Talk about mean, vicious, callous, uncaring -- and economically clueless. That pretty much describes Arizona's lawmakers in a nutshell. The special session Arizona Governor Jan Brewer called today to extend the state's jobless benefits to 99 weeks ended with no agreement about how, or even if, the no-cost program should be implemented.
The Legislature will let unemployment benefits for 15,000 Arizonans expire Saturday, after failing to agree on the governor's proposal to extend them for an additional 20 weeks. Lawmakers returned to the Capitol Friday for a special session, but adjourned until Monday amid disagreement about how -- or whether -- to continue the benefits. Arizona Republic
Brewer insists "Senate leaders reneged on an agreement she had with them to extend unemployment benefits." For "Senate leaders" you can probably substitute "Senator Russell Pearce," who has shown no affection for the Governor after she failed to support his over-the-top immigration bills this session. I love a good GOP pissing match.
Here's the deal: Congress has already approved the extension of unemployment benefits for an additional 20 weeks because they, unlike the dim bulbs at the Arizona legislature, realize it's a smart thing for people to have money to spend and circulate in the community. As Stephen Lemons points out in New Times, "All the state Legislature has to do is change one word in the Arizona Revised Statutes, and replace a 'two' with a 'three.'"
Change one word and Arizona gets millions to help struggling families. But serving the less fortunate is so unlike them; I can see why the Republican-controlled legislature is all befuddled.
Today's "meltdown," which is the word Governor Brewer used to describe the session, is another pitiful example of how willing the numbskull GOP leadership is to put their sick ideology before the state's pocketbook -- or people's lives. They were chompin' at the bit to satisfy the frothing mouths of their hate-filled base and pass SB 1070, even though they knew the bonehead move would cost the state plenty in lost tourism revenues and other business. Which is what happened. Likewise, busloads of blue hairs and other bigots turn out to vote for Sheriff Joe Arpaio, even though they know he costs taxpayers dearly in mismanaged funds and lawsuits -- up to $43 million now, with tens of millions in cases pending.
And now they'll reject free federal funds that don't have to be matched because, according to rightwing think, "unemployment benefits discourage job growth and make people lazy." Once again, they're more than willing to allow their hate and prejudice to trump sound economic reasoning:
A recently-released GCI study estimates that this pump-priming will generate "$167 million in economic returns and $6 million in new state and local tax revenue over the remainder of 2011." New Times
Unemployment benefits do not "discourage job growth," as the loonies protest. Few mothers and fathers receiving that weekly check are sitting at home, not looking for work, because that whopping $212 covers all their food, rent, healthcare, and education. If anything, jobless benefits are the single best investment the government can make -- up to 5 times more stimulative than a tax cut. Even Arizona's Department of Economic Security, no lefty think tank, forecasts:
If the benefits lapse, the state will lose the $3.2 million that flowed into the local economy each week as people cashed their checks, according to DES estimates. By the end of the year, those lost unemployment benefits would total $86.9 million. Arizona Republic
But those economic losses and thousands of more besieged families are just hunky dory with the Arizona legislature, if it moves "lazy" poor people off the public dole. For his part, Hater in Chief Senate President Russell Pearce, who has spent his entire career on that same public dole, thinks the benefits should be tied to "an economic recovery package." In other words: more tax-breaks for corporations. Never mind that a dollar spent for jobless benefits returns $1.64 to the state's coffers, while the return on investment of a dollar of corporate tax cuts is a measly 30 cents.
Pearce said the debate about this vital jobless program that serves thousands of citizens caught in an economic vice largely of the legislature's own making is just "rhetoric." Rather than focus on unemployment benefits or the well-being of thousands of Arizonans, he said the legislature should tackle more important issues, like "congratulat[ing] the Arizona State University women's softball team for winning a national championship." Hey, maybe they could pass a bill naming an official state weapon. Or perhaps they could spend time designating a Tea Party license plate. What's that? Oh, never mind.
Two proven things: 1) these jobless benefits stimulate the economy and they cost us nothing, nada, zilch; 2) the economic impact of Arizona's tax-breaks for corporations has been piss-poor, and they cost the state billions in revenue. But one of those programs serves the less fortunate among us. The other serves wealthy Republican donors.
What a Sophie's choice! Serve the poor because it's the moral and economically sound thing to do, or screw the poor and suck the state's bigoted corporate balls because, well, that's what the GOP always does.