There are huge forces at work right now driving unemployment. I doubt that $600 per week is one in any material way.

How long did Virginia waive that requirement? It’s not going to be waived forever. A big part of that theory assumes most people worry about their pay for the next week, and nothing more. Personally I’d rather have $500 a week with chances for it to grow indefinitely than $600 a week that will stop after 5 mths at most. By which time I may have been out of the workforce for 9 months, putting me seriously behind the 8 ball in looking for a job.

Let’s remember what that difference looks like once taxes are deducted. The incentives are not as clear cut as many want to say. And there are really good reasons to change the amount anyway.