Republicans propose gradually reducing length of unemployment benefits

Do Democrats have a clue that Republicans are doing them a favor? Reducing the length of benefits will reduce the rate that more people apply for them and hence lower the unemployment rate. Who do you think that it would help to start lowering unemployment during the last six months of 2012? From The Hill:

Levin has been particularly critical of the House Republican proposal to cut benefits by 40 weeks from a maximum of 99 weeks to 59 weeks within six months. The plan — included in the House passed payroll tax bill — called for an immediate 20-week cut in January followed by another 20-week reduction in the summer. . . . .