Senate Republicans block two unemployment aid bills

[ProSense]

Senate Republicans block two unemployment aid bills

by Laura Clawson

Senate Republicans once again blocked emergency unemployment aid for Americans unemployed six months or longer. In fact, Senate Republicans filibustered an extension of the jobless benefits into November, and they blocked a three-month extension. After the votes, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) pointed out that the CBO had estimated that the longer aid extension would create 200,000 jobs.

Republicans continued to whine over procedure in an attempt to distract from the fact that they are standing in the way of unemployment insurance. What they want is to force a lengthy series of votes on poison pill amendments, both slowing the bill's progress and trying to weaken it or pass something unrelated as well as harmful. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid did offer a deal on amendments; it just wasn't the capitulation Republicans sought:

In response to Republican requests that they be allowed votes on their amendments to the bill, Democrats agreed to consider five Democratic and five Republican amendments at a 60-vote threshold, with a catch: That the GOP would consent to a simple majority vote on the underlying bill, which would extend emergency benefits through November.

Republicans swiftly rejected the offer from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who said Republicans were trying to “have their cake and eat it too” by requiring 60 votes on the underlying legislation while also demanding consideration of their amendments.

“Are Republicans filibustering unemployment insurance benefits, or are they not?” Reid said on the Senate floor.

They are. And, infuriatingly, on the longer-term extension, they had the support of three Democrats: Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Mark Udall and Michael Bennet of Colorado.

More than 1.3 million Americans, a number growing every week, are desperately in need of this unemployment insurance extension. So is the American economy.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/14/1269647/-Republicans-block-two-unemployment-aid-bills

Last week, Labor Secretary Thomas Perez convened a group of the long-term unemployed to share their stories with members of his department's staff. All were over 50 and once held white-collar jobs; some earned six-figure salaries. The session was heartbreaking but also inspiring -- and it made me wonder why Democrats aren't screaming louder, in sheer outrage, about this GOP exercise in gratuitous inhumanity.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024328810

Why Is It So Important to Extend Unemployment Insurance? Take A Look At These Four Numbers:



http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/four-numbers-unemployment-insurance

[TheMastersNemesis]

1. GOP Does Not Care Because They Believe They Will Still Get Power

GOP seems immune from all the things they do. They still control the agenda AND the conversation. I hope we prove them worn in 2014 but the polls seem to prove them right. Starve people, kill children, ruin the environment, etc etc. Makes no difference.

[ProSense]

2. True, and

"GOP seems immune from all the things they do."

...no doubt this is the Democrats' fault. So naturally, it's time to reward the GOP again.

[TheMastersNemesis]

5. Dems Always Act Weak. They Are Never Willing To Draw GOP Political Blood.

Dems have little if any killer instinct. Dems are unwilling to be ruthless when they have the opportunity and reason to be. I just get so sick of the Casper Milquetoast responses even to the most egregious GOP policies. We lose because we play we will not operate like them. That Dems must be the Boy Scouts.

Until the Dems are willing to play smash mouth politics they will lose. You have to be willing to show you anger and act on it sometimes. "Woe is me" crap has never worked. I do not like Mel Gibson particularly but his going berserk characters are more what the Dems need. You should be able to say to a GOPPER "STFU Asshole!" in those words.

[hobbit709]

3. And the DINOS didn't help either.

[ProSense]

4. Here are

the roll calls:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00009
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00010

[ProSense]

6. Republicans hope you won't notice that they just blocked jobless aid for 1.4 million

Republicans hope you won't notice that they just blocked jobless aid for 1.4 million

<...>

Republicans continue to try to change the subject from their own filibuster of unemployment aid, claiming essentially that Harry Reid is somehow forcing them to block the bills by refusing to allow them to attach a long series of unrelated or unacceptable amendments to a very simple, straightforward bill extending emergency unemployment insurance as has been done time and time again—and done, when George W. Bush was president, without Republicans holding it hostage to offsetting cuts. Reid is not too concerned that he'll take the blame among voters:

<...>

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/15/1269793/-Republicans-trying-to-distract-from-the-fact-they-blocked-jobless-aid-for-1-4-million