19 Republicans To Unemployed - "Drop Dead"

EUC = Emergency Unemployment Compensation

We begin this story speaking about the 19 Republicans in the Senate who oppose assistance to the jobless. These Senators knowingly and willfully participated in delay tactics, obstruction, and denying assistance to the unemployed in a nation with a battered economy with millions of Americans desperate for assistance.

There is a reason the funds are called "Emergency Unemployment Compensation".

Would these same Senators deny funding if the country were under attack by terrorist(s)? Would they deny funding if an area was declared a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005? In their defense, they claim that this legislation is not covered under PAYGO.

This is where the hypocrisy begins. None of these Senators voted in favor of PAYGO. None of them. Why are they so persistent in a time of economic emergency to enforce PAYGO if they did not vote for that Senate rule?

Simple, partisan politics. They want the advantage in coming elections to tell the people they opposed government spending. However, their timing on their opposition is calculated and is conflicting.

Persons who receive unemployment compensation under any circumstance receive that assistance because they were laid off from their job due to no fault of their own. The funds they receive are taxable. Even the unemployed pay taxes if they are receiving this lifeline.

The irony - nearly all of the states which these Senators represent have double-digit unemployment numbers. If the unemployed in their states do not need these emergency funds - perhaps these Senators should tell the people why Wall Street and large banks needed a bailout.

These Senators will claim our deficit is too high yet they handed the current Administration an $11 Trillion debt. They will claim that unemployment funds are low and the states are cash-strapped and this is true. However, states were cash strapped all throughout the Great Recession. They will claim that small business cannot sustain the tax burdens; however, look at the business in their states.

Over 95% of the business which provided employment to their states are large-scale, multi-billion dollar industries which are more than capable of paying $100 per employee per year.

The bottom line is their objections are contradictory on all counts. Even if their objections are sincere - why do this to the unemployed? Of all of the legislation in Congress they want to delay or deny - objecting to emergency funds for the people who need the money the most is not only inexcusable but it is morally wrong. These Senators are penalizing the victims in this recession rather than the culprits. That fact should not rest well with the average American.

Each day, these Senators prove to be more in the interest of big money corporations and less and less in the interests of the people. These Senators represent the states with the highest levels of poverty, lowest levels of education, and highest levels of unemployment. This is something for their constituents to think about when they are up for re-election. These senators are not acting in the interests of their state(s) nor the country.

Here are the Senators who voted "Nay". They would be ashamed of themselves if they did not have to admit they were trying to get short-term political gain at the expense of Americans hit hardest by this recession.

Here are the names of those who essentially told the unemployed to drop dead.

Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Coburn (R-OK)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Johanns (R-NE)
McConnell (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Sessions (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)

Voting NO on each and every issue is not leadership. These senators were elected by their constituents to lead. Americans need to memorize these names. These senators all proved on Tuesday they would prefer to side with big business.

Actions do speak louder than words. Their actions yell (in Mr. Bunning's words), "TOUGH SH__" to the unemployed.