Making a Mockery While Wasting Taxpayer Money

Earlier this week, I saw a story that made me absolutely sick to my stomach. The Interstate 4 Corridor (Orlando and Tampa Metro Areas) is greatly suffering from the United States' economic problems in that the Unemployment Rate (U-3) has been consistently hovering over 10%. The Wizards of Smart at Workplace Central Florida, an unemployment agency in Orlando, used taxpayer money to purchase superhero capes so that unemployed Central Floridians can come in to take pictures bashing the head in of "Dr. Evil Unemployment," while wearing the capes, to raise their self-esteems.

First, this is a waste of taxpayer money for a dumb program that has no merit in achieving the top objectives of this organization: finding its clients jobs and leading its clients to building skills that lead to gainful employment. Bashing in the head of a cardboard cutout while wearing a Superman cape does none of this!

Second, it is mocking those who are unemployed. While I wouldn't be surprised there are some who like getting a free check from the government to not work, many do not. They feel they are wasting away productive years of their lives and not making use of their skills or applying their education to a career because the economy won't allow for a creation of jobs. Their time with this agency would be better used for the above stated objectives. Furthermore, these pictures mock the unemployed who come to Workplace Central Florida for assistance, and once these pictures go viral, these individuals receive "dancing bear status," making their job search even more challenging.

Florida's State Government is wise to investigate this matter and let us hope that Governor Rick Scott, who is already facing Florida's challenges head-on, takes appropriate actions so that this agency, which is supposed to help its clients, does so, as opposed to providing Internet fodder that will not help the unemployed rejoin the working world.