Why is it unthinkable to end benefits for the unemployed, yet fine to leave the formerly self-employed (SE) to try to survive on nothing?
Employee/employer paid unemployment insurance contributions pay for 26 weeks. Those 26 weeks aren’t welfare, but beyond that period IS welfare.
Most SE people are required to pay into the system, but can’t collect if their businesses fail. They are treated as non-payer. Even if that were true, they should be considered equal to unemployment beneficiaries after 26 weeks, because at that point neither has any equity [left] in the system.
Many SE people were never high earners. Many became SE when unable to find other work.
If the economy is deemed bad enough to extend benefits beyond 26 weeks, the formerly self-employed unemployed should receive aid