You are all taking a micro look at a macro issue. Yes, there will always be those abusing the system, just like there will always be pilots abusing the system that we work in.

The benefits are ending.

The stimulus money saved lives and (shocked face) actual money that it would have taken to fill in the huge hole that would have been created when those companies who need workers shut down altogether.

Do some research on how the 2009-11 recovery went due to the government going lean on stimulus funds. I'll summarize - it was terrible. The recovery got prolonged years because they were afraid of the scenario we are in now.

The prevailing thought amongst economists on both sides of the aisle is to initially just infuse a huge amount of money into the economy and then target recovery money later. That's what they did this time and it worked. Could they have done better? Yeah, maybe, but they did a pretty good job.

It just slays me that a bunch of top 10 percent earners whose industry took a huge government bailout are shaming the working poor. Unless you have been in their shoes, just stop. Most of them are good people making the best of their lives. Many of them work in service jobs since there are few manufacturing jobs left. They took the brunt of the pandemic economic hit and got a helping hand, just like you did. Now there are a few folks on the margins who are gaming the system a little bit and a bunch of airline pilots have the gall to try and shame them? GMAFB. Look in the mirror.