President Obama calls on GOP to vote for jobless benefits; forget politics

[cal04]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/109517-obama-calls-on-gop-to-put-election-aside-vote-for-unemployment-benefits

President Obama told Republicans Monday morning that they should “do the right thing” and extend unemployment insurance regardless of election-year politics.

But some Republicans were crying foul early Monday, pointing out that a vote has already been scheduled for Tuesday and that with a new senator from West Virginia sworn in, Obama appears to have the votes for passage.

Still, Obama blasted Senate Republicans for “holding workers laid off in this recession hostage.”

(snip)
The president said Republicans who are “advancing a misguided notion that emergency relief somehow discourages people from looking for a job” should talk to unemployed people who are looking for jobs on a daily basis.

“That attitude, I think, reflects a lack of faith in the American people,” Obama said. “They’re not looking for a hand-out. They desperately want to work. They just can’t find a job.”

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

1. Glad he gave this address. Holding workers who have been laid off hostage is about

right. I'm praying the bill passes.

[quiet.american]

2. Very happy to see the Prez naming and shaming Republicans.

Can't do it enough as far as I'm concerned. As a whole, Congressional Republicans are a disgrace.

[catgirl]

4. They have no shame

They just don't give a shit.

[DCBob]

3. Looks like they have the votes.. but its going to be another squeaker..

Nelson is a NAY again.. asshole.. but Snowe and Collins are YEA plus the new WV senator Goodwin makes it a even 60. Whew!

[bluethruandthru]

7. Too bad it's even close!

I'd like to hear the repukes tell a family whose only means of support is an unemployment check, what they're supposed to do? Go on welfare? I guess they think all those "faith-based charities" will take care of everyone.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. Nelson wrongly thinks that we should use the remainder of the stimulus funds

to help the unemployed. What he deliberately fails to acknowledge is that those stimulus funds have already been appropriated to the states for them to use at their discretion and for a particular purpose. Ben Nelson is just trying to spite the administration because he's pissed off over not getting his pet projects from the health care reform package. Asshole!!!

[DCBob]

9. Its great they dont need his vote lately.. they can marginalize him even more..

Thank goodness for the two brave ladies from Maine. I can imagine the kind of phone calls and emails they are getting from the teabagger types.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

10. Don't know what happend to Susan Collins, though. She started to align

herself with the likes of Liz Cheney re: the underwear bomber for awhile there. We still can't count on their votes for the most important pieces of legislation. All that work to get Snowe onboard, and it turns out, that indeed the Teabagger crowd and her allegiance to her party came first.

I still don't trust them. It was only because they were receiving calls from furious voters that they joined the Democrats. In the contentious fight over healthcare, they sided with the Republicans and parroted their lies about death panels and socialized medicine.

Still, I appreciate their votes on this, political expediency notwithstanding.

[David__77]

5. Well good for Snowe and Collins.

There really is a place for them in the Democratic caucus. The "Tea Party" has no place for them in their caucus.

[pansypoo53219]

6. forget politics?

keeping unemployment high helps republikkklans.