On the Monday, December 23, PoliticsNation on MSNBC, host Al Sharpton led the show by accusing Republicans of "stinginess" and of being "grinches" because of GOP opposition to a further extension of unemployment benefits. With the words "GOP Grinches Steal Christmas" on screen, Sharpton opened the show:
Tonight's lead, Republican's grinches launching fist full of coal. This week, as families gather at dinner tables around the country, many are facing extreme economic anxiety that could have been prevented, is due to Republicans' stinginess on key economic issues. More than one million Americans face losing their unemployment benefits in just five days.
He added:
For them, these are urgent times, and it shouldn't be happening. Republicans in Congress are blocking an extension of benefits, even though they don't even have support from Republican voters. New polling shows voters in five GOP congressional districts support extending jobless benefits despite what Republican leaders say. That includes voters in Speaker John Boehner's own district in Ohio. Voters know this isn't a partisan issue. They know the wellbeing of real families is at stake.
A bit later, in continued:
Real people are hurting and the pain goes beyond extending jobless benefits. Americans overwhelmingly support raising the minimum wage. Ninety-one percent of Democrats, 76 percent of independents, and even 58 percent of Republicans. It's hard to get 58 percent of Republicans to agree on anything with this President. But they back him on this issue. And yet congressional Republicans won't take action. This is why the President is fighting to reclaim the American dream, a dream of economic fairness.
--Brad Wilmouth is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Brad Wilmouth on Twitter.
