The New Jobs Bill proposal sent to my e-mail boxfrom the White House is too vague and says nothing specific. No. 3 particularly struck a nerve.
The President is asking for our support. He is asking us to fax, send letters, and call Senators and Representatives to support this Bill. When we tried this before and sent our desperate messages to the White House and protested together in the streets and gathered together in DC to be heard and action to be taken, they turned away despite our pleas for help. They turned the American worker into beggers at that point, and our requests fell on deaf ears. Election time is drawing near and President Obama seems to be on a campaign trail.
#3 (He is talking of extending people already on unemployment such as he did before when the long-term unemployed were waiting and hoping for a break and thought we got one, but no.) He mentions training programs to help the long-term unemployed, but this means another year or more out of work while in training. Who can afford this? It is too late. You need a car and gas to go back and forth to a school or extra money in your pocket for travel expenses to a school by public transportation. You need extra cash no matter how you look at it for food, clothes, etc.
( He should toss around the idea of getting employers to have on the job training programs for people or allow time to get off work earlier or at least one or two days a week to attend classes.) Work would be part- time while in training. Not many will be given an opportunity for an on line program at home and even that would require expensive internet connections that many can't afford. I think at this point we have run out of time. No one has the privilege of attending classes without some sort of an income. The unemployed who are receiving benefits couldn't stretch their dollars enough because of their own basic living expenses that are probably hard to cover as it is. Also, these training programs will be flooding the work force where competition will be made heavier than it already is and still not enough jobs will come available for everyone who has had training.
I myself had completed a Computer Program at a school years ago, but I was lucky to find work after the program and kept it the job for over 10 years until that job was outsourced. Others in my same class at the time did not find work so easily even though the school promises to place people in jobs.
JOBS BILL: President Obama
Here are a few important points about how the American Jobs Act works, and why Congress should act quickly:
First, it provides a tax cut for small businesses, not big corporations, to help them hire and expand now and provides an additional tax cut to any business that increases wages.
Second, it puts people back to work, including teachers, first responders and veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, and construction workers repairing crumbling bridges, roads and more than 35,000 public schools, with projects chosen by need and impact, not earmarks and politics.
Third, it helps out-of-work Americans by extending unemployment benefits to help them support their families while looking for work and reforming the system with training programs that build real skills, connect to real jobs and help the long-term unemployed.
Fourth, it puts more money in the pockets of working and middle class Americans by cutting in half the payroll tax that comes out of every worker's paycheck, saving families an average of $1,500 a year. And it removes the barriers that exist in the current federal refinancing program (HARP) to help more Americans refinance their mortgages at historically low rates, save money and stay in their homes.
The American Jobs Act is based on ideas supported by both Democrats and Republicans, and is fully paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes and by asking the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. It would have an immediate impact on job and economic growth, but Congress has to act now.
You can learn more about the American Jobs Act on Whitehouse.gov.
Over the next few days there are a number of ways for you to ask questions and engage with Administration officials about the American Jobs Act including Open for Questions live panels and Twitter Office Hours.
In fact, next week, I'll be participating in my very first White House Office Hours on Twitter, so be sure to tune in and send me your questions using the hashtag #WHChat.
Here's a list of the full lineup of events so far:
Today at 4:30 p.m. EDT: Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council will be answering your questions on Twitter during White House Office Hours using the hashtag #WHChat.
Monday September 12 at 4:30 p.m. EDT: White House Office Hours on Twitter with Stephanie Cutter, Assistant to the President and Deputy Senior Advisor.
Tuesday, September 13 at 5:30 p.m. EDT: I'll be answering your questions on Twitter during White House Office Hours using the hashtag #WHChat.
Wednesday, September 14th at 4:00 p.m. EDT: White House Office Hours with Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic council.
Sincerely,
David Plouffe