December 5th, 2013: Democrats: No Budget Deal Without Unemployment Insurance Extension
“Yes, indeed, we are making a very clear statement that we cannot,
cannot support a budget agreement that does not include unemployment
insurance in the budget or as a sidebar in order to move it all along,” (Nancy Pelosi) said at a Democrats-only hearing on the uninsured.
December 10th, 2013: Capitol Leaders Agree to a Deal on the Budget
"Democrats gave up their demand that the deal extend unemployment
benefits that expire at the end of the month, but they hope to press for
an extension in a separate measure."
Wow, that's....beyond disappointing. That is flat-out disastrous, not only for us but for about a million and a half other people, and about three and a half million people on top of that by the end of next year, if I remember the figures right. God. The Republicans are horrible, but it's like the Democrats are almost even worse, always fucking caving in. Roll over and play dead, only their lives aren't the ones on the line. If the Republican brass was so terrified of the very idea of another shutdown why the hell didn't the Dems use it as a bargaining chip to get the EUC through? Or maybe it will get through, somehow, under the table, greatly reduced, who fucking knows.
Jesus. This is just devastating.
descensus Averno facilis est