Senate Democrats have just broken a Republican filibuster. For the past few months, Senator Mitch McConnell and other Senate Republicans were blocking a bill to extend unemployment benefits to nearly two million Americans who have been without a job for six months or longer. Benefits were either about to run out or were exhausted, and it now appears that they are going to be extended through November.
This has been a huge fight between the Democrats and Republicans, and Democrats were able to break the filibuster today because new Senator, Carte Goodwin of West Virginia, was just sworn in this afternoon. About a half hour later, the Democrats had their vote, and got the 60 votes necessary to move the bill forward for final passage.
Republicans have been arguing that they want to extend unemployment insurance benefits, but only if it’s paid for. Republicans Americans were citing the U.S. deficit and the mounting spending as primary concerns and Republicans see that as a campaign issue that they can use to win.
According to polls, the majority of Americans support the benefit extension, but at the same time are still very concerned over the federal budget deficit and spending.
Have you personally or do you know someone who has received unemployment benefits in the last two years? Do you agree with the majority of Americans that say benefits should be extended? Do you think unemployment makes people lazy?
