the Sugar Conspiracy

Monday, December 01, 2003

Please Hammer, don't hurt 'em!

At the last minute, Congressional leaders added legislation to their pre-adjournment agenda that would extend more than a dozen tax breaks scheduled to expire at the end of the year. But despite efforts to squeeze the tax-cut “extenders” package into the busy Congressional schedule before adjournment, Congressional leaders have shown no willingness to consider extending the temporary federal program to help the long-term unemployed, which, starting January 1, will not provide any benefits to those who exhaust their regular, state-funded benefits.

In addition, the House version of the tax-cut extension bill would continue a large, supposedly temporary corporate tax break that was enacted as part of the 2002 stimulus legislation. When it comes to the unemployment benefits, however, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay told BNA Daily Labor Report on November 19 that there is “no reason” for extending those benefits. The House approach implies that corporations need continued support amidst a still-weak economy, but that laid-off workers do not. This is despite the fact that firms might not use the tax breaks to hire new workers and that the unemployed workers who have their benefits run out will be receiving neither paychecks nor unemployment benefits.

More.

posted by chris at 1:19 PM
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