I have a limited understanding of Unemployment Insurance – do you know more than I do?

Since I am so on the fence with Unemployment insurance I would like to find out people views on the issue – maybe, just maybe I might get educated.

1   1.     Should we have unemployment insurance in the first place?

     2.    If so then for how long and how much?

     3.   When you say you believe in it is it because you feel you have earned?

     4.   Or do you believe it is a right?

5   5.  When I lost my job was I partly to blame or was my employer supposed to keep on forever no matter what?

There are many views out there but none have me totally believing that it is either beneficial to the economy as a whole or that it is harmful in some way.  I guess I can to some extent believe that one does need something to live on while you are looking for another job.  But in today’s economic environment where the chances of you finding that job move from slim to none very quickly.  Should we not then revisit the merits of handing out said checks?

A more important question to those advocating for an extension of benefits how different are you from those receiving food stamps and Section 8?  Do we not all mooch off the government in one form or another but just call it different things to make it more palatable?