The Grand Old Party will oppose a bid by Democrats to extend jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed, which are set to expire just a few days after Christmas. The loss of benefits will affect roughly 3.2 million people over the next six months. Hap Holiday, spokesperson for the House Republicans, would only say, “We have supported it since 2008 as it could be paid for by counterbalancing measures that made life easier for the rich.” “This year, we’d get nothing.”
Ms. Holiday said that Republicans were very upset with the timing of the loss of benefits. “This is just sloppy. Clearly, we’d much prefer to have the benefits stop on Christmas Day—having it stop three days after Xmas just diffuses the message we’d like to send to the poor.”