Gary Varvel for August 30, 2013

Drawn wrong; a cycle repeats, by definition.There is no path between 7. and 1., only a dead end.As long as 6. and 7. pay better than 1, this will not be a cycle.

I would have put a dual arrow at step 4: one called “laid off” and the other saying “job sent to China”.

Cutting government spending destroys jobs. We’ve proved it now. The recoveries under Reagan, Clinton, and Bush all involved government spending. And the Obama stimulus brought unemployment down, though it has long run out and won’t be renewed by the GOP house. You can be sure that increased spending would have happened under Romney, because the GOP cares only about party, not country.

While I don’t disagree the process is broken, I don’t believe people like to stay in groups 6 or 7, regardless of the pay. There are Lebowskis who will buck the system sure. But most people want to work for a living. They’d probably take the part time job if there was one. But there aren’t. So why bother?

I will admit my response is based on anecdotal evidence and a perhaps idealistic view of human nature.

But it takes 18 months to two years to get disability and the local law firm charges $6,000 to help.

Gary, I’m not seeing a clear cause in your ’toon. Many people seem to be listing their own reasons WHY or how to get out of that death spiral. Would you care to offer your thoughts?

While SSI should be a separate program from retirement Social Security, and yes, better regulated, I get tired of the disabled, like my friend who lost both hands in a work accident (electrocuted), or others blinded, or paralyzed, either in civilian or military service, being blamed for our economic problems. My brother-in-law IS a lazy bum, and yes, he did lose a leg when he tried suicide, and I’ve told him over the years to get off his butt and get a job, as so many of my other disabled friends have, but, the constant assumption that everyone on disability is a flake, is not nearly as true as “conservatives” believe.

PAJ said, about 4 hours ago

@NeoconMan

Trying to be facetious there, eh, Neo.-Boy, nothing gets past the ZIT.

I see the Republicans/Fox “news” viewers bitterly criticizing people who are in step 5 and beyond. -Zero mention of steps 3 and 4. Zero. Like, you know, those people did it to themselves, just so they could get disability.

some posters have NOT BEEN THERE! since 9/11 i’ve been on unemployment 6 times! as of 3 days ago i am now again employed full-time; in other words, still swinging for the fences! as for ‘living on unemployment’ it’s allowed me to keep my house, feed myself and keep the utilitiles paid during times when NO ONE WAS OFFERING ME A JOB AFTER APPLYING. and applying. and applying, etc,etc,etc.

The only thing missing is between #2 and #3. Obummercare! God help us all!

What an idiot!

Were you successful?.I turned 62 instead.

‘But truth and reality always get by you ,brainey.’-Nice comeback, one of your very best.-Never thought you’d admit being ZIT, though. Thanks for that.

^Bring me that Porsche and a new TV you’ve been promising me come next December!

Get ready for a new reality, folks. We are going into an era where it will be more common to have multiple part time jobs than one full time. The question is, as it gets more difficult for us will the folks on the hill take a small chunk off their $170,000 a year. No. They won’t even entertain the proposal. While we’ve been suffering through layoffs and job eliminations, they have still received their regular raises. But we keep putting the same dunces right back in class.

Give it up, Zit, your bulb burned out totally a long time ago, you’re much sadder than just “dim”.

Good work corporate America!