Talking Points Memo untangles the mess unfolding in the U.S. Senate over the expansion of unemployment benefits:

The push to revive jobless benefits for some 1.4 million long-term unemployed Americans is — still — going nowhere fast in the Senate, bogged down by a series of excruciating procedural hurdles and disputes.

The latest: Republicans filibustered two test votes on Tuesday, complaining that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) wasn’t playing fair on amendments. An 11-month extension that was paid for received 52 votes, short of the 60 senators needed to move forward. A second vote on a clean three-month extension won over 55 senators and was also blocked.

The Arizona Democratic Party blasts Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake for their opposition to an extension of the benefits for the long-term unemployed:

Senate Republicans such as John McCain and Jeff Flake have again turned their backs on American families. They have failed to extend an economic lifeline to millions of out of work Americans by refusing to restore federal unemployment benefits.

“This is another example of the misplaced priorities of Arizona Republicans,” said DJ Quinlan, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party. “Sen. John McCain and Sen. Jeff Flake continue to oppose policies that are in the best interest of Arizonans and the American people.”

Republicans refusal to act prevented Congress from renewing unemployment benefits on Dec. 28th 2013, leaving 1.3 million Americans without this valuable and necessary aid. In Arizona 17,100 Arizonans lost their assistance on December 28-with an average weekly loss of $219.06. And an additional 22,500 more will lose benefits in the first half of 2014.

“The Republican Party continues to work to cut assistance to Americans who desperately need it while protecting tax breaks and loopholes for special interests,” said Quinlan. “Taking away unemployment insurance from over a million Americans who need assistance while they are searching for jobs proves whose side Republicans are really on.”

This article appears in Jan 9-15, 2014.

Getting hassled by The Man Mild-mannered reporter

7 replies on “Flake and McCain Oppose Extension of Unemployment Benefits”

  2. Well on that point bslap lets stop giving corporate America anymore tax breaks, make them pay their way also. The comparison of government monies to the unemployed never amounts to a ‘drop in the bucket ‘ that we lavishly dole out to the super rich and privileged modern day robber barons. Micky Smythe.

  3. McCain, has in the past voted to extend unemployment benefits. Flake has always abstained when it came to voting on extending these benefits.
    Now they vote in lock-step fear of the Koch brothers against our economy and for the real Takers: the 1%.

  4. Do you still think these two FOOLS are looking out for the people in Arizona? You would have to be a bigger FOOL or a Faux Snooze viewer!!!!

  5. If it was to fund a war with Iran they would be the first to vote yes. Help poor Americans and they vote no. #idiots

  6. This third world country in which we live in has become a laughing stock around the globe. Please keep pumping our tax dollars into the military machine which is sorely needed for the profits of our homeless and unemployed. The priorities in this system need to looked at by rational and sensible people.

    Jonathan Peck on 1/17/2014 at 1:58 PM

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