Va. General Assembly Rejects $125M in Stimulus Money

[Barack_America]

Source: Washington Post

RICHMOND, April 8 -- A divided General Assembly narrowly rejected $125 million in federal stimulus money Wednesday that would have provided additional unemployment benefits to thousands of jobless Virginians.

The defeat was a blow to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D), chairman of the Democratic National Committee, who had pushed the matter as the state legislature reconvened for a one-day session.

The Republican-controlled House of Delegates, a fiscally conservative body that has long opposed fundamental changes to laws that extend such benefits, killed the proposal after members argued it would translate into higher taxes for businesses once the supply of stimulus money was exhausted.

<snip>

The change to Virginia's unemployment system would have allowed thousands of Virginians who work part time or are in approved job training programs to be eligible to receive benefits. Almost 300,000 Virginians are unemployed, pushing the state's jobless rate to 6.7 percent.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/08/AR2009040803800.html

---

My sympathies to VA DUers.

[ohheckyeah]

1. What a bunch of dickheads. n/t

[Mr. Hyde]

2. who will be the first to say "more for the rest of us" I wonder?

[Thrill]

3. Voters need to remember this and let their votes do the talking.

[Kalyan]

16. exactly ...

the voters will deserve these republican idiots if they elect them back ... i am amazed how the repubs are so short-sighted & self-centered in the midst of a crisis created by their own partymen

[angstlessk]

4. may the unemployed make their asses unemployed at the next election!

[The River]

5. As A Newly Laid Off Virginian

I must say this really sucks
but it sucks worse for anyone nearing the end
of their benefits with no chance for new employment
on the horizon.

[Barack_America]

9. I'm sorry.

But, hey, aren't you happy to know that businesses won't be required to kick in more to unemployment insurance once the economy turns around?!?!

:eyes:

[Abq_Sarah]

15. I'm having a hard enough time

paying my unemployment insurance rates now so I can see why there are some people concerned about a tax hike.

[Nickster]

6. Wow. Way to put politics over the welfare of your citizens. Heartless

[Cha]

7. Rec'd~ These "lawmakers" need to be held

accountable for their selfish greed.

[Barack_America]

8. delete.

wrong spot.

[KoKo]

10. Sad...weird stuff in SC & GA, too. And, Obama thought he could work with these folks...

Maybe he thought they voted for him? Seems the ones who voted for him stood by him...and he's got the same problems every Dem President has had. TRASHED out the Starting Gate. They never remember those who fight to get them elected. It isn't the right and far right who fight to get Dems elected and you are never going to win those folks over.

They never seem to learn. :-( There are shamless folks in Repug States who run it all and they only see getting "elected and re-elected" as their mission. Chambers of Commerce, Churches and John Birch Society are the ones who run those states and vote. The rest of them live with dumbed down education, lack of services and they are told they live in a "Free Trade, Ain't Capitalist Democracy Great" state..and they don't need no "fuckin' money' from them scum Socialist Democrats. Just give them their Guns and God and they will do fine.

[Barack_America]

11. Was it too much to ask these people to put their constituents before politics?

Apparently so.

It's not Obama these people have dealt a blow to, it's the people in VA who are just barely scraping by.

[atreides1]

32. They Did

Haven't you heard, businesses and corporations are the constituents of the Republicans, well the ones that matter. The regular voter on the street doesn't count anymore, except during the election cycle.

[ShareTheWoods]

35. Why did congress use deceit and blackmail to accept the one-time money?

By requiring states to make up/create/raise taxes by forcing them to continue paying the same amount of cash
after this freebie, they made it toxic. Just like heroin.

I believe drug dealers do the same thing... give it free once and make the victim come up with the cash from then on.

[tabasco]

39. Link please?

Thanks.

[tabasco]

41. The "commentary" you quote is incorrect.

"Several governors who initially voiced concerns about expanding state unemployment benefits to qualify for federal stimulus funds have decided to accept the money. Some were feeling the heat from jobless constituents, while others took comfort in learning recently from the federal Department of Labor that they could curtail eligibility later on."

http://money.cnn.com/2009/03/27/news/economy/unemployment_benefits/


Mean-spirited, America-hating republicans are simply throwing a fit that working people, instead of corporations, are getting a break.

[ShareTheWoods]

44. curtail eligibility later on??? I call BS

That is the only mention of the possibility of opting out. And WTF does "curtail eligibility later on" translate to?
The story, for whatever reason did not explain it.

The whole blackmail scheme reeks of the same shit the credit card cons do when they "give" you a free subscription
to some sweet deal and then when you try to cancel it you have charges all over your card. This is the same scam.

Why did they put that asinine gotcha in there in the first place? Give the states the damn unemployment stimulus and
quit trying to force states to change their future laws!

opt-out my ass.

[quakerboy]

12. Hmm

So, any predictions of what this will mean in the next round of VA state elections?

[Better Believe It]

13. So what progressive groups in those states are trying to organize protests of the unemployed?

Anyone .... or is it just discussion board chatter?

[downindixie]

14. digging their own graves

Repugs imploding on themselves.Yes,come elections I believe they pay.

[Barack_America]

28. And other people's too, unfortunately. nt

[underpants]

17. (Va.)House votes down $125 million in U.S. stimulus funds

Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch

Republican lawmakers yesterday narrowly blocked a proposal by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to boost jobless pay for thousands of Virginians idled by the recession, possibly handing Democrats a potent issue for the approaching gubernatorial and legislative elections.

The GOP-controlled House of Delegates voted 53-46 to turn down $125 million to finance expanded unemployment benefits from President Barack Obama's economic-stimulus package. Virginia becomes one of the first states to reject such aid.

"I just can't imagine why we would leave $125 million . . . on the table," an angry and red-faced Kaine told legislative leaders in a conference room adjacent to his office at the Capitol.

"This was not about the federal government. This was not about an ideological battle with some distant foe. This is about looking into the eyes of Virginians who have lost their jobs."

Read more: http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/state_regional_govtpolitics/article/LEGI092_20090408-222721/252342/

[Vinca]

18. The Republicans just wrote the next Democratic campaign commercial. nt

[ShortnFiery]

19. Our State Legislature is filled with GOP "Scrooges." :( nt

'The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?' said Scrooge.

'At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge,' said the gentleman, taking up a pen, 'it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.'

'Are there no prisons?"

'Plenty of prisons,' said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.

'And the Union workhouses.' demanded Scrooge. 'Are they still in operation?'

'Both very busy, sir.'

[Blue_Tires]

21. very true

I didn't know you were in Virginia....I always saw the avatar and thought Phoenix...:hi:

[ShortnFiery]

25. We love the City of Phoenix but we live here in NoVA due to financial necessity ...

we all know how that goes. ;) I received my undergraduate degree at ASU in Tempe and I enjoy following the Phoenix Coyotes because they are, IMO, a young, up and coming team with "The Great One," Wayne Gretzky, as their head coach.

Oh, FYI, Jim Moran is 100% for the Employee Free Choice Act.

http://moran.house.gov/issues_labor.shtml

[Bluenorthwest]

20. Kaine even had a Democrat vote against him!

Such a leader! When I hear Tim lecture others about ideology, the hypocrisy is too think to endure. This is a man who opposes any form of equal rights for minorities he has ideologically based prejudice towards. You'd think he'd have lots of anti-equality pals on the GOP side, eager to line up with him, but no.
So Kaine is a guy who has done damage to our own Party, and is not capable of bi-partisan sucess. 2010 is going to be magic with Kaine in command!

[ShortnFiery]

26. Hey, this is Virginia - I'm pleased that it was only one blue dog dem voting against Kaine.

In these here parts ... south of Dale City, that's progress. ;)

[jpak]

22. Yo GOP Dumbasses, send it to up to Maine - we got frost heaves that need fixin'

and good luck in 2010

[Captain Hilts]

23. Thank you very much for supporting Democratic candidates! nt

[zbdent]

24. Did every Republiclone vote against it in the House?

or were there any breaking ranks?

[maxrandb]

33. Correction

This is not about "looking" in the eyes of Virginians who have lost their job....It's about "SPITTING" in the eyes of Virginians who have lost their jobs.

[No Elephants]

27. I'm sure few in Virginia need unemployment these days. [sarcasm] I hope that, at least,

Virginia Democrats make effective use of this come voting time. Too bad it has to be on the backs of the poor, rather than from the gratitude of the poor. The blame for that, though, is squarely on Virginia Republicans. Sorry Bobby Jindal Sarah Palin wannabes.

[sabra]

29. Va. (Republican-controlled) House rejects new jobless benefits; state loses $125M in stimulus

Source: USA Today

Virginia has forfeited $125 million in federal stimulus with the state House's refusal to expand unemployment benefits.

Earlier the Democrat-controlled Senate voted, 21-19, for amendments offered by Democratic Gov. Timothy Kaine to extend jobless benefits amid the recession. Part-timer workers would have been eligible.

But the Republican-controlled House of Delegates rejected the expansion, 53-46.

Read more: http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/04/va-house-rejects-new-jobless-benefits-state-loses-125m-in-stimulus.html

[liberalmuse]

30. I see out of work people rioting in the near future.

OMG. This makes me sick. Heartless Bastards!

[leveymg]

31. That's just cruel. The bastards will pay in the upcoming House of Delegates races.

This won't go over well. GOPers just handed the Democrats the VA lower house.

[ShareTheWoods]

34. Why was this information left out?

Business groups opposed the package, arguing that it would impose higher taxes on employers after the stimulus money was spent.

And from...
http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/commentary/article/HAMMONDOP_20090403-205112/248590/
When business leaders and members of the General Assembly raised questions about taking the $125 million, some critics said we should offer expanded unemployment benefits for a couple years until the money runs out and then reduce coverage, but Congress won't allow that.

States that accept the stimulus money now wouldn't be allowed to reduce benefits later.

Congress says the benefits must be permanent, meaning that Virginia would have to find the money to cover them.


At first glance, it sounds like the evil house was being stupid. If the crooks in congress would have just left out
the blackmail and extortion then it would be a nobrainer to pass the money on to those that need it.

[tabasco]

40. The editorial you quote is incorrect.

The Dept. of Labor has said otherwise.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/03/27/news/economy/unemployment_benefits/

"Several governors who initially voiced concerns about expanding state unemployment benefits to qualify for federal stimulus funds have decided to accept the money. Some were feeling the heat from jobless constituents, while others took comfort in learning recently from the federal Department of Labor that they could curtail eligibility later on."

[ShareTheWoods]

36. Why leave out the fact that Virginia MUST continue to come up with the 125 million after it's spent?

Every VA taxpayer and Democrat I discuss this with agrees the blackmail is not worth it. Congress should
remove the clever political blackmail string on the money and start stimulating instead of being sneaky.

[Barack_America]

37. Why are VA unemployment benefits among the worst in the nation?

Would it be wrong to institute a national standard for such benefits?

And, by the way, if you were addressing the question to me, I didn't write the article.

[tabasco]

42. Because it's not true.

You should be more careful where you get your information.

The "commentary" you posted if FALSE. Do you believe every word out of pig-boy Limbaugh's mouth< too?

http://money.cnn.com/2009/03/27/news/economy/unemployment_benefits/

Several governors who initially voiced concerns about expanding state unemployment benefits to qualify for federal stimulus funds have decided to accept the money. Some were feeling the heat from jobless constituents, while others took comfort in learning recently from the federal Department of Labor that they could curtail eligibility later on.

[ShareTheWoods]

45. The information came from links from the OP. See post #44

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3822722&mesg_id=3825549

[Blue_Tires]

38. and of course, in my area

any RUMOR of a military contract being yanked, or a carrier or jet fighter group being based elsewhere sends all the usual suspects on a groveling caravan to Washington...

[alarimer]

43. Sorry, unemployed, you can just eat dirt or something.

Republicans suck. They are inhuman.