Maine senators pressured back home to support extenders

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) will begin running ads in Maine to pressure Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) to support the so-called tax extenders bill that provides relief to the unemployed and state workers.

The group ponied up $75,000 for the ads, beginning Monday and running through Thursday and perhaps longer, depending on how the debate on extenders goes in the Senate. The ads will run on broadcast and cable channels and will feature AFSCME President Gerald McEntee calling on the senators to support the bill.

"It's very simple — more jobs now mean less debt later," McEntee says in the ad. "If Sens. Snowe and Collins are truly concerned about the deficit, then they need to vote for this bill."

The senators have repeatedly expressed concerns that the bill would add to the deficit. Both last week opposed the $140 billion extender bill that would have added approximately $80 billion to the deficit. They also voted against the $118 billion bill that would have deepened the deficit by roughly $60 billion.

Tom McMahon, executive director for Americans United for Change, who is also featured in the ad, contends the bill's defeat will worsen the deficit because fewer people will be paying taxes.

"Fewer jobs means less tax revenue and more people seeking out public assistance," McMahon says in the ad. "We hope Sens. Collins and Snowe will listen to economists who stress that the unemployment benefits are among the most stimulative investments that can be made in a tough economy, because laid-off workers are more likely to spend the money quickly, giving the economy a shot in the arm."

The fate of extender is currently unclear. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) could bring another bill forward this week. He could also table the issue and move to debate legislation granting tax breaks and loan opportunities to small businesses.