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Just One Vote
June 30, 2010 - by Donny Shaw
A single senator now stands between millions of unemployed Americans and the extension of unemployment insurance benefits they need in order to feed their families and gas up their cars to get to job interviews. The Hill reports:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday said two Republicans will support his new extension to unemployment benefits and that he is hopeful a third and final Republican will eventually back the bill.
“If we had Senator Byrd’s replacement we would have 60,” he told reporters. “We have to wait and see what a couple of Republicans do.”
Reid did not say which Republicans have chosen to support the bill, but one of them is expected to be Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine), who last week said she would support a stand-alone extension of unemployment benefits.
We’ll know later today or tomorrow morning if the Republicans and conservative Sen. Ben Nelson [D, NE] (pictured) are going let the Democrats’ latest attempt at passing an extension, and the last attempt before they leave for July 4 recess, get an up-or-down vote.
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Comments
Displaying 361-390 of 450 total comments.
Do you think its possible that the House can pass the “stand-alone” bill tonite?
Didn’t Donny Shaw say that there are two chances of getting the extension passed?
The house can pass it with a simple majority right?
Yes the House can pass the stand alone but that just gets sent to the house it doesnt become law or official until the Senate gets it, debates it and votes on it…which they wont be able to do because of the Republican fillabuster which is preventing any hope of any bill on unemployment getting passed. The house creates the bill but it is just paper unless the Senate acts on it and the president signs it etc..we cant get to that point.
Exactly. I don’t think anything will get done this or next week. We are going to have a longer dry spell. Nevertheless, we need to continue to bombard Congress and the Media.
I’m not flying my flag upside down, sorry.
Your Choice. I am a Veteran and would never think of doing it…until tonight, this is beyond rediculous.
The banks got trillions (of our money and our kids and grand-kids money) with little hesitation.
AMERICANS!!! AMERICANS!!!
I have a question for you. How much longer will this blatant hypocrisy be sufferable?
Below is text from the preamble of United States Declaration of Independence (Divided into 2 post):
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,71 that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,…
…That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
The House has been discussing really important subjects the last few hours, like congratulating 17 African nations for having a democracy the past 50 years. I wonder how much money we contributed to their governments?
Congress claims they are worried about increasing the debt and yet I am sure that other bills will pass that will build bridges that go nowhere and the closer we get to the election the more money will be spent at a local level for pet projects. The worst part about the current situation is that Congress is playing with our minds. The longer it lasts, the more likely someone will snap.
You got that right. I know for NY, folks are going to go ballistic. If they thought we had crime before, huh, they ain’t seen nothing yet. This time, they are going to see alot of different faces out there. Old people, women that travel and jog in the park by themselves, and anyone who looks weak, will have to pay the price for a bunch of communist pigs that would put hard working Americans and their children out on the street,all during Independence Weekend.There are people that won’t have nothing to lose and they are going to bust up anyone they come across. I’m telling my mom to stay home…. Everyone will be a target.
I believe the Republican say “no” to everything just to let this this country get worse. Then they can blame the Democrats (like they had nothing to do with stopping progres) and take control in Nov. Not gonna happen Republicans we know who’s side your on and it’s not your average american.
When we work and pay taxes… like Unemployment Insurance.. were we told that we wouldn’t get it if it wasn’t paid for… Didn’t we pay for it when we were working?
Republicans said nothing about two wars not paid for under Bush. Nothing about the Bush Tax cuts for the rich either. This is BS.
Does anyone have Sharron Angle’s contact information? She is the one that Nevada citizens need to make sure she does not, I repeat, DOES NOT, get into office. We need to take a sledge hammer to her entire platform. She thinks that taking away our benefits will give us an incentive or motivate us to go out and get the jobs at MickeyD’s, even though you wouldn’t be able to buy a pack of socks with the pay, and that’s if they call you in for an interview. I have written several letters to all the rich,ignorant and polluted racist that have voted against passing this bill. She is a malevolent, immoral dumbass that should never be able to serve in an official capacity. If she had her way, she would be turning back time and revising the Constitution. Please watch Rachel Maddow and Keith Olberman. They are the only ones talking about our issues.
I heard she was being backs by the “Tea Party”.
most of her views are for the most part good; however, on the ue position, she failed and failed miserably.
She is a nut case
What Idiots we have in Congress and the House. Pass a bill for home credit. Who is going to buy a home…no one has jobs! They think this will stimulate the economy by offering this home credit. What Idiots! I would love to see their faces when this does not work. Pass the Unemployment Extensions you idiots…
Is it possible they will vote again this week. Or not until July 12th. How can they do this to the unemployed…..I just do not understand this.
indi read my post above..Reid said they will not vote until a replacement has been named for Byrd..not sure when that will be and most likely well after 7/12..but hope sooner than later. There will be nothing to vote on tomorrow unless they want to kid themselves late tomorrow night and they have already said they will not be back in session until 7/12..looks like they are on vacation already after a brief visit tomorrow..dont try to understand..it does not make sense, it is all a game they are playing.
I am so ready to just give up.
Never give up…
The American unemployed have obviously been written off as dispensable casualties in this recession. The Banks were bailed, big business has recovered, and Congressmen are as comfortable as ever (in fact, they’ve gotten raises). And now, they’ve given up and gone home for their vacations.
My dad is out of work- and both of my brothers, as well as several of my friends. My sister’s family can’t find enough work either, and they have two teenage kids to support. Everywhere I look people are making less money than before or can’t find work.
Its our job to show them we still exist and not let them forget us while we look for work. I say, Contact your Congressmen! Hold them accountable. Especially the Republican ones, although it is the Democratic leadership that calls the votes.
I have written politicians over and over again,,,, for what? Burr and Myrick of NC have voted NAY EVERY SINGLE TIME TO EXTENSIONS since JANUARY. I’m tired of writing politicians, I’m tirred of being turned down for employment, I’m tired of worrying how I’m going to make ends meet with a customer service job that pays 8.75 an hr and refuses to give you anywhere near 20 hours a week of work. and just think a year and half a go I was a young female Architect with a promising future. F^ck being an Architect, f^ck THAT promising future. I should’ve went with my sister to Germany. I never thought I would be struggling as much as she is, but guess what I’m doing worse.
F^ck this country, you can slap me if you find me celebrating anything this Fourth of July!
The Senate rejected Wednesday — for the fourth time — a bill that would have reauthorized extended benefits for the long-term unemployed, by a vote of 58 to 38. Democrats will not make another effort to break the Republican filibuster before adjourning for the July 4 recess.
By the time lawmakers return to Washington, more than 2 million people who’ve been out of work for longer than six months will have missed checks they would have received if they’d been laid off closer to the beginning of the recession.
Only two Republicans, Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, crossed the aisle to support the measure. That gave Democrats 59 of the 60 votes they needed to break the GOP filibuster, but without the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson’s nay vote was enough to kill the bill.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
i just sent one asking for calling of special session or something i know it wont help but gd
“We will vote on this measure again once there is a replacement named for the late Senator Byrd,” Reid said in a statement after the vote. “In the meantime, I sincerely hope that Republicans will finally listen to the millions of unemployed Americans who need this assistance to support their families in these tough times. These Americans and millions more demand that Republicans stop filibustering support for unemployed workers.”
Already, more than 1.2 million people out of work for longer than six months have missed checks since federally-funded extended benefits lapsed at the beginning of June.
“Senators had a chance to put election year posturing aside and one too few rose to that challenge,” said Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the National Employment Law Project. “It’s a sad night, especially for the over one million workers and their families who will have little cause to celebrate this holiday weekend. It is a disgrace and an absolute slap in the face to basic human decency.”
“We will vote on this measure again once there is a replacement named for the late Senator Byrd,” Reid said in a statement after the vote. “In the meantime, I sincerely hope that Republicans will finally listen to the millions of unemployed Americans who need this assistance to support their families in these tough times. These Americans and millions more demand that Republicans stop filibustering support for unemployed workers.”
Already, more than 1.2 million people out of work for longer than six months have missed checks since federally-funded extended benefits lapsed at the beginning of June.
“Senators had a chance to put election year posturing aside and one too few rose to that challenge,” said Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the National Employment Law Project. “It’s a sad night, especially for the over one million workers and their families who will have little cause to celebrate this holiday weekend. It is a disgrace and an absolute slap in the face to basic human decency.”
I only hope Senator Nelson’s 4th of July barbecue is interrupted by lots of phone calls from hungry/homeless unemployed people.
I hope some make house calls or emergency appointments to go see him.
Ben Nelson: (202) 224-6551
Congratulations to the senate – you’ve just shifted the burden of funding unemployment to other agencies. I’ve applied for food stamps and other aid. Luckily for me my husband is disabled and gets a stipend for SSI disabilty. Normally I’d laugh at that comment but I’m well beyond that.
This government has broken historical records of a huge failure to extend benefits to the unemployed. Enjoy your holiday. Don’t choke on food. We’ll feel bad.
This is like the Twilight Zone. For years Republicans spent Trillions of dollars (OUR Money) with wild abandon: Wars, Banker Bailouts (where the Bank Executives soon after start cutting phat bonus checks for themselves), No-Bid Military Contracts, and on and on the list goes, with little to nothing paid for.
And Now! “Oh no, That’s not paid for.” How many babies and toddlers are going to go hungry over the next couple of weeks… if not worse?
While they play games.