What's Really Behind the Bunning Block?

Kentucky Senator James Bunning has drawn quite a bit of criticism this week by blocking a $10 billion spending bill that requires unanimous consent to advance expeditiously, that would, among other things, fund the extension of unemployment benefits. According to the media, he is a curmudgeonly, calous, old man that is standing on ceremony without purpose, to punish the unemployed and cause gridlock, true to Republican form. The truth? Bunning is attempting to shed light on the downfalls of increasing the deficit as well as the hypocrisy of the Congressional attempt to avoid PAY-GO, a bill passed by Congress to ensure that legislation does not pass unless there is a corresponding method of payment for the expenditures contained in the bill. Democrats are calling for the extension as an emergency measure, which technically allows them to circumvent PAY-GO. "If we can't find $10 billion to pay for something we all support, we will never pay for anything on the floor of this U.S. Senate," Mr. Bunning said. Bunning wants to pay for the bill by dipping into unused stimulus funds, which the Democrats have refused to do. While I wholheartedly agree with Bunning's principles, I can't espouse his methods as the expiration of unemployment benefits Monday caused 100,000 people to lose their benefits and 400,000 more will lose them within one to two weeks, which would also cause them to lose their health benefits. However, I welcome some other implications of the gridlock such as the lack of funding to the Highway Trust Fund, whose expiration caused the Department of Transportation to furlough nearly 2,000 employees without pay. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704358004575095970707513064.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsForth http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/us/politics/03cong.html