With unemployment still rising, and the unemployment rate well over 8% in each of the 4 counties represented by Scott Garrett (including over 11% in Passaic), you would think that for once, Garrett wouldn’t spit in the faces of his constituents. But if you think that, you would be wrong. Again.
After the Senate voted 98-0 to extend unemployment benefits, the House voted yesterday by a margin of 403-12 to extend unemployment benefits to those workers who (1) lost their jobs, (2) still can’t find another job and (3) have been out of work for so long that their unemployment benefits have run out. As usual, Scott Garrett was one of the 12 heartless Reps who would rather see tax cuts to corporations than help keep food on the plates of those who he claims to represent. This is far from the first time Garrett has done this – this year alone, he voted against the largest middle class tax cut in history as well as expanding unemployment benefits to a larger pool of people who are in need.
Yet, time and time again, he talks nonsense about “letting people keep more of their hard earned money” as he votes against pretty much every single bill that is supposed to help families in his district actually earn money or just get by. What Garrett fails to realize, or even worse – he does realize but just doesn’t care – is that when people have no job and no unemployment benefits, there is no money for them to keep more of.
It is votes like this that make me outraged and ashamed that someone this heartless or clueless is “representing” me.
![the receiving end [EXPLORED AND FP]](http://static.flickr.com/7062/6845381601_e0e57dac8e_t.jpg "the receiving end [EXPLORED AND FP]")
In just Sussex and Warren counties alone, which constitute a big chunk of Garrett’s district, there are over 12,000 unemployed workers (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) who have just been left out in the cold by their Congressman. Thankfully, there were more than enough rational representatives in Congress to pass this common sense bill and help people out during 10% national unemployment. Clearly, Scott Garrett is not one of these representatives. It’s time for the 5th district to have a Congressman who cares more about the people struggling to put food on the table in his own back yard than failed right-wing ideology.
You say Garrett voted against “the largest middle class tax cut in history.” What was passed is not a tax cut at all but a handout–$500 per individual, $1000 per couple–much of which will go to people who already do not pay any federal income tax. Those are the people whose support Obama is constantly trying to buy.