Extravagant Federal Unemployment Packages for Laid Off Boeing Employees.

While the state of Washington learned that their unemployment benefits were cut by 21%, laid off Boeing employees in Seattle Washington will receive unemployment pay for for up to 2½ years...5 time longer than the normal 6 months, or in Washington's case, 4 months!

The benefits are funded by a federal program called the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, which is designed to assist American employees who lose their jobs as a result of outsourcing or foreign trade. In addition the federal government will pay:

• 90% reimbursement for travel expenses incurred while searching for a job.
• 90% reimbursement for moving expenses if new job requires relocation.
• Tax credit for nearly three-quarters of their health-care premiums.
• Eligibility for 25,000 grant toward the cost of a degree.
• $10,000 over two years in supplementary pay for workers over 50, if they have to take a pay-cut.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm all for paying unemployment benefits, especially in an economy where the jobs just aren't there.  But plumping up unemployment benefits for a select few?  Clearly, some people are more important than other people, who work for the military industrial complex even amongst the rank and file.