Burr shows his disdain for the unemployed

Once again, Richard Burr and his Republican colleagues oppose helping those who need it the most:

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said yesterday that he is willing to hold an extension of unemployment benefits hostage in the Senate unless he is given the opportunity to cut taxes for the very wealthiest estates in the country. And other members of the GOP caucus are not making things any easier.

First, Reid attempted to pass the extension by unanimous consent late last night, only to see the attempt thwarted by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY), who blocked the measure because of “a dispute over how it should be funded.” Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), meanwhile, said that he would support a short-term extension of benefits, but doesn’t want to accommodate Reid’s request for a full-year extension:

"If we intend to have some immediate impact on the economy through what we’re doing, why would we be extending unemployment insurance for a year??"

I want to take this time to address a meme that's been hot off the tongue of Conservatives lately, that being the theory that extending unemployment benefits keeps people from pursuing work, and if we would just cut off this funding, people would be forced to take jobs they've previously considered below them. Pardon my French, but that's a load of foutaises.

I've had at least four companies tell me I'm "overqualified" for entry-level manufacturing jobs to which I've applied, and I've actually contemplated chopping my resume down to reflect less experience and knowledge. The competition for jobs at the bottom rung is even more intense than those higher on the ladder, and "starting over again" is not just a mental hurdle to overcome.

The inconvenient truth about unemployment during a recession is that we've all become a frowning horde grabbing for morsels, and racism, ageism, sexism, and all the other 'isms are tools employers utilize, now more than ever, to decide who gets the chance to start over. It's ugly, frightening, and soul-killing, and when people like Richard Burr show their lack of understanding and compassion like this it makes us feel even more abandoned by society.