It was all predicted, but the unanimous decision by Senate Republicans on Tuesday to filibuster and thus kill President Obama’s jobs bill was still a breathtaking act of economic vandalism. There are 14 million people out of work, wages are falling, poverty is rising, and a second recession may be blowing in, but not a single Republican would even allow debate on a sound plan to cut middle-class taxes and increase public-works spending.
The bill the Republicans shot down is not a panacea, but independent economists say it would have a significant and swift effect on the current stagnation. Macroeconomic Advisers, whose forecasts are often used by the Federal Reserve, said it could raise economic growth by 1.25 percentage points and create 1.3 million jobs in 2012. Moody’s Analytics estimated new growth at 2 percentage points and 1.9 million jobs. Those economists say that Republican ideas for increasing growth would have no measurable effects in the next year.
The Republicans offer no actual economic plans, only tired slogans about cutting regulations and spending, and ending health care reform. The party seems content to run out the clock on Mr. Obama’s term while doing very little. On Tuesday, Mr. Obama’s campaign manager, Jim Messina, accused Republicans of trying to “suffocate the economy” in hopes that the pain would work to their political advantage. They are doing little to refute that charge.
They could start by actually calling it what it is, a half-ass stimulus Lite bill. It is not a "jobs" bill and no way will the government be able to create the jobs that are lost. Time to get honest.
If you are going to raise only a half a Trillion over Ten years with this millionaire tax, apply it to the deficits.
If you want to be, press one. If you want not to be, press 2
Republicans are red, democrats are blue, neither of them, gives a flip about you.
I just saw a press conference with Sen. Rand Paul and other Republicans offering a Jobs bill that will add 5 million new jobs. Or do you guys only get your news from John Stewart?
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
SS109 wrote: I just saw a press conference with Sen. Rand Paul and other Republicans offering a Jobs bill that will add 5 million new jobs. Or do you guys only get your news from John Stewart?
Well, if true, at least a specific goal is mentioned although I don't like just saying how many jobs are created since that's hard to prove. Let me know what it is supposed to do to the unemployment rate.
Obama stated a goal for his nearly $800 billion stimulus and failed beyond belief. And I haven't seen any official projection to improve the unemployment rate in his jobs act. I wonder why?
Are we really supposed to spend another $445 billion on a jobs act with no official projection on what it's supposed to accomplish? If not, how do we hold the administration accountable if it fails, or give them credit if it works?
And still no plan from the Dems to keep Social Security and Medicare viable in the future either.
Look at all the liberals...they have an expectation that the government can create jobs with paper...oh that's right, I guess they are right...green paper...
KNOCK KNOCK...anyone home? GOVERNMENT doesn't create jobs....it creates obstacles.
Congress doesn't create jobs - business does. And it's interesting to me that I continue to read about all the cash on which businesses are sitting; they are "afraid" to spend on new job positions or reinvestment because of the economy. I call bullsh**! They're not "afraid" to spend. They're sitting on their cash waiting to buy their congressional whores in the elections next year!
