Unemployment Extensions End: It Won’t Hurt a Bit

One voice stops the train. Meet Republican Senator Jim Bunning from Kentucky that is about to retire. His voice alone stopped the Senate vote to continue Unemployment Insurance extensions.

"If we can't find $10 billion somewhere for a bill that everybody in this body supports, we will never pay for anything," he said, arguing that he does not want to add to the deficit and that the senate should find a way to pay for the extended benefits.

Arguing back, Democrats say that since the unemployment extensions fall into the category of “emergency,” the money to pay for them doesn’t need to be offset.

Grouped in with this latest move comes the end of COBRA health insurance subsidy and a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors.

All fine and dandy, says analysts who predict that this is only a stall, and a few weeks lapse won’t be painful at all.

I’m sure it won’t be painful to them: It’s not their income. It won’t hurt them a bit.