Post A Comment 3 Comments
Leave a comment
Posted by in Uncategorized.
October 28, 2009
Jim DeMint Turns Back on 252,000 South Carolinians, Votes Against Extending Unemployment Benefits to Families Hard-Hit by Economic Crisis
Today, Senator Jim DeMint turned his back on 252,000 South Carolinians by voting against a procedural motion that allowed the Senate to overcome Republican obstruction and move towards extending unemployment benefits to those hard-hit by the economic crisis. Despite South Carolina having an unemployment rate of 11.6% and with 252,000 South Carolinians without a job, DeMint showed once again why is he completely out of touch with the South Carolina mainstream by opposing this commonsense measure. With one American losing their unemployment benefits every 12 seconds, Senator DeMint owes the people of South Carolina an explanation.
“South Carolina families need a Senator who is going to stand up for them in Washington” said Eric Schultz, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Communications Director. “If Jim DeMint doesn’t care that every 12 seconds an American loses their unemployment benefits, then he is affirming his status as outside of the mainstream. Instead of helping the people of his state, DeMint would rather play politics.”
7,000 Americans lose their unemployment insurance benefits every day. That’s one American every 12 seconds. This crucial legislation will extend unemployment insurance by up to 14 additional weeks for jobless workers and extend benefits by six additional weeks for workers in states with unemployment levels above 8.5 percent, which includes South Carolina. According to an August 2009 National Employment Law Project report, 13,775 South Carolinians exhausted their unemployment benefits by September 2009 and 21,852 will have exhausted their benefits by December 2009. This extension will bring much needed relief to those looking for work in this tough economic climate.
Comments RSS | Trackback | del.icio.us | Digg
Posted at 1:19 am on 10/29/09
Posted by Robert Dobbs
On Tuesday, October 27th, the U.S. Senate approved a motion to move forward on their bill to extend unemployment insurance benefits (H.R. 3548). The bill under discussion would extend benefits for people who have exhausted them by 14 weeks in all states and by an additional 6 percent in states with unemployment rates above 8.5 percent.
However, Senators DeMint and Graham voted against the cloture vote to move the process forward to pass H.R. 3548, which has sat in the U.S. Senate since September 22. This action by DeMint and Graham replicates the stalling tactics utilized initially by Senator Jon Kyl (R) AZ. So apparently Senators DeMint and Graham would rather make the thousands of South Carolinians wait for the extension of benefits while they attempt to add additional amendments to the bill.
Here are the 13 Republicans who apparently do not care about the unemployed in South Carolina or the rest of the nation along with the unemployment numbers for each Senator that voted against cloture!
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) [6.8%]
Sen. Christopher Bond (R-MO) [9.5%]
Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) [10.9%]
Sen. Thomas Coburn (R-OK) [6.7%]
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) [8.2%]
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) [11.6%]
Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) [6.8%]
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) [11.6%]
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) [6.2%]
Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK)[6.7%]
Sen. Jefferson Sessions (R-AL) [10.7%]
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) [7.4%]
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) [9.2%]
All I can say is Senators DeMint and Graham need to hear from South Carolinians on this important bill, which will go a a full vote by next Tuesday. Maybe DeMint especially needs to remember, those unemployed do vote and he is up for reelection!
Posted at 6:56 pm on 11/01/09
Posted by Linda
There must be a strong Democrat to run against DeMint.He favored sending our jobs to China and World Trade.He has voted against the people for the Party. We also need a candidate who is strong against the Republican Governor’s seat.
Our State Representative supports the Republican Ideals.Union County has been shafted by not allowing the people of Union to elect their leaders.
Posted at 5:15 pm on 11/14/09
Posted by Linda
You are right.If you subscribe to mega vote @congress.org,you will find that DeMint never votes in favor of his constiuents.If it is not to promote his party,he will not vote.We in SC need to come out from under the GOP inorder to move forward in this state.The young Republicans in my county want a fight.They have been brainwashed into thinking they can control the tax dollar.The Republicans want to put money into high profit coorporations and the Democrats want to help all people in all things.If it was not for the Democrats in Government,the poor woould still be slaves for the wealthy and would never own anything.That also could include those who earned their wealth through hard work not hardless inheritence.I am not coveting their money.I am just saying that we all may not get the say breaks as another.Think about it.We have babies born who will struggle to get an education(slow) or born into a family where parents must either work 2 jobs or help with homework.