Midnight At The Oasis, Part 2

Sorry America.  The deficit is more important than Christmas.

Extended unemployment benefits for nearly 2 million Americans begin to run out Wednesday, cutting off a steady stream of income and guaranteeing a dismal holiday season for people already struggling with bills they cannot pay.

Unless Congress changes its mind, benefits that had been extended up to 99 weeks will end this month.

That means Christmas is out of the question for Wayne Pittman, 46, of Lawrenceville, Ga., and his wife and 9-year-old son. The carpenter was working up to 80 hours a week at the beginning of the decade, but saw that gradually drop to 15 hours before it dried up completely. His last $297 check will go to necessities, not presents.

"I have a little boy, and that's kind of hard to explain to him," Pittman said.

The average weekly unemployment benefit in the U.S. is $302.90, though it varies widely depending on how states calculate the payment. Because of supplemental state programs and other factors, it's hard to know for sure who will lose their benefits at any given time. But the Labor Department estimates that, without a Congress-approved extension, about 2 million people will be cut off by Christmas.

Congressional opponents of extending the benefits beyond this month say fiscal responsibility should come first. Republicans in the House and Senate, along with a handful of conservative Democrats, say they're open to extending benefits, but not if it means adding to the $13.8 trillion national debt.

However adding $700 billion to that national debt by extending the Bush tax cuts for those making $250,000 or more is completely fiscally responsible.  Merry Christmas, two million unemployed Americans from your friends at the Republican party, who killed this measure yet again yesterday.  Some 33,000 here in Kentucky, 88,500 in Ohio and 66,800 in Indiana will be having a great holiday season thanks to the GOP Grinch.

Because every one of the people who will lose their benefits is shiftless and lazy and evil, right?  Certainly none of them are Republicans.  But hey, punish the poor for being poor, reward the rich for being rich.  That's the way it goes.