An Appalling Idea, Even by Washington Standards
Posted by: Robert Greenstein
For legislation to extend the payroll tax cut through the end of 2012, House Republicans are expected to push for a provision on unemployment insurance (UI) that is appalling even by current Washington standards. Neither President Obama nor Congress should accept any payroll-tax legislation that includes it. Here’s why:
The provision, part of a full-year payroll-tax bill that the House passed in December, would deny UI benefits to any worker who lacks a high school diploma or GED and is not enrolled in classes to get one or the other — regardless of how long the person worked or whether he or she has access to adult education, which itself has been subject to significant budget cuts in the past few years and is heavily oversubscribed.
The proposal would deny UI benefits to hundreds of thousands of workers — many of them middle-aged — who have worked hard, played by the rules, and effectively paid UI taxes for years and who then were laid off due to no fault of their own.
This would violate the basic compact that the UI system has embodied since its creation under President Roosevelt in 1935 — that people who have amassed a sufficient record of work, and on whose behalf UI taxes have faithfully been paid, may receive UI benefits for a temporary period if they are laid off and are searching for a new job.
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http://www.offthechartsblog.org/an-appalling-idea-even-by-washington-standards/
Republicans = morally bankrupt
= new reply since forum marked as read
...is an appalling idea.
This is a BIG Loser on BOTH counts,
so the inevitable "compromise" is going to suck hard.
The Republicans and their economic friends the "Centrist" Democrats have gotten very good at this game over the last 30 years.
Option 1 = SUCKS
Option 2 = Sucks HARDER.
America chooses Option 1,
the Parties "compromise" to Option 1.5,
and call it a bi-partisan "Victory".
You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
[font size=5 color=green][center]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
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....instead of the unprecedented linking of the funding for Social Security DIRECTLY to the General Fund.
WHY?
Payroll Tax Holiday Directly Connects Social Security to The Deficit]
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1538388|
If reducing FICA Contributions is such a good idea,
lets just do away with it all together!
Just imagine all that everlasting "stimulus"!!!!
The creators of the most successful Social Program EVER insisted on a separate an independent funding mechanism for a damned good reason.
Will you be honest and admit that you know WHY they designed it that way?
Do you believe FDR or LBJ would support a reduction in contributions to the system that funds Social Security?
"Payroll Tax Holiday" is Republican Framing worthy of Frank Luntz, like the "Death Tax",
and Who doesn't want a "Holiday"!!! Whoopeeee!
That STINKS,
and I HATE hearing Republican Framing coming out of the mouths of our Party leadership.
You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
[font size=5 color=green][center]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
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