GOP Blocks Another Attempt to Extend Unemployment Benefits

In the most under-reported story of the week, the Republican’s have, yet again, screwed over the people who have been hardest hit by the recession. This is the second time this month that the GOP has blocked extending unemployment benefits.

Washington Independent’s Mike Lillis wrote:

Last week, Senate Democratic leaders rolled out a proposal to extend unemployment insurance by 14 weeks — with an extra six weeks thrown in for those states where jobless figures have topped 8.5 percent — only to have Republicans block the measure on the chamber floor.

Well, today it happened again.

According to the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Democrats on Tuesday asked for consent to pass the bill, only to be shot down by GOP leaders.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Republicans aren’t objecting to the extension, but to how it’s funded. (The Democrats’ plan would tap an expiring surtax on businesses, while the Republicans want to use unspent money from the stimulus bill.)

The House has already passed its version of the extension. With unemployment numbers creeping up each month, the pressure’s on the Senate to work out a deal quickly.

The saddest thing about this story is not the story itself (which is disgusting enough), but the comments by regular American people who responded to this story and the desperation some of them are feeling. I have posted the following comments as they were written.

My unemployment benefits ran out in August and I am barely holding on. I am watching daily to see if this bill will be passed. I lost my job and went from a salary of comfortable salary to $450.00 a week.my family and I was able to live off of our saving for a while but now we are dependent on UI benefits. My husband was layed off and we are only surviving on his benefits. We are in jeopardy of losing our home. We’ve already lost both cars and have had to cut our expenses substantially. As the weather changed we are afraid to use our heater and we are bundling up for fear of not being able to pay the bill our heating bill.. . I need the GOP to get off their high horses and live a day in my life. I guess if you haven’t been affected by the economy then you don’t get it. I will just continue to pray.

I wish people would stop playing the blame game, and realize it doesn’t matter who we vote in or out!

And…

well i finally got enough money to buy a little groceries for the kids and the rent never thought i would have to do what i did to get it but necessity out ways legality,all because these assholes aren’t in our shoes, so they can take there sweet time because the crime rate will go up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would be nice if the GOP would leave their bubble of knee-jerk obstruction to see real American’s who are suffering. Their lives should not be used as political pawns by a party who wants every opportunity to create a Democratic Waterloo.

Thankfully, not all is lost. More comments and commentary below the fold.

YOU F’n PRICKS!!! WE DESERVE A UNITED GOVERNMENT AND I AM SOOOOOOOOO TIRED OF THE WHOLE US vs. THEM WAY OF WASTING OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY!!! EVEN WHEN THERE IS A GOOD IDEA THERE IS ALWAYS A STUPID FIGHT BECAUSE ONE PARTY DOESN’T WANT THE OTHER TO LOOK GOOD. I ALMOST WENT TO STEAL A BOTTLE OF CAUGH SYRUP FOR MY 7yr OLD DAUGHTER TODAY BECAUSE I HAVEN’T HAD A CHECK IN 6 WEEKS. WE ARE BROKE AND DROWNING AND THE GOP COULD CARE LESS!!! I WILL DEFINATELY REMEMBER THIS COME ELECTION TIME!!! I AM AN INDEPENDANT AND WILL NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN EVER EVER EVER

And…

What are they thinking? Many people are losing their homes and the life they built is slipping furthering into the bottom. Trying to make a life for my family on unemployment means to barely make it. I worked for 25 years and to now be unemployed for so long is knocking me around a bit. Asking for help was hard to realize and to now have it run out and have nothing coming in while the fat cats sit on their a**** is horrible. As they go home for the weekend to comfortable lives not thinking about the hurting people. Pass the extension and give us a chance at staying a float.

And…

Its difficult to grasp the fact our government can’t see the “trouble” we’re in as the unemployed increase and lose benefits. Give us tests, offer more challenges whatever it takes to prove to you we are, in fact making great strides to gain employment, what do you want? Pride has gone by the wayside, this is new to me and I’ve always worked, now the benefits just ended, im avoiding phone calls, friends.. starting to get quite depressed. The contributing factor is our government, I don’t understand it, there’s a pink elephant in the room and they stand by idle, its become a match of power egos? What the heck is going on? Really? Im so pissed off at the entire country… we can help each other can’t we? Isnt that what we were made of??? I help whomever i can, do whatever I can. Has our society given up and become so selfish and untrusting that we are no longer united? What happened to patriotism? The government is the backbone, and they are NOT supporting us..

And…

this is nuts….I am starving and I ran out of benefits. Even if they passed it today it will take me weeks to get a check. They need to pass this bill and they need to do it today and they need to extend for all states. LETS GOOOOOO

And…

You can bet we’ll remember this come election day. I don’t care HOW it’s funded – get that extension passed. This should have been taken care of before you went on August recess!! People began exhausting their benefits in August.

Thankfully, there were more than a few of these:

I’m a registered Independent that is now swinging hard to the Democratic Party. The Republicans are showing their absolute lack of feeling for the working (or non-working) guys out there suffering.

Holding up benefits for people in need????

And…

I called all my relatives in AZ and let them know how hard it has been to find work and how my unemployment had run out. They were aghast at how John Kyle had helped in blocking the bill that would have helped me and my children survive through till the holidays. My whole family is now changing party affiliation and we are dead set against voting any more GOP’s into office. They are all talking to their friends and advising them of how the GOP is blocking Health care reform and ending the support of out of work Americans. Do not to continue supporting senators who care nothing for the American people who are unemployed and struggling just to stay afloat. John Kyle just lost my families support and a butt load of votes!. I have their promise they will carry the word to all their senior friends. I will vote Democrat till my dying days from now on!!! I will advise every one of my friends and remind them that the Republican party’s actions caused suffering and strife among my family.

Spread the word!!

There seem to be a good many reformed Republicans out there these days. Let’s hope that our collective ADHD doesn’t kick in and we finally get enough American’s to vote good people into government who believe that government is there to work for We, The People.  When you vote people into office who do not believe that government can work, you are assured that government won’t work.

: : : : : : : : : :