Jamestown Theory Could Help Balance the Budget

The majority of people today all tend to believe what they see and hear in the media. I mean if FOX says it it has to be true. The real truth is that all major media sources tend to report with some bias. While our local community media sources do a good job reporting unbiased news many of the major news source report with a lean in one direction or the other. Truth is it is not always their fault.

Consider unemployment figures. November 2010 figures for Milam County show an unemployment rate of 10.8%. For the state unemployment for November 2010 was at 8.3%. These figures show county unemployment at the highest percentage ever and state unemployment at the its highest since June of 1992. Guess I should let the reader know that my figures come from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

So, how do they come up with theses figures? If you are like me you think these figures are an estimate of people that are unemployed. I know that is what many folks think. In fact these figures represent only the people that are actively looking for a job. Key word here being "actively." We all know that there are a large number of people who are unemployed that really are not looking for employment. Then there are those that actively search until their unemployment benefits run out.

Now this is not to say that all folks unemployed are not looking for jobs, but one has to admit that there are many that do not actively search for employment. Why should they? The majority of jobs that have been created in Texas in recent months are minimum wage jobs. For many, entitlement programs or unemployment pay more. This is especially true if you figure in the cost of having a job. Transportation to and from work costs money, and with gas near three dollars a gallon it costs more today then last year at this time to hold down a job.

As we look to balance the budget getting more people employed will help balance the budget. They make money they can spend money, and this creates sales tax income for Texas. If you pay someone for doing nothing they are more apt to do nothing then search for employment. So why not have them do something in return for their unemployment checks or their entitlement income? There are lots of things that could be required of an individual in return for their taxpayer supported income.

Why not have them volunteer to assist with the many volunteer programs that are out there. Food banks, litter abatement, recycling programs there are many things that a person could do to assist the social environment that pays their bills. Perhaps having to do something in return for their income would increase their desire to find something that pays a little more or something that they might really like doing better.

I do not intend to insinuate that all persons on entitlement programs or unemployment are playing the system. There are many out there that are truly in need, and many that are doing their best to find employment. However, those that are able to work and return something for what they receive should do so. For those that are able to work we should institute the Jamestown theory, no work no entitlement check.