Speaking about unemployed workers, Boehner stated, “I think this idea that’s been born over the last – maybe out of the economy —over the last couple of years that, you know, I really don’t have to work. You know, I don’t really want to do this; I think I’d just rather sit around. This is a very sick idea for our country.”

He then went on to talk the how hard he and other members of his family had to work, stating, “if you wanted something, you worked for it.”

Speaker Boehner and other House Republicans have been blocking efforts to renew extended unemployment compensation (EUC).

When the Democratic leadership failed to make benefits for the long-term jobless part of the budget compromise at the end of last year, Republicans got veto power over extending emergency unemployment benefits.

About 3 million jobless workers have lost out on jobless benefits, causing utility shut-offs, hunger and home foreclosures.

#WashingtonDC #ExtendedUnemploymentCompensation #EUC #JohnBoehner #AmericanEnterpriseInstitute

The 14 Republican House members who participated in the May 9 Weekly Republican Address, titled “Many Bills, One Focus: Jobs,” made no mention of the bill on extended benefits for the unemployed.

Republicans gained effective veto power over extended unemployment benefits when the Congressional Democratic leadership did not insist on the inclusion of Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) in the December 2013 budget compromise.

Since extended benefits expired on Dec. 28, 2013, about 3 million workers have been cut off unemployment insurance.

In the aftermath of the 2007 economic meltdown, the worst crisis of capitalism since the 1930s, large-scale unemployment has been a huge problem in the U.S. and Europe.

In the U.S., California has an unemployment rate of 8.1%, Illinois 8.4%, Nevada is at 8.5% and Rhode Island has the highest unemployment rate, 8.7%.

#WashingtonDC #unemploymentInsurance #Capitalism #RepublicanAgenda #ExtendedUnemploymentCompensation #workersRights #JohnBoehner

In Congress ‘fiscally-responsible’ is often a code word for cuts to social programs that serve working and low-income people. ‘Private sector job creation’ means handouts to corporations or removing environmental regulations.

Nationally, Republicans have staked out the political terrain that blames jobless workers for high unemployment rates and poverty on the poor.

More than 2 million workers have been hit by the failure to renew Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) at the end of last year.

Republicans got what amounts to veto power over legislation to extend jobless benefits when the Democratic leadership failed to insist on including extended unemployment insurance into the December 2013 budget compromise.

#WashingtonDC #unemploymentInsurance #RepublicanAgenda #ExtendedUnemploymentCompensation #workersRights #EUC #JohnBoehner