Tom Harkin Talks About Class Warfare

From the Iowa Independent:

Congress has no more urgent priority right now than preserving emergency unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed. That’s the message U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) served to reporters on his Thursday morning conference call, along with a harsh side-dish critique of Senate Republicans.

“The Republican leadership in the Senate is demanding that we permanently — permanently — extend tax breaks that would average over $100,000 a year for millionaires and billionaires, but they are blocking a temporary continuation of benefits for unemployment Americans,” Harkin said. “If Republicans get their way, Wall Street money manipulators will get a huge tax break along with their multi-million-dollar Christmas bonuses while two million unemployed families will go to the local soup line for their Christmas dinner. Talk about class warfare.”

According to Senator Harkin's logic, the US Government should be raising taxes on "the rich" (you know, the people who own companies and employ people) because the rich haven't really earned it and the government needs it.

And how long should unemployment benefits be extended to? It's already 99 weeks. How about forever, Harkin? Would you like that? I bet you would. Raise taxes on "the rich" and you'll need to extend unemployment benefits forever.

You "reporters", I mean stenographers, who were on this call, did you get to ask any questions?  Or did you just sit their with your thumb up your ass and your lips up Harkin's, hoping that you didn't upset the spendaholic who is not an Iowan?

James Q. Lynch of the Cedar Rapids Gazette was on the call and reports this:

Grassley wants to extend unemployment benefits, but without increasing the deficit. He would tap unspent stimulus funds to pay for the extension.

Harkin scoffed at that.

“It’s interesting that Sen. Grassley wants to take money out of stimulus funds to pay for unemployment benefits, but increase the deficit just to give tax breaks wealthiest Americans,” he said. “I’d like to ask my friend and colleague is that his sense of fairness?”

Senator Assley, what part of "We're Broke!" don't you understand?