Rachel Maddow has a great segment about this very topic. I encourage you to watch the complete segment here. For those of you who do not have the time or inclination, I will summarize it below, of course with my personal bias thrown in.
The republicans are blocking extension of unemployment benefits to several million Americans because it will add to the deficit. The deficit is more important than putting food on the table of unemployed Americans to the republicans.
The republicans believe that the unemployed are unemployed because they want to be. The jobs are there. They just won't take them. They say things like:
- The unemployed are spoiled
- Unemployment payments create hobos
- The unemployed just blow the money on drugs
- Unemployment payments are dis-incentives to finding work.
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Their other argument is the deficit. We cannot pay unemployment benefits because it will add to the deficit. The deficit is more important than people. Unemployment benefits must be paid for. Nothing we do can add to the deficit.
Don't believe me. Listen below.
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Do you hear that. NOTHING. NOTHING. Nothing can add to the deficit...
except one thing -- the republican number one priority -- TAX CUTS.
Don't believe me? Listen below.
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That's right. Poor unemployed people. Tough shit. You don't deserve the money. The deficit is more important. But wait. You rich people. You people making over $200,000 per year...with a job (probably). Your tax cut is OK. It will add to the deficit, but that's OK.
Your tax cut will spur the economy. Right? RIGHT? Well, it will benefit the economy certainly more than giving money to unemployed Americans. Right? RIGHT?
Well, first a tax cut or unemployment benefits have the same effect on the deficit. A reduction of money coming in or an increase in money going out have the same effect. They both raise the deficit. So, if we have to choose between the two, maybe we should choose the one that has the greatest benefit to the economy. We should choose the one that stimulates the economy the most.
Want to guess which one has the biggest impact on the economy. If you are a republican, you are probably saying TAX CUTS, TAX CUTS.
You are wrong. Unemployment benefits have a bigger impact.
Don't believe me? Listen below.
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That's right. It is not even close. Let me repeat the benefit in case you did not listen to the video.
For every dollar in tax cuts, you get back $1.02 in economic stimulus.
For every dollar in unemployment benefits, you get back 1.63 in economic activity.
Who does tax cuts benefit? The rich.
Who does unemployment payment benefit? All the rest of us. One, it helps those of us who are unemployed. Two, it helps the rest of us by stimulation the economy 3150% greater than the tax cut 63 cents/dollar versus 2 cents/dollar.
Let me repeat that again.
Dollar for dollar, unemployment benefits have a 3150% greater effect on the economy than tax cuts.
So, you want to tell me again how the republicans are for the little people?
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The Republicans hate Obama so much and are so obsessed with power for themselves that they will gladly destroy this economy to blame him and gain politically from it. By their irrational plan, they'll then regain full control of government and implement more of their crazy tax cuts for the rich and deregulation schemes. The end result will be an absolute disaster. These bastards must be stopped cold. NOW!
ReplyDeleteGood piece. I'm glad you broke it down like that so idiots like me can understand.
ReplyDeleteThese facts have been true for a long time. I'm confused why Americans don't get it. They still listen to the "free lunch" lie of the Republicans.
ReplyDeleteI'm depressed by the thinking of the American people. Haven't the results of the last 30 years of Republican financial disaster taught them anything?
@TOM,
ReplyDeleteNO!
l. I'm with Jack...they need to be stopped.
ReplyDelete2.I agree with tnlib, this made sense to me because you succinctly outlined their lying, misleading bullshit. Thank you.
3.TOM...they act as if it never happened. Mass hypnosis.
4.Jerry, I second that...NO!
well done Jerry! It's given me an idea for my next post!
ReplyDeleterethugs care about nobody but themselves, period!
Excellent, Jerry! It comed down to the only GOP program that has succeeded:
ReplyDeleteNo Millionaire Left Behind
It is hard to believe that it has taken so long for Americans to discover what the Republicans are really about but this did it.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't enough for them to deny benefits but to attack the unemployed is turning out to be the last straw. I guess you could say they pulled a Rick Santorum. He too attacked people and then one day he wrote a book attacking much of his own voter base and lost reelection in a landslide. I will bet the Republicans have done the same thing. After all, it isn't only Democrats that are unemployed.
..and how are those people going to survive??
ReplyDeleteMost don't want to be on unemployment; but it is a necessity ..
There is millions for wars and weapons .. but not for food and shelter?
Nicely done, Jerry.
ReplyDeleteYou do a great job of explaining issues concisely.
May I blogroll you?
Suzan
Welcome, Suzan. I would be honored!
ReplyDelete