Senate rejected a $1.3 billion youth summer jobs program
Earlier Tuesday, the Senate rejected (55-45) a plan by Patty Murray, D-Wash., to create a $1.3 billion youth summer jobs program. Republicans were unanimous in opposition, several Democrats joined them, and the plan failed to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a procedural challenge.
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brown (R-MA)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
LeMieux (R-FL)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCain (R-AZ)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nelson (D-NE)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Wicker (R-MS)
... and the winner is:
Get rid of the ancient old farts in government and open the market up to the younger people. I am tired of watching the Senate hearings and watching these old geezers taking cat naps.
I hear they have a "test
Legislation to give
Legislation to give additional months of unemployment benefits to people who have been out of a job for more than half a year has won key GOP support that means it will soon pass the Senate later today.
The sweeping bill also would prevent doctors from absorbing a crippling cut in Medicare payments and extends health insurance subsidies for the unemployed through December.
Democrats needed to muster at least one Republican vote Tuesday to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to limit debate and guarantee an up-or-down vote... but, Eight Republicans voted with Democrats to defeat a GOP filibuster of the measure, setting up a final vote later today.
Well, that's good news.
GOP YEAs Brown
GOP YEAs
Brown (R-MA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Isakson (R-GA)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Snowe (R-ME)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Brown (R-MA)
Brown (R-MA)
Hahahahaha! I bet that Senator Brown is just pissing people like Al off. They thought they had a teabagger and they got a RINO.
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Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is.
-- Benjamin Franklin
Final vote today... 62-36
Final vote today... 62-36
Voted Yea
Bond (R-MO)
Collins (R-ME)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Snowe (R-ME)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Vitter the Viper?!?!
He did it while wearing a
He did it while wearing a diaper.
I'll send him some baby wipes.
This isn't exactly on
This isn't exactly on topic, but it is relevant to summer jobs for youth...
I never never never never never have any kids coming to my house to try to mow lawns in the summer. I know that there are people in the neighborhood who would pay a kid to mow a lawn, but none ever come by.
Though in years past I have been solicited for babysitting services by girls who wanted $10 per hour PER KID!!!!!
What the heck is wrong with kids these days that none are interested in doing general labor for reasonable kid-sized wages? (Said by the mother of a couple of lazy kids.)
I find that to be true in
I find that to be true in my neighborhood as well, although I have a great story to offset that.
The day after Hurricane Ike hit the Houston area, we were on the front lawn just trying to absorb the idea of where to even begin the clean up. Two young, enterprising lads came by and offered to clean up the debris for us. They didn't specify a price; just said to pay them what we felt it was worth. We were so excited and thrilled at the job they did that we paid them much more than they expected. We were impressed by their desire to get out and make a difference and earn some cash in the process.
We've had some kids come by
Very nice rant
Very nice rant regarding the opinion of some Republicans on the "laziness" issue on one of my fave investment blogs, The Big Picutre.
Out-take:
Comment: This position — at its core — essentially labels Americans as lazy ne’er-do-wells who’d just as soon live off society’s largesse than earn a living. Is that really a position any politician would want to take? Does anyone else find that as offensive as I do? Anyone know someone who’s living on UI and lovin’ it?
Question for Senater Kyl and Dancing DeLay: How would you explain the epidemic laziness that apparently afflicts Americans exactly at business cycle peaks, which is then somehow miraculously cured at business cycle troughs?
Also, there's a funny-if-it-wasn't-so-painful chart there.
It's a given that Repubs
It's a given that Repubs are apt to be economic idiots when it suits their agenda but aside from that - 99 weeks of unemployment is a bit much, no? Wouldn't that do more to discourage someone looking for a job?
Why didn't the blog go more into a detailed analysis of the affect of UI benefits relative to job finding - Motivators, demotivators, etc. Stupid things that come out of politicians mouts are just easy fodder and quite abundent.
99 weeks of unemployment is
99 weeks of unemployment is a bit much, no?
This latest extension of 99 weeks... that's the longest period in the program's history just to put it in context.
If the unemployment rate is going to be above 9% for the next 2 years, are we going to have people on unemployment benefits for up to 4 years.
Update:
Unemployment rose in 30 states in January, the Labor Department said Wednesday, evidence that jobs remain scarce in most regions of the country.
Five states reported record-high joblessness in January: California, at 12.5%; South Carolina, 12.6%; Florida, 11.9%; North Carolina, 11.1%; and Georgia, 10.4%.
Your point is duly noted.
Your point is duly noted. Here are a few observations -- some from The Big Picture and some of my own:
During the last extended
During the last extended recession, in the early 1980s, most unemployment programs lasted no longer than 55 weeks.
Should we be concerned? Someone talk me down.
Someone talk me
Someone talk me down
Misty, I'm not clear if you need to be talked down about the fear of the state of the economy or the fear of the extension of UI benefits. I'm assuming it's the latter so I'll try to address that one.
While the 1980's recession was very deep and prolonged, I look at the root causes to see a difference. A big part of the 1980's recession was U.S. monetary policy; the Dec 2007 - July 09 recession was a deep and prolonged GLOBAL recession. If other countries are still reeling and are going through recessions themselves, they aren't going to buy the goods/services we provide them. I would argue that it's the global aspect of our current issues at the heart of the matter; that's the difference in my eyes.
Kim - you don't think that
Kim - you don't think that US monetary policy played a big role in the creation of the bubble?
And thanks for your reply above but it really didn't answer my main concern what is the optimal time for UI benefits. I wasn't arguing the usefulness of them but rather at what time length does the extension become a job seeking deterrent or no longer provide economic benefit. The cost of extending to 99 weeks is huge. Surely there is a reasonable length between 26 weeks that would optimize results.
Another thing to consider is that the type of jobs that have been lost - will they ever come back and are people willing/able to retrain/add skills to persue those jobs being added back. (more of me thinking aloud and reply on this not really needed)
+1 Kim.
My personal opinion is that
My personal opinion is that so many companies have gone overseas, there has been so much outsourcing and loss of job creating companies, that this long stretch of unemployment is sensible from that viewpoint, but a symptom of the disaster of trying to recreate an economy mainly based on service sector (only) jobs.
There is so much good that could be done by having a summer youth employment program.