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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

PubliColaTV: Cantwell touts Unemployment Insurance Extension at Seattle YWCA

Politics   July 24, 2010 at 3:44 pm Bryce McKay

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h073LG7IQac[/youtube]

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell held a press conference today at the YWCA on 3rd Avenue in Belltown to explain her votes for the $34 billion emergency extension of unemployment benefits.

The GOP was against the emergency spend because it wasn’t paid for. Republicans like Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) led the GOP opposition to the measure—which passed on a party line vote save ‘Yeas’ from Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Susan Collins (R-ME), and a ‘No’ from Ben Nelson (D-NE)—proposing $34 billion in cuts to pay for it.

I asked Sen. Cantwell about that and a follow-up question about her Democratic colleague Sen. Patty Murray’s reelection race. Murray’s main opponent Dino Rossi has repeatedly used Murray’s Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) vote against her. (Murray voted to reinstate PAYGO rules on budgeting in January.)

What Rossi leaves out, though, is that the unemployment insurance measure was an emergency budget item—like war appropriations that he supports—which don’t, and never have, been subject to PAYGO.

And as Cantwell points out, the GOP has very little cred on PAYGO anyway—they suspended the rules during the Bush years.


  • The Information

    Amazing how the Democrat Government went from “Change and Jobs” to extending the Dole so people don't starve.

    Cantwell and the rest have had two long years to fix things and they still can't read the manual.

    We need the Republicans back in office.

  • http://twitter.com/Zelbinian Dustin Hodge

    We got change. And jobs.

    Also, you'll give 'em 2 years to get out of 8 years worth of mess? How generous of you.

  • Guest

    I don’t agree that we need Republicans “back in office.” I don’t want those Republicans – I want new ones, better ones.

    I care more about competence than party affiliation.

    No more Bush, no more Obama – Romney 2012!

  • Disappointed

    Deficit, what deficit? We are elected to provide entitlements and birth to grave safety nets. People should not be expected to care for themselves, be accountable for their actions or held responsible for their own well being. We are the new America, a socialized country that redistributes wealth, kills capitalism and employment, scorns personal success and wealth and embraces our new role as a second class nation. Thanks Barry!

  • dirac

    Capitalism killed itself and Barry isn't bringing socialism here anytime soon.