Monday, June 28, 2010
Do you suggest that they only eat cake, George?
SEN. GEORGE VOINOVICH, who will be retiring this year with handsome federal and state pensions, was among the back-40 Republican senators who voted against extending unemployment benefits. That will leave more than 180,000 Ohioans without income. Tee-hee. While there will be defenders of his action in these times of budgetary stress, the problem that he and his colleagues continue to avoid is obvious: What does he recommend as immediate options to help these folks survive? I might suggest that without a clear remedy, he might declare as a symbolic gesture for his less fortunate Ohioans that he give up some of his own tax-supported perks in his soon-to-be comfortable retirement.
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4 comments:
According to the Washington Post, George Voinovich offered to vote for an extension of jobless benefits as long as the funds came from unused stimulus money. His vote would have given them 60 and prevented a Republican fillibuster. Ultimately the Democrats refused to compromise. Voinovich said it proved that Democrats were more concerned with having an issue to demgagogue Republicans with than actually helping unemployed Americans.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/30/AR2010063005483.html
The issue is not whether the Dems wouldn't compromise. They are politicians, too. The only issue was simply whether to hold more than 180.000 Ohioans hostage in denying them help. The Republican track record on such needs isn't that pretty. The stimulus factor was a convenient way to pull out and save face for the caring constituents who are still employed. I'm surprised you don't understand how the political games are being played these days. By the way, as a Republican, I'm sure the chances are better than average that you are still working and giving no thought to heading for a food kitchen. Forget about "demagogue" Democrats. Did George help the unemployed?
If you want to help the unemployed, the best way is to enact polciies that promote economic growth and job creation in the private sector. Unfortunately, the Obama adminstration's track record on creating jobs with the stimulus is not promising to say the least.
The Wall Street Journal had a great piece this week about all the uncertainty that Obama's policies are creating for private businesses. They surmise that Obamacare, cap & trade, expiriation of tax cuts, etc are causing companies to stand on the sidelines rather than invest in new workers.
I highly reccomend that everyone read that editorial. It is troubling, indeed.
It's good to know that you get your news from the Wall Street Journal editorials, which never saw a progressive idea that it could tolerate. But you're right. I should feel sorry for the "stimulated" Corporate America that is said to be holding back $1.4 trillion from the economy while cutting jobs. My own bank is charging usurious interest on credit cards while paying me less than a half-pct on a CD. I must also point out that we already have policies that promote economic growth and job creation - in foreign countries, that is. You obviously overlooked my post on Whirlpool.
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