Citing concerns about the national debt, the U.S. House of Representatives has rejected the standalone unemployment extension bill introduced by Representatives Levin (D-MI) and McDermott (D-WA).

Democrats introduced the bill under a special procedure that limited debate, disallowed amendments, and would have required a 2/3 majority to pass.

The bill would have prevented 200,000 people from falling off the unemployment rolls each week, extending coverage until the end of November at a cost of $33.9 billion.

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The Republican party must be addicted to bad publicity. After starting two unnecessary wars and creating the financial regulatory environment that has bankrupted the nation, the GOP has now done one of the most evil, stupid things in American history by killing H.R. 4213, the jobs and unemployment extension bill.

Somewhere between 400,000 and 900,000 people will now exhaust their benefits every month for the rest of this year. Millions will lack the means to pay their bills. Millions will be thrown into desperation.

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Next week, the U.S. Senate will address the issue of extending unemployment benefits. With 1.5 million people expected to exhaust benefits before the year's end, this is a critical social issue.