Blame GOP, not Kerry, for failed bill

Published 9:00 pm Monday, August 23, 2004

In the Aug. 17 letters section, Douglas Barrows accuses John Kerry of being the cause of unemployment benefits not being extended due to his not being present to vote. What Mr. Barrows does not mention is that the vast majority of Republicans voted against the measure, and that the Republican Party had only 11 senators who supported the vote to extend benefits. Had Kerry been present, all they had to do was encourage one of the 11 to switch his vote to “no” and the measure would have failed anyway, as the Republican leadership planned. If Mr. Barrows wants to blame somebody for the failure of the unemployment benefit extension, why not look to the majority of Republican senators who opposed that extension? Maybe it’s time for a change in Congress, in addition to the White House.

Scott Chase

Camano Island