Among the many groups of people that the Koch brothers have demonized as they rake in billions are America’s unemployed.
AFP has identified 11 votes against legislation starting or extending federal unemployment benefits as key votes, insisting that their allies in Congress don’t offer a helping hand to job-seekers and their families.
They have claimed that unemployment benefits “encourage individuals to needlessly extend their job search” and even bemoaned that it “prevents wages from falling” as the market deems “necessary.”
Their attacks on unemployment are just another example of the billionaire Koch brothers waging war against working families just trying to get by.
AFP Identified 11 Votes Against Legislation Starting Or Extending Federal Unemployment Benefits As Key Votes. Americans for Prosperity’s online scorecards of key votes in the 110th, 111th, 112th and 113th Congresses included 16 votes on legislation that included provisions initiating or extending federal unemployment benefit programs. Those votes were 2012 House vote 659, 2012 Senate vote 251, 2011 House vote 275, 2010 Senate vote 259, 2010 Senate vote 258, 2009 House vote 70, 2009 House vote 46, 2009 Senate vote 64, 2009 Senate vote 61, 2008 House vote 412 and 2008 House vote 330. [AFP Scorecards for the 110th, 111th, 112th and 113th Congresses, Viewed 4/16/14]
AFP Foundation: “Unemployment Insurance Causes Both Job-Seekers And Employers To Make Decisions That Depress Employment In The Economy.” According to the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, “Unemployment insurance causes both job-seekers and employers to make decisions that depress employment in the economy. Job-seekers receive benefits that encourage them to remain unemployed while employers pay taxes so burdensome that they have fewer resources to pay current employees. While UI is undoubtedly well-intentioned, policymakers should keep these severe unintended consequences in mind.” [AmericansForProsperityFoundation.com, June 2012]
AFP Foundation: “UI Payments Encourage Individuals To Needlessly Extend Their Job Search.” According to the Americans For Prosperity Foundation, “An individual’s ability to voluntarily seek and accept jobs for which they are qualified and which allow them to employ their skills in return for compensation is absolutely essential to the proper functioning of a free market economy. But UI payments encourage individuals to needlessly extend their job search and hold out for higher wages, not at their own expense, but at the expense of the millions of taxpayers supporting them.” [AmericansForProsperityFoundation.com, June 2012]
AFP Foundation: Workers Pass On Low-Paying Jobs “Because UI Benefits Keep Them Comfortable,” Which “Prevents Wages From Falling” As The Market Deems “Necessary.” According to the Americans For Prosperity Foundation, “Workers can feel free to pass on lower-paying job opportunities because UI benefits keep them comfortable in the meantime. This also prevents wages from falling, which is sometimes a necessary correction in a market economy during a [AmericansForProsperityFoundation.com, June 2012]