Democrats Basically Out Of Options For Passing Unemployment Insurance

[onehandle]

WASHINGTON -- If the number of conference calls held on a bill reflected its chances of passage, an extension of unemployment benefits would have become law weeks ago.

Unfortunately for the 1.3 million Americans who saw their benefits expire on Dec. 28, the constant phone calls haven't facilitated any legislative success.

Two more calls were hosted on Friday, one by congressional Democrats and the other by the Obama administration. The former promoted a new report showing that $400 million has been drained from state economies this week alone by the lapse in unemployment insurance.

Democrats have used the state-by-state breakdowns inside the report to generate follow up stories by local news outlets. And on the call, Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), the highest-ranking Democrat on the House committee that oversees unemployment insurance, said that one of the main components of the Democrats' strategy has been to pressure Republicans through the press.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/03/democrats-unemployment-insurance_n_4537312.html

[reformist2]

1. A prominent Republican was heard saying:

"I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.''

-- But many can't go there, and many would rather die.---

"If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population!"

[yeoman6987]

3. Congress in session?

Are they in session yet? I don't think Congress is. I believe they begin at the end of January. How can they pass anything until they get back to work (officially)?

[Mass]

5. They begin next week, Monday for the Senate and Tuesday for the House.

[yeoman6987]

7. Is this just pre-discussions?

Or are they trying to get the conversation going so that when the House is in session, they immediately vote on it?

[Mass]

9. They will vote on Monday in the Senate , apparently. It is unclear that they have the votes

(only one GOP Senator has signed on the bill at this point).

In the House, it will depend whether Boehner decides to bring it to the floor.

Anyway, the Senate bill is for 3 months, which means that even if it is voted, they will have to start immediately for a longer bill. So, it is mostly for show.

[Laelth]

8. I appreciate the Dickens allusion. n/t

-Laelth

[hobbit709]

2. Until the GOP/Teabag party is willing to listen to reason, it's all useless.

As long as the Koch whores have the majority, the American people are screwed.

[Mass]

4. Pressure Republicans through the press, as if it would have worked.

What about the White House asking both parties to come and talk? Or for Democrats to talk to Republicans (somebody has to be the adult in the room).

Congress looks more and more like a kindergarten when both sides are counting points and whining about who started it. Republicans did not care and Democrats were too happy to go in recess with something they could beat the GOP with (unemployment benefits). If they wanted a result and knowing the GOP was not willing to renew these benefits, they should have started talking about it a LONG TIME ago.


Also, may be it would be time to talk about a measure that helps people getting out of long term unemployment, not just "send the checks".

But if Hoyer and others thought that the press was going to shame the GOP into voting for a bill without anything in return, the leadership is more stupid than I thought.

Frankly, it seems more and more to me that Democrats think we are just a political prop and not something they want to solve.

[Skidmore]

6. Rs will be demanding a paid for component to

reinstating. It won't be military or corporate welfare which will demanded as sacrifice. The bloodletting will continue.

[customerserviceguy]

10. And whatever is cut

for a three month extension will itself have negative economic consequences.

Every extension of UC in the Obama era has come with long-term costs for short-term relief. The Rethuglicans can make us die the death of one thousand cuts every time we trade something off for it.

[Holly_Hobby]

11. Dear Republicans:

WHERE ARE THE EFFIN' JOBS????