Sat Feb 11 2012
LEXINGTON - Franklin County Republicans and Democrats agree unemployed workers need help but disagree over funding for extended benefits.
Several local politicos attended a rally Tuesday outside U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning’s Lexington office to show support or opposition to his block of a $10 billion unfunded extension of unemployment benefits – a block Bunning abandoned Tuesday night.
A small crowd also gathered at the senator’s Louisville office.
Bunning said he is trying to curb the national debt and maintain fiscal responsibility. After Bunning abandoned his blockade late on Tuesday, the bill passed the U.S. Senate and President Barack Obama signed it.
“We have run up $5 trillion in debt,” Bunning said on the Senate floor last week. “There has to be a time to stop that.”
Democrat Susan Turner, who attended the rally in Lexington, said unemployment benefits should be extended because they help the whole economy.
“They aren’t supporting the corner grocery if they don’t have any money,” Turner said.
Jonathan Gaby, chairman of the Frankfort Young Republicans, said families need help but that the extension should be paid for with stimulus money.
“The Democrats want to protect their slush fund and use it for other projects,” Gaby said.
Turner said the deficit could be reduced and spending brought under control if the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ended.
Gaby said he applauds Bunning for sticking to his principles.
“He’s doing the right thing,” he said, standing outside the senator’s office. “People are tired of the rank disregard for fiscal responsibility and discipline.”
Democrat Max Thomas held a sign that read, “Al Franken is a comedian but Jim Bunning is a bad joke.”
He criticized Bunning’s support for deficit spending under President George Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“One has to wonder when Sen. Bunning grew principles,” Thomas said.
Gaby said the Democrats imposed the “pay as you go” policy for new legislation and criticized them for trying to dodge their own rules.
The rally drew more than 150 and some exchanged heated words, including video blogger Jim Pence and Earl Newberry, an unemployed worker from Nicholasville. A Lexington police officer stepped in between the two and escorted Newberry away.
Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo spoke for about seven minutes and criticized Bunning for blocking the expansion.
Republican hecklers chanted “pay-go” – short for “pay as you go,” a policy implemented by Democratic leaders in the Senate.
Supporters of Mongiardo, a contender in the Democratic primary for Bunning’s seat, countered with “do the right thing,” in reference to supporting unemployed workers.
Gaby said the “fun” rally demonstrates people’s passions about the economy right now.
“It was a vivacious show of competing beliefs,” he said.
Turner said she was disappointed that Bunning made a vulgar gesture to reporters recently in Washington and that he has a history of cursing at reporters.
“Any man who would do that … is not very classy,” she said. “That’s not the kind of man I want representing me in Congress.”
Gaby said he’s never seen Bunning be crude and that anything he said or did demonstrates how high tensions are.
“It reflects the nature of the beast,” Gaby said. “People are ticked off about spending.”
Bomb threats were reported at Bunning’s offices in Hazard and Louisville last week, but not explosives were found.
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