So looks like the Dems caved to the GOP, cutting long term unemployment benefits

[quinnox]

Unbelievable, after all the talk about "99ers" and how they still desperately needed help in todays economy, now the Democrats caved to the republicans in cutting down even more long term unemployment benefits from 99 weeks to 73 weeks. Way to go! (sarcasm) How could they give in to these slime dwellers, especially on this important issue of help to the long term unemployed. Very sad that even controlling the presidency and the Senate, which is more than half the power, the Democrats can't muster enough to draw a line in the sand and tell the GOP to go to hell instead of bending once again.

[uponit7771]

1. link please

[quinnox]

4. link -

http://news.yahoo.com/negotiators-reach-tentative-payroll-tax-cut-pact-000507483.html

the part I'm talking about: Negotiators agreed to reduce the number of weeks of benefits that workers would be eligible to receive if they lose their jobs. The maximum number of weeks of benefits in states with the highest jobless rates would be cut from 99 weeks to 73 weeks by the end of the year, said Josh Drobnyk, an aide to Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich.

[ProSense]

6. How

"The maximum number of weeks of benefits in states with the highest jobless rates would be cut from 99 weeks to 73 weeks by the end of the year"

...is that a "cave"? Republicans wanted to cut it immediately to something like 63 weeks and drug test recipients.

[Robb]

7. All deals are "caving."

[ProSense]

12. It's

"All deals are 'caving.'"

...a strange phenomenon. Everything is a win for the GOP.

Boehner has a bunch of unhappy caucus members at this point.

[FSogol]

3. Link? n/t

[RC]

5. Just because they have a (D) by their names does not mean they are Democrats.

We do need a second party.
A Liberal and Progressive Democratic Party. A real Democratic Party, representative of the people. Not the party of DINO's we have now.
With the DLC takeover of the Democratic party complete, moving to the Right far enough to Replace the Sane part of the Republican party (hence the Clown Car of Presidential candidates that is left of the Republican Party).
The DLC was dissolved last year because its job was done.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1016&pid=13683

[Robb]

8. I need to start doing that, quoting myself with a link.

I like the way that works. I've essentially read what you posted twice.

[TheKentuckian]

9. Harry, Nancy, Barack, and I assume Kent should be smacked for not indexing benefits to the UI rate

rather than whatever lame game they were playing.

[ProSense]

11. Extended

"Harry, Nancy, Barack, and I assume Kent should be smacked for not indexing benefits to the UI rate

rather than whatever lame game they were playing."

...benefits are already indexed to high unemployment. If the rate drops below a certain point, it ends.

The fact that this doesn't kick in until the end of the year is a loss for Republicans. It's after the election and at the end of the current Congress. The issue is now moot.

[TheKentuckian]

21. In order to actually be indexed to the UI rate, it would also need to extend based on the rate

Not just term if the rate falls below a certain level.

If you need extended benefits at 7.1% then it can never make sense to reduce or end the extension at any level above the initial redline.

I can't grasp at how the issue is moot to the millions of people out of work and that will be.

[woo me with science]

10. There's a new one every day,

and there will continue to be a new one every day until we get the money out of our political system.

Occupy.

K&R

[sad sally]

13. How they propose to pay for it will just pit another group of people against each other.

At a cost of $20-25 billion, extension of unemployment compensation is likely to be paid for in part with cuts to federal employee retirement benefits.

The "doc fix," the roughly $35 billion is expected to be offset with health spending cuts elsewhere in the budget, is an even dumber pay-for idea - take the money away from prevention (in the ACA) and Medicare payments to hospitals and nursing homes (kick those old sick and disabled people out!) and give it to doctors.

[woo me with science]

14. Kick

[Rosco T.]

15. Is 73 weeks go past the next Presidential Inaguration?

if so, then it's subject to change right after the new congress/president.

that could go either way.

[JSnuffy]

16. It's still well over a year...

So it isn't totally unreasonable...

[woo me with science]

17. Kick. nt

[ProSense]

18. Editorial: GOP caves on payroll tax cut

Posted here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002317396

[bvar22]

19. When President Obama extended the Bush Tax Cuts for TWO additional years,

...the "compromise" was marketed and sold as:
It is absolutely critical that we get help to the Unemployed by extending these benefits,
even if it means giving MORE BILLIONS to the already very rich.

I guess helping the Unemployed is not so "critical" anymore.






You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
[font size=5 color=green]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
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[Sheepshank]

20. I'm lucky.....I have had a job the entire time we've had economic disaster hit the USA

and should have followed the UI issue closer, so please, someone fill me it a little and clear up any misconception.

My vague recollection is that UI was previously 73 weeks, and was extended to 99 weeks because to the extemely high unemployment and the dire immediate economic issues facing the country. Both situations are now trending more positive....