Consider it just the latest unintended consequence of the $787 billion liberal pet project appropriation (aka “stimulus bill”). The new unemployment benefits have placed yet another burden on businesses, so revenue is going towards paying the government rather than hiring new workers or retaining current ones.

As if small businesses needed another reason not to hire, consider their latest financial burden: The cost of rising unemployment itself.

Employers already are squeezed by tight credit, rising health care costs, wary consumers and a higher minimum wage. Now, the surging jobless rate is imposing another cost. It’s forcing higher state taxes on companies to pay for unemployment insurance claims.

Some employers say the extra costs make them less likely to hire. That could be a worrisome sign for the economic recovery, because small businesses create about 60 percent of new jobs. Other employers say they’ll cut or freeze pay.

Why is this happening? Federal law requires states to establish trust funds for unemployment insurance. The idea is to have funds for a rainy day without having to cut benefits or raise taxes. But this has been a particularly long rainy day.

But the severity of this recession has bankrupted many states’ trust funds and forced them to borrow from the federal government. States eventually must pay back the loans. Otherwise, the federal government can raise taxes on their businesses.

Extended unemployment benefits have actually lead to workers remaining unemployed longer today than previously in our nation’s history. How? According to CNBC and basic common sense, the government sustaining unemployed workers for extended periods of time actually discourages the workers from seeking new employment. Kind of like how welfare discourages people from getting on their feet and working for a living.

All of this was entirely predictable. That’s the sad thing.