Senate Votes To Extend Jobless Benefits

[Dulcinea]

Source: NPR

The Senate has passed stopgap legislation to extend help for the jobless and keep federal highway dollars flowing.

The 78-19 vote came after a GOP senator who was single-handedly holding up the legislation finally relented under withering assaults by Democrats and dwindling support within his own party.

Kentucky Republican Jim Bunning had been holding up action for days but conceded after pressure intensified with Monday's cutoff of road funding and longer and more generous unemployment benefits and health insurance subsidies for the jobless. Bunning was seeking to force Democrats to finance the $10 billion measure so that it wouldn't add to the deficit.


Read more: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124258720

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It's about time!

Good news for the millions of unemployed Americans out there.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. Who voted no? And do the unemployed still lose out on a weeks unemployment?

[Skittles]

4. from what I understand

they'll get it back but the added paperwork caused by the cessation will cost MORE :mad:

[aquart]

2. Well, ain't they speedy.

[deacon]

7. It's more like ain't the GOP a bunch of self important rotten bastards. n/t

[NecklyTyler]

3. I am waiting for the Main $tream Media to spin this as a victory for the Republicans

The headline will read that the glorious Republican Super Minority step in where others had failed and saved us from those obstructionist Republicans

[Jim__]

5. There's some good news anyway. - n/t

[deacon]

6. Everybody remember what they did during the crisis. "Tough shit" and the middle finger. n/t

[Hubert Flottz]

8. And there is no joy in PubsVile...

the mighty Jimmy has done struck out!

From the Senate, black with GOPers, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted freepers from the stand;
And it's likely they'd a-killed him had not Harry raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Harry's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the speaker, and once more the bullshit flew;
But Jimmy still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."

"Fraud!" cried the maddened tea baggers, and echo answered fraud;
But one selfish look from Jimmy and his audience was awed.
They saw his face grow mean and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Jimmy wouldn't let that bill go by again.

The sneer is gone from Jimmy's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his fist upon their plate.
And now Harry holds Jimmy balls, and now he lets it go,
And now the Pubs are shattered by the force of Harry's's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this "Homeland" the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in PubVile mighty Bunning has struck out.

[pnorman]

11. THAT'S A WINNER! IS IT YOURS?

(Please excuse the ALL CAPS, but I think it merited it.)

[Hubert Flottz]

15. I just tweaked an old poem because Jim's problem reminded me

of the poem.

Casey at the Bat by Ernest Thayer

Published: The Examiner (06-03-1888)

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/poetry/po_case.shtml

Scroll down that page to read the poem.

[pnorman]

17. I recognized "Casey At Baat".(WHO doesn't?)

And I recall a lot others that were take-offs on it. But your "tweaking" was pretty good!

[Hubert Flottz]

18. Thank you,

Very nice of you to say so.

[Vidar]

9. Once in a while the people win.

[aaronbav]

10. Unfortunately, every time the people manage even a small "win"

The batshit crazy, frothing at the mouth Reichwing lunatics become even more enraged and want to EXTRACT even more revenge and/or punishment. The reich is is totally insane.

[Laf.La.Dem.]

12. How they voted

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00032

[lumpy]

16. Thanks. Noticed Repub Utah, Kentuck, Nev, Wyo,Tenn voted

Nay. The usual 'political felons' at work.

[uberblonde]

13. It's only a short extension...

Until they get to the "real" one. Some Senators want a ten-month extension that will dump the next decision to extend right into the lap of a possible Republican majority.

[INdemo]

14. If that should happen and its up to the Republican majority,there

will be no unemployment extensions..Its over. Starvation before Republicans will pass a bill like that