Polls Find Wide Support For Jobless Benefit Extension

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"The issue of extending the duration of benefits for the unemployed could be a winning one for the White House and congressional Democrats: two national polls published last week suggest that most Americans are on their side of this debate.

President Obama urged Congress on Monday to pass a bill that would make millions of out-of-work Americans eligible to receive benefits longer, and he criticized Republicans for objecting to the bill, a stance that he characterized as putting politics ahead of relief for the jobless. For their part, Republicans insist that any extension of benefits must be paid for with cuts to other spending or new revenue, so as to not add to the federal budget deficit.

The two polls that found a majority of Americans favor extending the benefits were from CBS News and ABC News/Washington Post.

In the CBS News survey, 52 percent of respondents said Congress should extend unemployment benefits for people currently out of work, even if it meant increasing the budget deficit. Thirty-nine percent disagreed, and the rest said “it depends” or gave no opinion."

<snip>

"The ABC News/Washington Post poll asked the question a little differently, and found even more support for an extension of unemployment benefits. The question noted that Congress had previously extended benefits because of the economic downturn, and was considering extending them again. It also presented capsules of each side of the debate, noting that supporters of the extension say it “will help those who can’t find work” while opponents say it “adds too much to the federal budget deficit.”

The result: 62 percent of respondents said Congress should approve another extension, while 36 percent said it should not. Those in favor included 80 percent of Democrats and 59 percent of independents, as well as 43 percent of Republicans."

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/polls-find-wide-support-for-jobless-benefit-extension/

[KansDem]

1. It's amazing that even in the light of popular opinion...

...this Congress continues to work against the average American.

It's like the GOPers and the Dems who enable them are living in another world...

[regnaD kciN]

2. So, of course, when the Republicans block it again...

...Obama and the Democrats will get the blame, and people will decide that the way to solve the problem is to put the Republicans back in power. :crazy: