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Michigan GOP's Attack on Workers Shifts to Unemployed

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed a bill this week reducing unemployment benefits, making his the only state that provides just 20 rather than 26 weeks of benefits when workers lose their jobs.

With a 10.4 percent jobless rate, Michigan is one of the recession's hardest-hit states. With so many workers needing help, Snyder claimed he had to cut benefits because Michigan's unemployment fund is in the red.

Outraged, Democratic lawmakers decried the cuts and the sneaky way the Republican-led legislature quietly inserted the change into a bill that was designed to preserve jobless benefits.

Republicans in other states are also targeting the unemployed. In Florida, the House has voted to reduce jobless benefits to 20 weeks and to deny benefits to workers found guilty of "misconduct" outside the workplace, or who fail to take a job that pays the minimum wage.

In Missouri, Republican lawmakers are blocking legislation to accept $81 million in federal unemployment benefits for workers who have been out of work for more than 79 weeks.