Editorial: Suggestion to Governors who refuse extra money for unemployment

The governors of several states have decided to refuse money from the federal stimulus program which provides extra money for unemployment benefits to the people of their states as a matter of principle, they say. Principle, really? Whether one agrees or disagrees with the details of the stimulus certainly additional benefits to workers who were laid-off due to know fault of their own should not be questioned. I know of no one on unemployment who is living high on the hog. (When I was unemployed we lost all of our savings and have never really recovered, unemployment is no picnic.)

But for these governors who state their reason is principle I have a simple request. As a man or woman of principle you should be willing to live out your principles. Therefore I suggest that they voluntarily cut their salary to that which it would be on unemployment and pay rent for their governors mansion, give up all their perks and see if they can live as a person on unemployment, and then of course after their unemployment expires live off their own savings for the balance of their term. To me that would then show them to be a person of principle.  It is very easy to have principles that only affect other people.

I won’t hold my breath.