Politics
Obama-backed jobless benefits bill clears Republican roadblock
“To date, the president has offered no such plan,” Boehner said in a statement.
The Senate vote and exchange of words helped kick off a new struggle over the growing gap between rich and poor.
Obama intends to make curbing income inequality a hallmark of his second term by seeking to extend jobless benefits, increase the minimum wage, raise funding for education and revamp immigration laws.
His appeals have drawn fire from Republicans, who figure that he would seek to pay for these initiatives with tax hikes, primarily on the rich.
They say the best way to expand wealth is to produce more of it by creating jobs with lower taxes and fewer regulations.
Polls show that Americans view Republicans as less compassionate toward the poor and working class than Democrats.
Seeking to address this vulnerability, prominent Republicans such as Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, both potential White House contenders, plan to publicly discuss this week their ideas for fighting poverty.
