Hundreds of thousands lose unemployment benefits today due to obstructionist repugicans

We saw last week that there had been an increase in job creation, but the unemployment rate held at 9.7%, which shows the U.S. is still in a bad job situation. Yet, hundreds of thousands of Americans will lose their unemployment benefits today because Senate repugicans blocked passage of an extension of those benefits:

Nearly 400,000 jobless Americans are going to see their long-term unemployment benefits cut off. Congress failed to pass a short-term extension before taking a two-week break.

Members of the House already had voted to extend jobless benefits and went home for the spring break. Everyone knew those benefits would be running out Monday should the Senate fail to act.

On the Senate's last day in session, Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin pleaded with his repugican colleagues on the Senate floor: "Let's have a little heart. Let's have a little compassion. Let's have a little understanding of what these people are going through every day in their lives, the stress that they have. Let's do the right thing, and extend the unemployment benefits for one month."

Oklahoma repugican Tom Coburn objected. He said he was all for extending unemployment benefits as long as they were paid for, which they were not in the measure the House passed.

I'm sure Tom Coburn and the rest of the repugicans are living well during their Easter vacation. None of them are worried about losing their homes or not having money to pay for food. But, that's the situation the repugicans have foisted upon almost 400,000 Americans who are already suffering from the economic crisis caused by repugican policies.