Posted on 12/29/2013 12:07:01 PM PST by SeekAndFind
If lawmakers decide next month to end a high-stakes impasse over extending long-term unemployment insurance benefits that expired Saturday, an estimated 1.3 million jobless Americans may receive compensation for three additional months or longer.
However, in allowing the federal benefits to lapse this weekend -- after extending the support 11 times since the recession of 2008 -- Congress may have severed help to nearly 5 million people by the end of 2014, according to the Obama administration.
The battle has become the starter’s pistol of the midterm election year, pitting Democrats’ belief that the benefits are necessary and help buoy a still-wobbly economy, against Republican arguments that growth and hiring would gain strength more quickly if Washington keeps its spigot turned off and leaves unemployment compensation to the states.
Recent polling suggests Democrats have the stronger argument with the public across regions, genders and age groups. A majority of voters say they want Congress and the president to maintain the benefits, according to a survey of 811 registered voters conducted Dec. 18-22 by Hart Research Associates. The poll found that 55 percent of voters think the federal emergency program should continue, while 34 percent say benefits should cease.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
This is King Barry’s answer to the outrage caused by 0bamacare.. Using the extension of unemployment as a wedge issue for the 2014 midterms. Surprise surprise NOT!!!
“Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.”
- Milton Friedman
Personally, I’d rather see this die, not because I don’t need it but because the best thing for the economy and for the country is to get rid of it.
The way this congress behaves I fully expect them to ‘make a deal’ where by unemployment weeks are extended in exchange for vets benefits to be restored. Don’t be shocked when it happens
Make it the lack of jobs caused by Bammy’s War on America.
Get rid of the EPA first.
Go back to developing our natural resources. We shouldn't have to import one damn drop.
Lumber, coal, gas, oil....we have it all.
There cannot be any justification for continuing these benefits. The unemployment rate is around 7%. Things are looking up, economically...”green shoots” and all that. The GDP is growing at 2.5% per annum. Has the President merely been lying to us about the millions of new jobs he’s created?
I was wondering since I was laid off many years ago and never took advantage of the unemployment benefits offered, can I go back and claim them?
Serious question, but really just kidding.
Second wave of health plan cancellations looms
A new and independent analysis of ObamaCare warns of a ticking time bomb, predicting a second wave of 50 million to 100 million insurance policy cancellations next fall -- right before the mid-term elections.
What is it 99 weeks now....almost 2 years WTF?
Simendinger... does anyone trust anybody using a name like that???
That's your money - the first phase anyway. Maybe next time.
Repubs: “Time to get a job.”
Dems: “Time for more free stuff.”
I can not imagine which way the masses will vote...../s
Yup! The freeloaders once again will decide if the communists or Americans will run the government. “Embrace the suck”.
The ONLY issue in the midterms will be Obamacare. The bloated premiums and high deductibles will drain the middle class of not only discretionary income but in many cases cause delinquencies as to necessary expenditures. That will wound retail and housing and eventually plunge the tax collections for states, cities and towns.
Unless some jug-eared, socialist narcissist decides to wag the dog.
Yeah, I did some consulting with the last company that I was laid off from. Now I am retired.
“GOP war against the working man.”
Well, let’s consider what might happen if those 5 million who stopped looking for a job...actually went back to work, even at minimum wage?
“The battle has become the starter’s pistol of the midterm election year...
Only if the pubbies let it be so. There is already the catastrophe that is ZeroCare, the IRS scandal, the NSA scandal, the Benghazi scandal. There are the ongoing issues with budget and deficit.
This starter’s pistol should be sounding like an M-16 on full auto.
Problem is nobody wants to work for less than what they made before and it could be they were before being paid more than they were worth, so deal with it and move on.
PS: Democrats signed off on this as well, this wasn't like the Dem only health care situation.
If the Dems want to reinstate some 4 year unemployment plan I highly suggest they fund it with Democratic party funds.
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