There are plenty of crybabies in the senate chamber. Some, but not all senators have been seen throwing temper tantrums over the pledge of allegiance, who gets to sit on the rostrum as well as sneaking in before business hours to lay claim to the prestigious shameful institution of government that is the state senate. The theatrics mesmerize the eyes of the press and earn the scorn of the voters. In these tough times, a good deal of those voters are depending on their government to provide financial assistance so that they can get back on their feet. Unfortunately for them, petty politics trumps the needs of New Yorkers.
From The NY Times:
No progress, none at all. Meanwhile, people are going to be out there suffering from Albany's ineptitude and their neighbors in Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are going to be blanketed by their state legislature. These senators who are at fault should be ashamed, and at least two of them, the turncoats, should be in jail (though each has his own reasons).Despite having the support of the governor, labor leaders and advocates for the unemployed, a bill to raise weekly jobless benefits on July 1 and close the gap in the state’s unemployment trust fund was not addressed by state lawmakers before their regular session ended this week.
The maximum benefit, which had been $405 a week for about 10 years until the federal economic stimulus program temporarily added $25 a week, is significantly smaller than those available to residents of New Jersey and Connecticut. New Jersey’s maximum is $584 a week; Connecticut’s is $576.
Negotiations to make the bill more palatable to employers continued through the weekend, giving its supporters hope that Gov. David A. Paterson would present a compromise that could be enacted. But with party leaders distracted by the battle for control of the State Senate, no progress was made.
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