Posted on 07/20/2010 3:00:44 AM PDT by Scanian
WASHINGTON -- President Obama and congressional Republicans went to war yesterday over extending unemployment benefits for millions of out-of-work Americans.
"It's time to stop holding workers laid off in this recession hostage to Washington politics," Obama said. "It's time to do what's right, not for the next election, but for the middle class."
Obama's hot rhetoric in the Rose Garden sought to divert voters' anger over the sputtering economy to Senate Republicans, who don't want the government to borrow $34 billion for another extension of benefits.
Republicans support extending jobless benefits only if the bill is paid for, which goes hand in hand with their argument that runaway government debt is undermining an economic recovery.
The GOP says that unused stimulus money could be used to fund the benefits extension or that spending could be cut so the deficit won't be increased. Some also believe the lengthy period of benefits can discourage people from job hunting.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
And lest we forget who the real progenitors of this economic downturn are:
Look at that chart. Who was running things in both congress and president after 9/11? Hmmmm.. They did until 06, and then there’s a drop. They have a lot of nerve to complain about extending this now and all it does is make them look bad. Poor, poor politics.
Although this is quite true in normal times of 5% unemployment, it's also irrelevent when tens of millions of jobs have been lost, real unemployment is aournd 20% and there are 5 or more applicants for every job. Plus, it's political suicide. Telling the millions of people who have lost their jobs and can't find anything even at much lower wages that it's there fault is a great way for Pubs to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory next November. Leave it to the stupid party to find a way to screw it up.
The problem is not “benefits” but an Anti-American, Anti-Capitalist, Marxist Administration.
He is intentionally destroying the nation. Economically, Morally and Militarily.
We have no pattern for this delima.
Oh, so we forget principals when an election is coming?
All the Stupid ass Republicans need to do is trot out Obumbos statement last year where he said EXACTLY what the Republicans are saying Now,That Extending Unemployment Benefits NEED to be paid for!What is wrong with these Incompetent Republicans? Feinstein from California another Left wing loon said that pretty soon no One is going to go back to work if we keep extending these Benefits .
If we only had a Leader who Had a Mouth and some Balls.
The Republicans are the Biggest Loosers I have ever seen,How can anyone vote for these Buffoons when this is handed to them on a silver Platter and they dont have a Clue.
The drop begins in ‘04.
What principle would that be? Of all the trillions of wasteful, politically directed government fraud and abuse, the one thing your going to fight to cut is some basic survial for people who have worked and paid taxes for decades?
I’m all for taking the money from elsewhere, but don’t tell everyone who has lost a job that they could find one if they only were looking harder. It’s a lie.
If we don't stop piling onto the national debt at the drop of a feather, very, very soon (quicker than most people even realize), the foundations of our nation can and will crumble.
This is no exaggeration.
As I said, I’m all for that. It was making the economic argument that I quoted in my fist comment that I take issue with. It comes off as smug elitism at a time when people are mad as hell about the crooked scams the elites are pulling on us daily.
>>They have a lot of nerve to complain about extending this now and all it does is make them look bad.<<
Did you read the article? The GOP wants this to be paid for before they extend it.
Let me ask you, why should I take food out of my kids mouths so someone can keep looking for the perfect job? You want to take this past 99 weeks? Like two years? Or three?
My nephew works 2 jobs to support his kids. I’ve done the same.
>>Telling the millions of people who have lost their jobs and can’t find anything even at much lower wages that it’s there fault is a great way for Pubs to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory next November. <<
How long should we be taking care of them? What is your limit? Two years? Three years? Five?
What they’re doing now doesn’t take it past 99 weeks. This only affects those getting over 26 weeks. If you’ve used the 99, it’s still over.
I don’t know why I’ve had to correct dozens of people on this on here, but people need to realize that this is only 26-99 weeks.
Now that you know the facts that it’s not over 99 weeks, are you more comfortable with it?
I believe it was in February 09 that the Democratic Congress passed the “pay-go” bill that was supposed to require offsetting spending cuts for any spending increase. It was a weak attempt to show the public they were concerned about the deficit. The Pubbies are only holding them to their own bill now.
That’s why I hold both parties to the fire. This is, unfortuntely, basically mandatory now. This truly is the ‘worst economy since the depression’ even though they cried wolf about that all through Bush’s term.
It’s really awful that the dems aren’t going to use the stimulus funds, but the GOP comes across as only slamming the ones that are suffering.
>>I dont know why Ive had to correct dozens of people on this on here, but people need to realize that this is only 26-99 weeks.<<
Because there is no stopping it. What guarantee do you have from a government that wants ANOTHER stimulus package after stating that the first one is the end all be all, that it won’t be extended again?
So the question is, how long should be extend it? How about 5000 weeks?
Unemployment funds come out of business taxes. Unemployment taxes are assessed on number of full time employees times a rate based on the business types turnover.
In some states and for some jobs the tax rate is over $1000 per month. And if we extend more unemployment benefits, the rates will go higher yet.
Businesses will think long and hard before they hire anyone when the next new hire costs them that kind of coin.
>>Now that you know the facts that its not over 99 weeks, are you more comfortable with it?<<
Now that you know that this hinders the ability for business to hire more people, are you?
Are you comfortable with taking the food from my kids mouths to give to others?
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