Repugs go Cee-Lo Green on American workers

[marmar]

ThinkProgress, via AlterNet:




GOP Again Blocks Aid for Hurting American Workers


After months of working on anything but jobs legislation, GOP lawmakers got an opportunity this week to actually address the crisis. Tomorrow, the Trade Assistance Adjustment (TAA) Program and the Health Care Tax Credit (HCTC) will expire. TAA helps retrain and re-employ workers who have lost their jobs due to foreign trade. HCTC provides compensation to help unemployed workers afford private health insurance. While 72 percent of Americans oppose cutting such critical unemployment assistance, the GOP is seemingly insistent that it expire.

On Tuesday, the House GOP’s plan to extend TAA was pulled from the House floor due to conservative backlash against the government “getting too involved in the economy.” That left the typically obstinate Senate as the last hope to extend the much-needed aid. Together on the Senate floor yesterday, Sens. Robert Casey (D-PA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) offered three different proposals to extend both benefits for 18 months, 4.5 months, and just the HCTC for 18 months by unanimous consent. However, each time, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) was there to block it.

Increasingly incensed over each of Barrasso’s obstructions, Brown expressed anger uncommon on the Senate floor at Barrasso’s final objection to the HCTC extension. Offended by the apparent GOP hypocrisy in enjoying taxpayer-funded benefits while refusing to aid those “who don’t dress like this everyday” and “don’t make $170,000 a year,” he blasted Senators for “turning our backs” on the American worker:

BROWN:…For Senators who want to repeal health care, for Senators who want to strip any assistance…it’s basically turning our backs and saying to these workers: “Sorry about NAFTA, sorry about (Permanent normal trade relations), sorry about these trade agreements I know you lost your jobs because of those, sorry about losing your health insurance, sorry about not having any job training money, and oh by the way, if your house is foreclosed on, that’s just too damn bad too. Madam president, I just don’t get this. I don’t understand why people in this body can’t at least help those citizens who don’t dress like this everyday, who don’t make $170,000 a year, who don’t have really good health insurance provided by taxpayers. Why, madam president, are we turning our backs on them?

Watch it: http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/472827/gop_again_blocks_aid_for_hurting_american_workers/

[taterguy]

1. For those of us who don't own a TV or listen to the radio . . .

Who the fuck is Cee-Lo Green?

[marmar]

2. ............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU

[taterguy]

3. Why didn't you just say he was half the group that Milton Pawley made his life's work?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc9nB3Odcq0

[marmar]

4. I just assume that most people have a rudimentary knowledge of pop culture....

..... I stand corrected.

[taterguy]

6. The OP is kind of insulting because it implies that Cee Lo only has one song

Would you title a thread "Repugs go Neil Diamond on Workers"?

People wouldn't know if you were talking about Sweet Caroline or Kentucky Woman.

[marmar]

7. It's his biggest solo hit....I kinda think people would get it.

nt

[taterguy]

8. I thought you were implying that love for the American worker is Gone Daddy Gone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZbeiXZVWbM

[lonestarnot]

5. K & R!