Clueless in Kentucky

[cal04]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/opinion/27sat3.html

Kentucky has lost about 60,000 jobs since the end of 2008. In December, its unemployment rate stood at 10.7 percent, the highest since 1983. So what exactly is going on in the minds of Kentucky’s two Republican senators, Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning?

This week, Mr. Bunning single-handedly shot down a one-month extension of unemployment benefits, along with a federal subsidy for the unemployed to maintain health coverage. Two weeks earlier, Mr. McConnell, the minority leader, objected to a one-week extension to give senators time to draft a longer-term package.

It should be a no-brainer to extend unemployment insurance when around 1 out of every 10 workers is unemployed. Standard unemployment benefits end at 26 weeks, yet 6.3 million workers have been out of work for more than 27 weeks. Congress has provided a series of extensions, and without another one, 400,000 people will lose their benefits in a matter of weeks.

(snip)
Democrats must now defeat Republican attempts to lace the benefits extension with things like protecting the rich from the estate tax. To avoid a repeat of this nonsense every few weeks, unemployment benefits should be extended until the end of the year. Perhaps by Monday somebody can educate Senators Bunning and McConnell about Kentucky’s unemployment rate.

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R. Isn't Jim Bunning the one who had a debate by himself?!

That should have been a clue... :crazy:

[sharesunited]

2. Dear Kentucky: Fire both of those clowns.

[CherokeeDem]

4. We keep trying...

We got close with Bunning last time but close is not good enough. Both of the KY senators are a embarrassment.

[sharesunited]

7. Bunning is retiring, apparently. Yay! It must be why he thinks he can be such a jerk.

[Captain Hilts]

3. My firm did a TON of polling in that state. The demographic numbers in Eastern Kentucky would

put your hair on end. The education statistics, etc. Horrifying.

When the NYT wanted to look at rural poverty, they went there. Folks doing their own dental work, etc...

[RKP5637]

6. I'm sure they are fed propaganda and believe it... like many other parts

of the US.

[depakid]

10. Incredible that they get conned into voting Republican time and time again..

Joe Bageant in Deer Hunting with Jesus gives us some of the reasons why.

A pretty depressing read...

[Captain Hilts]

11. Yes, it's stunning. Perhaps it is the firearms issue that does it. I don't know. nt

[Fire1]

12. The dems there are fighting tooth and nail. They know it's an

uphill battle and they've come closer to turning blue during this past election than any other time in history.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. As little as is humanly possible.... and still remain alive.

So what exactly is going on in the minds of Kentucky’s two Republican senators, Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning?

[Historic NY]

8. Just tell the people no checks are coming, they will understand PDQ.

[skepticscott]

9. More to the point

What exactly is going on in the minds of the voters in Kentucky? Why do they fawn adoringly over, and continue to re-elect, people who have the exact opposite of their best interests in mind?

[Fire1]

13. See post #12. n/t

[classysassy]

14. The southern strategy

that the Nixon team set up with the dixiecrats was more successful than they ever dreamed it would be.They didn't realize the effect would last this long,the big lie worked then and it continues to work today.It seem as if you can fool some people all of the time.