However, there is another side to this. Republicans opposing this idea believe that extending unemployment benefits might encourage the unemployed to remain so and not begin seeking jobs. Yet there is one specific Republican who wants the extension: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
According to a letter written by the governor, "California has been hit especially hard by the national housing slump and subprime crisis. In the past year alone, we have lost 131,000 jobs in the construction and financial services sectors. California's unemployment rate now stands at 6.2 percent, and it is clear that states cannot fully address the consequences of the national housing downturn on their own."
The governor has called on Congress to use federal money to help fund unemployment benefits.
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