Unemployment benefits helped the economy

I was extremely disappointed to see The Gazette publish regurgitated, blatant lies in Timothy Wentz's Nov. 30 letter, which stated, “By the numbers (editor's note: these figures not verified): 40 jets carrying 3,000 people costing $2 billion. Since the United States is broke, that's $2 billion ‘appropriated' from your children.”

The cited lie could have easily been edited as it did not pertain to the letter's subject. Rather than spewing these unverified “facts,” why not relay some of the stuff that is factual, productive and more relevant to Iowans, like the story showing that Congress recently denied continuation of unemployment benefits.

That Nov. 17 story - found at http://smgs.us/1q - states that a U.S. Department of Labor multiyear study found that Unemployment Insurance stabilized the economy during a deep recession and had an even more positive impact on the economy than in previous recessions. Highlights:

l For every dollar spent on unemployment insurance, economic activity increases by $2.

l During each quarter of the recent recession, unemployment insurance benefits kept an average of 1.6 million Americans on the job.

l At the height of the recession, unemployment insurance benefits averted 1.8 million job losses and kept the unemployment rate approximately 1.2 percentage points lower.

l Unemployment insurance benefits reduced the fall in gross domestic product by 18 percent.

Let's not have The Gazette increasing the Registry of the Ignorant.

Shane Lawson

Cedar Rapids