7 ms·

half of all unemployment insurance during the pandemic. 10% in 2019 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/unemployment-fraud-spreads-across-u-s-as-coronavirus-boosts

half of all unemployment insurance *during the pandemic*. 10% in 2019 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/unemployment-fraud-spreads-across-u-s-as-coronavirus-boosts-claims-11591189201 https://www.wsj.com/articles/unemployment-fraud-spreads-acro...) Conservative legislatures and governors/presidents have spent the last few decades gutting the agencies that handle unemployment, and then suddenly an extra 10% of the country is unemployed for weeks. Yeah, we're gonna see an increase in fraud.

jandrewrogers 5y ago
In my deep blue State, progressives have had control of the government for a long time. They sent the better part of a billion dollars in unemployment aid to literal Nigerian scammers. No one even disagrees that the cause was gross negligence and incompetence. “Mistakes were made.” Somehow, the person responsible for this hilarious and shameful episode failed upward and is now a member of the Biden administration. I’m sure “conservatives” are responsible for many ills but where I live this isn’t one of them because they were never involved. If you want to fix it, you have to be honest about the problem.
- bradleyjg 5y ago
  > If you want to fix it, you have to be honest about the problem. If you read the comments on this topic it’s pretty clear that there are a bunch of people that don’t want to fix the problem.
  - jandrewrogers 5y ago
    That does not absolve those who responsible for the problem of any culpability. Whataboutism isn’t valid response. The problems with unemployment aid were bipartisan. In my State, the Democrats own that mess because they created it. That isn’t a partisan assertion, that is a non-controversial observation of reality. I’ve never been a conservative but I am not so much in denial that I will pretend that the comedic failure of execution at the State level by Democrats was actually the fault of some nebulous “conservatives”. The conservatives were never involved. The Democrats own that failure, and you would hope they have the self-awareness to recognize that.
    - systemvoltage 5y ago
      We don't like hearing negative things about Democratic party on this forum.
      - syshum 5y ago
        Democrats seem to be judged by their intentions not their results Republicans seem to be judged by their results and if the results are perceived bad their intentions are asssumed to be malicious and based in an ism or phobia of some kind
        systemvoltage 5y ago
        Btw, I am a Democrat and occassionally I'd like to call bullshit on many things. Challenge our own assumptions. But in last couple of years, that's become really difficult. I am vehemently against censorship and it appears to me that Democrats have unconstrained power since Big Tech and the entire internet is on our side. This is feeling a bit dangerous to me. Your comment on Republican party is spot on. I'd be down with a more centrist and less populist party - Lincoln party would be something I'd consider. I also don't take politics as seriously as so many people in this country. It shouldn't consume you. It should be a peaceful debate with picking good points and rejecting crazy ideas. My biggest criticism of HN is that it doesn't know how to handle conflicting interests and most people here have lost their ability to speak freely and against mainstream. It used to be that HN was a contrarian community with lots of interesting perspectives without downvotes. It's no longer the same. My hunch is that social media is shaping the world to be more in-line with mob mentality and it is dismantling the founding principles of America. America is headquarted in Menlo Park, CA.
        syshum 5y ago
        I am a small l libertarian, have observed politics since the mid 90's it has been interesting to see how how the political parties have changed Democrats seem to think they Republicans have gone "far right" but from my point of view the both have shifted to the left socially with the democrat party taking a HUGE left turn starting around 2008, but really accelerating in 2016... Where Socially republicans are more "left" or libertarian on many social issues from Gay marriage to Abortion[1], and economically are more open to "Blue Dog" democrat economic positions but now Democrats are "Democratic socialism or nothing". [1] I recognize with Abortion there are a few state laws they may go against this statement, but this is a direct reaction to Democrats moving away from "Safe, Legal and Rare" of the 90's to full on celebration of abortion as a primary birth control method and women's empowerment issue.
- pyuser583 5y ago
  I don’t understand why you’re getting downvoted. Maybe naming the state would help?
  - bpodgursky 5y ago
    The Europeans on this forum downvote anything with a hint of criticism of the US center-left. It's like the $.50 army except they don't get paid.
    - pyuser583 5y ago
      I mean Blue America isn’t exactly Denmark. California is the richest and poorest state in the country. Edit: I live in a very well run part of blue America. Strong focus on good governance. The local dems try very hard to distance themselves from national politics.
      - systemvoltage 5y ago
        Care you tell us where you're from? I'd like to move to a place which is well run (Blue or Red, doesn't matter). Currently living in the Bay Area, it feels like a proper third world country just like Seattle, Portland and LA. All happen to be Blue cities.
        pyuser583 5y ago
        Madison, WI. I moved here from the Bay Area. Strongly recommend it.
- 8note 5y ago
  I'd imagine the republicans are good friends with said scammers and their war chest profits from the scam
refurb 5y ago
Huh? CA hasn’t had a Republican majority in its legislature in a couple decades? Eventually those govts have to take some responsibility for the rampant fraud.

half of all unemployment insurance *during the pandemic*. 10% in 2019 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/unemployment-fraud-spreads-across-u-s-as-coronavirus-boosts

jandrewrogers 5y ago

In my deep blue State, progressives have had control of the government for a long time. They sent the better part of a billion dollars in unemployment aid to literal Nigerian scammers. No one even disagrees that the cause was gross negligence and incompetence. “Mistakes were made.” Somehow, the person responsible for this hilarious and shameful episode failed upward and is now a member of the Biden administration. I’m sure “conservatives” are responsible for many ills but where I live this isn’t one of them because they were never involved. If you want to fix it, you have to be honest about the problem.

bradleyjg 5y ago
> If you want to fix it, you have to be honest about the problem. If you read the comments on this topic it’s pretty clear that there are a bunch of people that don’t want to fix the problem.
- jandrewrogers 5y ago
  That does not absolve those who responsible for the problem of any culpability. Whataboutism isn’t valid response. The problems with unemployment aid were bipartisan. In my State, the Democrats own that mess because they created it. That isn’t a partisan assertion, that is a non-controversial observation of reality. I’ve never been a conservative but I am not so much in denial that I will pretend that the comedic failure of execution at the State level by Democrats was actually the fault of some nebulous “conservatives”. The conservatives were never involved. The Democrats own that failure, and you would hope they have the self-awareness to recognize that.
  - systemvoltage 5y ago
    We don't like hearing negative things about Democratic party on this forum.
    - syshum 5y ago
      Democrats seem to be judged by their intentions not their results Republicans seem to be judged by their results and if the results are perceived bad their intentions are asssumed to be malicious and based in an ism or phobia of some kind
      - systemvoltage 5y ago
        Btw, I am a Democrat and occassionally I'd like to call bullshit on many things. Challenge our own assumptions. But in last couple of years, that's become really difficult. I am vehemently against censorship and it appears to me that Democrats have unconstrained power since Big Tech and the entire internet is on our side. This is feeling a bit dangerous to me. Your comment on Republican party is spot on. I'd be down with a more centrist and less populist party - Lincoln party would be something I'd consider. I also don't take politics as seriously as so many people in this country. It shouldn't consume you. It should be a peaceful debate with picking good points and rejecting crazy ideas. My biggest criticism of HN is that it doesn't know how to handle conflicting interests and most people here have lost their ability to speak freely and against mainstream. It used to be that HN was a contrarian community with lots of interesting perspectives without downvotes. It's no longer the same. My hunch is that social media is shaping the world to be more in-line with mob mentality and it is dismantling the founding principles of America. America is headquarted in Menlo Park, CA.
        syshum 5y ago
        I am a small l libertarian, have observed politics since the mid 90's it has been interesting to see how how the political parties have changed Democrats seem to think they Republicans have gone "far right" but from my point of view the both have shifted to the left socially with the democrat party taking a HUGE left turn starting around 2008, but really accelerating in 2016... Where Socially republicans are more "left" or libertarian on many social issues from Gay marriage to Abortion[1], and economically are more open to "Blue Dog" democrat economic positions but now Democrats are "Democratic socialism or nothing". [1] I recognize with Abortion there are a few state laws they may go against this statement, but this is a direct reaction to Democrats moving away from "Safe, Legal and Rare" of the 90's to full on celebration of abortion as a primary birth control method and women's empowerment issue.
pyuser583 5y ago
I don’t understand why you’re getting downvoted. Maybe naming the state would help?
- bpodgursky 5y ago
  The Europeans on this forum downvote anything with a hint of criticism of the US center-left. It's like the $.50 army except they don't get paid.
  - pyuser583 5y ago
    I mean Blue America isn’t exactly Denmark. California is the richest and poorest state in the country. Edit: I live in a very well run part of blue America. Strong focus on good governance. The local dems try very hard to distance themselves from national politics.
    - systemvoltage 5y ago
      Care you tell us where you're from? I'd like to move to a place which is well run (Blue or Red, doesn't matter). Currently living in the Bay Area, it feels like a proper third world country just like Seattle, Portland and LA. All happen to be Blue cities.
      - pyuser583 5y ago
        Madison, WI. I moved here from the Bay Area. Strongly recommend it.
8note 5y ago
I'd imagine the republicans are good friends with said scammers and their war chest profits from the scam

refurb 5y ago

Huh? CA hasn’t had a Republican majority in its legislature in a couple decades? Eventually those govts have to take some responsibility for the rampant fraud.