H.R. 6867 - Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008

H.R. 6867: Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008. I find hypocrisy by both political parties interesting. For example, how many Republicans voted for Bush's bailout provisions like TARP (although Cathy did vote against that one), and then object to Obama's, like there is any difference. Well here is another case of the Republicans voting in mass (except for 28 dissenters, none of which being Cathy) for an unemployment extension when their president is in power, but opposing such measures when Obama is in charge. The reality is the worst thing you can do during an economic downturn is incentivize people not to work. If you are going to spend more federal money extending unemployment benefits, it would be better at least to get something out of that money by requiring these people to do something for the compensation. However, ultimately, the most important part is where is the Constitutional authorization via an enumerated power for any sort of federal unemployment insurance program. It does not exist as the government is not regulating commerce in this instance, it is engaging in commerce just as it did when it bought General Motors.