Senate Begins Game Of Chicken With Unemployment Benefits: update

[cal04]

Senate Begins Game Of Chicken With Unemployment Benefits: 'Coburn Has The Stamina Of Three Bunnings'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/25/senate-begins-game-of-chi_n_513620.html

While Senate Democrats held a press conference celebrating their latest health care reform victory on Thursday afternoon, a Republican slipped into the chamber to move a bill that would extend soon-to-expire enhanced unemployment benefits -- paid for with $10 billion in unused funds from the stimulus bill.

With Democrats caught off guard, the clock started ticking on the bill's slog through the legislative process. Democratic leaders, who had planned to introduce the same bill without using funds committed to the stimulus, trudged into the chamber as Sen. Tom Coburn launched into an epic speech on the perils of deficit spending.

"We're going to be like the Athenian Empire," warned the Oklahoma Republican, standing alone on the Republican side of the room. "The real thing going on outside Washington is the fear that that's happening to us."

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) slumped in his chair, rubbing his temples in apparent agony.



UPDATE 8:15 PM: Reid filed for cloture on the Democrats' version of the bill, initiating a process that could get the bill passed as soon as this weekend, barring a deal. He also filed for a "conditional adjournment," meaning senators will be free to leave. McConnell vowed that Coburn and several other Republicans would be on-hand Friday morning to debate the importance of extending the benefits but also of paying for them.

UPDATE 8:30 PM: Reid filed for cloture on the Democrats' version of the bill, initiating a process that could get the bill passed as soon as this weekend -- if the Senate remained in session, that is. He also filed for a "conditional adjournment," which passed by party-line vote. It means the two-week recess has started, but party leadership has the authority to reconvene the Congress in case of an emergency or important issue.

A McConnell spokesman told HuffPost that Democratic and Republican senators had reached a deal to pay for a one-week extension, but that House leadership rejected it. He said the enhanced benefits and other programs would lapse on April 5 during the recess.
"Once the Senate adjourns, the Congress can't act," he said.

McConnell vowed that Coburn and several other Republicans would be on-hand Friday morning to debate the importance of extending the benefits but also of paying for them.

[depakid]

1. All Obama's talk about reaching across the aisle & being friends with Coburn sure has paid dividends

[TK421]

2. Well, at least they're making their agenda crystal-clear

let us see how this bites them on the ass, if others follow

[99 Percent Sure]

3. I just wish we unemployeds were as high on the agenda

as aid to Haiti, HIR, Afghanistan, etc.

Millions of us will receive our very last check next week, with no other income in sight, and virtually no job prospects.

There is something very wrong with this picture. Even the craziness that is Colburn is merely unnecessarily delaying the extension of ARRA 2009-related benefits and tiers for those unemployed a year or less.

We long-term jobless--2 years or more--continue seeking employment yet will run out of actual monetary benefits. That is it for us, despite the bleak picture recently painted about long term UE by the WH.