As expected, the Senate Republican caucus -- along with Democrat Ben Nelson (NE) -- stood firm today in their opposition to a jobs bill that would have extended the filing deadline on emergency unemployment benefits through November, voting 41-57 to block cloture on the legislation (H.R. 4213). Immediately following the roll call, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) submitted a motion to extend the filing deadline one additional month using a small portion of the funding identified in the bill.

That's when Illinois' own Sen. Dick Durbin unloaded on the minority party, suggesting that political posturing, rather than concern about the deficit, is driving their obstruction.  "The record is clear: It is a party of no that is hoping that the voters will vote yes in November," he said. "I hope they remember that the Republicans had no alternative [proposal] when it came to this disastrous economic situation." Watch it:

While a standalone bill extending the benefit deadline might surface next, the entire effort has been derailed for the time being.  As of tomorrow, the National Employment Law Project projects that 1.2 million Americans will have lost their unemployment aid as a result.