TPMDC
Progressives Warn Of Coming Crisis Unless More Is Done To Create Jobs
NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguia, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
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Progressive groups representing millions of workers and minorities across the country assembled today to send a message to President Obama and Congress -- it's time to do more to create new jobs. The AFL-CIO, the NAACP and the National Council Of La Raza held a joint event today on what the groups called the "worst crisis in America today" -- unemployment. Leaders of each group called on Washington to put other priorities aside and immediately begin pumping billions into job creation programs the groups say will target the worst-hit in the economic downturn.
Overall unemployment stands at around 10%, according to the most recent numbers. In minority communities, the groups say, that number is far higher reaching as high as 16% for African Americans. The effects of the jobless rate are far-reaching in minority communities, the speakers said -- and could be a sign of things to come for the rest of the nation.
"Black people in this country are the canaries in the economic coal mine," said Benjamin Jealous, president of the NAACP. "In this country, we act like what's happening in one room doesn't affect what's happening in another. But what is happening in the black community is happening everywhere."
La Raza president Janet Murgia painted a similar picture of the nation's Hispanic community.
"For Latinos, unemployment passed 10% eight months ago," she said.
Both leaders praised Obama for the stimulus package, but said that now was the time for more efforts. Obama may be listening -- yesterday, administration officials announced a Dec. 3 job summit at the White House that officials say will bring together business leaders and economists to discuss unemployment. In Congress, leaders in both houses are said to be working on jobs bills.
The progressive leaders already have their own plan that they say will save or create millions of jobs in the short term. Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, laid out the plan when it was his turn at the mic today.
The groups all call for new spending efforts aimed directly at creating jobs targeted at low income and minority populations. They advocate using government funds to pay workers to repair schools, refurbish parks and work on other infrastructure projects. They also call for the release of TARP funds to boost loans to small- and medium-sized businesses, which they say were left out of the first round of economic bailouts.
(For more details on the plans, see yesterday's TPMDC story on the AFL-CIO plan.)
"The Recovery Act was bold and necessary action," Murgia said, referring to the stimulus. "Now it's time for more bold and necessary action again."
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Walter Mitty
November 17, 2009 6:25 PM
What can be done? Republicans are happy to see no jobs because it gives them a chance in 2010 and Conservadems will not sign off on any more spending.
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Odel Roo
November 17, 2009 7:05 PM
More spending... are u freaking serious? Remember that those who voted for it also promised this would solve the escalating un-employment.
Gov't is not the answer... Have you not seen the trend here, the more they spend the worse it gets. I'm just saying.
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kash79
November 17, 2009 7:44 PM
I don't get. I haven't taken many classes in Economics. But how come Banks are back to million dollar bonuses and Wall Street beyond 10,000 mark, while the unemployment went past 10%?
So much for "not Wall Street, but main street" campaign promises. Also, not Afghanistan or even healthcare (coz no one seems to like it, even if passes), but the "main street" economy will sink Dems in 2010.
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GTFOOH
November 17, 2009 8:05 PM in reply to kash79
Nothing will change until Dems stop attaching their political futures to the Regan "me generation" mentality.
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Michael A
November 17, 2009 8:13 PM in reply to kash79
Wall street always goes up, at least for the last 30 years since I have been paying attention, when unemployment goes up. Never made sense to me. Something about corporate profits. Less employees and more productivity means more profits, which drives the stock market. As far as I'm concerned, they could get rid of the stock market as we know it and it would totally benefit job growth and get rid of the funny money slushing around that caused this economic catastrophe. It really is pathetic.
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Silence
November 17, 2009 8:14 PM
Worry not my little progressive friends. When the conservs take the House and Senate next year, small business owners from all across the country will climb out their bunkers and dedicate themselves to creating real and sustainable jobs for America. That is, if the country isn't bankrupt by then.
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Michael A
November 17, 2009 8:14 PM
They are right about the job situation. Problem is there really is not much the government can do about it. Stimulus only generates so many jobs and the economy is so big that it would take a ton of stimulus to really make a difference, which we cannot afford and there is no stomach for it.
Bottom line, deal with healthcare costs and the other issues that can be dealt with.
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Silence
November 17, 2009 8:29 PM in reply to Michael A
The public option is not acceptable to the small business owners. Cap and tax is not acceptable. EFCA is not acceptable. You'd better start listening to these small business owners. They are the only ones with the numbers and the force to pull this country out of it's funk.
You'll find them at TEA parties all across the country. Yes. They are the crazy TEA partiers. WAKE UP and smell the coffee!!
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Michael A
November 17, 2009 8:33 PM in reply to Silence
Huh? Is that what train wreck beck told ya. Of course the public option is acceptable to small business, why not? Same with cap and trade, why not? How many small businesses are unionized or could possibly be unionized? None, so why would they care about EFCA.
Most of the teapartiers are old retirees, not small business owners. Small business owners don't have time to parade around with racist signs and make a stink.
Really, wake up and get the facts and an education.
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Silence
November 17, 2009 8:39 PM in reply to Michael A
You are absolutely clueless.
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Michael A
November 17, 2009 9:02 PM in reply to Silence
Now that was funny. Thanks for the laugh.
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Minnesotan
November 17, 2009 8:47 PM in reply to Silence
So, if none of these policies are "acceptable," than what is? Lowering the tax rate even more? That didn't seem to prevent us from getting into this mess now did it? And that would only contradict your complaint about the government going "bankrupt."
Honestly, what would you do differently if you reject all these policies beyond the usual "get government to go away" platitudes? Healthcare costs have more than exacerbated our current economic slump, the decline of unions can be directly tied to the yawning income inequality gap in this country (which, since the last time income inequality was this wide it was before the onset of the Great Depression and thus is a proven direct cause of economic collapse), and our reliance on inefficient fossil fuels while giving business no market incentives to be energy efficient (which is what cap and trade essentially addresses) makes our economy susceptible to major swings in the energy market (which, again, can be historically tied to economic collapse in this country - see the late 1970's). So, what do you propose be done to address these problems?
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Silence
November 17, 2009 9:35 PM in reply to Minnesotan
Keep the tax rates the same, remove interstate restrictions on health care insurance, bag cap and trade. Cut the size of govt. Don't give loans to people who can't pay them back. Stop the fed from playing games with interest rates.
Alternative energy can be accomplished when lower unemployment kicks in. The president should "nicely ask" the American people to contribute to national security efforts by purchasing back-up energy sources. Forget Al Gore's Global Warming crappola. The boy who called "crisis" has no credibility.
People want the truth. They want to solve "real problems" with "real solutions". When Obama said that only govt can fix this mess, he was effectively saying that he had no faith in the American people. A real executive would never say anything like that to those he is leading. That was the moment when I knew he was a fraud.
As the founder of a mfg company that employs over 90 US workers, I can assure you that inspiration is the tool most employed by successful leaders.
BTW, I've been to 3 TEA parties.
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Michael A
November 17, 2009 9:53 PM in reply to Silence
You have to cut back on that tea. It's going to your head. Were you the guy with the dachau blow-up? I thought I recognized you.
By the way, your "points" are what we have been doing for 30 years and what has it got us? The greatest economic collapse since the great depression. Gee, I want to experience that again.
I do agree people want the truth. Not your insane lies and bullshit that has been shoveled for 30 years.
Talk about clueless.
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Silence
November 17, 2009 10:20 PM in reply to Michael A
Enjoy the failure.
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Winston Smith
November 18, 2009 8:14 AM in reply to Silence
If it is a failure, which I agree seems probable, it is a failure to recover from exactly the policies you advocate.
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Michael A
November 18, 2009 12:17 PM in reply to Silence
Maybe you can help me out on my enjoyment. How have you enjoyed the failure of the last 30 years? How could you possibly? Help me understand the illusion and find enjoyment.
Thank you.
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erica
November 18, 2009 1:00 AM in reply to Silence
"Don't give loans to people that can't pay them back."
You mean like Citibank?
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shooter242
November 18, 2009 9:09 AM in reply to Silence
On the money.
I'm convinced progressives believe fairies visit stores at night to restock shelves with products made by elves in factories run by the Monopoly game tycoon.
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Minnesotan
November 18, 2009 12:56 PM in reply to Silence
There again, the same generic "cut the size of government" platitutde. Cut what, exactly? Cut where? That's easier said than done, which is exactly why every Republican talks about doing it, but once they get elected usually do nothing about it (both Bushes, Reagan, and Nixon all failed to do so). And what will you tell all those folks who are employed by those respective governmental departments, as well as the communities that rely off of those people? There's more unemployment for you to tussle with.
And the current healthcare bill does reduce interstate restrictions - and I'm guessing the reason why you advocate for that is that doing so would increase competition. So how does the public option unacceptable then? You want competition, but want to take a competitive option off the table.
And "ask nicely" to create more alternative energies? Yea, that worked in the past. Face it, cap and trade is an energy policy that has been favored by conservative and libertarian economists for some time now, but Republicans are pissy Democrats beat them to the punch in proposing legislation first.
As for saying the Obama doesn't have faith in the American people...here we go again with the baseless platitudes. Who works for the American government? Aliens? Last I checked, it's run by Americans. Do you also argue that saying that Republicans have no faith in Americans when they advocate for the military (which is, by extension,the government) can only solve the problems in Afghanistan and Iraq - because by extension of your logic they would. So how is saying that an American-run civil service system, in conjunction with American business, an un-American way?
I advise you look past the talking points handed out to you at tea party rallies and use your head. It may do you some good.
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ottis
November 17, 2009 9:03 PM
It is past time to redistribute the wealth in this country. It is time for all the downtrodden to rise up and claim their share. We have had it with all the goodies that the wealthy has taken the past eight years. If they tell us we can't even get our health care improved to the level of the average of the other countries. There should be a rebellion.
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Silence
November 17, 2009 9:39 PM in reply to ottis
And the what?
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shooter242
November 18, 2009 9:16 AM in reply to ottis
It is past time to redistribute the wealth in this country. It is time for all the downtrodden to rise up and claim their share.
Excuse me, what have you done that qualifies you to be given the proceeds of someone elses effort? Breathing? Sorry, but that isn't good enough.
Greed isn't wanting to keep more of what one earns. Greed is coveting someone elses earnings.
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ottis
November 17, 2009 9:20 PM
I really don't believe that Obama has a lot of time left to get this under control. If he can't get his Congress under control, he will be watching a run on Washington like you have not seen before. I am sure his heart is in the right place but I question his ability.
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lousgirl84
November 18, 2009 8:22 AM in reply to ottis
He is way smarter than any of you so I wouldn't worry about his abilities. How about getting behind this President if you in fact voted for him and hope he stays well, because the righties are enlisting assassins to kill him. This is what's happening out there.
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shooter242
November 18, 2009 9:19 AM in reply to lousgirl84
He is way smarter than any of you so I wouldn't worry about his abilities
Ahhh, the lilt of ignorance. You going to find out sooner or later that being smart, and having ability, are two very different things.
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inokeah
November 18, 2009 12:22 AM
Good Morning Progressives, it is so nice to see you awake and thinking for a change.
Where were you when this community organizer sold South Chicago then went away with millions?
Set up Whore houses with government loans where our kids walk to school!
Then when our hermanos where waiting in line to get some pre order, overseas servies medical help where killed in cold blood... Then went globe trotting for some photo-opps.
I am a proud member of all three of the organizations, but I cut my support of this President!
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lousgirl84
November 18, 2009 8:19 AM
A bunch of whiners. That's all there is here a bunch of whiners. Not only will Obama be re=elected, but we will pick up more seats.
Put that shit in your heads this morning.
What a bunch of uninformed idiots.
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FlyingV
November 18, 2009 11:32 AM
Well, one thing that might help would be to forgive as much of the federal govt-backed student loan debt as possible. Let's help get educated and skilled workers back into the workforce. There's currently no escape from this kind of loan debt, death and disability notwithstanding, and since the only protections left for these borrowers are forebearances and deferments - in which interest continues to accrue - graduates easily find themselves with six figures of debt by graduation or shortly thereafter.
At that point you're only option is to hand over - or let them garnish, it's the same amount - 15% of your take home pay, until you're 65, at which point the balance is written off and you are taxed on that amount as income.
Just as treating higher education and educational debt this way undermines job creation at every level, writing off that debt would allow educated workers to take lower paying jobs and employers to get more worker for their payroll dollars.
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