Researchers at the London School of Economics and the University of California-San Francisco have found that less generous unemployment programs are connected to higher suicide rates.
Conversely, they found that states that offer strong unemployment programs experience significantly lower suicide rates.
And while this new research may be startling, it's really not that shocking.
In a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health in 2002, Australian researchers found that the suicide rate in that country increased significantly when a Conservative government (similar to Republicans here in the US) was in power.
The BBC estimated that 35,000 Australians and Brits would not have committed suicide if conservatives had never run either government.
Their headline was "More Suicides Under Conservative Rule."
So, we've known for a while now that suicide rates tend to increase during times of conservative governments, when money is going to corporations and the wealthy elite, at the expense of everyone else.
Just look at the suicide rate in America from 1993 to 2010.
During the Clinton years, the suicide rate in America experienced a pretty steady decline, thanks to policies that were geared more towards helping working-class Americans, and less towards big corporations and the wealthy elite.
But look what begins to happen in 2001, when George W. Bush takes office.
All of a sudden, America's suicide rate begins to rise again, thanks to policies and legislation that again favor corporations and the wealthy elite over working-class Americans.
By 2010, the suicide rate in America was the highest it had been since pre-1993 levels.
So, despite pretty solid evidence showing that conservative policies drive up suicides, lawmakers like Bobby Jindal are just fine continuing to help big business and the wealthy elite, while screwing over everyone else.
Just this weekend, speaking at the Ralph Reed-led Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual conference, Jindal said that, "I can sense right now a rebellion brewing amongst these United States, where people are ready for a hostile takeover of Washington, D.C., to preserve the American Dream for our children and grandchildren."
Right.
That's just what our country needs.
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