NV-03: Dina Hits Back on GOoPers Holding the Unemployed Hostage

Did the Rethuglicans really expect to get away with this one?

Ignoring that she’s a freshman congresswoman and he’s a two-term senator, Democratic Rep. Dina Titus leveled a broadside against Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky, who is holding up an extension of unemployment benefits for out-of-work Nevadans.

For days, Bunning has blocked a vote on extending jobless benefits, saying he believes the aid should not be added to the national debt.

But as he makes his case, nearly 20,000 out-of-work Nevadans, among more than 1 million Americans nationwide, will run out of benefits this month unless the program is extended. Nearly 176,000 Nevadans are out of work.

“Sen. Bunning’s obstructionist delay tactics are a perfect example of why the American people think Washington is broken,” Titus said.

With Southern Nevada residents “facing high unemployment, a foreclosure crisis and skyrocketing health care costs, they want to see elected officials working together,” she said. “Unfortunately, one Republican in the Senate is standing in the way.”

And now, it's more than just one GOoPer. A few more are actually coming to his defense!



And rumor has it that Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) is also moving behind Bunning's blocking of unemployment aid to try to force a deal that includes an estate tax cut. Now doesn't that sound "fiscally responsible"? For all their talk (more like whining) of "DEBT! DEBT! DEBT!", they didn't mind George Bush adding $5 trillion to the national debt with his tax cuts for the super-rich and invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. So let's try to get this right: Jim Bunning, Jon Kyl, and a handful of other Republicans want to keep blocking unemployment benefits until they can get their estate tax cuts for the super-rich that do nothing to stimulate the economy and only add to the debt?

GOP hypocrisy in action! Or is it inaction?

So what else can I say? Oh, I'll just let Shelley say it.

Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley fired off a pointed statement — though she did not name names.

“With Nevada’s unemployment rate in double digits and families relying on these benefits to put food on the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this move will only punish those in our community who are already struggling,” Berkley said.