Comments on: Team Coverage | Democrats raise the temperature on GOP unemployment block

By: Scott M

Scott M — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:17:59 +0000

I think this is going to go down the same way George Macaca’s parole abolition did. The Dems opposed it just because they hated Allen, not realizing that their stance would go over like a lead balloon w/ the electorate. And since this is ’09, the new Dem majority will get to pick their voters for the next 10 years. Non-partisan redistricting ain’t sounding too bad now is it GOPers?

By: chrisgraham

chrisgraham — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 04:34:09 +0000

This is just one instance. We can be sure there will be many more, and it won’t just be Republicans on the wrong side. My guys mess up plenty on their own.

By: charles salembier

charles salembier — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 04:03:40 +0000

Arrogance and stupidity seem to be alive and well in Richmond.

Thanks Chris

By: chrisgraham

chrisgraham — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 03:45:59 +0000

They’re not mandated into the future. Current Congresses and General Assemblies cannot mandate future Congresses and General Assemblies into actions. Even constitutional amendments can be repealed. (See Prohibition.) This is a GOP party line, and it shows what is really going on here.

The Republicans were only voting the way they did because it was a way to get at Obama and Kaine. Democrats called them on it, and the best defense the Republicans could come up with was the silly notion that the Democrats were trying to make the change in law permanent. That’s about as weak a reason to vote against job retraining as one can possibly muster.

It is very tiring. This is one instance where Republicans come out looking very bad. They haven’t cornered the market on looking bad or anything, but they could have handled this one better. Are the Norquist Republicans that fired up about Obama to risk handing another Virginia election to the Democrats with this nonsense?

By: charles salembier

charles salembier — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 03:18:47 +0000

I have little use for any party line. Too many politicians and too few statesmen.
If the expanded benefits are not mandated into the future, then the GOP is dead wrong. If they are mandated into the future with Virginia footing the bill, I can understand the concern. I just get so very very tired of the politics. Seems to be both sides get poor marks on actually explaining the positions, preferring instead to gain personal or party benefit instead of promoting understanding. I realize that that’s the nature of politics…it’s just very tiring.
Then too, nothing is said about the other stimulus $$ that were taken to further fund regular benefits.

By: Show of Force - Valley Dems to GOP Incumbents - Game On! : Star City Harbinger

Show of Force - Valley Dems to GOP Incumbents - Game On! : Star City Harbinger — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:19:38 +0000

[...] more at Staunton News Leader Full coverage at Augusta Free Press [...]

By: chrisgraham

chrisgraham — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:07:58 +0000

Charles, you can’t cite to us the GOP talking points and then claim to be upset with politicians of both stripes trying to politicize issues. Not here, anyway.

The money is short-term and pointed to the purpose of “helping the unemployed worker.” Would you and other GOP partisans have preferred that the Obama administration would have instead created a new expanded federal entitlement that like other entitlements would stay on the books in perpetuity?

Sorry, but us new-line Democrats wanted it so that states could expand benefits to help retrain employees for the new economy, and when that works to get workers currently out of work to get them back on the employment rolls, we can revisit the need for the expanded benefits long term, and if people like me get our way, we won’t need to maintain those expanded benefits ’til the end of time.

Think these things through, man. You’re smarter than to eat up the GOP party line. A lot smarter.

By: charles salembier

charles salembier — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:34:11 +0000

Chris

Tell me you don’t agree with the men who define the conservative vote on adding new unemployment benefits as anger against Obama and at losing control in the last election!! I’m sorry to say that am no longer surprised at the way politicians of both stripes try to politicize everything to their advantage.

If the Obama administration simply wanted to “help the unemployed worker,” why did they place the requirement that a state must continue the new benefits at their own expense in the future.

Are you really in favor of Washington, regardless of who is in the White House, telling Virginia what to do.