THE PERILS OF NOT-SO-LIVE TELEVISION

posted by Michael Chihak

A better scenario could not be produced than the one that has come about for Arizona Week's episode for tonight.

We're tackling the hot topic of extending unemployment benefits in the state, an issue that affects 15,000 unemployed people now and perhaps double that many later this year. Those are people for whom the 79 weeks of state and federal jobless payments have or are about to run out.

Gov. Jan Brewer called the Legislature into special session for today to make a one-word change in state law to allow the benefits to be extended another 20 weeks, at a cost to the federal -- not state -- government of $3.2 million a week.

Legislative leaders acted today as if they had been dragged to their seats, and in fact a number didn't show up for the hastily called session, probably because they had made other plans. The House convened and recessed first, and the Senate, after a good bit of political rancor and rhetoric, recessed a bit later.

Both will be back Monday at 1:30, and that means benefits will run out, on Saturday, for those long-term unemployed.

The good news is that for Arizona Week, we can have a timely and lively discussion of what's happened so far and what might happen next week, without worry that it will be usurped by on-rushing political news.