Cruel and idiotic GOP Obstructionists are busy, busy, busy -- doing everything they can to stop progress and to hurt the economy. They think this will help them in the fall elections. Cash-strapped small businesses can't get loans, so they can't build their operations or hire more workers. It's outrageous!

The Washington Post reports: Republicans continue Senate filibuster of small-business bill, stymie Democrats

In a fresh blow to President Obama's jobs agenda, the Senate on Thursday shelved a plan to create a $30 billion loan fund for cash-strapped small businesses, delaying final passage of a top administration priority until September at the earliest.

Though Senate leaders in both parties were still working toward a compromise late Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said the Senate would not return to the bill until next week. Even if the Senate approved it, the bill would have to go back to the House, which is set to begin its August break on Friday.

The bill, which also includes $12 billion in business tax breaks and additional aid for state lending programs, has won the support of more than 100 business groups, including such traditional GOP allies as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said that many Republicans also support many of the measure's provisions, which could aid a key political constituency, spur hiring and help reduce a 9.5 percent unemployment rate as lawmakers head into the November elections.

Nonetheless, the Senate failed again to advance the bill, as a united Republican caucus voted Thursday to continue to its filibuster after... read on

This week we have a Senate wannabe and a sitting Senator who think the unemployed are lazy and unemployment benefits cause further joblessness.

Ron Johnson is opposing Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold. As he explained to Wisconsin Public Television:

Oh and Johnson didn't bother to provide the name of the Obama staffer, or explain where he supposedly read or heard about it.

And then there is Republican Senator Richard Burr, of North Carolina. Caught on C-Span (viewable here), and quotes:

According to the honorable Senator from North Carolina and the wannabe honorable Senator for Wisconsin, your  unemployment is probably your fault and you should stop living high on the hog on unemployment benefits. The jobs are there, if you'd only go look for them. It's not the economy, it's you.

Thanks Greg Sargent for finding and highlighting these empathic politicians.

Wisconsonians and North Carolinians, what are you going to do about them?

The Ed Show: June 24, 2010 Hope Fades for the Unemployed

WATCH: He's outraged over the Republicans filibustering so they can send you into homelessness while pushing for tax breaks for the rich.

Senate Obstructionists 'Want this Economy to Fail' By Isaiah J. Poole, OurFuture.org

"It is very clear that the Republicans in the Senate want this economy to fail," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., this afternoon in reaction to the latest efforts in the Senate to block a jobs bill from coming to the floor for a vote.

Her comment during a news conference call was just one of several angry reactions to a spate of right-wing obstruction that cannot be construed as anything other than a middle finger in the face of the unemployed and the economically struggling—and a blown kiss to the wealthy.

Republicans are expected to have an opportunity to take back the insult late this afternoon and allow a vote on HR 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act, which includes extended unemployment and insurance benefits, Medicaid support to the states, and supplemental food assistance. Senate Democrats, though, were skeptical that any members on the other side of the aisle would step up to the plate.

[UPDATE: That expected attempt to break the filibuster on the jobs bill failed by a vote of 57-41.]

Their latest failure to do so was Wednesday, when they formed a solid wall of opposition to a version of the bill that had already been seriously diluted in an effort to win one or two Republican votes.

Their latest failure to do so was Wednesday, when they formed a solid wall of opposition to a version of the bill that had already been seriously diluted in an effort to...

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