After breezing through the spineless House, our dearly beloved economic “aid” package is stuck in the Senate. The price tag is now up to $156 billion, with rebates going to an even broader group. Previously, most older Americans living off Social Security would get nothing. Now they will, likely thanks to strong lobbying from the AARP.

But, of course, it gets stupid. While I do think that the older people should get a check, they are also adding in some other delights. Like increasing the top-end cutoff (above $75K/$150K) and extending unemployment benefits for an additional 13 to 26 weeks (depending on where you live).

First off, I’m all for fairness. If you bring in an income, you should get a “rebate”. On the flip-side, it’s pretty unlikely that a $1200 check is going to make a lot of difference for a couple making more than $150K a year. (Cue my “cry me a river” line. Here’s your tiny violin. Start playing.) Either we act like socialists and just give the money to the poor (however the hell you define that), or don’t do anything at all.

Second, is the increase in unemployment benefits. Most states currently allow for 26 weeks. This would bump it up to 39, or, in “certain states” (yet to be defined) up to 52 weeks. That’s an entire year of unemployment.

Now I realize that it can be hard to find work, but an entire year? You can’t find some kind of job that pays some kind of money–in a year? Maybe I’m being too harsh, but that sounds like an awfully long time to be on the dole, especially when a Walmart greeter job would pay you better than unemployment. I’ve seen our parents take whatever job they could, so that they could pay the bills and keep the kids fed. You do what you have to do. Period.

And, frankly, what kind of incentive does that give people to get out and look for work? Humans are notorious procrastinators. We love to let things drag out on and on and on. In my opinion, people need a fire lit under their ass before they will do shit. Take away that fire, and you’ll just see the average time on unemployment increase.

I know I’m sounding harsh here, but I’ve worked through enough recessions, and had plenty of nowhere jobs that I despised. But, guess what? I bit the bullet and paid my penance. Just like a lot of hardworking people out there. The last thing we need is more babying of our population.