(CNN) – Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning is still not answering questions about his decision to block a bill that would extend unemployment benefits to millions of jobless Americans.
CNN's Dana Bash and a CNN camera crew again tried to get Bunning to comment more extensively on the controversy but the senator emphatically declined.
From CNN Politics
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I agree that the government should ensure that it can pay for all of these programs. But Sen. Bunning is not the man to stand up for fiscal or governmental responsibility. In December of 2009, he missed twenty-one votes, including the session during which the Senate voted on the health care reform bill. Sen. Byrd, who is in a wheelchair and has been struggling with health issues, only missed twenty. If Sen. Bunning were so invested in governmental responsibility, why wasn't he in the Senate to vote for his constituents? If any of us had missed that many days at work, we'd be fired.
The Senate needs to move from the 14th century into the 21st century. All that's required is a simple rule change – 51 votes are required, no more and certainly no less. The privilege Bunning is invoking should be restricted to a place in the line at the urinal.
Why don't we settle the issue for this GOP senator of No with some good, old fashioned, British law: off to the Tower with him!
I understand the point Bunning is trying to make, but there is a time and place for it. It woudn't surprise me one bit to find out that he voted for TARP under the Bush administration (I don't know how he actually voted). Where was the concern then over the deficit? It's amazing how quickly Republicans are willing to bail out the rich, but when it comes to helping out the common down-on-his-luck man they stonewall.
Old Man Bunning already has a job and inevitably a very healthy pension when he retires, so what does he care about the less fortunate? You see, he doesn't... and this is his problem, along with most republicans... zero social awareness. They are manipulative, lying, greedy, self-serving, self-righteous individuals who have ruined this great country.
Bunning pitches another perfect game; this time for the Democrats. I guess this is the Republican's idea of compassionate conservatism; taking food out of the mouths of familes in pain to make a political point. If he wants to insist late in the process that this bill be paid for in advance, how about we take all of Kentucky's federal highway dollars for this purpose?
Really Senator Bunning, do you really think the unemployed deserve this treatment?
How many times did this clown get hit in the head with a baseball?
This is proof that our government is broken. Not only does a majority not rule in the Senate. A minority of ONE is able to rule.
While he takes some high moral ground about the deficit, there's too much hypocrisy in this since he voted for Bush' war and tax cuts which were not funded.
Give him some credit though. Bunning is unabashedly showing the Republican colors. His colleagues try to hide it a bit more.
Senator Bunning we support you!! Gvmt spending has gotten out of control (both by Bush and now by Obama) and is unsustainable. Greece is near/at bankruptcy with a Debt to GDP ratio of 120%. The US is now almost 90%. I don't see how we can ever get out of this hole but as my daddy used to say "whenever you find yourself in a hole the first step needed to find a way out is to STOP DIGGING!!" We must get a handle on spending and no more spending occurs without a way to pay for it. We, as consumers, must stick to that rule and now our gvmt must do the same.
The answer to this problem! put more members of this cult party in office.
Shows what happens when one doesn't consider the "Cause & Effect" relationships that occur when one takes actions that are not well thought out! Way to go ace, screw the people to support your agenda!
Jim Bunning is the perfect example of what is wrong with this country and conservatives. He doesn't care about America or Americans. He cares about playing politics with peoples' lives. The fact that more Republicans aren't denouncing this clown should stand as a signal to all Americans that Republicans don't care about anybody but the corporations funding their next campaign.
Another bitter, old, scared, white man. The GOP is loaded with them. Bitter that Obama won. Scared that he may not get his way on everything.
PARTY before fellow COUNTRY MEN, eh Bunning?
As you retire from your nice cushy do-little job, there are people struggling to find work to feed their families, and you cut off the only means theyve had to survive,
to all of a sudden play the POLITICS game.
I wouldnt be surprised if this guy was the recipient of some good ol down home street justice. Dont piss off a man trying to find food to feed his crying children. Thats just a bit out of line.
And by the way.. this guy never complained when Bush wanted to spend trillions we didnt have on war.
WHY didnt he block that????
This guy really takes the cake. Deny us benefits? Until they are paid for? You mean like the bank bail out? The Iraqi War? The huge and stupid department of Homeland Security? Bet he didn't recommend that Congress's health and pay benefits be suspended until we could "pay" for it.
I'd really have loved to tell him about it, but sending a note to one these creeps through their websites is like pulling teeth. Don't think for a minute they actually want to hear what their constituents think.
I guess we'll have to tell him with our votes and I'm sending money to his opponent in the next election. I don't care if its Mickey Mouse.
It is so easy for these polititians to deny people benefits. What would happen to them if We The People decided that collectively we would change our W-4 forms to not have taxes taken from our pay for lets say, 3 monthst. then lets take it a step further and all cancel our insurance. How long would government and insurance companies survive without our weekly contributions? Maybe they would wake up to our situation if we take their money away!
Remind me again why we should extend these benefits? I thought Obama's stimulus was supposed to keep unemployment below 8%. Maybe if Obama knew what the heck he was doing, we could stop bankrupting this country with extension after extension. Pathetic government dependants...and you wonder why the Deomocrat Party NEEDS the poor...
Let's see if waterboarding can make him talk.
...a "lightning rod" for wanting accountability? I guess Senator Bunning is now the "villain" for wanting accountability, right?
Liberals sure love to spend money but want NO accountability. You people should take a good look at California – spending is the name of the game in California.
California has become the state of free loaders.
I'm with you Sen. Bunning! And if you have to give ABC and CNN the middle finger again, please go right ahead.
Kentucky! Probably the place where people average 5 teeth per head. Can't we lose this state?
What a hate-filled, American-hating TOOL!
I have a hard time believing that any true Patriot would not help lift up fellow Americans in their time of need. For many years, especially during the Bush Presidency with a Republican congress, nothing was "paid for". The Senator from Kentucky must have true hatred for his constituents as well as the rest of America, not a time to play politics with this issue....
CNN- There are no questions to ask. He is following the Pay as Go Act. What is wrong with that? Why don't you guys go after Rangel like this? Bunning is a hero for most of us who want the Government to hold themselves accountable with OUR money. I can't imagine anyone not agreeing with what he is doing.
Jim Bunning is a disgrace and an embarrassment.
What a bunch of whiners.....speaking of vermin, what about Charlie Rangel, who doesn't bother to pay his taxes on his Carribean home?
Or some of the late night talk show "hosts" who don't have anything more constructive to say than make mean comments about down's syndrome kids? Or the Family Guy jerk who made fun of Trig Palin.
That tells alot about a person's character if they make fun of those less fortunate than themselves. I wouldn't wish Down's syndrome on anyone. Let's hope they never have a Down's Syndrome child, then have to live with this heartbreak. They would change their
opinion, which was never asked for in the first place! I might
blow up at the press myself if I had to listen to these correspondents all day. Can't we find a way to fund the unemployment benefits without adding to the nat. debt? Our money is going to be worthless. The liberals drone on and on about Bush,
like the Energizer Bunny. That was then, this is Now. Hello all liberals out there–the national debt has quadrupled since Obama was elected. I can't wait till November!
Carol