Finally, a hard-fought compromise to temporarily reinstate unemployment insurance benefits to the long-term unemployed cleared the Senate, with six Republicans joining a unanimous Democratic caucus.
With nearly 3 million jobless desperately needing the renewal of those benefits, the least Speaker John Boehner can do is allow the House to vote on the bill.
Last month Boehner was willing to bend the House rules to help doctors facing Medicare reimbursement cuts -- sneaking legislation through on an unannounced voice vote. If he's willing to go that far for doctors, he should be willing to schedule a normal vote for a bipartisan Senate bill helping the jobless ... unless he simply doesn't care about the jobless.
Though recent reports indicate Boehner does not care, and is not allowing any vote.
But as the doctor bill maneuver shows, when Boehner feels politically backed into a corner, he is willing to go to great lengths to escape.
It's time for us to back him into a corner.
Campaign for America's Future has set up a special phone number - (513) 285-9008 - that will connect you directly to Speaker Boehner, so you can demand he allow a vote on the Senate bill.
We can do this. Republicans are weak on this issue and they know it. Their only hope is for people not to pay attention. If they hear our voices, they will know people are. And they will crack.
