Week 4: Unemployment Insurance

Before I get into this post, I want to thanks Jordan and Victoria for your thoughts!  Keep 'em coming.

I added a bit of information to put this all in a larger context on the Statistics page - along with an invitation for you to declare your own game, and join me in being unreasonable about getting free from debt.


(Sorry the sound sucks - I'll fix that next week)

Be Warned: what is below here is political.  If you want an update on my game, the latest is here.

I hate to go a tad partisan right now, but Mitch McConnell, the Republican Minority Leader in the Senate has vowed to block any and all legislation in the Senate until the Bush Tax cuts for those making $250,000 or more are extended or made permanent.  This power play only works because unemployment benefits are about to run out for millions of us (luckily, myself not included).

I'm sure Mr. McConnell would make the argument that extending those tax cuts will create jobs, or at least prevent the loss of more.  I disagree with him, but even if he is right, those jobs won't come before rent is due for the new year, they won't come before Christmas is spent struggling to get by, and they certainly won't come before people run out of food in their cupboards.

I've only been on unemployment for two months, so I have a lot of time before my insurance runs out.  It's a good thing too.  Unemployment in America is a little shy of 10%.  I have applied for more than 25 positions, and have yet to get so much as an interview.  I don't have kids.  I don't have a mortgage.  I have a Master's Degree, and great flexibility with what I can do.

If I were supporting a family and less flexible in what I could do, I would be downright desperate.

Mitch McConnell is worth $32,756,000 million dollars.  Does he understand what he is putting people through?