Unemployment benefits

I believe that unemployment benefits help many people who are in need. However, the system has been abused and misused for some time now. Recently the Federal Reserve requested from one of our association members to conduct a survey on the difficulty of attracting workers due to the availability of extended unemployment benefits. The results were universal: It’s more difficult to find qualified workers now than ever before.

In significant numbers the unemployed are turning down jobs in order to retain unemployment benefits. When we offer a job, we routinely hear: ‘No, I don’t want to mess up my unemployment;’ ‘If I don’t like the job and quit then I can’t get back on unemployment,’ or ‘Why should I go to work for $10 an hour when I can make much more by collecting unemployment and doing a little work on the side?’

There is no system in place to monitor or penalize those who turn down jobs while collecting unemployment.

Why are we extending unemployment anyway? We should resurrect the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which was a public work relief program for unemployed men ages 18-24 and provided unskilled manual labor related to the conservation and development of natural resources in rural U.S. areas from 1933 to 1942.

Once their unemployment benefits expire, those who cannot find a job could enroll in the CCC, learn a trade, and give back to the country. Our parks could stand the work and people would learn additional trade skills. Today’s society has grown to expect government freebees and this needs to end.

Tom Ramsey

Waco

Campaign signs removed

More than a dozen campaign signs for state senate candidate Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell have been removed from yards in Hewitt and Waco. Birdwell is running in the June 22 special election to fill Kip Averitt’s seat. He is a conservative, pro-life, retired military, marriage-oriented, gun owner. Let’s give him a chance to show how he will lead Texas with no strings attached.

Lolly and Bob Grunska

Hewitt

Matt Baker interview

Why was Matt Baker’s face on the front page of the Trib on Friday? He does not deserve any media coverage. Why is the Trib giving this convicted murderer attention?

Tell me news, not the rantings of someone who lacks a conscience. He’s not news.

Donna Myers

Waco

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Why is Matt Baker referred to by the Trib as an ex-minister? If God almighty made him a minister, then he’s still a minister. If he were to go free and continue his ministry, I would listen to him.

Candelario Aguilar Sr.

Waco