Most of the anger toward Congress's abject failure to help millions of jobless Americans has been directed at the Senate, mostly because they fail so frequently and so consistently. But it's not just the Senate, and it's not just Ben Nelson enabling Republican obstruction. The House failed on Tuesday to pass an extension with a motion to suspend the rules. It was defeated. Via digby,
Howie lists the Dems who helped defeat it:
John Adler (D-NJ)- still on autopilot
Brian Baird (D-WA)- willing to thumb his nose at voters since he's retiring
Melissa Bean (D-IL)- the Chamber of Commerce's go-to person inside the Democratic caucus
Marion Berry (Blue Dog-AR)
Bobby Bright (Blue Dog-AL)
Travis Childers (Blue Dog-MS)
Jim Cooper (Blue Dog-TN)
Joe Donnelly (Blue Dog-IN)
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (Blue Dog-SD)
Baron Hill (Blue Dog-IN)
Frank Kratovil (Blue Dog-MD)
Betsy Markey (Blue Dog-CO)
Jim Marshall (Blue Dog-GA)
Walt Minnick (Blue Dog-ID)- only Democrat, in a manner of speaking, endorsed by both the U.S. Chamber and the Tea Party
Glenn Nye (Blue Dog-VA)- still on autopilot like Adler
Heath Shuler (Blue Dog-NC)
The House is going to take another vote today, though as this article points out, "the Senate's action renders the vote a futile gesture as Congress prepares to depart Washington for its holiday recess." The Senate is already out, having left what's now 1.7 million people hanging--about 200,000 people will lose their benefits every week Congress doesn't act.
Reid should call the Senate back in, though he'd get as much resistance for that from his Dem colleagues, other than Sherrod Brown. Obama should demand it. Neither of those things is going to happen, but at the least, the House can put down this marker that at least one of our governing bodies gives a damn.
They can take inspiration from Rep. John Lewis, who was furious in reaction to Tuesday's failed vote.
Mr. Speaker, it is a shame and a disgrace that we did not extend unemployment insurance. Every single Member who voted no yesterday should be ashamed of themselves. People are suffering. They are hurting. They are in pain. They cannot make ends meet. And too many, just too many on the other side of the aisle turn a deaf ear. I ask my republican colleagues: Can't you hear? Can't you feel? Can't you see? Where is your heart? Where is your compassion? Where is your concern? Extend unemployment benefits, and extend it now.