President Obama's plan to bolster the fragile economic recovery with more government spending hit a wall on Thursday, as Democrats abandoned a proposal to extend jobless benefits to millions of Americans and increase aid to states. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) accused Republicans of blocking the measure in a "cynical game" to win midterm election votes by keeping unemployment high. Republicans said they were just doing the responsible thing by insisting on cuts elsewhere to pay for the new spending. Was it fiscal prudence or just cruel politics that motivated the GOP? (Watch Dick Durbin express frustration over the Republicans' filibuster)
This sure looks like a cynical move by the GOP: Republicans have supported "deficit-financed" tax extensions before, says Steve Benen in Washington Monthly. Why "change course now," when the recovery desperately needs a boost? Blocking this bill only deprives millions of jobless Americans of their "already meager benefits," and forces states to lay off teachers and police by the thousands. It's "unpleasant to think about," but it sure seems "GOP lawmakers are trying to deliberately sabotage the economy to help their midterm election strategy."
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