Unemployment Benefits or Permanently on the Dole?

Historically Americans who lost jobs have received unemployment benefits for a period of 26 weeks. It was then very difficult to receive another 13-week extension for those who did not find a job during the 6-month period. Now we have the long-term unemployed who may be near receiving an increased variety of benefits for 2 years.

The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 12,000 last week to 500,000, the fourth increase in the past five weeks

Definition - Main Entry: Dole
(1) : a giving or distribution of food, money, or clothing to the needy (2) : a grant of government funds to the unemployed b : something distributed at intervals to the needy; also : handout 1 c : something portioned

On the dole

Meaning - Unemployed and in receipt of state benefit.

Origin: In the UK, Unemployment Benefit has been known by the slang term 'the dole' since WWI. This derives from the 'doling out', i.e. 'handing out' of charitable gifts of food or money.

Americans Needs Jobs Instead of Handouts


Record number of Americans using food stamps: report.
31.5 million Americans used the program -- up 17 percent from a year ago, according to government data.


HUD offers interest-free $50K loans to unemployed homeowners to stem foreclosures.

The Obama administration is providing $3 billion to unemployed homeowners facing foreclosure in the nation's toughest job markets.

Unemployment extension 101: how health care is affected
Congress excluded a subsidy for 'COBRA' from the unemployment-benefits extension. As of June 1, thousands of unemployed face higher insurance costs.

How long can this continue before the U. S. will have a return to a “welfare state” with an increasing population living on the dole? The government will provide housing, food, and health care for the unemployed. How will this affect the taxes for those who are fortunate enough to have jobs, and will it ultimately decreased the standard of living for everyone?

The Federal Reserve is downplaying the real risk of a double-dip economic recession and of the associated threat of Japanese-style deflation.