One Republican Senator Blocks the Extension of Unemployment Benefits For Millions

What an embarrassment to the USA the Republican Party has become.

From FOX News -- February 27, 2010:

"Unemployment Benefits to Expire Sunday After Senate Stalemates On Extension

Unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits will expire Sunday for millions of voters because the Senate was unable this week to pass a short-term extension, a failure that reflects partly the partisan gridlock that has stalled the Democratic legislative agenda and partly the Senate rules that allows one lawmaker to block legislation.

The latest stalemate produced a rare, late-night partisan floor brawl between two scrappy senators.

In the red corner is Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., whose decision not to seek re-election this year has made him a wild card. He has blocked a $10 billion bill that extends the benefits for 30 days because he wants to lay out how the extension will be paid for, preferably with unallocated stimulus funds.

In the blue corner is Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who, along with other Democrats, told Bunning no way because the extension is an emergency and shouldn’t come with any offsets.

The battle lasted for hours Thursday when Durbin sought unanimous consent, a move that forced Bunning to object each time to uphold his filibuster.

“It is unthinkable, unforgivable that we would cut off unemployment insurance payments to these people, that we would cut off COBRA payments, which helps them to pay for their health insurance while they’re unemployed,” he said. “And yet, that’s what’s going to happen Sunday night. It’s because the senator from Kentucky has objected to extending unemployment insurance payments and COBRA health insurance payments for 30 days.”

Durbin said he was defending out-of-work Americans, that he would love to be home because he is “no spring chicken."

Bunning told Durbin that he would not object if the senator agreed to adopt his or any amendment that would pay for the bill.

But Durbin said Bunning rejected a chance earlier in the week to offer that amendment for an up or down vote."

Imagine, one Red Senator has blocked the extension of unemployment benefits for millions of out-of-work Americans. That's how little the Republicans care about the people of this country. Now that Red has become the symbol of Republicans, that poor color Red has taken on an even worse meaning than when it merely stood for Communism.

And, with good reason. Communism never gained a toehold in America. Conservatives, however, are continually wrecking this country -- every day a little more destruction.