Posted on 01/03/2014 6:19:57 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
President Obama on Tuesday will meet with Americans who lost unemployment benefits at the start of the year, as the White House ramps up pressure on Republicans to extend the federal aid for three months.
Labor Secretary Thomas Perez announced the White House gathering during a conference call with reporters, the latest attempt by the Obama administration to highlight the 1.3 million Americans no longer receiving federal unemployment insurance.
“This was not only the right thing to do; it was the smart thing to do,” Perez said of the economic repercussions of halting the jobless benefits.
“These programs don’t get in the way of people looking for work. They assist people looking for work," Perez added.
The Obama administration estimates that failing to extend unemployment beyond 26 weeks — the limit during good economic times — would cost the U.S. economy roughly 240,000 jobs.
However, some Republicans argue that such benefits keep Americans perpetually unemployed and limit their motivation to return to the workforce.
A bipartisan bill sponsored by Sens. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Dean Heller, R-Nev., would extend the unemployment benefits for three months and is expected to receive a Senate vote next week, according to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Obama has called on both chambers to pass the legislation as a short-term fix. GOP lawmakers, particularly in the House, are unlikely to support the bill unless the costs are offset somewhere else.
The labor secretary in the conference call Friday was noncommittal on where Obama stood on offsetting the billions of dollars in benefits.
The average monthly stipend for families is $1,166.
The White House is clearly using the issue as part of an increasingly progressive pitch to argue that Republicans are out of touch with Americans struggling to find work during a down economy.
“Too many people,” Perez said, “are working hard and falling further behind.”
So sick of mealy-mouth Republicans debating with black-and-white pie-charts when they need to be playing Play Station 4.
a little demographics needed
Hey, you freeloading, job-killing jackass! How about meeting with some Americans who lost their HEALTHCARE INSURANCE because of YOU?
How do I despise thee? Let me count the ways...
At first I thought he would be meeting with the people who lost health insurance, guess not.
Hey, I heard about some guy’s uncle in North Korea who had a meeting with about 120 hungry dogs. Didn’t go well for him. I don’t suppose this Obama meeting will proceed along those lines?
If you continue to pay people not to work, guess what they will not work!
WHAT a propaganda POS
zero is going to suggest they be extended through his second term just for good measure.
Reinstate unemployment check extended benefits? Count on Obama & his Democrats to choose the worse way to deal with our economic problems, a way to send US taxpayers to the poorhouse and reward the moocher class of our society.
How about meeting with a few taxpayers?
Does not compute.
Are these “working age” unemployed?
“..Count on Obama & his Democrats to choose the worse way to deal with our economic problems..”
:::::::::::
Obama could not care less about “economic problems” since he is our worst economic problem with his constant quest to destroy capitalism in America. This is all about VOTES and is being addressed as the fraudulent Marxist coward that he is.
Why put a limit on it? Just pay the folks but in return they can be called on to turn out for “community action” if they want to keep their benefits. :)
I don’t recall the Democrats putting out a figure for how many jobs would be lost by taking money from the retired Veterans? It’s almost like there’s some kind of double standard here.
Isn’t Obama on vacation ? Where will he meet with these shills I doubt it’s in Hawaii. Or will they be gathered in some big hall and he address them via a jumbo screen from the vacation home beach. Now that would be Orwellian appropriate.
His Holiness is coming back to Washington tomorrow.
A Bum Summit
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