Quote from retaildaytrader:
Lets say there was no unemployment insurance or just 4 weeks of insurance...then this guy would probably have found a job. There are many local small businesses that would easily take someone on who would work for dirt cheap. He would not be "digging a ditch", but he would probably be doing other administrative things around the office because of his education and skills. However, he would be doing it for dirt cheap.
Then it becomes a vicious cycle where educated people are willing to work for a fraction of the cost of the existing workforce. There will be this mass crowd of educated experienced people willing to work for 50-75% of what everyone else is currently making. So an administrative assistant making 75000 in New York City soon finds herself getting fired because there are 5 other educated people knocking on the door willing to work for 45000.
You can regard unemployment insurance as your job security. If the insurance runs out, then your job will be at stake because there will be a many many guys knocking on the boss's door willing to work for 50% of what you are making now.
Be thankful for unemployment insurance. Its not just a benefit to the unemployed, but a benefit to those who are employed.
If you truly want to see an example of what would happen in a society without unemployment insurance then visit the Philippines. Everyone is applying for any job available over there and willing to work for the least wage possible. Is this what you want the United States to look like?
I know it sounds dishonorable for someone to live off of unemployment insurance for a great length of time, but you certainly would not want this man knocking on your boss's door and saying to him that he would work for half your salary...