Political Quotes

“It is, I believe, day 42 since 41 Members of the Senate have blocked us through filibuster, through obstructionism, through threat of tying up the Senate and shutting it down basically so that we have not been able to extend unemployment benefits to workers in Charlotte, in Ashville, NC, and Columbus and Cleveland, OH. It is unconscionable. It is unfair to those workers who have worked for 20 years and lost their jobs through no doing of their own. It is bad economics. Presidential candidate McCain's economic adviser, Mark Zandi, during the Presidential campaign said every dollar of unemployment benefits generates $1.60 in economic growth. He examined various kinds of expenditures--everything from tax cuts to a whole bunch of other government programs--and what would stimulate the economy best, from road construction to small business tax breaks, all the kinds of things that we could do for job growth. He said--this is Republican John McCain who voted against unemployment extension--his economic adviser in the Presidential race said the best stimulus for the economy is unemployment benefits because every dollar that goes into the pocket of an unemployed worker in Lima, Gallipolis, Steubenville, or Miamisburg, OH, generates $1.60 in economic activity.”