Democrats' graph shows how unemployment insurance helps economy

President Obama appeared this morning with a backdrop of human props to call for an extension to long-term unemployment insurance. His selling point: unemployment insurance “actually helps the economy, actually creates new jobs.”

Judging by the reaction on Twitter, not everyone was convinced. Fortunately, both Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid offered this helpful graph yesterday to take the mystery out of the president’s plan.

We must extend unemployment compensation because it helps the economy and reduces poverty. pic.twitter.com/SqT7NEmGqG

— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) January 6, 2014

It’s all so much clearer now.

https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/420231077815648256

https://twitter.com/nilgirian/status/420240550378229760

@Seth_Buffalo @SenatorReid Explain how taking $ from businesses to give to unemployed to buy things from businesses is helping the economy?

— Fred Smith (@FredSmith90212) January 7, 2014