You're a mean one, house of representatives.... Only in America can you honestly have the possiblity of going from a bad situation to an even worse one. Like in the situation with those who are still collecting unemployment benefits and probably need them most during this time of year...
Nov 18 (Reuters) - An effort to continue assistance for millions of jobless people who will see their benefits run out in coming weeks failed in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.Welp, I'm sorry you haven't felt the trickle down effect of tax cuts for the rich and are still relying on your unemployment benefits to get you by, but you have a Happy Holiday season.
By a vote of 258 to 154, the proposal to extend jobless benefits for three months fell short of the two-thirds margin needed to pass the House under special rules that limit debate.
The House could take up the measure again under normal rules that only require a simple majority for passage, but Congress has little time to act before benefits expire on Nov. 30. Lawmakers are not expected to be in town next week and the Senate has not scheduled a vote.
Congress has let jobless benefits lapse twice already this year as Republicans insisted that their cost -- $160 billion in the last fiscal year -- be offset with cuts elsewhere to prevent the nation's $14 trillion debt from growing further.
If the measure is not renewed, some 2 million Americans by the end of the year will stop getting the weekly checks that help them make ends meet as they look for work, according to the National Employment Law Project.
(Reporting by Andy Sullivan, Editing by Sandra Maler)
Uh no, now people will actually have to do some work for a living. But hey, I hear hunger is a good motivator... You know, even though the average is somewhere around 5.5 people are looking for work for every available position out there right now.
It's pretty amazing that democrats won't even get any shit done as a lame duck congress. It would cost them nothing politically and yet here we are. The democrats are crassly using unemployment benefits as a wedge against the incoming republican congress.. though that shouldn't come as any sort of shock.
Though to be fair, I'm probably giving them too much credit here and they're probably doing it as a political ploy to discredit their opposition rather than to appease their paymasters. Just a clear sign that this is just history fulfilling itself. Capital creating the conditions for its destruction.
On the other hand, this article reminded me that the cool part about growing up in the East side of Los Angeles was desperately clawing to stay afloat and scrapping recycled can money together from time to time was a great way to prepare one for all kinds of bitterness and disappointment that is life in modern America.
Besides, if these poor people are too broke to not be able to make ends meet, how could they afford to vote for Bristol Palin 9,000 times on Dancing with the Stars? Answer me that! In other words, we're all fucked - but those on unemployment are double fucked.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment