It would seem like the right wing of the GOP (which is now the mainstream of that party) has issues about people who are unemployed. Both in Washington D.C. and here in New Jersey. They don't seem concerned about people who are hurting, or how to put them back to work, the only concern seems to be that people who have lost jobs have too much money or something.
Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning's stubborness has already been diaried here. But another example of GOP extremism, closer to home for me, is our New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Yesterday Governor Christie announced a scheme to reduce weekly unemployment insurance checks by $50. unemployment story Notice the headline, "ease tax burden". No liberal bias there, huh? I didn't even bother to read the reader comments below, don't even want to go near that cesspool.
Now of course I know there are moderate Republicans, but it seems like they have faded away and been replaced by these John Galt wannabees. This antagonism towards folks who have lost their jobs due to the economy is interesting, considering how so many Repub politicians are against stimulus money, seem to want to offshore every job not nailed down, (some Democratic are guilty of that as well I know), and Governor Christie is cutting state aid to school districts which will probably result in teacher layoffs. I just don't get it. Is the pool of job applicants too small, that companies need people to be desperate so they can fill positions? I don't think so. It just seems like it's a way of beating up on the little guy. And average people who want to identify with the super rich eat it up. The working guy laid off due to the economy, or the snowy winter, or outsourcing, has become the 2010 version of the Cadillac-driving welfare queen.
Years ago my friend had a sticker on his truck, which I thought was too harsh, but I understood the sentiment behind it. It went something like this;
Unemployed? Hungry? Eat your foreign car.
Even before this unemployment issue I have been thinking about average people who vote for right wingers. I believe it's because of wedge issues, mainly guns, that distract from real issues. I wonder how many average working guys voted for Christie because of their guns? (Don't get me wrong I really like guns, it's just there is more to life) I bet some of them have been laid off since then. Now they might be getting less money per week to keep their household going and put gas in the car while they go job hunting. And food shopping of course, they might have $50 less for groceries. Maybe I should send them some ketchup, or barbecue sauce. I hear blued steel tastes better that way. (No, I am not saying they should hurt themselves, not going there!)