House passes jobless benefits extension

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

The House on Thursday approved an extra three months of jobless benefits for all unemployed Americans, knowing the plan's chances are slight in the Senate and almost nonexistent at the White House.

After failing to get a veto-proof two-thirds margin by three votes on Wednesday, Democrats got an exact two-thirds margin on Thursday with a 274-137 vote — the amount needed to overcome a threatened presidential veto.

Democrats said they pushed the legislation through to the Senate because Americans need help in a slumping economy.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits last week increased by 25,000 from the week before. The unemployment rate in May jumped to 5.5 percent, up from 5 percent in April. It was the biggest one-month gain in 22 years.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080612/ap_on_go_co/jobless_benefits

[glowing]

1. "... biggest one-month gain in 22 years".. Good job Bush.. and we want more of the McSame?

I hate our govt. people in there now...

[Sequoia]

3. Twenty-two years ?????!!!!!!! gasp!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. It's at least a step in the right direction

Now we can get the Senate Republicans on record for voting against it.

[defendandprotect]

4. We also need to restore the still unemployed to receive benefits ----

That is what underpins also this runaway theft by corporations ---
they don't have to contribute to employment benefits ---
as was originally intended --- in fact, it used to be paid for wholly by employers -- !!!

[Ilsa]

5. See? It does make a difference who is running things. And that rich

asshole in the WH would veto this? What a scumbag!

A president may not be able to bring down the cost of gas, but knowing that someone like Obama wouldn't veto this plan serves us well.

[David__77]

6. Let the White House deny benefits to the jobless.

Let McCain attack his fellow Republicans. People are threatened by McCain's attacks against the rightists in his party, but it's beneficial to us. It degrades their ideological cohesion and further undermines their coalition that has been intact since the late 70's.

[surf]

7. I grew up a republican....

When they pull crap like this, it reminds me why im no longer one.

[superconnected]

9. Welcome to DU Surf!

[Sodbuster]

8. Lets see.. Who was the president 22 years ago when there was a similar jump?

Was it Carter? No. Was it Clinton? No. Was it Bush Senior? No. Was it Ronald"The savior of the free world" Reagan -master of trickle-down economics.
Why yes it was. So the second time around with the same economic plan still doesn't work?
Maybe we should try something new.


Friends don't let friends vote for McCain.