

Man repays unemployment benefits the helped him become a programmer - elliottcarlson
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2010/12/18/Man-repays-unemployment-benefits/UPI-25091292693187/

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jaysonelliot
It sounds like he doesn't understand how taxes work. He already paid for those
benefits by being employed.

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jey
Not exactly, that's only true on average across all taxpayers. An individual
could still pay in less than they got out. This donation is a way for the guy
to make sure he has repaid his share.

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OpieCunningham
It's unemployment insurance, not a personal unemployment fund. If a car gets
totaled and the owners insurance provider pays it off, that doesn't mean a
rational owner saves up to pay the insurance provider back for living up to
their obligation.

This guy sounds like he suffers from a misguided sense of responsibility.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

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sitmaster
Calling it "insurance" is a linguistic trick politicians use to remove the
stigma (little that there is these days) of being supported by the state. Is
it really insurance if you're forced to pay for it? Or is it just another
welfare program?

I imagine this guy sees it as just another welfare program, and thankful as he
was to receive it, he was also ashamed to take it. We'd be better off if
everyone was so "foolish."

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OpieCunningham
Whether it was forced or not has absolutely nothing to do with whether it was
insurance or whether it was originally his money anyway. Unemployment payments
are effectively a tax cut (taxes being another forced fee) yet I've never
heard of anyone claiming tax cuts are welfare.

I'm sure the guy did see it as a welfare program. That's why I called him a
fool.

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adaml_623
It's a very nice gesture. But surely a better way to pay it on would be to
find some poor student(s) and set up a one-off bursary/scholarship. Rather
than the money being used who knows where exactly.

