What a shame...
RICHMOND, April 8 -- A divided General Assembly narrowly rejected $125 million in federal stimulus money Wednesday that would have provided additional unemployment benefits to thousands of jobless Virginians.
The defeat was a blow to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, who had pushed the matter as the state legislature reconvened for a one-day session.
A visibly angry Kaine berated legislators after the vote and hinted that he might try to find another way to accept the federal money. "There's an awful lot of people who are hurting in Virginia, and the message to them seemed to be: 'We don't care. Fend for yourself,' " he said.
The GOP-controlled House of Delegates, a fiscally conservative body that has long opposed fundamental changes to laws that extend such benefits, killed the proposal after members argued it would translate into higher taxes for businesses once the supply of stimulus money was exhausted.
"We are being used," Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax) said. "Actually our constituents . . . who are now unemployed are being used by this administration to hold a gun to the head of this General Assembly with the assistance of the governor to force through a bad bill."
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1 comment:
People in Virginaia are mad really mad. I wrote a comment in their local newspaper and one dude said he worked for 22 years never using unemployment. He got laid off in Jan. and has been going out every day looking for a job. His unemployment runs out in June. As the Law Makers refused the extended unemployment for him, he will use his time going door to door to get Republicans to vote Democrat in the up coming election. Yes he's a Republican and ask why his Party would deny him help when he has always helped the Republican Party. He gave to both Bush campaigns and even to McCain. He thinks Obama is just doing what's best for the US now as were all in this recession.
The stories are heart breaking but the people have to remember it's the people they voted in office who are denying them their rights.
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