So it looks like the President and Congress are getting ready to extend the length of time people can collect unemployment insurance again.  This time for another thirteen months.

It is wrong to let people starve because they can’t find work but it is also wrong to tax working people to give the unemployed money whether they need it or not.  In my town the spouse of a college professor has been collecting unemployment for almost two years.

How about this simple solution.  After your unemployment insurance runs out if you want to keep getting benefits there is a means test.  So in most states after six months if you really need help keeping pasta on the table you go on welfare.

I think this simple change would cause a lot of the “long term unemployed” to change their expectations, go back to work, contribute to the economic recovery and save the taxpayers a lot of money.