Headlines, politics and self-inflicted wounds

By Fester:

Here are some of the headlines and ledesI have seen in the past few days:

Unemployment rate jumps to 5.5% in May

Forex - Dollar slides as more Americans lose jobs

US Jobs Fall For Fifth Consecutive Month

New claims for unemployment benefits have risen steadily,

Continuing claims fell by 16,000 in the week ended May 24, dropping to 3.09 million.

But the four-week average of continuing claims rose to 3.08 million, up 15,250.

The four-week average is at its highest level since March 2004.

A year ago, continuing claims numbered 2.52 million.

"A majority of Americans say they are worse off financially than a year ago, marking the first time in Gallup's 32-year history of asking the question that more than half of Americans give this pessimistic assessment."

I could go on for a while and pull up headlines and quotes concerning home equity destruction, tightening credit, low to no savings rates, higher gas, food and medical prices, but at some point this is overkill.  The story is simple --- most people are feeling pinched and economically insecure.  Costs are increasing at the same time uncertainty (which is expensive) also increases while the safety nets are very thin and not too reliable.  This would be a great time for Democrats to do something that has a high short term multiplier effect, is cost effective, and targets people who need temporary assistance while assuring others that the safety net is there for them.  This action would be to extend unemployment benefits for up to 13 weeks in most states, and potentially 26 weeks in the worst off states.  Simple, straightforward, and it should be a non-controversial policy to anyone in the party.

And what is the last headline I saw on:

Extension of Benefits For Jobless Is at Risk

House Democrats are likely to drop a 13-week extension of unemployment insurance benefits from a major spending package that includes continued funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan...

The bill would provide $165 billion to fund the two wars into the next presidency, along with billions of dollars more for domestic programs.

The unemployment insurance provision is one of several measures likely to be cut in an effort to win the support of the Blue Dogs and to increase the opposition to a veto that President Bush has threatened over several aspects of the bill

Let Bush veto the bill.  The politics and optics play out great for Democrats --- appease the get out of Iraq in a reasonable timeframe DFHs who make up 60%+ of the American electorate and most of the Democratic core electorate, point of the veto of the GI Bill expansion, and note that John McCain supports Bush.  This is a three-fer.  And then resubmit the same damn bill next week.  Hardball is not a bad thing when it can create a clear and distinct contrast. 

But no... the Blue Dogs are willing to fund an unpopular war but not take care of their constiuents... sometimes we deserve to fail miserably because of ourselves....