Yesterday, zero Republican in the House voted for the economic stimulus package. Zero. While the Republicans were being petulant and partisan, the number of Americans without jobs continued to climb. The economic downturn is having real consequences for people. That's what the President is trying to address. But while this is all a game for the Republicans, it's a harsh reality across the country:
The number of jobless American workers receiving unemployment checks rose to the highest level since the government began keeping records in 1967.More GOP members of Congress and their staff need to be jobless. That's the best solution for the economy.
A Labor Department spokesman said the number of Americans drawing jobless benefits for a week or longer rose to 4,776,000 in the week ended Jan. 17, the latest data available.
The number eclipses the prior mark set in November 1982, when 4,713,000 million Americans drew benefits.
Americans who moved to collect their first unemployment checks rose for the third consecutive week, to 588,000, according to a government report released Thursday.
The number of Americans filing for unemployment claims has surged by 61% from this time a year ago.
