Editorial: And a happy holidays to you, too, Mr. Bush

Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002 | 8:52 a.m.

Unemployment insurance benefits end on Dec. 28 for more than 750,000 workers, so last week President Bush said that when Congress convenes in January it should promptly extend this jobless assistance. Bush also wants to make an extension renewal retroactive. We agree that the benefits should be extended, but we wonder why the president waited so long to speak out. Bush could have brokered a compromise back in November when the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-led Senate couldn't agree on competing versions to extend the benefits -- but he chose to remain silent and let the legislation die. Now, people may go for weeks without help.

The House plan would have cost $900 million, providing five extra weeks of benefits in just a few states with high unemployment. The Senate plan would have provided 13 weeks of additional benefits for people currently receiving them. That plan cost $5 billion, but it is a compassionate one that also would help the economy by giving unemployed workers money to buy goods and services. If the president wants to help make amends for not doing anything last month, he should make it clear that the House should pass the more generous package passed by the Senate last year.