You must have heard last week about Sen. Jim “beanball” Bunning, R-Ky., putting a hold on legislation to extend unemployment benefits and health insurance subsidies for unemployed workers. (That’s right, beanball, because in his days as a major league pitcher he hit even more batters than notorious head-hunters Don Drysdale and Bob Gibson.)

Paul Krugman wrote about this, noting that unemployment payments are one of the most effective forms of economic stimulus, as it is readily spent, helping to prevent unemployment from begetting more unemployment in the surrounding community.

Krugman goes on to contrast the philosophical differences between the two parties. See who’s on your side..

“During the unemployment benefits debate, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., pleaded for action on behalf of those in need. In response, Bunning blurted out an expletive. That was undignified — but not that different, in substance, from the position of leading Republicans. Consider, in particular, Sen. Jon Kyl's (R-Ariz.) position on a proposal that would extend jobless benefits and health insurance subsidies for the unemployed for the rest of the year. Republicans will block that bill, said Kyl, unless they get a “path forward fairly soon” on the estate tax.

“Now, the House has already passed a bill that, by exempting the assets of couples up to $7 million, would leave 99.75 percent of estates tax-free. But that doesn't seem to be enough for Kyl; he's willing to hold up desperately needed aid to the unemployed on behalf of the remaining 0.25 percent. That's a very clear statement of priorities.”

-So the Democrats are extending help to millions of working class people so they can pay their bills and stay in their homes, while the Republicans are standing in the way unless they can deliver another tax cut to the richest families in America.

Likewise when they oppose health care reform projected to cost one trillion dollars over ten years time. The Republicans ran up a 1.7 trillion deficit enacting George W. Bush’s tax cuts, which went predominantly to the wealthiest Americans, and they passed these cuts using the reconciliation process!

This really gets my goat! The GOP have no credibility for me on the subject of health care because they were running the show for over ten years and they did nothing but cash checks from and carry water for the insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

And likewise on the deficit; now that there’s an emergency, and deficit spending is called for to keep the economy from stalling, they’re all about fiscal responsibility. Again, where have they been for the last thirty years? Spending like drunken sailors. Ninety percent of the national debt was spent under Republican presidents. You can look it up.