U.S. Rep. Schwartz: “Corbett doesn’t get it”
Jenkintown, PA - On Friday, July 12th, Tom Corbett repeated his statement accusing unemployed Pennsylvanians of failing to look for work. Corbett, speaking on Pennsylvania Public Radio, said, "People don't want to come back to work while they still have unemployment...The jobs are there, but if we keep extending unemployment, the people are going to sit there..."
"Instead of talking about ways to stimulate job growth, Tom Corbett is being critical of the very people hardest hit by the worst recession since the Great Depression. Corbett's statement suggests he simply does not understand the problems facing families in tough financial circumstances," said U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (PA-13).
Schwartz continued, "If he doesn't see the problem, he won't be able to offer solutions. Pennsylvanians, regardless of party, know that in this time of economic difficulty, unemployment insurance is vital to enabling unemployed workers to meet their basic financial responsibilities."
Earlier this year, a majority of Pennsylvania Members of Congress, including three Pennsylvania Republicans, voted to extend unemployment coverage. Corbett's comments are similar to remarks he made previously during a visit to a job referral center in Lancaster. Tom Corbett reportedly said, "What I see here are people looking for jobs, but that's only 10 percent (of the unemployed). What about the 80 or 90 percent?" (Capitol Ideas, March 18, 2010)
"Tom Corbett comments are insensitive to the hard working Pennsylvanians who want nothing more than another job. Especially in this tough economy, we need the next Governor to have the understanding, experience, and commitment to get Pennsylvania's economy moving and give people the job opportunities they so desperately need," said Schwartz.
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