Anybody else hear the new RW meme on unemployment insurance recipients?

[CTyankee]

A highly suspect "caller" on an NPR program this morning on UI said he was a business owner in Georgia and he had "heard" from other business owners that people on UI are getting hired and asking their bosses to pay them "under the table" so they can continue to receive their UI checks. Of course, he said he didn't do this but "other" employers were. He said this proves that UI is a disincentive to getting a job.

To their credit, the commentators on the show disputed his conclusion. One of them said "there will always be some people who will attempt to game the system but I disagree with your conclusion. All you have done is indicted human nature not the idea of UI."

I suspect we'll be hearing from lots of these "businessmen" riding their newest version of this RW hobby horse...

[stubtoe]

1. That's pathetic. They got nothin'.

[old mark]

2. About 18 years ago, I was on unemployment here in PA. At the time

I could get a job - if I could find one - and if it paid less than a predetermined amount, I could still collect unemployment compensation to make up the difference. The amount you collect was based on how much you earned while you were working.
I did have a part time job for a few weeks, reported the income to the UC office, and, since it was well under the limit, still got my UC check every 2 weeks as well.
FWIW, my employer at the time hated the idea of UC, too... he was one of those "self made rugged individuals entrepreneurs"...who inherited his business from his father.

He wrote a letter to the UC office telling them I should be disqualified from benefits in the future because he didn't think it was right that I got more money than he was willing to pay me...They told me about it and had a good laugh at him.
FWIW, a lot of these "businessmen" are just ignorant assholes with real ego problems...you don't have to be smart to be rich, or to own a business...

mark

[arcane1]

3. His "logic" is pretty weak too

his example of a disincentive to work is people getting hired???

[Cant trust em]

4. It'll be a disincentive, because then they'll find a job....

wait...what was the point again?

[Dulcinea]

5. What an idiot.

I live in GA. Unemployment here is 10.3%. Sounds like bullcrap to me.

[alfredo]

6. Remember St Reagan called UI recipients "bums." I guess

to the right wing, if Ronney said it, it is true.

[dkf]

7. Cash jobs while on unemployment kind of makes sense if you are the type who skirts federal taxes

And has no problem doing it.

Are we really surprised?

[dflprincess]

8. Any employer paying "under the table" is

complicit in gaming the system and should be prosecuted.

I have a lot more sympathy for the employee who is trying to get by anyway possible accepting "under the table" cash than I do the employer who happily breaks the law. And probabaly does so to avoid paying benefts and FICA & unemployement taxes

[Tailormyst]

9. It's not a logical scenario.

It does not benefit the employer. In fact it puts them at risk.

[slampoet]

10. To get under the table an employer has to OFFER it.

i have NEVER seen someone ask for under the table and be the first to get it from an employer.

The employer either offers it or already has people working under the table and the applicant knows it.

[CTyankee]

11. Yep, this was a "nice try" by some RWinger but was a colossal FAIL.

The show's guests straightened out his assertion a couple of times. Too bad they didn't call him out for being a phony. The whole thing just smelled.

You'd think these guys would hold off on their scams since the Sherrod incident was so recent...

[CrownPrinceBandar]

12. Typical hatred of the poor and unfortunate..........

People only love winners.

[JoePhilly]

13. It is Fox News sourcing, in action .... "some say" ....

Fox should trademark the phrase "some say", "some claim" ... and anything similar.

"Some people" are the main source of most Fox news stories ...