July 22, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Rep. Jim McDermott released the following statement following the passage of legislation that will restore and extend the unemployment insurance program:

“When most of my Republican colleagues voted against extending unemployment benefits earlier today, they said they are doing it out of concern for the deficit. But in reality, they were simply trying to make this President fail at any cost. 

“They tried it back in the 1990s when Newt Gingrich was speaker. But the American people aren’t stupid. It didn’t work then, and it won’t work now. In 1995, Newt Gingrich thought that he could win the presidency for the Republican Party by shutting down the government and proving that Bill Clinton was ineffective. 

“You’ll all remember that instead, the American people caught on to this foolishness and overwhelmingly voted Bill Clinton back into office in 1996.

“Returning to this playbook, the Republican leadership in Congress has decided that the way for the Republicans to get the White House back is by denying unemployment benefits to the workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.  For over six weeks they have held displaced workers hostage.

“You would think they would have learned from Newt Gingrich that this wouldn't work.  He held the country hostage for only a few days and failed spectacularly. You only need to look at what Senate Republicans did in the other body to see that this is exactly what they are up to.

“Even after the Senate broke the Republican filibuster on restoring unemployment benefits two days ago, Republicans insisted on running every minute of time off the clock before allowing a final vote on passage. For families without income who rely on unemployment benefits to make ends meet, every day counts.

“Republicans clearly couldn’t care less, and forced these unemployed workers to twist in the wind for yet one more day. This is a slap in the face to the millions of Americans who are struggling to find work and rely on unemployment benefits as their lifeline. 

“This effort to undermine the effectiveness of President Obama by denying unemployment benefits to workers and by denying the president the power to create jobs will ultimately fail.  Republicans have done nothing more than help ensure that Mr. Obama will be elected for a second term. 

“The American people will remember, and despite what the Republicans think, the voters are not stupid.  They don't want the ghosts of Newt Gingrich running this country, nor do they want to return to the failed economic policies of President Bush."

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