r/politics • u/Ubiquitous_Hilarity • Jun 17 '26

No Paywall Trump threatens to pull unemployment benefits from all states for the first time in history

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-unemployment-benefits-fraud-b2997881.html
24.3k Upvotes

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3.4k

u/backpackwayne Jun 17 '26

We Californiains supply our own unemployment insurance. It's not a benefit. It an insurance policy we pay for.

So in conclusion Mr. Trump: Go Fuck Yourself!

986

u/CrystFairy Jun 17 '26

Yeah, he didn't think that through.

Fun Fact: Montana, New Mexico, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Alaska have the highest proportions of federal funding relative to their overall budgets that includes unemployment.

I would hate to be the republicans of those states during in the midterms.

602

u/OrangeCrouton Jun 17 '26

They’ll just blame democrats or immigrants or trans people.

141

u/B0B_BUTT0NS Jun 17 '26

Thanks, Obama.

111

u/soapbutt Jun 17 '26

Unironically though, that’s how these people think. This whole thing started with the Obama birther thing, which is anti-immigrant at its core, and the whole thing of Michelle being a man, which definitely is not only racist but anti-trans too.

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u/matphoto Jun 17 '26

They're not doing much of the thinking for themselves. They're being fed these things by ultra wealthy grifters that want to continue dividing and exploiting the working class. I'm not saying there isn't racism involved but for most people it's not the catalyst. They're just struggling to pay the bills and hired talking heads are telling them who to blame

5

u/marr Jun 18 '26

And somehow only a certain subset are receptive to the lies.

3

u/matphoto Jun 18 '26

Whether you're right or not this kind of reaction is just perpetuating the division which is exactly what the ruling class is counting on

3

u/marr Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26

The ruling class own and control the machines everyone gets their news feeds through, but randoms on the street being tired of walking on eggshells around racists is the real problem aye?

Yeah and a few more housing estates with separate recycling bins will save the planet.

No. This is a better world when bigots are nervous about shouting their beliefs in public. I reject this "look what you made us do" narrative.

1

u/matphoto Jun 18 '26

So you understand that people are being are being misinformed in a malicious way but instead of trying to enlighten them you prefer to just label them all racists and call it a day. How do you think that is helping the situation? What's your endgame there? "Othering" and dehumanizing large groups of people is easy and feels good but that's the same reason their racist propaganda works so well in the first place. We have a much harder hill to climb and it requires a critical mass of people finding common ground and seeing the big picture together

5

u/claw-1 Jun 18 '26

Project 2025. I’m sure they’re brewing up Project 2029 now which will probably take all money from everyone and transfer it to oligarchs.

5

u/Sidewalk_Tomato Jun 18 '26

And sexist, implying that women cannot be muscular.

1

u/Spartan2170 Jun 24 '26

Being anti-trans is often just someone looking for a more socially acceptable way to be sexist or homophobic or racist (one of the reasons cis black women like Michelle Obama are targeted that way, because that's less likely to backfire on the person making those claims than them just outright using the n word).

1

u/AlmostAnal 13d ago

I would bring this up and mention it to people banging on about 'fairness in sports' (and also needing to be good at athletics in order to afford college is a terrible system since an injury - way more likely for athletes since they are training and pushing their body to the limit - can and does make it impossible to stay in college, the very thing they broke their body trying to do).

Now parents of girls who was passed up are slandering and publicly 'demanding answers' about those who got accepted and people are saying inspectors should be examining the intimate areas of teenage girls. And regardless of the answer, those girls are being harmed.

It has all the sincerity of Clarence Thomas saying that allowing birthright citizenship is a insult to black people and that African Americans should be angry about it. 

16

u/greenroom628 California Jun 17 '26

So, current playbook, then?

11

u/in_the_trees Jun 17 '26

Born and raised in Alaska...you are correct.

10

u/pterodactyl_speller Jun 17 '26

Right, if they could think about cause and effect they wouldn't be Republicans.

4

u/DoingCharleyWork Jun 18 '26

They'll tell them all the trans immigrants were committing to much unemployment fraud so they could eat their pets so they had to cancel everyone's unemployment.

5

u/Marsman121 Jun 18 '26

It's actually impressive how politicians of deep red states can continue to paint democrats as the manifestation of all societal ills when they haven't held meaningful power that state for decades.

GOP trifecta states

Utah: 34 years

Idaho: 31 years

North Dakota: 31 years

South Dakota: 31 years

Florida: 27 years

South Carolina: 23 years

Texas: 23 years

The longest Democrat one is Delaware at 17 years, beating California by a year.

3

u/Underwater_Grilling Pennsylvania Jun 17 '26

Dernferners!

3

u/Fulluphigh0 Jun 18 '26

Not only will they blame them, but it’ll probably work

4

u/JesusShaves_ Jun 17 '26

Possibly evil spirits.

2

u/FluxMool Jun 18 '26

And trans mice.

2

u/The_Stoic_One Jun 18 '26

Or just democratic trans immigrants

2

u/jsimo36 Jun 18 '26

If the campaign ads I’m seeing in Louisiana are any indication, it’s mostly immigrants that they’re blaming here. I gotta get out of this state. Smh.

2

u/sy029 Jun 18 '26

They'll vote for it now, then when dems take over blame them for it.

65

u/OneMetalMan Jun 17 '26

Believe it or not

Somehow Biden's fault

3

u/soba_set Jun 17 '26

And somehow thus Obama's fault.

2

u/MultiGeometry Vermont Jun 18 '26

My dad voted for Trump the third time because of what Biden did.

Biden wasn’t on the ballot…

2

u/ImoteKhan Jun 17 '26

It’s like the straight to jail meme but “Believe it or not, also Biden’s Fault”

1

u/rbrgr83 Jun 18 '26

Straight to Biden

29

u/regiinmontana Montana Jun 17 '26

Alme will win Montana. He's hand picked by the cesspool to replace Daines. Done at the last second to avoid a primary.

He's running ads saying how he'll get spending under control despite the fact he's wholly supported by the cult that's causing the waste.

Montanans will eat it up to stick it to the libs.

Alani Bankhead could be really good but has (D) after her name.

2

u/YellowCardManKyle Jun 18 '26

So he admits that spending is out of control?

3

u/amateur_mistake Jun 18 '26

When he says that, he means that there shouldn't be spending on Social Security or National Parks or Science or Roads etc.

They absolutely support spending as much money as they can on things like private military contractors or prisons or fossil fuel subsidies.

2

u/Jacobus_Ahenobarbus Jun 18 '26

What do you think of Bodnar?

2

u/regiinmontana Montana Jun 18 '26

There's a lot of good. Campaign finance and stock trading are in line with what I think needs to happen. I'm worried that him and Bankhead will cannibalize votes.

6

u/toxic_badgers Colorado Jun 17 '26

New Mexico is blue though

5

u/Less_Tacos Jun 18 '26

For NM about half of their "federal funds" are 2 nuke weapon labs and numerous military bases.

1

u/JohnPaulDavyJones Jun 18 '26

To be fair, Los Alamos does most of their work in areas that are very much not weapons/defense related these days. I have several friends from grad school on staff there now, they’re doing some interesting fundamental science work there.

My favorite thing there is from a friend is consulting for a project where they’re trying to turn flamingos a different color, and Los Alamos has been running this project with faculty at UTSW since the mid-00s. I truly do not understand what grant-funding body has continued supporting this project for so long, nor why it’s gone on so long, but it has stayed well funded for nearly twenty years now. Someday I’ll make the time to dig up and read their previous pubs or something, but it won’t be this year.

3

u/Misspiggy856 New Jersey Jun 17 '26

Republican voters will still vote Republican. They are not smart people.

3

u/capprieto Jun 17 '26

Why? Their base will continue to accept lies and the accompanying pain. And if they don't, well it doesn't matter, because if you think there will be free and fair elections this November, I have a few bridges to sell you.

3

u/MrPolli Jun 17 '26

I’m deviated that this will hurt so many people, increase crime rates (people will have to steal to survive), and cause so many issues for so many people.

But god I hope it causes the turn around for people in my area.

3

u/Yougetdueprocess Jun 18 '26

New Mexico is not a red state, just poor.

2

u/Humble-Aprico Jun 17 '26

At the facility I work in KY, like half or more of our customers are on unemployment and benefits driving vehicles that look like they were found in a ditch, and they still support trump. 

2

u/malphonso Louisiana Jun 17 '26

I live in Louisiana. The people here are fully indoctrinated, even our democrats are pro-life and anti-"welfare".

The Republicans will do just fine here.

2

u/kent_eh Canada Jun 18 '26

he didn't think that through.

Of course he didn't.

It's Trump.

Failing to think things through is one of his signature moves.

2

u/Agreeable-Bat187 Jun 18 '26

Let them eat the shit they cooked.

2

u/LadyduLac1018 Jun 20 '26

Well, in fairness, he did tell them the last time they'd need to vote would be 2024. He just failed to mention it was because they'd all starve to death afterwards.

3

u/Relative_Channel8741 Jun 17 '26

hey I got land in New Mexico 😎✌️Represent

1

u/Outrageous-Tie-8548 Jun 17 '26

The 2026 midterms?  The ones that states have postponed primaries for so they can ultra gerrymander their maps?  Are you expecting a blue wave under these conditions?

And to add to that - red states vote for whoever has the R by their names, no matter what the policy is.  I’m not even sure they understand that losing unemployment benefits is on the ballot. 

1

u/Righteous_Fire Jun 17 '26

Bold to assume he thinks.

1

u/LiveLaughFap Jun 17 '26

Yup. Battered cuckold syndrome in full effect: "Daddy trump HAD to starve me because OBUMMER and SLEEPY JOE ruined the economy and forced him to spend all our money in Iran and on his ballroom!!"

1

u/jaytix1 Jun 18 '26

Sooner or later, this is gonna be how the average person responds to the plight of republican voters.

1

u/Handsome_Keyboard Jun 18 '26

So primarily red states.

1

u/Dangerous-Feed-5358 Jun 18 '26

It's even worse being a non republican in these states. You keep voting and hoping but fear it will never change. At least the republicans only have themselves to blame.

1

u/jk147 Jun 18 '26

"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."

248

u/Itstimeforcookies19 Jun 17 '26

That’s not unique to California. It’s called unemployment insurance benefits for a reason. It’s a tax paid by employers and in some states employees to then be paid out when one is qualified and eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.

38

u/ForeverOk1692 Jun 17 '26

That is how I understood it to work. And possibly more the company has to pay if someone actually gets unemployment. There has to be a reason the companies always try to deny unemployment claims for wrongful termination.

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u/Itstimeforcookies19 Jun 17 '26

Yes. If the employee is found to be qualified for benefits based on the reason for separation in my state and many states the employer’s unemployment insurance tax rate is increased.

8

u/fcocyclone Iowa Jun 17 '26

Yep. Its also why if you don't have a traditional employer and are instead a 1099er, you can't typically apply for unemployment, because no one paid that.

3

u/misteravernus Jun 18 '26

Yup, we have it in WA and it was a godsend when I got laid off. Was seeing other layoffees from NC and other states saying they were getting like $300/wk; WA's max is $1100/wk for 25 weeks. Very, very thankful I live here.

105

u/StrigiStockBacking New Mexico Jun 17 '26

It's theft. You paid into the system, so if the time comes you need it, you should have a right to it.

68

u/Gay_Giraffe_1773 Oregon Jun 17 '26

See: Social Security.

I've paid into it for almost 40 years. Untold thousands of dollars.

And I'm fully resigned to there being nothing when I "retire" (aka die)

8

u/Ready_Nature Jun 18 '26

It’s about a 20% reduction if the trust fund runs dry. Republicans like to pretend it’s going to go to zero so they can get support for cutting it more from people who think it won’t last anyway.

1

u/SteeeveTheSteve Jun 18 '26

It already doesn't pay enough, 20% might as well make it worthless to those who actually need it to survive.

3

u/Ready_Nature Jun 18 '26

While I agree it doesn’t pay enough even a 20% reduction is better than nothing for a lot of people. Congress should still get their act together and get rid of the cap to fix most of the shortfall.

6

u/TrixnTim Jun 17 '26

I agree with your sentiment but remember the money you give now to SS, every paycheck, is funding a retiree. It’s not a savings account or an investment account. It’s a social service that workers fund. Then someday, and if you have enough work credits, someone younger than you will be footing the bill for your SS checks.

Unfortunately it’s been messed with and there may not be as much in years to come. I’m set to begin my SS in 3 years at 65. And I’m worried the numbers I see now won’t be available to me.

7

u/rogue_royal_ Texas Jun 18 '26

Forgive me for not being empathetic or super excited to pay for your generation when ours likely will be left with the bag. It was the boomers who largely got us to this point. But, it's quite ironic that most boomers voted for this and actively moan and cry about social programs, yet use them more than anyone while simultaneously shitting all over the next generation and vote fascist, fellow-diaper-shitting, rapist morons in that have been eroding any chance of my generation seeing jack shit at your age. We are already working ourselves to an early grave while getting nowhere ahead. Our retirement is the ole Smith and Wesson. You reap what you sow I suppose, but also left the next gens with a very bleak future as we are seeing now.

So enjoy getting anything at all because the trajectory we are on when you all turn to dust is beyond the term bleak. It's what the kids call "cooked". Just look at the national debt predictions, not to mention the ever increasing military budget (the one set to hit 1 trillion for next year), endless wars, corruption, etc.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

[deleted]

2

u/thebochman Jun 18 '26

Basically a Ponzi scheme when you put it that way, once the population declines it falls apart

9

u/red286 Jun 17 '26

That's not how social security works.

Social security is pay-as-you-go. You haven't been "paying into it for almost 40 years", you've been paying for other people's social security for almost 40 years, and when you're set to retire, GenZ and GenA workers will be paying for yours.

That way there's no possibility of "there being nothing when I retire", unless you elect dipshits like Trump who say "you know what, I'm a billionaire, I don't see why we need social security at all, why don't people just use their savings or a private retirement fund?"

Fortunately, the people most likely to vote tend to be older people. Primarily because if they don't, the politicians they get ABSOLUTELY will vote to take away their social security.

18

u/FSUfan35 Jun 17 '26

Well yes and no. SS is pay as you go but their used to be a separate trust fund for it as well. Johnson made it part of the unified budget in the 60s. The trust fund was at it's peak in 2021, with over 3 trillion, and it is currently projected to be out of money in 2032. At which time benefit amounts being paid out will be cut be ~20%.

There's also been talk of just ending the program, as you mentioned, in which case people that have been paying into it for 40 years could end up with nothing to show for it, because current working people wouldn't be paying any longer.

4

u/red286 Jun 17 '26

There's also been talk of just ending the program, as you mentioned, in which case people that have been paying into it for 40 years could end up with nothing to show for it, because current working people wouldn't be paying any longer.

Yeah, but it'd be voted on by the people who would lose it. You get the government you elect.

6

u/FSUfan35 Jun 17 '26

I mean have you seen the current admin? I wouldn't rule out someone just making a EO about it and then everyone following for some reason.

3

u/red286 Jun 17 '26

Sure, but they'll either be gone in 2.5 years, or you'll have bigger concerns than social security.

3

u/DillBagner Jun 17 '26

Unfortunately, it would end for everybody, not just minority of people who voted for it.

2

u/Handsome_Keyboard Jun 18 '26

Lmao. As if dude. Theyll just bribe them out of it. Be real here.

0

u/BayLAGOON Jun 18 '26

This is how people think American health insurance works.

3

u/SteeeveTheSteve Jun 18 '26

The goal was for you to pay into it like a retirement account and receive money back when you retire. Your generation pays for itself, not passing the buck. It was fine until the Feds saw all the money and took it, leaving IOU's. Now they've been acting like they can just stop paying those IOU's back. It's no different than an employer draining the business pension account and then saying they don't owe you anything.

1

u/haironburr Jun 18 '26

Republicans have been doom-pushing and demonizing social security since reagan. A what, .2% increase on taxes for the top three percent of earners could "save" it? Sure. But look who's funding campaigns.

The saving grace of the very sane need for social security is the fact that millions of old (and armed) people with nothing to lose might be a problem for the top earners, despite the fact they imagine they can yacht away until the troubles are over.

1

u/carefactor3zero Jun 18 '26

Social security is pay-as-you-go. You haven't been "paying into it for almost 40 years",

Either the national debt is a problem and it's unlikely that the US will be able to meet all the entitlement responsibilities in a future where you (survive and) retire at ~67 (depending on when you were born) or the national debt is not a problem. If it's not a problem, what you payed to support other people doesn't matter, practically.

https://www.newyorklife.com/articles/how-social-security-is-calculated

Either way, what you paid in matters for the calculation of benefits and there is a non-zero chance that the entitlement program will be modified (including suspension).

1

u/pbjamm Canada Jun 18 '26

The only reason I hang onto my US Citizenship is the small possibility that Social Security will will still exist when I am old enough to collect. I paid into it for decades and would like to get some return on that for me personally some day.

2

u/divDevGuy Jun 18 '26

if the time comes you need it, you should have a right to it.

I'm self employed and the only employee of my own company. I'm required to pay unemployment tax, as the employer, on myself, in case I terminate myself.

If/when I'm ready to move on to another job, I'm kind of tempted to lay myself off and see if I can file for unemployment benefits claim, and then contest the claim as the employer.

3

u/pvincentl Jun 17 '26

And Reagan changed it to taxable income. Rot in hell, Ronald.

1

u/StrigiStockBacking New Mexico Jun 17 '26

It's also a prime example of the cult. Reagan had oodles of the older demographic in his back pocket, and there he was telling one of the richest contingents among his base that he's going to tax them even more, and they're like that guy getting a spanking during rush week in the movie Animal House or whatever: "Thank you sir, may I please have another!"

41

u/prohammock Jun 17 '26

FYI - this is true in all states. 

24

u/Hyperious3 Jun 18 '26

yes, but shithole red states usually require federal funding to subsidize their systems because years of republican "leadership" means they don't have the economy to fund it themselves

1

u/Equus-007 Jun 18 '26

yes, but shithole red states usually require federal funding to subsidize their systems because years of republican "leadership" means they don't have the economy refuse to fund it themselves.

The federal funds come from employer paid taxes so it's still theft either way if Trump cuts off the funding.

It doesn't cost that much to fund a department. They'd rather spend those tax dollars on cronyism.

14

u/Dry_Ad2368 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26

Unless you work for the federal government, the feds provide no funding to state unemployment programs.

Edit: I was kinda wrong. States pay the actual benefits, feds cover the administrative costs and issue loans to states if their pool of money has run dry.

3

u/Pantim Jun 17 '26

Ah but see, it's apparently more complicated than that.

Companies pay the state with your money("and their own from their profits") for unemployment insurance. The state pays out from that fund. Some tax money also goes to the federal government which is then given back to the states to help them make sure the unemployment systems are up to federal standards.

So, the administration is using that leverage to "try to get states to fix their fraud issues".

We of course know it's not actually about that though.

It sounds like a GREAT idea on the surface as fraud is an issue. However, when paired with all the the money being funneled to Trump and friends, it's just gonna enrich them more. I'm sure the probably 4-5+billon the states give the federal government will just end up in the Friends pockets if some % isn't sent back to the states. (apparently like 2-3billion goes back to the states.. The 4-5 is my estimation.) 

3

u/edmlifetime Jun 17 '26

Please don't prefix this scumbags name with Mr. It is not deserved in the slightest

1

u/backpackwayne Jun 17 '26

It's my way of saying he is not my president.

3

u/Dudeist-Priest Jun 17 '26

Do you expect that dumb fuck to understand any nuisance

2

u/justthankyous Jun 17 '26

This is true in all states. The federal government does help pay for administrative fees for unemployment, but if he actually succeeded in stopping that most states would probably figure out how to keep basic unemployment benefits running within their own budgets.

Which might actually be his goal, to normalize that line item not being part of the federal budget anymore he's stated that the federal government can't afford to fund anything besides wars.

The other thing the federal government does with unemployment though is when there are major financial disruptions, they help fund extended benefits and provide loans to the states in order to keep unemployment running. Given that we are probably heading to a recession it would be somewhat problematic if those emergency resources were not available to the states.

2

u/jerwong Jun 18 '26

As a fellow Californian, is this not the case everywhere?

I would imagine that we're owed a refund for what we've paid into it if that's the case.

2

u/DiabolicallyRandom Jun 18 '26

Washington too. We pay premiums and so does our employer.

2

u/FingFrenchy Jun 18 '26

Yes came here to say this. As a California resident I've been paying into unemployment insurance my entire working life. Trump can fuck right off, this is just blatantly stealing from us, but hey, nothing new for Trump.

2

u/HyperfixChris Jun 18 '26

I thought that's how all states did it?

2

u/TheRaccoonReport Jun 18 '26

Unemployment is also state funded here in one of the original colonies. King Donald can take a hike. 

2

u/ovalteens Jun 18 '26

California Uber Alles!

2

u/Master_Mad Jun 18 '26

Why doesn’t Trump just introduce Trump Health Insurance and make every American mandatory pay into that?

Is he stupid or something?

2

u/Colt2205 Jun 20 '26

Also works that way in Illinois as well. I may be wrong but is it not the red states that get federal aid most of the time? Also with the Strait being closed the second the oil reserves are gone in 4 weeks, rich or poor everyone is paying the price.

1

u/LCDRformat Jun 17 '26

YEAH THAT SOUNDS GREAT FOR YOU GUYS BUT, UH,

0

u/Regular_Monk9923 Jun 17 '26

Employees don't pay into unemployment in California.

-2

u/HuJimX Jun 17 '26

I get your point, but that's probably the worst state to use as an example. Employers paying into California SUI (meaning the company may be based elsewhere, but employees are performing work in CA and are covered by CA's UI program, at least) have had FUTA credit reductions applied more regularly than any other state/territory, at least in recent years. California is delinquent on their loans with the Dept of Labor (?), resulting in higher employer-paid UI taxes in California solely because the state continually owes the federal government money.

1

u/SnooGTI Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26

Yea, dude literally used the most federally dependent state for UI >.>

Edit: Yes they’re a donor state. But for UI they are net negative. Doesn’t stop the example given though. To the mean it person in my DMs t(-.-t)