*Jobless extension held up

So consider this: Hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Americans, in California and elsewhere, are about to see their jobless benefits run out Sunday night, and a single senator is responsible. He's Jim Bunning, Republican from Kentucky, and as the LAT reports, he's resorting to a one-man filibuster. It's a little like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," except with Jimmy Stewart playing the bad guy.

Democratic and Republican leaders had agreed to pass a one-month extension through a process known as unanimous consent, in which no formal vote was required. But Bunning's objection means the bill can't go forward. The extension had been passed by the House and was ready to be signed into law. Outraged Democrats battled the irascible Kentuckian on the Senate floor deep into the night Thursday. On Friday morning, they were at it again, but Bunning held fast.

Bunning is using the emergency legislation as an example of Washington profligacy. Either lawmakers to come up with enough spending cuts to offset the $10 billion in jobless benefits or he keeps filibustering. And in case you're wondering, there's nothing Kentucky voters can do about this guy. He's retiring at the end of the year.

*From the Lexington (Kentucky) Herald-Leader:

After Democrats spent several hours urging Bunning to reconsider his objection Thursday night, Bunning complained just before midnight that he had been forced to miss UK's game against South Carolina. "We weren't going to stand around for three and a half hours debating the issue," he said. "But I want to assure the people who have watched this thing until a quarter of 12, I have missed the Kentucky-South Carolina game that started at 9 o'clock. It is the only redeeming chance we had to beat South Carolina, since they are the only team that has beat Kentucky this year." At another point, Bunning responded to a plea by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., to end his objection with "tough s---," according to Politico, a Washington-based political publication.