A Choice for Republicans: Party Loyalty or Help for the Jobless?

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/02/05/a-choice-for-republicans-party-loyalty-or-help-for-the-jobless/

by Payson Schwin, Feb 5, 2008

The latest job numbers weren’t pretty. Last month, the overall economy lost jobs for the first time in more than four years. And first-time unemployment claims rose a whopping 69,000 in the week ended Jan. 26—the largest one-week jump since Hurricane Katrina. Over the next six months, 1.3 million unemployed men and women will run out of benefits without finding new work.

The numbers confirm what we already knew: Congress must act immediately and decisively to head off the worst. And the quickest and most effective way to do it is to put money in the pockets of those who need it most—the unemployed.

This week, the U.S. Senate will take up the issue as part of its own work on an economic stimulus package. Senate Democrats will need the votes of Republican senators to make sure unemployment extensions are included in the final stimulus bill.

A few Republican senators are “open” to including the extension of unemployment insurance in the stimulus bill. But other Republicans aren’t being as clear about whether they’ll support unemployment benefit extensions or ultimately fall in line with their party’s leadership, which supports passing the House’s economic stimulus bill without any add-ons.

“I’ll take a look ,” Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) told Reuters.

And while Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) supported the broader stimulus package in committee (it included the extensions), the Associated Press reported he “does not personally support $14 billion in additional unemployment insurance.”

FULL story at link.

[whistle]

1. Repukes had eight years to help the jobless and did squat, now during the next nine months

....they plan on being the party of the working people?:spray: :rofl:

[NNN0LHI]

2. Rec n/t