The Whole Delivery

It sure is a wonderful feeling for the Treasury and the FED to see the Department of Labor report about unemployment claims pass half a million and be the highest since last November . And you what their current plan is? To just keep on doing the same "fiddle with their thumbs" thing.

From all the pre-game talk, it appears it will be. But even if it passes, no one should forget how Republicans and Ben Nelson didn't give a damn about the downtrodden. Let it be reminded again, again, and again. The final roll call vote is live, and we shall see how many Republicans continue to hate the unemployed so much in a second. Brown and Gregg voted against unemployment benefits, and so has Ben Nelson. What a class act Cornhusker Kickback is. Update : It passes 60-40......embarrassing that it had to take a 4th time for something so routine and simple to pass. Snowe and Collins joined the Democrats, including Goodwin on his first vote, while virtual Republican Nelson joined his true nutcase party.

Photo from AFP's Saul Loeb Basically that was the main highlight of the quick address from President Obama on unemployment benefits, which finally looks to be passed in The House of Lords tomorrow. We all know the story of the insane nutcase elephant party, and how they hate the poor every chance they get. Maybe more important though is how the White House and Harry Reid just haven't all been willing to just change it the rules in the House of Lords to a majority vote and do away with the draconian filibuster. Of course, that would be seen as "too ambitious" despite a historic record set by Republicans on filibustering. So let's not even go there then on that obvious change that needed to be made a while ago.

The House just a few hours ago passed the Disclose Act, the long awaited act to virtually try and almost cover up the unbelievable, intentional mess of the John Roberts lobbyist controlled Supreme Court and their infamous Citizens United vs FEC decision. Now of course with the House, it can never be as 100% liberal despite a large majority in the House, because of some Democrats just wanting to be Republicans any chance they get, as well as progressives not fighting tooth and nail for carve outs to the NRA (the nice little exemptions for them in this bill) like what seems to always happen. Pelosi was happy about it nevertheless of course. Now all of these nice feelings about this bill passing is all eviscerated however, because of the wonderful place it will leave "The House" to travel to. You know what place that is? Oh, you do? The House of Lords, with it's 100 Lord wannabes given archaic powers to hold the nation at hostage. That latest example of their bla...

What a sick individual this man continues to be : Welfare and unemployment beneficiaries would have to pass a drug test to qualify for programs under an amendment offered Tuesday by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). Hatch introduced an amendment to the tax extenders bill that would require those who are applying for some of the benefits in that bill, including unemployment and welfare benefits, to pass a drug test in exchange for the benefits. "Drugs are a scourge on our society — hurting children, families and communities alike," Hatch said in a statement. "This amendment is a way to help people get off of drugs to become productive and healthy members of society, while ensuring that valuable taxpayer dollars aren’t wasted.” So shocking was this that Digby had to have a perspective on the latest cruelty from this royal nutcase from Utah: See the only reason that someone doesn't have a job in this thriving economy is because they are drug addicts. Hatch is just tryi...

The Bill has passed finally with a 78-19. Mitch McConnell obviously still scared by his buddy buddy "Senate Elevator", voted against the bill. Why do Kentucky senators hate Kentucky (and everyone else downtrodden in the other 49 states?) But we know the answer to that. And adding more to the hilarious details is the fact that "Senator Elevator's BS Amendment" failed 53-43. I'll give you info on that real soon. Updated : On the failed Bunning Amendment, guess who joined the Republicans in voting for it? If you guessed Blanche lincoln, Ben Nelson and Joe Lieberman, than you are right ! What a surprise. Updated 2 :And here are all the nutcases who hate the unemployed Alexander, Barasso, Bennett of Utah, Bunning, Burr, Coburn, Cornyn, Corker, DeMint, Ensign, Enzi, Gregg, Hatch, Johanns, Sessions, Thune, Risch, Crapo, And of course, last McConell, the minority leader, voted no to extend unemployed benefits. But hey, there will be no reports or ha...

What a hateful bastard : Jim Bunning, a Republican from Kentucky, is single-handedly blocking Senate action needed to prevent an estimated 1.2 million American workers from prematurely losing their unemployment benefits next month. As Democratic senators asked again and again for unanimous consent for a vote on a 30-day extension Thursday night, Bunning refused to go along. And when Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) begged him to drop his objection, Politico reports, Bunning replied: "Tough shit." Bunning says he doesn't oppose extending benefits -- he just doesn't want the money that's required added to the deficit. He proposes paying for the 30-day extension with stimulus funds. The Senate's GOP leadership did not support him in his objections. Oh, but it gets better And at one point during the debate, which dragged on till nearly midnight, Bunning complained of missing a basketball game. "I have missed the Kentucky-South Carolina game that start...

As the "Jobs for Main Street Act" possibly gets a final vote tomorrow , lost in the discussion of the bill has been the absence of a needed extension for unemployment benefits. Now Harry Reid has already pledged an extension for COBRA (The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation ACT for those who wanted the know the technical meaning of COBRA like me). That piece of news seems like "problem solved, right?" Well, that's until you see that the Senate Majority Leader has pledged the extension for only 15 days . To say Reid's move is "beyond baffling" is being polite. And it's getting the deserved criticism that it merits: "Unemployment offices are really really going to have a huge problem," said Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the NELP. "They can't handle this two-weeks-at-a-time stuff. It keeps them in a constant state of flux. This is going to create more work for them when they can least afford it." Rich Hobbie...

In today's top story from McClatchy that has caught the attention of Duncan "Atrios" Black and Marcy "Emptywheel" Wheeler , there will be a number of unemployed Americans on Monday who will not have any more COBRA subsidy to help drastically with paying for their health care. The program's duration, originally set up from the stimulus bill, has caught the eye of the Congressional figures who really do care about the American people. And they have urged something to be done about this: Earlier this month, Sen. AI Franken, D-Minn., spoke on the Senate floor of a 57-year-old constituent from Lakeville named "Gregory" who was laid off from his printing job in March and now depends heavily on his COBRA subsidy........ "In today's dismal economy, who has $940 each month to spend on health insurance, especially if you don't have a job?" Franken said. " . . . Now is not the time to put another burden on struggling families." F...