And the Rot Continues to Grow

Kevin K. pretty much nailed it yesterday when he said that wingnuts were rotten to the core. And that goes for Congressional wingnuts as well.

The Senate’s attempt to extend unemployment benefits and COBRA payment assistence for another month (until a longer term extension can be put into place) was blocked over and over yesterday by Republican KY Senator Jim Bunning. And if that’s not enough AZ Senator Jon Kyl is now threatening to uphold the block pending a fix of the estate tax!*

While the bill did pass by a voice vote in the House, Rep. Dean Heller R-NV speculated that by continuing to help the millions of unemployed Americans struggling to meet the most basic needs of life, the government may be creating hobos. Good grief.

*Kyl is being an utter hypocrite in this. The House passed a fix to the estate tax bill last year. A similar bill was brought up in the Senate but never acted on because Kyl and other Senate assholes were insisting on trying to repeal the tax in its entirety. To now be trying to block the extension of unemployment benefits in order to benefit the heirs of the country’s multi-millionaires and billionaires is douchebaggery of the most loathesome kind. As Kevin said “rotten to the core”.

Posted by marindenver on 02/26/10 at 03:18 PM • Permalink

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What is also in this bill is the annual “doctor fix.” Medicare reimbursement rates are going to drop 21%.

Comment by justlen on 02/26/10 at 03:48 PM

Three Republcan Congressmen found drowned in bathtubs. More at 11.

Comment by Hunger Tallest Palin on 02/26/10 at 03:57 PM

It’s just like I always say, not a dime’s worth of difference between the two parties.

Comment by Lawnguylander on 02/26/10 at 04:55 PM

Theoretically, since the unemployed aren’t “earning” an income their taxes should be $0 (I know, but bear with me), so they should have quite a bit of money to start new companies and hire the other unemployed people in their area. Of course, a plan this perfect (in the vacuum that is Republican economic theory) means that all the other unemployed people are starting companies, as well, so there’s no one to hire. Which means, I suppose, that everyone goes out of business.

Exhausting, isn’t it?

Comment by Ripley on 02/26/10 at 05:32 PM

People become a lot more creative and entrepreneurial when they realize they’re suddenly on the cusp of losing everything, so I’m cool with this.

In fact, I hope the Estate Tax is eliminated AND the extension is defeated. The threat of imminent annihilation—coupled with the knowledge that the vast wealth they stand to accumulate once they rediscover their good ol’ American Ingenuity won’t be taxed when they die—would be a powerful one-two motivator for success!