How About A Summit With The Unemployed?

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2010124912/how-about-summit-unemployed

We had bailouts and bonuses for Wall Street but letdowns and layoffs for Main Street. We had a deficit commission but no jobs commission. We have tax cuts for the rich and budget cuts for the rest of We, the People. And this week the President is having a "summit" with the heads of giant corporations. So how about holding a summit with the unemployed?

President Obama is holding a "summit" with 20 or so CEOs Wednesday, "to ease strained relations with business." NY Times: Obama to Meet With Executives,

President Obama will host a roundtable with about 20 corporate chiefs on Wednesday, according to the White House, part of an attempt to ease strained relations with business.

… With the mood for the meeting already lightened by his recent announcements of a trade deal with South Korea and a compromise on tax cuts with Congressional Republicans, Mr. Obama and the executives will discuss an overhaul of the tax system...

See if you can guess what sort of "overhaul of the tax system" suggestions are likely to come out of a "summit" with top CEOs. Hint: a recent "summit" with Republican leaders resulted in a plan for extending tax cuts for the rich and cutting the inheritance tax.

More at the link ---

[Javaman]

1. Fuck the summit, march on Washington. Like they did in the 1890's and

in 1932.

Like one of the Bonus Marchers stated, "I ain't working now, so it matters nothin' to me to go to Washington. I get paid the same amount either way. Nothin'".

[Poboy]

2. Where are the jobs Obama?!

[nc4bo]

3. Or at least invite the unemployed to the CEO summit. nt

[jpgray]

4. In the words of Bob Dole: "Poor people don't contribute to campaigns."

[mmonk]

5. The unemployed have no campaign cash. Let them eat cake.

[riderinthestorm]

6. He even held a summit for Christian religious leaders

but not the unemployed. Obama met with Wall Street bankers but not the unemployed. Now he's meeting with CEO's. But not the unemployed.

Link to story about Obama's meeting with Christian leaders....
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/by-faith/christian-leaders-meet-with-president-obama-on-election-eve/7417/

Link to story about Wall Street bankers meeting:
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/obama-to-bankers-play-ball-or-fight/19278049

I'd like to think that Obama is actually HEARING from those who are affected. It may actually move him. To push for unemployment for the 99ers. Or to ditch the payroll tax holiday (the Trojan horse for the demise of SS). To create a WPA program - something, ANYTHING!

[ladjf]

7. How about consulting with the "other 98%" ? nt

[Still a Democrat]

8. He cut a deal to extend benefits - or are we more interested in a show?

?

[whathehell]

9. With all due respect...

Big fucking deal....

He SAID that's why he cut the deal...Bullshit -- one year of unemployment benefits for TWO years of obscene tax cut to the filthy rich?

Perhaps you're expectations are a lot lower than mine......There was lots moe to do and He should have gotten WAY more than that for what he gave.

...If he was "interested"..which frankly, I don't think he is.

[Still a Democrat]

10. A big deal to those getting them - are they just pawns?

It's pretty amazing to see this scoffed at, at a progressive site.

[riderinthestorm]

12. 2 million got unemployment extended. Many more millions were cut loose.

And many millions more aren't even eligible for anything anymore.

The "show" he's putting on appears to be skewed heavily in favor of big corporate, big $$ and less about the unemployed. It would actually be refreshing if he DID put on some kind of show of listening to the poor or those who are actually standing in line waiting for benefits.

Take a trip and spend some REAL time listening to those at shelters, or at the free healthcare clinics or free legal aid clinics. There may once have been a time that he did that, but those years appear to be way behind him. He needs to begin actually HEARING from those who are suffering. Perhaps that will move him.

Instead of speaking only to those within his own "class". It's a terrible impression, and palpably obvious who he is really pandering to.

[whathehell]

13. Yeah....Except for the Ninety Niners who won't get shit...Or haven't you heard of them?

..a little "out of the loop" are you?.

If you bothered to read my post, I clearly did NOT disagree with the value of the unemployed getting their benefits..

I said it wasn't ENOUGH!

Get it now?

[Donnachaidh]

16. uh, yeah. They are cover for the elite tax breaks.

If he truly cared about the unemployed -- he would have included the 99ers.

[Donnachaidh]

15. so explain why he did NOTHING for the 99ers?

They weren't in the appropriate timeframe to give huge tax cuts to the wealthy? Is THAT why he -still- is ignoring them? That's really telling, especially when he was a supposed *community organizer* in the past.

[Still a Democrat]

11. "Unemployment extension is my first priority" - Obama says in speech today

President Obama spoke to workers in North Carolina this afternoon in Winston Salem. He talked about the economy, lack of jobs, and his priority to get the unemployment extension back into place.

President Obama said that “his priority is to get the unemployment benefits in place right away”. “This is not only the right thing, but the smart thing,” Obama said.

“Not only is it important to help the families who have lost their income, but without the unemployment extension money stops going into the economy, which is needed to make jobs,” he continued on to say.

http://www.examiner.com/pop-culture-in-hartford/president-obama-nc-today-unemployment-extension-is-my-first-priority

[Donnachaidh]

14. but the 99ers got bupkiss. They weren't expediant enough.

Guess they needed to have an excuse to give tax breaks to elites to get them noticed by this administration. :eyes:

[whathehell]

17. ...and that really means something...

to the dwindling number who still believe him.:eyes: