Virginia Wobblie's Join 'Virginia Organizing' for a protest on Senator Webb's Office
Submitted on Sat, 12/11/2010 - 5:35pm
Webb wasn't at his office, but some good coverage was had. The Richmond IWW including fellow worker Andrew Ragland had good things to leave behind for Webb in this article. Check out the video here:
[ http://www.wtvr.com/videobeta/b2341456-ccfb-406c-b0b8-b847dbe916e1/News/Protest-At-Senator-Webb-s-Richmond-Office ]
Protestors- Webb Holding Everyday Americans 'Hostage'
WTVR Channel 6 News - Sam Brock Anchor
As the stalemate on Capitol Hill concerning the expiring Bush tax cuts rages on, protesters in Richmond showed up at the local office of Senator Jim Webb Friday to voice their displeasure with the senator's voting record on the matter.
"It's dirty pool, plain and simple," said Andrew Ragland, who recently lost his job at a large corporation. "You do not hold one group hostage for the benefit of another."
Ragland is referring to the tactic- employed by some lawmakers in Washington this week- of blocking the extension of unemployment benefits or tax-cuts for the middle-class until a bill emerges that extends tax cuts for everybody, poor and rich.
"Every day we wait on this here, lives are being affected, people's health is affected," said Lillie Branch-Kennedy, who expressed her fury with Senator Webb for voting against unemployment and middle-class tax cut extensions last weekend. "Do people understand?"
Branch-Kennedy added, "when you have nothing, and your government is failing you, there is nothing left a lot of the time."
Senator Webb has been supportive of the deal brokered by President Obama and the Congressional Republicans, that would include a 13-month extension of unemployment benefits in exchange for an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for everybody and generous tax exemptions on the estate tax.
Mr. Webb voted last weekend against unemployment benefits and middle-class tax cuts, without the additional deal-sweeteners.
CBS 6 contacted the senator's office Friday and asked Communications Director Will Jenkins if the accusations against Webb- that's he's unfairly used unemployment as a bargaining chip- are fair.
"Regarding the tax cut measures last weekend, Senator Webb voted to ensure that families throughout Virginia are not hit with additional income taxes in the midst of this economic recovery," wrote Jenkins in an email.
"Senator Webb did support a sensible compromise by voting to provide unemployment insurance for out of work Americans and to extend tax cuts for everyone except those making more than a million dollars. Unfortunately, this compromise was blocked by every Republican Senator."
Jenkins added that Webb is continuing to work for "fair and reasonable tax policies" for all Americans.
The Senate is debating the President-GOP bill now, with the House Democrats considering blocking the legislation entirely.