The Hill is reporting today on the progress of a new tax relief and unemployment aid package that is expected to come up for a vote in the Senate this week. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) says that the Republicans would oppose the package because the Congressional Budget Office estimates the measure would add $134 billion to the federal deficit over ten years.
According to the article:
"(Senator Harry) Reid said Tuesday he would be willing to hold the Senate in session over the holiday weekend to pass a $58.8 billion emergency supplemental and the extenders package, which Democrats say would create jobs."
Hasn't anyone figured out yet that extending unemployment benefits may win you votes in the short term, but it does not create jobs. If people know they have two years of unemployment, they tend to wait longer before seriously looking for a job.
Pay attention to the language used in this discussion. According to the article:
""We know they'll try to blame Republicans for their own inability to come to an agreement if we don't go along with their effort to add another $130 billion to the deficit by the end of the week," he said.
""So let's be perfectly clear: There's one reason Democrats are having trouble getting an agreement on this bill and one reason only -- and that's because it's so blatantly reckless," McConnell added."
Washington has been in the habit of overspending other people's money for a long time. This November, we need to examine our Senators and Representatives who are running for re-election, see how much debt they have added to the budget, and if they have overspent, vote them out of office.
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