House to vote on jobs bill this week

[The Northerner]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives aims to pass a scaled-back jobs bill this week to bring down the nation's double-digit unemployment rate, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Tuesday.

The bill will include money for ready-to-go highway construction projects and aid to cash-strapped states so they will not have to lay off teachers, police and other public-sector employee, Hoyer said at his weekly news conference.

The $75 billion cost will be covered by money left over from the government's $700 billion bank bailout, Hoyer said.

The House also plans to extend several federal safety-net programs, such as unemployment insurance and food stamps, to help those struggling with the worst economic downturn since the 1930s, Hoyer said.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BE3AG20091215

[Techn0Girl]

1. A "Scaled Back" Jobs Bill - Thank you Democratic Party!

Thanks for the crumbs you threw at us today, party I USED to vote for.

Thanks for the 75 Billion scaled back jobs bill which is only HALF AS FUCKING MUCH for every unemployed person in the U.S. as the 140 BILLION in banker bonuses that got paid out of our TARP funds
( http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/banker-bonuses-putting-it-all-perspec)

Gee golly thanks for all that !

Never mind that EACH AND EVERY unemployment extension and COBRA subsidy for EVERY UNEMPLOYED PERSON in the U.S. is set to expire this December 29th.

Gee thanks for putting all that money into new roads. Sorry I won't be able to use them BECAUSE I'M TOO DAMN POOR TO AFFORD GAS MONEY.

Thanks Democratic Party for being on my side.

[Capers]

2. Lots of stuff will be happening this week and next.

Surprise!

[seabeckind]

3. As usual, a non-solution solution

A couple weeks ago Pres Obama travelled to Allentown and gave a jobs speech. The plant he chose did steel stampings (I believe, I didn't verify that). One of the statements on the snooze was that their business had fallen off lately and they had to cut back the work force.

So my question would be: why is their business off and shouldn't we fix that problem?

For example, we are selling our house to downsize. As part of the sale we want to leave our appliances and move across country, and replace them if necessary in our new home. So I checked to see if I could find any made in america -- I would be willing to pay more. No luck, even though most brand names are american companies. As I said, I didn't verify but I would guess that the stampings from Allentown used to be for applicances.

This morning Pres Obama spoke at an HD about weatherizing. I didn't bother listening to the speech cause I figured it was a rerun. Wouldn't we have more jobs if just about EVERYTHING in HD wasn't from china? BTW, I didn't see any appliances there from the US.

BTW, I only buy products made outside the US if it's an absolute need.

So why aren't we fixing THIS problem? Afraid to upset our "american" corporations?

[ReformCOBRANow]

4. Reform Cobra Now

Those who lost their jobs prior to the September 1, 2008
eligibility cut-off date never received any assistance with
their COBRA premiums. Many if not most of those same people
are not even eligible for COBRA now because their 18 months of
coverage has expired. Even those who were lucky enough to
receive the subsidy in the first place are starting to loose
their coverage and are joining the estimated 50 million
uninsured. 
 
According to a Harvard study, uninsured adults are 80% more
likely to die from a traumatic injury than those who have
insurance. Currently their are three bills working their way
through congress that may offer some relief. For more
information on these bills and other options to COBRA, please
see our website at http://cobrareform.weebly.com/.