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Bunning Keeps Blocking Unemployment Benefits Bill -- Even Though It Has GOP Support (VIDEO)
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid once again tried to bring a bill to the floor this morning that would extend unemployment benefits, this time enlisting Republican Sen. Susan Collins (ME) to introduce the motion for unanimous consent in an effort to convince Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) to drop his filibuster.
But Bunning continued to object.
Collins, introducing the motion, said it has support on both sides of the aisle, and added that Republicans wanted it done last week. Reid added that, "We need to vote," and pleaded with Bunning to drop his objection. Bunning has been holding up a vote on the legislation, which would extend jobless benefits past Feb. 28. The hold is affecting about 400,000 people, according to the Department of Labor.
"I would hope that my friend from Kentucky will reconsider," Reid said. "You've made your point, you made it well. I understand how you feel that this should be paid for. The majority of the Senate disagrees with you. Let us either vote on that, or withdraw your objection."
"I object," Bunning said.
Watch:
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eric the red
March 2, 2010 12:17 PM
So why don't they just vote on it?
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Cool Blue Reason
March 2, 2010 12:45 PM in reply to eric the red
I'm guessing you mean, why don't the hold a cloture vote? I agree they should. Put them all on record.
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FreeRider
March 2, 2010 12:20 PM
Why 2010 won't be a replay of 1994:
Exhibit A - Jim Bunning.
Exhibit B - Tea Party
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VictorLH
March 2, 2010 12:22 PM
This is stupid, why is Reid letting a Republican look like they actually care about unemployment benefits? He's giving the GOP an out on this instead of beating them to a pulp.
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nova voter
March 2, 2010 12:37 PM in reply to VictorLH
Reid is putting people ahead of politics. He's trying anything and everything to get Bunning to stop. It's the right thing to do. Just like politicizing the undie bomber was inappropriate and gross, so would be playing politics right now, when lives are being completely derailed.
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FreeRider
March 2, 2010 12:41 PM in reply to nova voter
Victor is one of those people on the left who believes that scoring political points against Repubes trumps delivering unemployment benefits and keeping federal workers from doing without a paycheck.
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VictorLH
March 2, 2010 12:55 PM in reply to FreeRider
Ahh, the mouth of Rahm. Let's see, Reid has wasted more time than it would have taken to file for cloture at this point. He also has the option of just calling for the vote and ignoring Bunning’s block, and he may have other ways to bring it to a vote (not sure of that). I guess these are just Harry's way of showing how much he cares.
Then there was the hollow threat from Durbin of calling for unanimous consent until Bunning dropped from exhaustion. Look how far that went.
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FreeRider
March 2, 2010 2:43 PM in reply to VictorLH
Blah, blah, blah.
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Kevin Sutton
March 2, 2010 2:39 PM in reply to nova voter
You're making a big mistake in assuming that Reid pulling his punches will improve the chances and speed of getting this passed.
If anything should have been learned over the last legislative session, it's the opposite. Putting the GOP on the spot over Bunning's antics, (A senator they didn't even want running for reelection) is precisely how you get this moving.
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Lycurgus
March 2, 2010 12:29 PM
Maybe I'm silly, but why don't they just bring the motion when they have quorum, but he's not in the chamber?
It hardly ever happens that they have ALL the senators in the chamber.
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shooter242
March 2, 2010 12:33 PM
Hey, all the Senate has to do is follow it's own law just enacted. Pay for it, and Bunning will vote for it too.
How hard can that be?
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Dorn76
March 2, 2010 12:36 PM in reply to shooter242
All the Senate has to do is bring it to a vote when this asshole goes to take a crap. You're right, it isn't that tough.
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FreeRider
March 2, 2010 12:42 PM in reply to shooter242
If Bunning cared about PAYGO, he would have voted for it, don't you think?
What's that? You don't think? Sorry to have confused you with someone with a brain.
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shooter242
March 2, 2010 12:51 PM in reply to FreeRider
LOL. Why vote and pass PAYGO if you're going to ignore it? At least Bunning was honest enough to vote against it. Moreover now that it's law, he's going to be a real bastard and expect Dems to follow that law. He's just heartless. Heh.
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dswx
March 2, 2010 12:56 PM in reply to shooter242
Once again you are the font of ignorance. Must make you quite proud. The fact is that Bunning is a blatant hypocrite. (Yes, I know that is the same thing as a "Republican".) Quite amusing as well that you fail yet again to mention all the Repubs who are against what Bunning is doing to.
Thanks once again for letting us laugh at you. We always count on you and you always come through.
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chimpale
March 2, 2010 1:16 PM in reply to shooter242
Ah yes. Jim Bunning, man of principle.
It's a flexible principle which is only applied when it's not a Republican majority and Republican president pushing unfunded wars or unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy. Or pretty much anything else that a Republican majority would be in favor of.
Well that's just weak. In fact, it doesn't even make sense. How about this: Why stand up against the entire Senate, cutting off health benefits and putting people out of work, when you've just voted against the principle (PAYGO) that you're now trying to convince everyone that you're defending?
Bunning is mentally ill. I guess only you can understand him.
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FreeRider
March 2, 2010 2:05 PM in reply to shooter242
But Bunning ISN'T ignoring PAYGO! He's insisting on using this thing he voted against.
Even an idjit like you can understand that.
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Redshift
March 2, 2010 12:53 PM in reply to FreeRider
Or he would have voted for the stimulus that he insists should be used to pay for this bill.
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shooter242
March 2, 2010 1:12 PM in reply to Redshift
Someone said intelligence was the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time without distress. Obviously that doesn't apply her.
So what if Bunning didn't vote for it? He's perfectly entitled to make sure the people that DID vote for it actually follow it. Which part of that are you having trouble with?
Bunning isn't the problem here it's hypocritical Democrats. Bunning is just pointing that out in a very public way. Good on him.
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chimpale
March 2, 2010 1:32 PM in reply to shooter242
There's a difference between holding, or considering, two opposing ideas and believing and promoting two opposing ideas. The first one is intelligence. The second one is hypocrisy.
I'm not sure Bunning even knows where he is, much less what he stands for.
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nova voter
March 2, 2010 12:51 PM in reply to shooter242
the extensions of benefits are emergency spending, and as such are not subject to paygo.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/81405-pay-go-gets-passed-then-it-gets-bypassed
thanks for playing.
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shooter242
March 2, 2010 12:54 PM in reply to nova voter
No it is not an emergency, at least for those paying attention. But hey Congress would rather do anything other than concentrate on the unemployed.
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nova voter
March 2, 2010 1:11 PM in reply to shooter242
ah, the old stick-your-fingers-in-your-ears and scream "LALALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU ... REALITY IS WHAT I SAY IT IS" argument.
alrighty then.
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willia451
March 2, 2010 12:53 PM in reply to shooter242
Sounds good to me.
We'll take $10 billion allocated to defense advanced weapons systems that we don't need, and use it to continue funding unemployment for the rest of the next month or two, while we work on something more permanent.
Think we can get everyone we need to agree on all that in a day or two? Maybe. Maybe not. But that would be my stand.
And if the other 99 Senators did not agree? I'd filibuster.
Tough Shit!
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VictorLH
March 2, 2010 12:58 PM in reply to willia451
Or how bout we just cut the pay and benefits for these Senator's for the next 5 - 10 years to pay for it.
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Michael A
March 2, 2010 1:05 PM in reply to willia451
Co-sign. How about 100 billion in wasted defense spending and fund health insurance as well. We cannot afford all these expensive toys that the the wingers want to buy, 20% of the cost going to campaign coffers, to blow things up. We are in the 21st Century and need to get realistic. The 9 foot tall islamo-fascist terrorists do not have radar, ships, aircraft carriers, landing craft, stealth bombers and advanced fighters. This spending is absurdly nuts and noone ever says boo about it. Unbelievable.
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SpiderPig
March 2, 2010 12:42 PM
Sen. Ass Hat (R-KY)
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An Outhouse
March 2, 2010 1:26 PM in reply to SpiderPig
Which one? Why can't McConnell control his delegation? Is the GOP totally out of control? Inquiring minds want to speculate.
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clonecone
March 2, 2010 1:48 PM
Bunning wants the money to come from the stimulus bill. Fine. Cancel every dollar earmarked for Kentucky. That should cover it.
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Mary Alice
March 2, 2010 3:44 PM
Jim Bunning is a semi-literate dullard who woke up one day to find that he had been elected U.S.Senator Bunning from Kentucky. He was elected solely on the strength of having been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ah! The power of celebrity. He kept a low profile, hewed to the party line and generally behaved himself. Unfortunately, when he considered running for re-election he found that most of his Republican buds had read the writing on the wall, that Kentuckians had begun to understand that politics ain't baseball and that their support for Bunning had waned if not almost disappeared. In the way of politics, the Republicans cheerfully pushed him overboard in favor of a newer, brighter face.
Bunning has respond to this with what can only be called a massive and intemperate tantrum, ready to pull down the Republican pillars with no regard for the consequences.This looks to many like just more Republican obstructionism. Oh, my! Bunning appears to need either a smart slap to the face or massive medication. McConnell isn't a doctor but I feel that he would be more than happy to deliver the slap.
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