Senate leader vows Jan. vote on jobless benefits

[alp227]

Source: AP

The Senate's top Democrat is promising a vote in early January on extending jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed.

Federal unemployment benefits averaging less than $300 a week nationwide are set to be abruptly cut off three days after Christmas.

Majority Leader Harry Reid says the Senate will vote no later than Jan. 7 on a measure to extend those benefits for three months. He says more people have been out of work for longer than six months than in past economic recoveries.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/senate-leader-vows-jan-vote-jobless-benefits

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. And a lump of coal to all who refused to extend those vital benefits.

Bah humbug.

[eggplant]

2. And somehow making them retroactive will make it all ok, I'm sure.

Because, you know, you can eat twice as much next week after not eating anything this week, and it will all work itself out. Same thing goes with heat, rent, ...

I'm not pissed that there are people in the world whose hearts are so cold that they appear to take sick pleasure out of screwing the poor and/or downtrodden. I'm pissed that there seem to be enough of them to vote these assholes into office.

[groundloop]

3. SO WHAT??? What's the chances of the House going along on this?

By not putting an unemployment extension in the budget deal it was pretty much guaranteed to fall by the wayside. Even if the Senate manages to get it voted on (the filibuster is still on the table for bills) there's not a chance in hell that the House will pass it.

[davidpdx]

4. True

The House Republicans don't want to bother helping people.