White House dismisses GOP throwing ‘spaghetti against the wall’

[ProSense]

White House dismisses GOP throwing ‘spaghetti against the wall’

By Steve Benen

When congressional Republicans cut off extended unemployment benefits a few days after Christmas, about 1.3 million Americans immediately lost the assistance they need. But the total of those affected was just a floor – the number goes up by roughly 72,000 every week.

To that end, Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee unveiled a running clock yesterday, showing that the figure increases every eight seconds. As of this morning, over 2.5 million Americans – nearly double the total when the deadline passed in late December – have lost benefits.

What are House Republicans prepared to do about it? At this point, not much. Two GOP lawmakers presented an offer last week: Dems can get jobless aid (a policy that used to enjoy bipartisan backing), but only if they give Republicans the Keystone XL pipeline, an anti-ACA provision that would cause 1 million Americans to lose their employer-based health insurance coverage, and the repeal the medical device tax, which would raise the deficit by $109 billion.

As of yesterday, the White House isn’t impressed.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said Monday that Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) appears to be throwing “spaghetti against the wall” in an attempt to win concessions in exchange for extending emergency unemployment insurance.

Earlier this month, Boehner told reporters that it was up to the White House to propose job-creation provisions to attach to a Senate bill reauthorizing unemployment benefits if the president wanted the House to take up the legislation…. Carney insisted Congress “ought to take action” on its own.

We know the affected Americans are struggling without these benefits. We know the aid used to enjoy broad, bipartisan support. And we know the existing policy isn’t doing the economy any favors.

- more -

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/white-house-dismisses-gop-throwing

[randys1]

1. USA is under attack by terrorists called Teaparty and Republicans

As long as we are willing to sit back and do nothing while they strave us to death and prevent us from medicaid also killing us, we deserve what we get.

All the while these terrorists are killing our poor, climate change is slowly getting ready to wipe us all out...

dumb Americans and certain other groups may well end the human race

[yeoman6987]

2. I don't understand why they don't pass this

I know they want to pay for it, but I can't imagine that they can't find some money to ensure it does not add to the debt.

[Orsino]

7. The debt is a fake issue

So is the deficit, if that's what you meant. Both are often invoked by Republicans as excuses not to promote the general welfare...and welfare and unemployment benefits are specifically against the GOP's modern platform.

As to why they don't pass this, the answer is that they don't want to, because their purpose is the destruction of the poor and increasing inequality.

[yeoman6987]

3. I thought of something

Maybe they are betting on the public agreeing with them. November will be telling. If they win then they were right to risk, however, they could lose in November because of this.

[leftyohiolib]

4. the ends justify the means?

[freshwest]

11. We had a poll posted here that 61% of Americans want Keyston, which Obama has resisted by not going

for bills like this one that they have inserted in every budget since 2009. He gave up a lot to protect UEB, until he could finally give up no more to the Koch GOP cabal. They threatened him and installed the Tea Party in 2010 and it's been a mess ever since with states that want it and citizens who don't. Their latest thing is sending the stuff by rail causing states to take sides and expend resources fighing it as they dont' want another event like what happened in Canada. And the Canadian government is adverstising and telling lies now about the amount of jobs Keystone will create and the energy Americans will get; Obama denies both. Their propaganda machine is in full swing, so you may have nailed it. Facts and good policy can be overrun by repetition.

.

[libodem]

5. Forces people

To go begging at faith based charities subsidized by the government where (I'm making this part up) they must promise to come to church and vote GOP.

[sheshe2]

6. I don't even know what to say anymore.

They don't care about anyone but their rich benefactors. They have given up all pretense of governing this country. It's their way or nothing at all.

We need to GOTV 2014.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. Not spaghetti, linguini!

[WhiteTara]

9. In this case, it's your money and your life.

they are so viscous in their attempt to kill all life on the planet.

[randys1]

10. Yes, they would like to kill the poor and minorities

And in November it appears there is a chance that half of America will look around at all this insanity and say the answer is more republicans, if that happens, we are broken beyond repair

[freshwest]

12. +1