Most of us have picked ourselves off the floor after hearing President Hope&Change's latest jobs bill pitch. Soon afterward he addressed a group in Columbus where he lamented a public school there whose music teacher lacked drums. (Because Washington D.C. providing a school in Columbus, OH with drums both (1) is the federal government's business and/or responsibility and (2) will create jobs, for which O's bill is supposedly intended.)
Perhaps this money could've helped ...
Nearly $19 billion in state unemployment benefits were paid in error during the three years that ended in June, new Labor Department data show.
- Source: Labor Department
The amount represents more than 10% of the $180 billion in jobless benefits paid nationwide during the period. (See a sortable chart of each states’ overpayments) The tally covers state programs, which offer benefits for up to 26 weeks, from July 2008 to June 2011. Layers of federal programs that help provide benefits for up to 99 weeks weren’t included.
The figures were released Wednesday as the Obama administration promotes its bid to reduce waste at federal agencies. The federal government foots the bill for administering the programs, and states are supposed to pay for the benefits. Many states exhausted their unemployment insurance trust funds during the long recession and slow recovery, prompting them to borrow from the federal government to replenish their funds.
Doug Powers at The Powers That Be also notes:
Thirty-one headquarters officers and employees of the National Education Association make $200,000 a year or more. Maybe Obama should have a chat with the union. Asking them for a little “shared sacrifice” would buy a lot of drums for music students!
Indeed.
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