My neighborhood (in Lansing) has a lot of empty houses. First the jobs go, then the houses. I pick up litter on the empty lots so they look tended. This impacts us all.

We’re in this together. I’m shocked at that statement, too. Thanks for the column.

I agree extending unemployment takes away the incentive for some to find work. Those who have always made around what they are making on unemployment are at risk for that. Many who I know can’t afford to stay on unemployment. They are having to make decisions on how much of committed bills they can pay at a time to avoid catastrophe. Discretionary spending is long gone.

The abuse is angering all of us. I think all of us should also be angered that Congress hasn’t made a commitment to fund UIA with ARA funds instead of adding to the deficit. Republicans were making that demand. That was the reason many were holdouts on the extension. It wasn’t that they didn’t care, but that they wanted it funded with money already accounted for in our deficit instead of adding new. I admired the Republicans for drawing the line there. Now it seems they are going to cave on that to get the tax extensions they want. Respect lost. We all know we can’t keep adding to our deficit and all in Congress are showing us, yet again, no one is really committed to the mission.