Another probable culprit is the rapid expansion of government payments jobless insurance, food stamps, Medicaid, disability and various tax credits that provide millions with an alternative income to getting a job.

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Mr. Obama wants to blame all of that on his predecessor, and no doubt the recession that began in December 2007 reduced revenues and increased automatic spending "stabilizers" like jobless insurance.

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In fact, research shows that unemployment insurance helps keep jobless workers attached to the labor market so that they're not dropping out and giving up.

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Employment, however, was less positive. (See: "Uncle Sam's Jobless Line Longer") The Labor Department said initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 35, 000 in its latest reporting week and the number of workers remaining on jobless benefits climbed to a four-year high.

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Since most emerging economies lack broad unemployment insurance, the main way they help the jobless is through labour-intensive government infrastructure projects as well as conditional cash transfers for the poorest.

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European unemployment insurance could be limited to topping up benefits for short-term jobless.

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