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Thousands of Workers Without Jobs Due to One Senator: Kentucky’s Bunning
The filibuster started Friday by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) not only has halted a desperately needed unemployment insurance (UI) extension for millions of America’s jobless workers. By blocking the UI bill, Bunning has caused the furlough of 2,000 transportation workers, halted construction on 41 economic recovery projects in 17 states, forced doctors to take big cuts in Medicare payments and left 1.2 million jobless Americans without COBRA.
And Bunning doesn’t seem to care about who suffers because of his move. This morning, when another Republican senator, Susan Collins of Maine, asked for unanimous consent to extend the unemployment benefits, Bunning objected again.
Yesterday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that 2,000 employees are being furloughed in four agencies. John Gage, president of AFGE, which represents Transportation Department employees, says in a statement:
Clearly it is another example of the flawed filibuster system, which allows one senator to hold hostage the fate of thousands of unemployed Americans with a phony claim of wanting fiscal responsibility.
Bunning says Congress must abide by rules requiring that new spending be paid for, but as David Waldman reports in Daily Kos, Bunning voted against the very provision requiring that back in January.
Edward Wytkind, president of the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD), says:
Sen. Bunning’s actions are not only irresponsible, but they are downright dangerous. In this economy, to purposefully put people out of work is cold-hearted. But it’s even worse that these workers perform essential functions to expand and build our nation’s transportation system and ensure it is safe for all its users.
Bunning’s action has outraged workers across the country. One of Bunning’s constituents, John Bernard of Louisville, told the Louisville Courier-Journal he’s been receiving unemployment since November 2008, when he was laid off from a construction job. He called Bunning a hypocrite for taking his congressional salary.
He’s getting his check every week, no matter how it gets paid.
For a state-by-state breakdown of how many workers will lose benefits, click here.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka called Bunning a “one-man wrecking crew” and said:
Sen. Bunning embodies everything that is wrong with the U.S. Senate today: the ability of individual small-minded, selfish politicians to single-handedly prevent the majority from helping people who need help and solving our country’s problems.
Bunning’s move on Friday blocked a vote on a House bill (H.R. 4691) that would have provided a short-term extension of the federal highway bill, extended the unemployment benefits for 30 days after they expired on Feb. 28 and stopped a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors. According to Politico, when Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who was on the floor, urged Bunning to relent, his response was, “Tough sh*t.”
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8 Comments
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We need to remember this when Bunning comes up for re-election.
Perhaps now those people who have voted for Republicans against their own self-interest will begin to understand the consequences. My father had one basic thing to say about them: “Republicans never did anything for the working man.” Unfortunately, this does not become apparent until the pinch is felt in the pocket, and by then, it’s too late to undo the damage already done. Those who are secure enough not to be concerned about less fortunate neighbors and continue voting for Conservative obstructionists dare not call themselves “Christian.”
not even a new yorker senator would of tried to block the important vote to extend unemployment during hardship times when people are paying for cobra for their families without not knowing if there are jobs in near future.the state of kentucky should kick him to the curb and the rest of the state capital boycott him.this country(nation)is one step near another great depression.The american people need to survive.But the illegal aliens could get welfare and free medicaid.Something is wrong with the big picture…
OK, Let me get this straight: they want to extend more unemployment benefits and “so called” construction jobs. What a F’in joke. So my taxes can keep going to people that don’t have jobs. Where does it end. You want real growth and jobs: CUT MY FUC@@NG TAXES AND GET RID OF THE ILLEGAL ALIENS. That’s right, it the dirty little secret why taxes and health care are so high. Obummer has no clue want’s going on. And all members ask youself this question: Where did the bulk of the first stimulus go? For more jobs or cut your taxes, nope, right to banks, where they took money for zero percent, and invested it in T-Bills. THERE WAS NO JOB GROWTH, as Obummer and the rest of his gang said there was. This will get worse, California, New Jersy; all on the brink of disaster. Greece, falling apart. Ask yourself this question: WHO WILL PAY FOR ALL OF THIS?????
You point to real problems, but only parrot the bosses solution, which is for the working class to go to war with itself, a recipe for fascism. Who will pay? I have an answer for you. Who has all of our money? – the rich, right? Did they earn it, or steal it? – they stole it. Please remember that the bank bailout – the biggest great train robbery ever, was a Bush plan supported by both McCain and Obama. Get over Obama being half Black, and immigrants, who apparently are also not white enough for you either. Undocumented immigrants who recieve ‘welfare’ and Medicare exist only in your mind. We must unite. The oroblem with Obama is not his race, it is that while pretending to be progressive, he is taking everyone for a ride to Hooverville. Once the rich are done using you and the others who ‘think’ like you, they will throw you on the trash heap with the rest of us.
Once more the gutless Democrats (Reid) prove the U.S. Senate has long outlived any worth it is to the American people. We need to make it a House of Lords that can only review a piece of legislation and make suggestions for change – nothing else! These idiots have turned the Republic into an Oligarchy!
First off Bunning will not be running for reelection because for one the Republicans are embarressed by him. He has also proposed that the age for retirement to gain Social Security benefits be extended to 69 years of age. He also has come down hard on any baseball player that has used steroids to enhance his carrer.
This coming from a guy who while pitching was known as “Buckles” Bunning for having the habit of using his uniform belt buckle to grove ridges into the baseball and therefore give him an edge on the mound.
Like his Republican and Democrat brethen principles are the farthest thing from this parisites mind.
What did you expect from a Republican?