The President's Jobs Speech

Fact checks already showing this isn't paid for as promised by the President.

WayneLeeH wrote: It really doesn't matter what the figures are. The Cons will not approve it anyway.

I'm not sure the Dems will either.

As I mentioned, Obama threw out a couple of ideas, but he didn't specifically say they'd be in his bill (my recollection). He mentioned raising taxes for the high income people, no surprise there. But he also mentioned cutting (or "adjusting") Social Security and Medicare. I don't see any reason he'd mention that unless he wanted to because it's a political no no for a Dem.

Just guessing, but I'm thinking the reason the real bill hasn't been shown yet is because Obama is still testing the waters with a trial balloon. The Dems would not accept any cuts to SS or Medicare last time during the debt increase debate, but will they now?

So when the proposed bill is finally shown, who knows what might end up in it?

Kate wrote:

WayneLeeH wrote: It really doesn't matter what the figures are. The Cons will not approve it anyway.

That may very well be, but the President has introduced a plan. The question now is, will the Republicans do the same?

They haven't yet. Why should now be any different?

pineinthegrass wrote: I'm not sure the Dems will either.

As I mentioned, Obama threw out a couple of ideas, but he didn't specifically say they'd be in his bill (my recollection). He mentioned raising taxes for the high income people, no surprise there. But he also mentioned cutting (or "adjusting") Social Security and Medicare. I don't see any reason he'd mention that unless he wanted to because it's a political no no for a Dem.

Just guessing, but I'm thinking the reason the real bill hasn't been shown yet is because Obama is still testing the waters with a trial balloon. The Dems would not accept any cuts to SS or Medicare last time during the debt increase debate, but will they now?

So when the proposed bill is finally shown, who knows what might end up in it?

Thank you for answering my question, as opposed to the unhelpful partisan BS from others. I appreciate your thoughts.

Kate wrote:

WayneLeeH wrote: It really doesn't matter what the figures are. The Cons will not approve it anyway.

That may very well be, but the President has introduced a plan. The question now is, will the Republicans do the same?

I thought I heard the media state that the President urged Congress to "pass this bill" seventeen times. One small problem, there IS no bill.

So help me out here. Does Congress vote on a concept or do they vote on a bill? If the concepts are the President's, who is supposed to write the bill?

Oh and one more thing, as an executive if you had crafted a REALLY important plan that you felt was critical to keeping your organization solvent and moving in the right direction....wouldn't you immediately hand those you needed to execute a detailed plan (outlined bill in the case of the President) that has been wargamed enough to know that it was viable?

The man is good at campaigning but he is a poor leader.

Pass WHAT bill?

lionshead2010 wrote: Pass WHAT bill?

It's a vapor bill until the polling results come back in.

For two years Barry and the Democrats had the super majority and squandered the time on using the economic "crisis" to force through a big spending socialist agenda. For two years they could not even get a budget passed. Now their socialist agenda has turned the Great Recession into the Greatest Depression. The economy would be better now if Barry and the Democrats had done nothing during the previous three years.

lionshead2010 wrote:

Kate wrote:

WayneLeeH wrote: It really doesn't matter what the figures are. The Cons will not approve it anyway.

That may very well be, but the President has introduced a plan. The question now is, will the Republicans do the same?

I thought I heard the media state that the President urged Congress to "pass this bill" seventeen times. One small problem, there IS no bill.

So help me out here. Does Congress vote on a concept or do they vote on a bill? If the concepts are the President's, who is supposed to write the bill?

Oh and one more thing, as an executive if you had crafted a REALLY important plan that you felt was critical to keeping your organization solvent and moving in the right direction....wouldn't you immediately hand those you needed to execute a detailed plan (outlined bill in the case of the President) that has been wargamed enough to know that it was viable?

The man is good at campaigning but he is a poor leader.

Pass WHAT bill?

Great points, and thanks for actually discussing the topic instead of only making worthless snide comments.

I will admit that I did not watch the speech, I don't and haven't cared for the showboating for years. I did read the transcript, though.

That said, I do agree that Obama is very good at campaigning, and making promises. What I read from the transcript is many promises, but... as a fiscal conservative... I have to say I was actually somewhat pleased to hear some of the things he said.

Go ahead, tear me apart now, but I think this is a step in the right direction. We, as a country, have been divided too long, and this could turn out to be exactly what should happen at this point. Realistically I will not like the final bill, when there is a bill, but neither will democrats or republicans. It will, however, be what is best for the people, assuming a few things that Obama said turn out to be true.

First, this bill must be completely funded by spending cuts. I have done my research into the New Deal that followed the first depression, and how (in my opinion and that of many others) it myred this country in years of elongated economic downturn... but I won't argue that it didn't create jobs, and I won't argue that our infrastructure doesn't need it, because... quite frankly... it did create jobs, and our infrastructure is crumbling. So, we will eventually need to spend the money, and we can do it now while things are cumbling, or later once they fall apart, but either way, that money will eventually be spent. What I want to see is Congress take this money towards those projects, and offer public-private-partnerships to get them done. I want to see them cut spending where they can to fund these programs (a total 2.0 trillion or so, now, adding to what has already been passed), but realistically I'd like to see a reasonable approach to two or three times the spending cuts for this one spending increase.

I also believe it's time to adjust the tax code, and I fully agree with this part of the speech last night:

The Presidential Address wrote: And by the way, I believe the vast majority of wealthy Americans and CEOs are willing to do just that if it helps the economy grow and gets our fiscal house in order.

As I've said before, we're running out of fiscal options without raising taxes. I'd also approve a raise across the board as long as it's coupled with spending cuts, and projects like this that, while perhaps not my favorite, are both necessary, and offer great economic opportunities if handled correctly with private industry. Look at what NASA has been able to do for decades, and start using that as a model for PPP's, for contract jobs, and any time the government works with private industry.

For the first time, pending a few things I've mentioned here, I'm going to say these words:

"Thank you Mr. President, for bringing together congress and encouraging a compromise. Thank you for putting forward the building blocks to what I believe is necessary. Now, please follow-through, and do it properly."

(Editing to add: The one thing I did not like was a tax break for long-term unemployed... I'm not sure that's not just a cop-out unless it's coupled with job-training as he stated. If that goes in, and people are only being hired for tax breaks after six months, your average time of unemployment is at risk of suddenly averaging six months and one day, if you ask me!)

For two years Barry and the Democrats had the super majority and squandered the time on using the economic "crisis" to force through a big spending socialist agenda. For two years they could not even get a budget passed. Now their socialist agenda has turned the Great Recession into the Greatest Depression. The economy would be better now if Barry and the Democrats had done nothing during the previous three years.

Right on.

The economy would be better now if Barry and the Democrats had done nothing during the previous three years.

Not just better- alot better. And we wouldn't be trillions more in debt that needs to be paid back - plus interest.