Unemployment Benefits Are More Important Than Deficit Reduction, Say 3/4 Of Voters

Three-quarters of registered voters think Congress should forget about the deficit and preserve extended unemployment benefits and health insurance subsidies for laid-off workers, according to a new poll commissioned by the National Employment Law Project.

Citing deficit concerns, Democrats in both chambers of Congress have said it's time to start thinking about how to wrap up the extended unemployment benefits put in place to fight the recession. But 74 percent of people surveyed said they agreed with the statement that "it is too early to start cutting back benefits and health coverage for workers who lost their jobs."

"We cannot let a handful of misguided deficit hawks pull the plug on benefits that are precisely the kind of stimulus needed for economic recovery and deficit reduction," said NELP director Christine Owens in a statement. "Given the choice, the vast majority of the American people would provide unemployed workers and their communities the benefits they continue to need -- Congress should be listening to them."

Sixty-seven percent said they either "strongly favored" or "somewhat favored" continuing federal unemployment benefits. The poll did not mention the fact that federally-funded extensions, in combination with the initial 26 weeks of state benefits, give the unemployed up to 99 weeks in some states. (There is no proposal on the Hill to help the "99ers" -- the hundreds of thousands of people who've been through all available benefits and still haven't found work.)

Congress is currently considering a bill that would preserve extended unemployment benefits for the rest of the year. To appease conservative Democrats worried about the trillion-dollar deficit, leadership in the House nixed subsidies for laid-off workers to pay COBRA health insurance premiums, among other things. The Senate will begin considering the bill on Monday evening.

House Democrats from conservative districts have said their constituents are antsy about the deficit, and they've expressed skepticism that anyone needs 99 weeks to find a job.

But only 21 percent of 803 voters surveyed by polling firm Hart Research Associates agreed with this statement: "With the federal deficit over one trillion dollars, it is time for the government to start reducing spending on health care subsidies and unemployment benefits for the unemployed."

Seventy-four percent said they preferred this statement: "With unemployment close to ten percent and millions still out of work, it is too early to start cutting back benefits and health coverage for workers who lost their jobs."

That's a view shared by many economists, including Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Economy.com, who testified during a congressional hearing that preserving jobless aid is more important than deficit reduction in the short term.

Click HERE to download a PDF of the poll.

Comments

[Carlch]

12:15 AM on 06/14/2010

"This is fact: Those who are working may find themselves unemployed later simply because our consumer-based economy doesn't run well if people aren't consuming. And unemployed people don't consume."

This is happening now in the San Francisco bay area. Grocery stores and department stores simply don't have the business as before this downturn! It will get worse!

[Disdain]

02:15 PM on 06/09/2010

Unemployment benefits are now close to two years. How long are they supposed to last? This could go on indefinitely. Rather than institute policies to encourage businesses to hire, the focus has been solely on doling out entitlements with money we don't have. At this rate the problems facing Europe will seem like a walk in the park compare to what we have to look forward to in this country. Who will bail us out?

[tiamo4ever]

07:41 AM on 06/09/2010

Laid off December 2008, right before Christmas (my gift) after 29 years with the same company. Oh Dear i am 68 female, never left work without my job completed (never) was told so many times in the past i could remain until i felt like retiring, was fast and accurate in detail, got along with every one, BUT GUESS WHAT ? My bosses son just graduated from business school and he needed my space....Our home office has 3 separate offices and only enough space for 6 office personel.... After the shock i considered getting a lawyer, but it was a fight i would lose..Owner very wealthy and he would say i was relieved for lack of work..

Congress has bailed-out the corrupt and incompetent bankers and auto manufacturers, they have bailed-out the real estate industry with a year’s worth of housing subsidies, they have bailed-out the hedge fund managers by not having them pay income taxes fully on income and now they are bailing out the doctors who otherwise won’t treat Medicare patients . We bail out needy countries, Katrina, Haiti, The Gulf, rightly so...but without the working force, we will never recover economically in this country. My greatest fear: we are not prepared for any kind of disaster in this country. It's like the blind leading the blind, too many things are wrong, and it all starts with the decision making of our government.

[karguy]

12:01 AM on 06/09/2010

The fed inflates asset values and pumps trillions into the financial industry...Congress fights to protect that industry's tax loopholes...For those in congress who consider unemployment insurance to be a luxury less valuable than a tax loophole, I propose the following in the name of fairness... Temporarily lower interest rates for all debt held by unemployed people to 0%...the same rate that all bailed out banks are paying to borrow from the federal government...mortgages,credit cards,student loans etc...Do the same favor for those hit hardest by the great recession that is being done for those who helped to make the recession great.

[serena1313]

05:03 PM on 06/08/2010

The deficit is a long-term problem, not short-term.

Ezra Klein suggests, "expand short-term deficits to boost the economy and commit to credible deficit reduction in the long-term. The right move for deficit hawks would be to release a proposal that pairs a generous jobs bill with serious long-term reforms."

"For instance, a bill providing $300 billion in immediate stimulus, lower the cap on mortgage interest deductions, bring back the full estate tax and cut defense spending."

I like that idea better than cutting off benefits for the unemployed. It is not like they can get a job at Burger King or McDonalds -- most are over-qualified and unlikely to be hired. While it is understandable that some are skeptical why it would take 99 weeks or more to find a job. But there are no jobs.

So to cut-off employment benefits, aside from being cruel, they will not have money to spend on goods and services. Businesses need customers. But the fewer the customers, the more lay-offs which means less revenue for the government; it just keeps snowballing until we get to the point of no return.

For now the deficit is the lest of our worries. We need to keep the economy going and more importantly do what is right for the people -- the economy will continue to sputter along.

It is going to be painful one way or the other, but less so, if we make smart choices.

[Oceanmist56]

04:28 PM on 06/08/2010

I returned to school got my A.A.S. major in Administrative Office Technology/ Medical,,now you need at least 2 years experience how do you get experience if no one hires you at entry level.
I have stood in lines for 45 jobs with 500 others trying to get a chance at a job. I was one of the ones that would say if you want to work you can find a job, not so any more. I have a degree and can't even get hired at McDonalds. I have never been on state aid or drawn unemployment until now.

[fghcfgbcfx]

03:16 PM on 06/08/2010

i have been unemployed for 16 months, with nothing to do , i have bought new door & new paint & new fruit trees for my house , also new stove , ever dime i get in unemployment, i plow it back in the economy, thats good for the ones that are lucky enough to have jobs,

[Americulchie]

10:48 AM on 06/08/2010

Any Democrat who does not vote in favor of extended unemployment benefits;in fact any legislator who balks at extending benefits for the unemployed should be thrown out of office.Stimulus for the rich!what is good for the gander is good enough for the goose period..

[OldSelfHere]

10:30 AM on 06/08/2010

try to get a small business loan.. backed by the small business administration. These loans are supposedly originated through banks.. but no banks around here do them.. why is that.. oh yeah.. the only ones who are supposed to benefit from this mess is the BIG boys... forget us here in the cellar... we dont count.
The SBA "Small Business Administration" truly tries, but the banks are the ones who must do the loans.. NONE around here do them. Small business cannot survive without funding.. no more than a very poorly managed LARGE-TOO-BIG-TO-FAIL bank or other such priviledged entity.

[OldSelfHere]

10:24 AM on 06/08/2010

I know of communities that will be devastated if the unemployment benefits are not extended. Will these deficit hawks take ownership of the destruction of entire communities? It would be a direct result of their actions, so I think they should. PUBLICLY.

[Americulchie]

10:51 AM on 06/08/2010

Let me be your first fan!

[hi Im back]

08:53 AM on 06/08/2010

THANK YOU HUFFINGTON POST- and - ED SHULTZ,
for remembering us.

[hi Im back]

08:52 AM on 06/08/2010

THEY had 99+ weeks to solve the problem, and have not.
Yet 99 weeks for AMERICANS is enough?
Hmmmmm.........I am a voter....what to do.....what to do........hhmmmmmm.

[tiamo4ever]

07:47 AM on 06/09/2010

that will be easy come November... what goes around.........

[huff reader]

08:23 AM on 06/08/2010

I strongly suspect that the government needs to be looking at options for directly creating jobs; a new WPA or CCC.

If real unemployment is stuck between 10-20 percent for years, then something will have to be done.

Andre Bauer and the rest of the Republicans may want 'em all to starve, but we have to support people somehow, and helping them support themselves is the best way to do it, especially, if the crisis continues for an extended period.

[docbets]

09:50 AM on 06/08/2010

Lotta work in the Gulf Coast.

[Silverpegasus]

08:03 PM on 06/12/2010

Yeah, but they are only looking for volunteers. Only certain "specialized" clean-up people are going to be doing the actual work and getting paid. Just saw that in a local FL newspaper the other day. They also said they aren't quite ready for the volunteers to start doing anything yet.

[AceNewsServices]

10:53 AM on 06/08/2010

Hi Huff Reader,

I am in total agreement with your last paragraph we need to support people somehow by helping them to support themselves. It is the old adage give a man a fish and he eats for one day but teach him how to fish and he eats for the rest of his life.

We have teach people skills that will enable them to feed themselves and their families and support them with the unemployment benefits until they are able to fend for themselves, in this dog eat dog world. By easing them of benefits by showing them how to make goods or provide services that can be sustained instead of offering people a part-time contract thus saving the employers money and enabling them to sack them with no reason after 3 months, or once they have their pound of flesh.

It has to be jobs for the future to feed,clothe and put a roof over them and their families heads.

[leoansi]

07:17 AM on 06/08/2010

Looking for a job? With new Health Care Plan, we are going to insure additional 33 Million people. There is going to be huge demand for Medical Assistants, Medical Billing, Medical Coding, Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician across the nation. We can help you get a training during weekends and evenings and get a degree in few months. With the degree finding a job will be easy, free consultation available at http://bit.ly/cdojNk this is your chance

[Oceanmist56]

04:35 PM on 06/08/2010

I have my degree and can't get hired right now in SC the larger Dr.s offices are closing their small offices in other towns and the patients have to come to the main location. The staff at the small offices are commuting to the main office to keep their jobs thus not needing more employees,

[tiamo4ever]

07:51 AM on 06/09/2010

the first question: What's your age ? maybe the second question should be what is your race ? NO THANKS

[1differentdrummer]

06:41 AM on 06/08/2010

People need to eat. Keep those bennies rolling until there are some jobs brought back by our robber barons.

[huff reader]

08:25 AM on 06/08/2010

Oh, but didn't you know? The unemployed are all lazy, and we must cut off benefits, else they won't want to go back to work...according to 'our robber barons'...