Obama Urges Congress To Pass Unemployment Extension
If you haven't noticed, campaign season is in full swing and today President Obama took to the Rose Garden to unload on Republicans blocking an extension of unemployment benefits.
Of those election issues most important to voters, jobs and spending usually take centre stage. When it comes to extending unemployment benefits, the two issues find themselves at odds, at least with Democratic Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska and the majority of Republicans in the Senate. Republicans have blocked a vote on extending benefits three times, even while facing a national 9.5% unemployment rate which only tracks those people still looking for work.
For their part, Republicans have argued that unemployment benefits make people lazy and not want to work for less money than they were used to before they lost their jobs. They have also argued that the $30 billion benefits bill would need to be paid for before they could vote for the measure in good conscience. At the same time, minority whip Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz) has argued that while unemployment benefits should be paid for (not added directly to the deficit), the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and one of the reasons the country has such terrible deficits (due to run out at the end of this year) should be extended, but not paid for.
When normal people examine the logic of the Republican position, in light of the Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities examination on the efficacy of the stimulus effect of unemployment benefits showing that for each dollar spent it's actually worth $1.63 for the economy, their position falters.
Now that the successor to the late Democratic West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd has been sworn in, Democratic leaders believe that they now have the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass the benefits extension along with moderate Republican Olympia Snowe. For the President's part, it seems obvious from his remarks today that he welcomes the fight that Republicans seem to want to have between Bushes tax cuts for the wealthy and help for the unemployed. His position is even stronger when you look at the latest polls which show at least 70% support from the public for extending benefits for those struggling to keep their families afloat.
In any event, it will be interesting to see how far into the campaign this issue will continue, even though the benefits package is expected to pass tomorrow barring any unforeseen shenanigans.
Watch the President's comment below:
Of those election issues most important to voters, jobs and spending usually take centre stage. When it comes to extending unemployment benefits, the two issues find themselves at odds, at least with Democratic Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska and the majority of Republicans in the Senate. Republicans have blocked a vote on extending benefits three times, even while facing a national 9.5% unemployment rate which only tracks those people still looking for work.
For their part, Republicans have argued that unemployment benefits make people lazy and not want to work for less money than they were used to before they lost their jobs. They have also argued that the $30 billion benefits bill would need to be paid for before they could vote for the measure in good conscience. At the same time, minority whip Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz) has argued that while unemployment benefits should be paid for (not added directly to the deficit), the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and one of the reasons the country has such terrible deficits (due to run out at the end of this year) should be extended, but not paid for.
When normal people examine the logic of the Republican position, in light of the Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities examination on the efficacy of the stimulus effect of unemployment benefits showing that for each dollar spent it's actually worth $1.63 for the economy, their position falters.
Now that the successor to the late Democratic West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd has been sworn in, Democratic leaders believe that they now have the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass the benefits extension along with moderate Republican Olympia Snowe. For the President's part, it seems obvious from his remarks today that he welcomes the fight that Republicans seem to want to have between Bushes tax cuts for the wealthy and help for the unemployed. His position is even stronger when you look at the latest polls which show at least 70% support from the public for extending benefits for those struggling to keep their families afloat.
In any event, it will be interesting to see how far into the campaign this issue will continue, even though the benefits package is expected to pass tomorrow barring any unforeseen shenanigans.
Watch the President's comment below:
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