GOP making life harder for the jobless

President Barack Obama Saturday pinned blame on the Republicans to make life harder for the unemployed and those who might lose their jobs without interference from the federal government new. He did just as he sought to distance himself from politics "sad and familiar" Washington.
Capping a week that the administration won a victory - a fund of 20 billion dollars to be paid by BP for the victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill - Obama has reserved his radio and the internet address to concentrate on work that has not been obtained.
His main concern was the rejection of a bill in the Senate that would have provided more money for long-term unemployed, assistance to state governments short and renewal of popular tax breaks for businesses and individuals.
"If the obstruction continues, Americans will see their unemployment benefits stop, Obama said." Teachers and firefighters will lose their jobs. Families will pay more for their first home. All we ask, that is a simple up or down vote. This is what the American people deserve. "
The bill failed Thursday when general economic Democrats could not gather the 60 votes needed to end debate. The vote fell four shy of the 56-40 total needed to break the GOP filibuster. Many Republicans support policies in the legislation, but require changes to reduce its toll on the deficit.
"Americans want us to show we are serious about debt reduction, so the president and his allies in Congress have a choice: they can either vote to cut the deficit, or they can lock arms and digging a hole deeper in debt, "said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
Stalemate again revealed the gaps between the Democratic president and Republican leaders of Congress on how to solve the problems of the nation.
Obama was at the same time the image of the opposition party that the obstruction while seeking a better standard of debate in his own party and the Republicans.
"We have an obligation to care for the next generation," Obama said. "I hope that when Congress returns next week, they do so with a greater spirit of compromise and cooperation. America will be watching."
In his speech, Obama also criticized the blocking of a separate measure that would allow a maximum of $ 75 million on the responsibility of economic damage to companies such as BP during disasters like the oil spill in the Gulf. The Senate considers a bill to increase this ceiling to 10 billion dollars.
And Obama also said Republicans are to blame those to prevent votes on its candidates to key positions in government. Former President George W. Bush often have the same complaint about Democratic lawmakers.
Republicans have used their weekly address to claim that the president was too slow to react to threats posed by the oil spill in the Gulf and that certain measures taken by his administration will do more harm than good.
"I'm glad President Obama is finally put this disaster on top of his agenda, but its response was too slow," Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi said. Wicker has criticized Obama for pushing an energy bill and the rising costs of oil cleanup and call for a moratorium on drilling in deep water, which he said would cost jobs and increase energy prices .
Wicker said Obama should have made the point in his speech Tuesday that many beaches of the Gulf Coast are clean and would welcome tourists. But he acknowledged that Obama has made this point at a news conference Monday along the Gulf.