Senile Reid Killing Unemployment Benefits Extension

From Jamie Dupree: Two days after Senators unexpectedly voted to take up a bill to extend long term jobless benefits, the measure teetered on the brink of defeat in the Senate, as Democrats presented Republicans with a rewritten plan but refused to allow the GOP to offer changes on how to pay for the bill.
"We get nowhere with dueling amendments," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, as he repeatedly accused Republicans of being interested only in filibusters and blocking legislation.
"It's like Groundhog Day," Reid said dismissively.
Reid once again moved to block Republican amendments by "filling the tree" on the jobless benefits bill, as he set up a Monday vote to shut off debate on a plan that GOP Senators didn't see until the Majority Leader unveiled it on the Senate floor on Thursday afternoon....
"The time is now to fish or cut bait," Reid told Republicans on the jobless benefits issue.
Things got so prickly at one point that Democrats repeatedly refused to even let Portman speak on the floor; the former budget chief in the Bush Administration said both sides should still try to negotiate a deal.
"I do think there's an opportunity for us to do so, but I don't think we can do it unless there is a little bit of give and take."
As for the new Democratic plan, it used part of a plan from Portman, which would block people from drawing benefits both from Social Security Disability - and from the unemployment insurance fund.
But Democrats pared back Portman's plan, claiming that there was opposition from disabled groups.
Most of the savings in the new plan from Democrats comes from extending the sequester on mandatory spending for another year, but those savings in Medicare would not be realized until 2024.
The new plan did represent a change in strategy from Democratic leaders, who started the week with no intention of voting on a plan that paid for extended long term benefits with any offsetting budget savings.
But the plan also shut out Republicans - and unless there is a change before Monday - likely means that the Senate will not get 60 votes, leaving the bill in gridlock in the Senate.  http://www.wsbradio.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2014/jan/09/gridlock-returns-senate-jobless-benefits/
So, instead of letting the GOP participate in the debate, Senile/Coward/Liar Harry Reid decided it's his way or no way.
So, those are hoping for an extension of unemployment benefits, you will have Senile/Coward/Liar Harry Reid to blame if it doesn't even pass the Senate.