enclosed "space" since Feburary. I don't intend on visiting any til this thing is over. You can open your restaurants and bowling alleys, doesn't mean I'm risking my life for any of it.
I make my money doing trade shows, and working in the field when available.75 g's a year for about 8 months of work. I don't see myself being employed in the near future . No choice for people like me. You think they are going to allow trade shows with thousands
in attendance any time soon??

[LizBeth]

27. They had zero conversation about employees being put in a petri dish of virus without protection for

employees working 8 hours shifts, five days a week. No conversation about that. Most of us still see the risk is as high as it was in March and we simply do not want to step back into that environment. Now, it may mean I need to find a job that is less risk filled. That should have been in the conversation as all these people were still doing their tv interview from home instead of at a building with lots of other people.

Gov buildings still shut down, employment office has people working from home, CDC is working from home, but as people making minimum wage to put their body in all of it.

[totodeinhere]

29. If Moscow Mitch has his way those enhanced unemployment benefits will be terminated.

And that of course will only increase suffering on the part of a lot of people.

[Brainfodder]

30. Not sure I want to watch the video, I have wondered same though, my theory:

Not organized, angry sure, but not particularly hardened and definitely not violent, maybe the word is sensible?