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StumbleSun editorial:
Republican failure
GOP leaders allow thousands to be excluded from receiving unemployment aid
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009 | 2:06 a.m.
More than $3.1 billion in stimulus money has been left unspent by 23 states because they have failed to expand benefits for people out of work, according to the Labor Department.
As USA Today reported Tuesday, states must expand the benefits to qualify, including offering benefits to part-time workers who lose their jobs. The National Employment Law Project estimates that the states’ failures mean that nearly 350,000 Americans are not receiving benefits.
Republican governors or lawmakers in the 23 states have either declined to make the changes as required by federal law to be eligible or have declined funding. (Because of its Democratic-controlled Legislature, Nevada is thankfully not one of the 23 states.)
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been among the Republican critics of the stimulus. His state has left more than $555 million on the table because of his refusal to change Texas’ unemployment requirement. Perry says his state would have to raise taxes once the stimulus money runs out.
Maurice Emsellem of the National Employment Law Project said the increase in benefits the federal government is calling for “is not the straw that breaks the camel’s back to determine whether taxes are going up.”
Instead, he said, the stimulus money could push off tax increases because it boosts the amount of money in state unemployment trust funds. Many states automatically raise unemployment taxes when their funds are depleted. For example, unemployment taxes will go up in Alabama, Florida and Indiana — all of which refused the federal unemployment money. Texas also may see a tax increase.
In other words: Not only are thousands of people excluded from receiving unemployment benefits because of the Republican position, but unemployment taxes go up as well.
This is the result of far-right ideologues running the Republican Party. They love to inflame the base with their rhetoric, but the bottom line is this: Their ideas hurt people.
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Gee we have been over this before.
Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats put unacceptable strings on accepting these funds.
These strings would have forced billion of dollars in future unfunded State liabilities when the Federal government money runs out after two years.
Harry and Nancy could simply remove this from the stimulus package and the money would be spent.
Again the LV Sun does not get it.
thus the phrase...
retarded republicans!!!
If the actions have kept 350,000 Americans from receiving benefits then unemployment is really well over 10% already.
Seems the President's claim to have created or saved jobs is a bigger lie than we thought and these evil Republicans have actually hidden his mishandling of the economy.
The garbage that is being blamed on Republican's is just ridiculous. Instead of praising the state governments who were realistic enough to see that the "strings" attached to the stimulus funds would cripple their budgets in a few years once the money ran out (unless they upped taxes)...instead, they are persecuted for having some fiscal common sense.
I think there should have been some exceptions for p/t workers who were excluded in the cases of those who work f/t just not at the same job allowing those workers benefits. But they way the stimulus is written now even some high school students would qualify for federal/state aid.
Why is this such a mystery to the spend and tax folks?
And, neiman...when I saw the blurp yesterday that BHO had created or saved 500,000-750,000...Where??? I mean seriously, exactly how many czars are there?
this affects Nevada, weak economy in AZ, ID, TX etc means fewer people traveling or relocating to Nevada.
GREAT EDITORIAL, PUTTING BLAME ON REPUBLICANS FOR THEIR EVIL-DOING.
"Future" and 23 states can't be wrong...
The administration put unacceptable strings on accepting these stimulating unemployment funds.
Once a state accepts these funds, then they are bound to continue with the enlarged program forever.This would force billion of dollars in future unfunded State liabilities when the Federal government money runs out after two years.
It's kinda like my cable company telling me that if I sign up for the "Birdie Talk Show Channel," I get two months free. But the problem is that the fine print states that once I accept these two free months, I will have to continue for two years with the service.
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