Neither writer bothers to tell their readers that Senate Republicans proposed paying for at least half of those benefits by using unspent stimulus money from economic stimulus package and that Harry Reid and crew flatly refused, not even to get that all important unemployment benefit extension passed.
The Washington Post explained it clearly in their reporting:
The measure fell one vote shy of the 60 needed to end a Republican filibuster. Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) said he was prepared to provide that vote, but that Democrats had rejected his request to pay for at least half of the $34 billion measure with unspent funds from last year's stimulus package.
"Democrats are more interested in having this issue to demagogue for political gamesmanship than they are in simply passing the benefits extension," Voinovich, who is retiring, said in a statement. "I came to the table with a fair compromise and the ball is in their court."
Las Vegas Review Journal also explained it correctly:
As in previous efforts, Democrats considered the $33.9 billion benefits package emergency spending that does not need to be offset by spending cuts elsewhere under a "pay-as-you-go" budget law.
That was a problem for most Republicans, who were largely united in opposition. The GOP argues that new federal spending that's not offset deepens the federal budget deficit at a time the government is ringing up record debt.
"The only reason the unemployment extension hasn't passed is because Democrats simply refused to pass a bill that does not add to the debt. That's it," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
So my headline is in answer to Washington Monthly.
PAY FOR THE DAMN UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS Senate democrats
The money is there to help offset the cost but the intellectually dishonest refuse to tell their readers that it is an option and that Senate Democrats could have already had the bill passed and signed but they refused to act fiscally responsible and pay for what they wish to spend.
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