Juan Williams is worried about our self-respect

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that Juan Williams is sincere when he says this. To a certain extent, it’s true. As someone who’s been unemployed for more than two years now, I don’t feel anywhere near as polished and professional as I used to be.

But here’s the thing, Juan, something you may not have noticed: There aren’t enough real jobs for all the people out of work. And people are struggling even with the unemployment checks. Yet you and a Fox News talking blonde say that for the sake of some theoretical self-respect (which apparently involves living in a cardboard box on the curb), you’re urging people to take low-paying part-time jobs with no security instead of unemployment checks — a decision that’s clearly against their economic self-interest.

Because you can’t take self-respect to the electric company, or to your landlord. It won’t put gas in the car, or food on the table. Sometimes you just have to swallow your self-respect to keep enough cash flow coming, right?

You, of all people, should understand. After all, you work for Fox!

Juan Williams told Fox News’ Megyn Kelly that extended unemployment benefits are harmful to peoples’ work ethic and basic values.

The two were speaking about the fight over the extension of the benefits on Thursday’s “America Live.” Kelly told Williams that a man she knows is staying on unemployment because his jobless benefits bring him more money than a potential job.

“To me it’s crazy because the longer that person is unemployed the more difficult it is then for them to get a job,” Williams said. He continued:

“Because employers, potential employers, will look and see that gee, they’ve been out forever, it doesn’t make sense. And I think that’s partly playing in to this cycle. And at some point then it becomes a matter of you lose your work ethic, your values are impacted, you know, getting up, showing up, dressing well, all that good stuff. So I don’t know that that’s smart.”