Yes.

Regardless of available unemployment benefits, people are usually better off with having a job (as I see it) and the incentive for getting a job should remain strong. It isn't just about income. What about one's day-to-day life, overall activity level, any form of competence that needs to be maintained and improved, social life, becoming and staying professionally attractive for potential employers, mental health etc.? Things like these can be negatively affected during prolonged periods of unemployment.

Arguments used by some welfare opponents seem to be built on an assumption that many people actually desire long-term unemployment in order to collect benefits. Clearly I don't know everyone / everything, but I just don't get it. I don't see many people living happy lives this way. Some people, perhaps, but I trust the government to work against those who try to exploit the system. However, I don't see the threat of misuse in itself as a valid argument against an extensive welfare model.

Im not for either party, but I just couldn't stop laughing when I saw this quote, lol.

Can anyone post the last thread StringingVelvet made about thread about Romney, the one where StringingVelvet and orcishgamer had this whole debate about atheism and agnostism?

I didn't see that thread but I can explain the differences:

agnosticism: an intellectual doctrine or attitude affirming the uncertainty of all claims to ultimate knowledge.
atheism: a lack of belief in a god or gods.

So contrary to popular opinion, one can be an agnostic theist or an agnostic atheist because the classifications are not in conflict. It does, however, strike me as a tad redundant to identify as agnostic since it is impossible in practice to be gnostic. Anyone who thinks he or she knows everything is simply delusional.

yes i am aware of that and please anyone who reads this thread don't start another debate I just want to romney the last romney thread.

Cant wait until the debates, that ought to stir up some craziness.

This still going? More mash articles it is then:
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/romney-repulsed-by-everyone-under-six-foot-2012091941507

The fact that we're having this argument in the US is laughable, our unemployment benefits are terrible, they're based on income when you were working, so you can't take some minimum wage job for 6 months and then claim max benefits. Max benefits are really low in most states anyway. Back during the dotcom crash my state, which was extremely high, maxed out at 400 dollars per week (you still pay taxes on this income, so it's not really 400, though if you're on it long term you'll probably be exempted from income tax). At 1600 dollars per month most people would have trouble doing anything beyond paying rent, utilities, and food, if you had a mortgage that probably was the whole amount, and you'd better figure out where to get food money.

The "welfare queen" never existed in this country, not as many imagine. The original made up something crazy, like 30 children, even then she only collected something like 60,000 per year. That is a failure of enforcement, the lady was committing fraud, normal recipients are not.

Disabled benefits are even worse, I mean laughably worse. You will either go somewhere with extremely low incomes or you will be considered not just poor, but damned near destitute (presuming not outside support).

I know Romney's refrain is "borrow money from your parents"... gee the world he grew up in must be nice... in my world I give money to my parents to keep them afloat. While some others may not give money to their parents, many, many Americans do not have parents with a lot of free cash lying around, and the ones most in need tend to be the ones least likely to have well off parents (because, duh, the ones with well off parents that get in a pinch DO rely on them, and are less in need).

Unemployment insurance is a stop gap for people who are employed to not end up in foreclosure and get their shit repoed due to an unfortunate, but temporary lapse in work for a few weeks or months. It's not forever, even if one wanted it to be. Long term benefits are bad, really bad, and will likely provide no medical care or extremely limited medical care (some states, only for children under 18).

Romney was surprised the other day, why people in airplanes are not allowed to open windows. For him, that is liberty limitations.

WOW.

Do Republicans REALLY can't find any candidate with at least standard intelligence?

Sounds more like Ron Paul to me ...

Any examples?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Ron_Paul

Oh, it's your commie soul again. OK.

Does anybody know where I can get a decent livestream for tonight's debate?

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/psa-live-presidential-debate-goes-interactive-on-xbox-live-toni/