The Washington Free Beacon’s Ellison Barber discussed the Senate’s latest decision to extend long-term unemployment insurance on The Blaze TV Friday, saying that while the benefits are not inherently bad policy, changes are needed to make the program more efficient.
"Instead of simply handing a check [to the unemployed] there need to be options," Barber said. "Offer those eligible for extended unemployment benefits a choice: the money, or relocation assistance."
Barber continued, "Conservatives shouldn’t reject unemployment benefits, but they should reject extending them as is and present a way to make them more effective."
The American Enterprise Institute’s Aparna Mathur agreed.
"Cash assistance through the UI program is going to help people who are in need, but I think we can better than that," Mathur said. "I think we need better job placement programs so the people on these programs don’t simply spend the cash assistance."