This week, the U.S. Congress is expected to put the final votes to a proposal to again extend unemployment benefits out to 99 weeks for workers in states — like Michigan — that have been hardest hit by the current economic downturn. It will be the sixth such extension since June 2008, and is projected to add an additional $34 billion to the federal debt.
Republican members of Congress say they will support the proposal only if the Democrat majority agrees to pay for it without adding to the federal debt. According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, offered four different proposals that would have paid for the extension using unused stimulus spending — which is basically old debt — rather than adding more new debt. But each option was rejected by the Democrat majority.
Late last month, the Michigan House of Representatives approved House Resolution 309, which asked for this federal renewal of the unemployment benefits, and also for additional Medicaid spending. As originally drafted and introduced by Rep. Lisa Brown, D-West Bloomfield, the resolution did not express any concern about the likely source of the funding — namely tens of billions in additional borrowed money.
Two Republican amendments attempted to modify the resolution to reflect GOP concerns about the federal budget debt.
The first proposed amendment, offered by Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, anticipated what appears will be the eventual decision to go ahead and borrow the money from future generations of Americans. McMillin asked that the title of the resolution be changed to the "lay more horrendous debt on our children and grandchildren resolution."
The Democrat majority gaveled down this prescient suggestion without taking a recorded roll call vote.
The second amendment proposal, offered by Rep. Pete Lund, R-Shelby Township, asked that the following instruction be added to the end of the resolution:
"Resolved, That we memorialize the United States House of Representatives and Senate to identify the funding source to pay for the extension of unemployment benefits and the extension of the FMAP funding to states before they take action on such items ..."
The Democrat majority approved of this language and added it to the resolution. However, as noted above, the spending bill working its way through Congress does not pay heed to this request. Future generations of Americans will be left to decide how to pay for unemployment benefits that will be approved by the proposal.
Even with the new language, McMillin and four other Republicans still voted against sending House Resolution 309 to the U.S. Congress. The resolution was approved on a vote of 102-5. The Michiganvotes.org roll call vote for the resolution is noted below. Contact information for members of the Michigan House is available at www.MichCapCon.com/9313.
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Lawmakers in FAVOR OF a resolution asking Congress for more unemployment and Medicaid spending:
HOUSE REPUBLICANS (38)
HOUSE DEMOCRATS (64)
Lawmakers in OPPOSED TO a resolution asking Congress for more unemployment and Medicaid spending:
HOUSE REPUBLICANS (5)
HOUSE DEMOCRATS (ZERO)
Lawmakers who DID NOT VOTE
Tight security locked out dozens of anti-right-to-work protesters from the State Capitol as Governor Snyder was delivering his "State of the State" address. Protesters tried to disrupt the speech by banging and chanting outside the building.
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FROM MICHIGAN HOME HELP PROGRAM PROVIDERS — OFTEN FAMILY MEMBERS
ATTORNEY GENERAL ORDERED THE STATE TO STOP TAKING MONEY ON MAY 25, 2012
opinion May 25, 2012
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) "organized” Michigan's self-employed Home Help Program providers for the purpose of skimming dues from their ailing and disabled clients' Medicaid subsidy checks. The majority of these providers are relatives or friends taking care of loved ones. It’s been estimated that less than 25 percent of the providers are hired in an employment setting.
The first counter tallies SEIU dues skimmed since the union and state officials first launched this scheme in late 2006. The second shows the amount skimmed since June 9, 2011, when the Michigan House passed and sent to the Senate a bill to ban this and all similar “stealth unionization” efforts. The third counter shows the dues skimmed since the Governor signed the bill into law on April 10, 2012. The fourth counter shows the amount skimmed since May 25, 2012, when the Attorney General opinion was announced.
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