Job Jive

Somewhere between Tony Hayward's clueless testimony before a House committee over the BP disaster yesterday and Texas Republican Joe Barton's apology to BP for having the government interfere with their profits, you can take some solace and pleasure in the defenders of corporate interests make fools of themselves . . . until you realize that they have the power to block continued unemployment benefits.

The Senate failed to overcome a Republican filibuster of a new stimulus package with extended benefits for people whose unemployment insurance is about to run out. One Democrat who sided with the Republicans, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, expressed reservations about more government spending when the economy is improving.

Even though the economy may be getting better, the job market is not. Employers are still reluctant to hire anyone because of uncertainty in the strength of the recovery. So you have all the economic indicators going in the right direction and employers all saying, "Well. . . ."

The Republicans keep sticking it to the little guy and blame their troubles on the Democrats. Who are they kidding? Apparently, most of us; Republicans are still favored to gain seats in Congress in the polls.