Dems cut health subsidies to salvage jobs bill

WASHINGTON — Laid off workers would lose subsidies to help buy health insurance and states would be denied billions in federal aid under a plan by House leaders on Thursday to trim a bill extending jobless benefits.

Democrats struggled to extend jobless benefits for people who have been out of work for long stretches as lawmakers worried about the growing budget deficit balked at the price tag of the package.

The cuts would reduce the package by about $31 billion, to about $112 billion. Business tax increases would pay for some of the bill, which would still add more than $50 billion to the deficit.

House leaders hope to vote on the package as early as Thursday evening.

One former holdout, Democrat Henry Cuellar of Texas, said the cuts would probably be enough to win his vote. House leaders hoped to vote on the package as early as Thursday evening.

"The bigness issue and the deficit issue has been addressed," Cuellar said. "I'm leaning toward a 'yes.'"

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Where were they when Bush racked up billions and billions of dollars in deficits? Cheering it on, of course.

They just don't care about people out here, especially the jobless, especially the long-term jobless.

I don't know what it is going to take for people to wake up. These people are not our representatives.

They didn't bat an eyelash bailing out CROOKS on Wall Street, but they say "fuck you" to the unemployed.

What does it take for liberals and progressives to actually achieve something given this President and his huge Democratic majorities in Congress? Bush and the right wing got everything they wanted and then some with much smaller majorities and much less public support.

...problem solved.

These jerks think if they can create a double-dip recession by refusing to help the jobless, it will help their chances in November.

That's really what is driving this heartless crap.