Georgia’s long-term unemployed about to be abandoned
Unless the state Legislature reverses course quickly, 22,000 Georgia households are going to be stripped of badly needed long-term unemployment benefits by the end of June.
The money may not seem like much — an average of $244 a week per household. But for Georgia families that already have had to survive months without a regular paycheck in the worst economic environment in 80 years, it’s at least something. It helps put food on the table.
But with only four days left in the 2011 session, state leaders are oddly reluctant to take action that would save those benefits.
It ought to be a no-brainer. The money at stake — Georgia’s share would come to an estimated $175 million — has already been appropriated by Congress. Other states with high unemployment rates have already taken steps to accept their share. Georgia leaders have to demonstrate their own willingness to accept it by passing a small, technical change in state law, but so far, they’ve balked.
The question is why.
Brian Robinson, a spokesman for Gov. Nathan Deal, notes that as a member of Congress, Deal voted against extended unemployment benefits and is philosophically opposed to them. As governor, Robinson says, Deal is “studying the issue very closely” but hasn’t decided yet whether he would sign the necessary bill into law.
“We’re fine with the Legislature moving forward on it” while the governor makes up his mind, Robinson said. But Deal will neither champion nor oppose the move.
As head of the state Department of Labor, Labor Commissioner Mark Butler is responsible for administering unemployment benefits and looking out for Georgia workers. But through spokesman Sam Hall, Butler is also taking an oddly passive position.
“The commissioner would support whatever the governor and the Legislature decide to do on the matter,” Hall told me Wednesday.
Of course, it’s not just the long-term unemployed who would benefit from the program. The $175 million at stake would be used to buy groceries at local stores. It would be used to pay rent to landlords, or perhaps fend off foreclosures that in turn would help keep neighorhood property values from plummeting. It would also generate millions of dollars in state income tax revenue.
If the money is rejected, none of that happens.
Despite all that, neither the governor nor the labor commissioner want to be seen as supportive of the idea. They don’t want to be perceived as opposing it; that would make them look heartless and cruel. But given the ideology that dominates their party, they also can’t be seen as advocating assistance for the long-term unemployed.
So they choose to “study the issue” or pretend they have no role. They dump the responsibility on legislators, many of whom are no doubt making the same sort of political calculation as their leaders have. They too don’t want to be seen as killing the program, but many may be perfectly willing to let it die.
Choosing to do nothing is still a choice, however. And it will still have consequences, both for those who can’t find jobs and for the politicians who lacked enough courage and spine to take action.
If legislators follow the example set by the governor and labor commissioner and no action is taken before the session ends, 22,000 hard-up Georgia families in communities across the state will lose their financial lifeline come June 30. They and their extended families and friends will have every right to feel betrayed by state leaders who were elected to serve them, but who chose to serve themselves instead by doing nothing.
– Jay Bookman
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590 comments Add your comment
jm
March 30th, 2011
4:48 pm
Harry C 4:45 – dude, I get it and understand it. I was just pointing out the article, not taking sides.
GE is totally entitled to those deductions whatever they are, and as someone pointed out, they should take them. Relax. Just pointing out liberal hypocrisy….
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
4:48 pm
Keep Up…if you want to start a business with your own money, and over-pay your taxes, no one is stopping you.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
4:49 pm
If we want to have REAL discussion about tax dodgers, we could start with Obama’s cabinet though….
Abrazos
March 30th, 2011
4:49 pm
“It was 8% when he took over, rose to 10%, and remians stuck there. Nice try though.”
Harry, the unemployment rate for February was 8.9%. http://www.dol.gov/
Nice try though.
jm
March 30th, 2011
4:50 pm
Harry C
“and rising at $1 trillion annually”
Try rising at $1.7 Trillion annually, possibly more. Read: armaggeddon
md
March 30th, 2011
4:50 pm
“And Dusty wants you to think that the US is broke (which it isn’t)”
Our current financial statement says it is…….that is what “deficit” means………
Now, if we had a deficit but also had a surplus of a few trillion, I’d agree with you…..but instead, we have a negative surplus of 15 trillion…………
Not sure how you do your checkbook, but the way I see it we are big time broke………
Greedy Old People, Inc., A Magazine for the Privileged
March 30th, 2011
4:50 pm
House Republicans seek IRS probe of AARP.
It’s about time someone went after those AARPers. They’re no better than those government employees or those union people. They’re going to destroy us if we don’t stop them and their evil socialist, communist, terrorist ways.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
4:51 pm
“So now we are comparing unemployment rate to the number of jobs created? Just throwing everything at the wall to so if it sticks, aren’t we?”
If the unemployment rate is static, by defintiion jobs lost = jobs created. Does it make a lot of sense to crow about creating jobs when they are disappearing as fast or faster? I guess it does if you’re a hack Journalist or blogger carrying Obama’s water.
Dusty
March 30th, 2011
4:51 pm
Jewcowboy,
I don’t live in virtual reality, the one you seem to inhabit. Our own government says we are in debt in the trillions. Now you may not call that BROKE but I do. That’s living with REAL reality.
jewcowboy
March 30th, 2011
4:52 pm
Harry Callahan,
“No.”
Yes, you are. You stated, “Same number as Obama passed when the Democrats controlled both houses” in response to my question, “How many jobs bills has the House passed since the Republican’s have taken over again”.
When I showed proof that Obama had indeed passed a jobs bill, you responded with, “so where’s the jobs from that awesome jobs bill?”
So now we are talking about the success of the bill, not the initial question of how many have bills have Republicans passed in the House addressing jobs.
That, sir, is deflection. And you are still engaging in it.
Left wing management
March 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
Dusty: Stop superfulous giveaways until the federal debt has started receeding. It hasn’t yet. That is what states count on to rescue them. You cannot give away what you don’t have.
Well, apparently we can afford corporate welfare. So why can’t we afford to keep our families from plunging into poverty and our kids into hunger?
Huh?
jm
March 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
McConnell isn’t the only one critical of the pace behind Obama’s drilling policies. A handful of Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton, have also questioned whether the administration has been doing enough to get domestic oil and gas exploration back to the same pace as before the Gulf spill.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/52239_Page2.html#ixzz1I7OxsBEy
jewcowboy
March 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
md,
“Not sure how you do your checkbook, but the way I see it we are big time broke…”
A gov’t is not an individual, and they do not operate in the same capacity.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
4:54 pm
“Harry, the unemployment rate for February was 8.9%”
Well then, I guess Jay’s fretting over unemployment benefits is unfounded.
poison pen
March 30th, 2011
4:54 pm
Abrazos, if you would have seen 60 minutes a few months ago on unemployment you would realize that it is closer to 17% Just sayin.
WOW
March 30th, 2011
4:54 pm
“It’s no fun preaching to the converted, WOW,”
Then again, those blue states are all losing their populations.
Mary Elizabeth
March 30th, 2011
4:55 pm
“But given the ideology that dominates their party, they also can’t be seen as advocating assistance for the long-term unemployed.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
That sentence is the heart of the issue. And, as mentioned, it hurts not only the people without employment, but the economy, as a whole, when these unemployed are not buying food, paying rent, etc.
The same is happening when, as I have heard happens in other states, state workers and teachers are being laid off for ideological reasons, the economy, itself, suffers in those states because the money those state workers would have earned, by working, is no longer available to them to spend on food or rent, or other needs, and that, in turn, not only hurts these individuals, but it also adversely effects the economies in those states for the same reasons as given above – no income, no spending.
AmVet
March 30th, 2011
4:55 pm
Dear Dusty, you cannot hold Bush blameless for everything though he’s been gone for two years.
He left this country in a mess. Nobody seriously disputes that.
“Are you saying this country is NOT in debt?”
No why would even ask that. earlier today I posted information that the US is currently running under a $1.4Trillion deficit.
“Most wealthy people got rich by being smart and working hard.”
Obviously. They have also enjoyed enormous benefits not available to working class Americans, including tax shelters, loopholes, and other massive contrived advantages. Again, nobody seriously disputes this.
“Hating them because they could do that does not make you look any better or richer.”
Hating them?
Where do you come up with this nonsense?
I don’t hate rich people. I don’t love poor people. I simply advocate for economic justice. FOR ALL.
Right now, there is a paucity of it…
poison pen
March 30th, 2011
4:55 pm
Our Gov’t isn’t broke, we are just choking on debt.
jewcowboy
March 30th, 2011
4:56 pm
Harry Callahan,
“If the unemployment rate is static”
And it isn’t static, therefore it does not make sense to compare the two. And no, jobs are no longer disappearing faster than they are being created…as shown by the link I provided earlier.
@@
March 30th, 2011
4:56 pm
Like oil, money is finite………not too sure why folks can’t understand that.
Because they’re happy to huff the fumes?
Dusty
March 30th, 2011
4:56 pm
MD, 4:50
Sorry.
I stay a bit behind here. Did not mean to say much the same thing you said. And we are “broke”!
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
4:56 pm
“A gov’t is not an individual, and they do not operate in the same capacity.”
That’s pretty much why they’re broke.
Dave R.
March 30th, 2011
4:57 pm
Sorry, boys and girls, but two part-time retail jobs (and yes, they are out there) at $8.50/hr totaling 48 hours per week NETS you over $250 per week.
If you can’t do at least that, why should any government give you the same to sit around on your a$$?
md
March 30th, 2011
4:57 pm
“A gov’t is not an individual, and they do not operate in the same capacity.”
True…..but they still don’t have the money, and getting it isn’t as easy as snapping their fingers……if it was, I doubt they would have allowed the debt to get as big as it is……………
Is there wealth in the country? Absolutely. Can you put in on the balance sheet? Absolutely not…..
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
4:58 pm
Thanks to Mary Elizabeth for another of her wordy but meaningless regurgitations of nonsense.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
4:59 pm
“If you can’t do at least that, why should any government give you the same to sit around on your a$$?”
Because liberals demand it, and they think they can make other people pay for it.
josef nix
March 30th, 2011
4:59 pm
What gripes the hell out of me is folks acting like $244 is some largesse…how many of us spend that on dinner out? Then there’s that send the illegals back canard…yeah, sure, the unemployed profession just can’t wait to get a job making less than minimum wage…or, if not, those carping just can’t wait for the wage demand of a documented worker to get added to the sale price of the burger or the hotel room…damn, at the risk of coming in in as foul ass a mood as yesterday, some folks are so completely out of touch with reality there’s no point in even trying to communicate…
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:00 pm
” I simply advocate for economic justice. FOR ALL”
Socialism, in other words?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
March 30th, 2011
5:00 pm
Harry…why indeed if I had a business where consumer beliefs that my business had failed to pay taxes to the state or feds, whether lawfully or not, would be adverse to my business, I would counter that as part of my business operations. So when you falsely claim that a corporation has a “responsibility” to use tax shelters or other tax loopholes to pay as little tax as the law allows, you are of course completely wrong. But you are welcome to point out where that “responsibility” exists in law. Your argument is no different than the false assertion that a corporation has a “responsibility” not to make charitable contributions, and thereby maximizing profits.
But then you post “soundbites” and run away when challenged….
md
March 30th, 2011
5:01 pm
“That sentence is the heart of the issue. And, as mentioned, it hurts not only the people without employment, but the economy, as a whole, when these unemployed are not buying food, paying rent, etc.”
And if the country defaults on it’s debt, how many more will be affected??
This is a big picture equation and many of you want to focus on the little picture……….
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:01 pm
“What gripes the hell out of me is folks acting like $244 is some largesse”
Go find a homeless person and give them $244. Every Friday. No one is stopping you.
jewcowboy
March 30th, 2011
5:02 pm
md,
“Is there wealth in the country? Absolutely. Can you put in on the balance sheet? Absolutely not…..”
Right now US debt as a percentage of GDP is below what it is was in 1947. Do we need to address it…most certainly. Do we need to do it at the expense of the citizens who need help right now during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression…certainly not.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:03 pm
“So when you falsely claim that a corporation has a “responsibility” to use tax shelters or other tax loopholes to pay as little tax as the law allows, you are of course completely wrong. ”
No, I’m completely right. As long as GE or any other company is operating within the law reagarding taxation, all your protests are nothing but whining.
jewcowboy
March 30th, 2011
5:03 pm
Howdy josef nix!
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:03 pm
“But then you post “soundbites” and run away when challenged….”
I ran away? Guess I’m having an out-of-body experience.
AmVet
March 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
josef, lots of good times here today ta the Bookman Daycare School.
As you can already tell from that first 5:00 and second 5:01…
md
March 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
“I stay a bit behind here. Did not mean to say much the same thing you said. And we are “broke”!”
Basically said the same at the same time……..I just beat you to the Jeopardy buzzer………
ty webb
March 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
Josef,
you want to talk about it?
jm
March 30th, 2011
5:05 pm
josef nix – when you multiply $244 by 52 weeks a year, times millions of unemployed, yes, it gets expensive.
josef nix
March 30th, 2011
5:05 pm
Harry
You might be surprised to see what we give to charitable causes in the household…
jm
March 30th, 2011
5:06 pm
this is a blunt hammer to bring energy efficiency about, but the best tool available since higher gas taxes are out of the question.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it will cost automakers an average of $948 to meet the 34.1 mile per gallon Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards that will be adopted in the United States in 2016. The current standard sits at 27.5 mpg. The EPA estimates that the average owner will save some $4,000 in fuel costs over the life of the vehicle, resulting in a net savings of over $3,000 per owner.
Sounds like a fair deal, right? Well… let’s delve deeper into the numbers. The New York Times reports that some automakers will be paying much more money to reach the 2016 CAFE requirements than others. With its penchant for hybrid cars, it’s no surprise that it will cost Toyota the least amount to comply at just $455 per vehicle. Kia ($501 per vehicle), Honda ($574) and Hyundai ($745) all have it relatively easy as well.
Now things get a little murkier. General Motors will reportedly have to shell out $1,219 per vehicle to comply with the 2016 CAFE regulations; Ford will spend $1,228 per vehicle. Chrysler has it even worse, with an estimated $1,328 per vehicle. Still, that pales in comparison to Volkswagen, which is expected to spend a whipping $1,693 for each vehicle it sells here in the States to hit the 34.1 mpg requirement. Yowza.
As pointed out by NYT, though, we shouldn’t necessarily feel bad for those automakers paying more per vehicle. After all, companies like Toyota and Honda have already paid huge sums of money in research and development costs to get their fleet mileage figures where they are – in a way, you could say that the EPA is forcing thirstier brands just to follow suit. For more analysis of the numbers and how they will affect automakers and consumers, click here.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:07 pm
AmVet, your post @ 4:55 is essentially the syllabus for he Bookman Daycare School. Mary Elizabeth’s post @ 4:55 is the master’s thesis for the Bookman Daycare School.
And isn’t it interesting that you two are posting at the same time?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
March 30th, 2011
5:07 pm
Harry…you run and spin…you said “responsibility”. This issue is not about lawfulness, which I already addressed.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:08 pm
“Harry
You might be surprised to see what we give to charitable causes in the household…”
Likewise
Dave R.
March 30th, 2011
5:08 pm
I’m sorry, but if your bills are higher than $1,000 per month, cut your bills down! If you are in a home that you no longer can afford, dump it and take the loss. You can recover from it. I know this prom personal experience.
If you can’t find a job that makes $40k/year, find two that make $25k or $30k combined. Either way, do whatever you have to do to keep your a$$ off the government dole.
Doggone/GA
March 30th, 2011
5:08 pm
“Socialism, in other words?”
“A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business” Henry Ford
“There is one rule for the industrialist and that is: Make the best quality of goods possible at the lowest cost possible, paying the highest wages possible” Henry Ford
“An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous.” Henry Ford
josef nix
March 30th, 2011
5:09 pm
jm
Which is more expensive, $244 x 52 x millions or the fall out of those same millions on the street and doing whatever it takes to put food in their kids’ bellies…? As md would say, it’s a matter of choices, and as SoCo would say, unintended consequences…
AmVet, jewcowboy
Howdy…
md
March 30th, 2011
5:09 pm
“Right now US debt as a percentage of GDP is below what it is was in 1947″
“Right now” are the operative words……….the GDP is not a static number, and can change on the drop of a hat…………to say we are not broke is what many families were saying before they lost their jobs………now they can’t afford food and water much less the debt they have accumulated………..
GDP drops due to some unforeseen situation (ME war?, no oil, etc)…….that percentage goes through the roof. And as it stands, that percentage will rise on a yearly basis due to just the service on the current debt………..
jewcowboy
March 30th, 2011
5:09 pm
md,
“This is a big picture equation and many of you want to focus on the little picture……….”
Here is a list of countries by debt to GDP ratio…the US is ranked 37.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2186rank.html
We are most certainly not broke. If we were our bonds would most certainly be trading at higher interest rates.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:09 pm
“Harry…you run and spin…you said “responsibility”. This issue is not about lawfulness, which I already addressed.”
The employees of a corporation are responsible first to the owners (stockholders) who emplopy them. Sorry, but there it is.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:11 pm
Doggone…
Mr. Ford is speaking of doing things of your own free will…not by government mandate.
Thanks for another funny post though.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:12 pm
“They have also enjoyed enormous benefits not available to working class Americans, including tax shelters, loopholes, and other massive contrived advantages. Again, nobody seriously disputes this.”
Sorry, wrong. Intelligent people seriously dispute that.
jm
March 30th, 2011
5:12 pm
josef nix 5:09 – no one is going to starve in this country. Atlanta Food Bank is on top of that, among many others.
1811/1801 - 0311/0317
March 30th, 2011
5:12 pm
Now “this” looks interesting:
Headline (AP): “GOP Offers Odd Twist in Budget War”
“Head-spinning debate on Capitol Hill over federal spending takes another unusual turn, with House GOP vowing to make the party’s plan the ‘law of the land’ without Senate approval.”
Dusty
March 30th, 2011
5:12 pm
AmVet,
Bush did many sensible things such as keeping this country together after the tragedy of 9/11. He was a strong leader and never acted otherwise. He set the stage for freedom in Iraq and diminished alQueda to hideouts in minor parts of the world. Bush made what some call “mistakes ” in the economy but there was no avoiding some setbacks by any means. A Demo Congress did not cooperate and the hate expounded by Democrats was unstopable. They dinimished not only Bush, but the whole country.
Obama has found that Bush was making sensible moves in many ways and tries to do the same. And while Obama tries, he does not have the leadship abilities of Bush. He falters, fidgets and delays.
You confuse rich people with large corporations. There are many rich people outside of vast corporations. They made money legally and must pay taxes legally. There are crooks among the rich but most are not. Your excuses for disliking them still come forth as envy.
Mary Elizabeth
March 30th, 2011
5:12 pm
Harry, my “wordy but meaningless regurgitations of nonsense” were deserving of about a 10 minute spot on Rachel Maddow’s show last evening. Must have had some validity to them to warrant the expense of that lengthy spot on her show. I simply was relaying what Maddow had researched and assessed on her show to the people on this blog – including any legislators who might read it. The idea is not to hurt the fragile economy any further through ideological decisions that are not practical in solve economic problems. If you don’t like the ideas, take it up with Maddow, not me.
And really, your insults of me are getting rather old and boring. I really think that you should get me off of your mind. I would prefer not to have any dialogue with you, as you well know. Just drop the uncalled for insults.
I realize that you are simply trying to destroy my credibility, but sorry, Harry, I have a pretty strong autonomy and it just won’t take. Give it up. There are many others you can have a pleasant conversation with. You and I will never see with similar visions. Talk to the others.
Greedy Old People, Inc., A Magazine for the Privileged
March 30th, 2011
5:12 pm
If Republicans hate unemployment benefits so much, they should vote to eliminate them. What are they waiting for. By the way, while they’re at it, can’t they get rid of Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security. They’re such drains on those with money.
josef nix
March 30th, 2011
5:13 pm
DAVE
Bills over $1000 a month? That’s not even a decent apartment or mortgage payment in a “safe” neighborhood…car note, gas, insurance to get back and forth to those two $8.50 jobs, child care, untilities, groceries…what world are you living in, Mate?
Harry
No, I wouldn’t be surprised. I’m simply saying that you ought not to go castigating folks for “not doing” what they do do…
jm
March 30th, 2011
5:13 pm
jewcowboy 5:09 – the only person buying US bonds right now, for all intents and purposes, is the government itself. If it stops doing so, interest rates will increase significantly.
AmVet
March 30th, 2011
5:13 pm
Cons simply have incented incorrectly.
They value plutocrats and corporations but not working class American families.
Beyond bizarre.
The greatest mystery in any modern western democracy.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:13 pm
“Harry, my “wordy but meaningless regurgitations of nonsense” were deserving of about a 10 minute spot on Rachel Maddow’s show last evening. Must have had some validity to them to warrant the expense of that lengthy spot on her show. I simply was relaying what Maddow had researched and assessed on her show to the people on this blog – ”
There’s your sign.
1811/1801 - 0311/0317
March 30th, 2011
5:13 pm
(Reuters) – “President Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorizing covert U.S. government support for rebel forces seeking to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, government officials told Reuters on Wednesday.”
Ah…………………………… well then, it’s not “secret”.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
March 30th, 2011
5:13 pm
Well, about time these bums watching TV all day and munching on Fritos while collecting a big weekly check from the state get put to work. I know I’d be willing to pay maybe a quarter a hour to somebody that wants to rake up the leafs around the trailer while I’m busting my hump working and paying big-time taxes. There’s lots of jobs like that these bums could do. But no, they want to stay indoors where it’s comfy and do nothing but nap and munch and watch, nap and munch and watch, nap and munch and watch.
Well, the good times is coming to a end for these moochers that are so lazy they won’t even use a crayon to make a Need Work sign to hold at the exits of the highways. Let them make it to the top like me. I spent years hanging sheetrock and mixing mortar till I finally nabbed this beer truck driving job. If I can do it they can too.
This Nathan Deal might make a good guvner. If he don’t get locked up for stealing our money first. The Devil’s all around, tempting people.
Have a good p.m. everybody.
Left wing management
March 30th, 2011
5:14 pm
If you’ll notice, something interesting happened above. An attempt was made to dislodge a head that has fallen under a thought boulder and free it up to the sunlight of thought. Noble though it was, the attempt failed.
“A gov’t is not an individual, and they do not operate in the same capacity.”
That’s pretty much why they’re broke.
You see, this is what trips up the simple-minded among us every single time, and provides endless fodder for parties and unscrupulous people (which accounts for roughly 100% of today’s Repugnant Party) to exploit for easy political gain.
A modern economy does NOT operate in a simple 1:1 analogy with an individual or household economy, especially one such as the United States whose currency happens to coincide with the world’s reserve currency. Such an economy has a range of options at its disposal for raising cash which an individual doesn’t have. But try explaining this to some of our more stubborn-minded colleagues – you’ll come to grief.
Doggone/GA
March 30th, 2011
5:14 pm
Mr. Ford is speaking of ”
Are you a happy medium?
Dave R.
March 30th, 2011
5:14 pm
“my “wordy but meaningless regurgitations of nonsense” were deserving of about a 10 minute spot on Rachel Maddow’s show last evening.”
Sorry, but Maddow can waste 20 minutes opining about lint. I don’t think it’s possible for her mouth to stop moving.
Real Scooter
March 30th, 2011
5:15 pm
josef nix
March 30th, 2011
4:59 pm
josef,I read your post 3 times and still don’t know what you are getting at.Would you mind simplifing for me?
jm
March 30th, 2011
5:15 pm
Scout 5:12 – Reid is trying to shut the government down to make the Republicans look bad, and the Republicans are trying to avoid a government shutdown, so they’re trying to find a way to fund the government even if Reid won’t pass any budget (theirs or the R’s).
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:15 pm
” I would prefer not to have any dialogue with you”
Likewise. I’ve got children of my own if I want an uneducated viewpoint.
1811/1801 - 0311/0317
March 30th, 2011
5:15 pm
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – “Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday that no decision had been made by the Obama administration on whether to arm rebels fighting Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Libya.”
Hummmmm …………………… is she out of the loop?
jewcowboy
March 30th, 2011
5:15 pm
Harry Callahan,
“Mr. Ford is speaking of doing things of your own free will…not by government mandate.”
Perhaps, if modern corporations would do that on their own free will, gov’t mandate would not be necessary.
So how many jobs bills has the Republican controlled House passed since taking control?
1811/1801 - 0311/0317
March 30th, 2011
5:16 pm
jm:
Excellent !
jm
March 30th, 2011
5:16 pm
Scout 5:13 – methinks BO is not in strict compliance with his UN orders….
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:16 pm
Left Wing…
Nice try at slamming me, but arguing that the U.S. isn’t brioke pretty much tells any intelligent life form that you are incapable of coherent thought.
getalife
March 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
Deal could steal everything our cons own and they would still vote gop.
Sad but true.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
“So how many jobs bills has the Republican controlled House passed since taking control?”
The same as the Democrats. Zero.
Doggone/GA
March 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
“Perhaps, if modern corporations would do that on their own free will, gov’t mandate would not be necessary”
It was ever thus: government steps in where people and/or the economy fail to do so
1811/1801 - 0311/0317
March 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
Headline: “A Portland, Ore.-bound flight made a “level two emergency” stop in Chicago Tuesday night after passengers said three men, reportedly of Middle Eastern descent, were acting strangely, even fighting with flight crews.”
Discrimination !!!
Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/DC-Flight-Diverted-to-OHare.html?dr#ixzz1I7UuzzbG
Finn McCool
March 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
And who will wipe Boehner’s tears away?
jm
March 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
Scout 5:15 – 2 words. Plausible Deniability…. not very plausible though
Keep Up the Good Fight!
March 30th, 2011
5:18 pm
Harry, are those employees also responsible to shareholders to show why the corporation makes charitable donations and thereby reduce profits?
jewcowboy
March 30th, 2011
5:18 pm
Left wing management,
“But try explaining this to some of our more stubborn-minded colleagues – you’ll come to grief.”
Yes, yes you will.
jm
March 30th, 2011
5:19 pm
Harry C 5:17 – disagree. R’s passed a repeal of healthcare, which said repeal would help create jobs. But the Senate killed that.
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:19 pm
JC, the Obama “jobs bill” was a $26 billion giveaway to the teacher’s unions. Nothing more.
AmVet
March 30th, 2011
5:20 pm
“Your excuses for disliking them still come forth as envy.”
Well, silly me, I tried.
And Kam, Mary, getalife and many others, the tick, tick, tick is getting deafening.
Finn McCool
March 30th, 2011
5:20 pm
But try explaining this to some of our more stubborn-minded colleagues – you’ll come to grief.
Like Harry callahan?
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:21 pm
jm, in that case, the R’s lead 1 to nil, because as stated above, the Obama “jobs bill” was nothing but a payoff to a key constituency, teachers unions.
Dave R.
March 30th, 2011
5:21 pm
“That’s not even a decent apartment or mortgage payment in a “safe” neighborhood…car note, gas, insurance to get back and forth to those two $8.50 jobs, child care, untilities, groceries…what world are you living in, Mate?”
Depends on where you live, josef. The city? Probably not. Car note? Get one that doesn’t require a note. Reduces your car insurance rate, too. Eat leaner.
All I’m saying is that there are alternatives that probably 90% of the unemployed don’t even think about, just to get that unemployment check.
josef nix
March 30th, 2011
5:22 pm
jm
Have you not been following the “runs” on the Food Banks? They are now scaling back big time and out begging themselves…
Scooter
Bottom line? Acting like $244 a week is some great hand out…acting like sending illegals back is going to open up all these jobs for unemployed professionals…acting like paying the wage “our own” would demand is not going to result in a hefty price hike at those places that hire those illegals…
jewcowboy
March 30th, 2011
5:22 pm
Harry Callahan,
“The same as the Democrats. Zero.”
Considering Democrats do not control the agenda in House any longer, that is not a surprise. What is surprising is that the Republicans campaigned on “Where are the jobs” mantra..yet have not addressed that issue yet.
What’s up with that?
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:22 pm
“Harry, are those employees also responsible to shareholders to show why the corporation makes charitable donations and thereby reduce profits?”
Private enterprise, corporations included, are free to do as they like…give to charity – or not – and over-pay taxes – or not.
Greedy Old People, Inc., A Magazine for the Privileged
March 30th, 2011
5:22 pm
Likewise. I’ve got children of my own if I want an uneducated viewpoint.
I suspect they look up to you for guidance and counsel on a daily basis.
getalife
March 30th, 2011
5:23 pm
The gop lied about jobs.
hairy will never admit it.
will you ever learn?
March 30th, 2011
5:23 pm
“So how many jobs bills has the Republican controlled House passed since taking control?”
The same as the Democrats. Zero.
Yet you still snipe and insult each other every day in some attempt to “win” a point on behalf of your party’s ideology. Suckers, all of you.
Doggone/GA
March 30th, 2011
5:23 pm
“Like Harry callahan?”
Don’t confuse close-minded with stubborness. Stubborness is amenable to the proper argument. Close-mindedness is incurable.
md
March 30th, 2011
5:23 pm
Jewco,
I would contend that bond ratings and interest rates are set on past reputations, not necessarily current circumstances……….it is only a matter of time if we don’t get our act together……..
Harry Callahan
March 30th, 2011
5:23 pm
“What is surprising is that the Republicans campaigned on “Where are the jobs” mantra..yet have not addressed that issue yet. ”
My guess is they’re trying to craft something Obama won’t veto. What’s your guess?
Finn McCool
March 30th, 2011
5:24 pm
Ok, another school lesson for the Republitards:
When you’re broke you have no money. When you are in debt because you have a mortgage and a car payment, it doesn’t mean you are broke. In fact, the two can’t really work together, can they?
Trying to understand federal debt, taxation, etc, in terms of personal finance is about as dumb as it gets. A governement won’t stop collecting taxes- so it isn’t broke. A government can issue bonds and print money – so it won’t be broke. let’s see you and your spouse print money and try collecting taxes.
Dave R.
March 30th, 2011
5:24 pm
“So how many jobs bills has the Republican controlled House passed since taking control?”
Why do you think that government can actually create jobs?