The Hill News

Congressional Republicans are facing a crucial test in these final days of 2010, one that will set the table for several confrontations with Democrats that will mark whether this party is serious about the mandate it received on Election Day, or if it will revert to its usual give-and-take with Democrats where the only thing that wins is more spending.
 
The issue in question is whether or not Republicans will concede the extension of the Bush tax cuts for an extension of unemployment benefits. Republicans should not grant Democrats this request. First of all, we have repeatedly extended benefits now, to the point where Americans on the rolls have received benefits for the better part of two years. While this recession has run long and deep, can we as a nation continue to afford this expensive spending plan? Extending jobless benefits for another year would cost the Treasury $150B in more unbudgeted spending. Further, when is enough enough? Yes, folks are suffering, but why have cutoffs for benefits when no policymaker is willing to recognize them? And why not focus on actually creating some jobs for those unemployed, as opposed to just keeping them on the public dole?

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