The Senate voted this week to restore benefits to the long-term unemployed, aid that expired more than seven weeks ago. Under the extension, unemployed workers can receive a maximum of 99 weeks of income assistance. Helping the long-term unemployed in a period of prolonged recession is generally a bipartisan issue. But this time, Republicans argued that the measure would add too much to the national debt. It's a discussion that gets bogged down in several myths about how to help the long-term unemployed, and the economy, at the same time.
Unemployment Benefits: Five Pervasive Myths
Five Myths About Unemployment