In a clear example of Republicans trying to “slow things down,” the Washington Post notes today that the Senate GOP — along with a few conservative Democrats — “have blocked measures that would offer summer jobs to teenagers, give aid to states to prevent layoffs of teachers and other state employees, and expand funding of Pell grants — arguing that all would raise the budget deficit.” Franken attributed their obstruction to crass partisan motives:

And Republicans sort of take this stance that the best thing we can do is slow everything down so as little can happen as possible, so that we can both blame Democrats for not having stuff happen, like jobs bills and stuff like that. And so that, you know, I mean sometimes it’d be a legitimate difference of opinion on something, but sometimes it’s been ridiculous. But I do think that this whole approach of slowing everything down, in many ways I think it’s so that, they don’t want a jobs bill because they don’t want people to get jobs before the election. It’s a harsh thing to say, and I don’t want to impugn the motives of my colleagues, but I don’t get what they’re doing otherwise.

I hate to say it but I think he’s right. The GOP wants to keep people angry because the single biggest predictor of elections is economic unrest: that is the factor that will unseat an incumbent historically.

Unfortunately in my most pessimistic moods, I don’t think the GOP will drop this ‘let’s hate on the unemployed’ schtick after the midterms; I expect them to continue to block and obstruct through 2012.

I don’t think they give a damn about the country now; everything they do now is solely about retaking power.

Video, transcript, and more at the link.