A) Is There A Jobs Bill? B) Do the Dems Support It? C) WTF Is Going On?

[MyUncle]

I am really miffed by this one.

POTUS says pass the bill. But, what is in the Bill, if indeed there is a Bill?

If there is a Bill, is it a good bill that I should support?

That said: I want more jobs, I want people to pay their fair share, I want higher taxes on the Ultra Rich.

But, I am getting a sense that there is no unity on this phantom legislation.

Someone, please tell me what is going on. Someone who is not a media company with a "C" in their acronym.

[frazzled]

1. Yes, there's a bill, but Harry Reid won't introduce it yet.

Here's the American Jobs Act http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/legislative/reports/american-jobs-act.pdf

So far, I can't find anything about a single Democratic senator sponsoring it. I'll call my senator (Durbin) tomorrow, and tell him to get off his arse.

[MyUncle]

2. OK, is it a good bill? If so why no support?

No snark intended, honest question.

[frazzled]

7. Why don't you read it at the link I gave you and decide

And yes, everyone from Krugman to various economic analysts say it will raise GDP by 1.5-2% and create 1-2 million jobs. It is supported widely.

Why Reid hasn't put it on the schedule yet, I don't know: except that he may not have the votes from conservative Democrats.

It's a very good bill. The best we can get at the moment and much stronger than anyone even expected.

But you shouldn't ask DU to give you advice on whether a bill is good or not. You need to do some research and get the expert opinion from people who actually know the economics.

[MyUncle]

10. Thanks for the link, I did click over to it.

I have to admit that I was a bit overwhelmed by the size, scope and magnitude of it.

I am a bit lazy, and I do rely on the opinion of others, not the "C" acronym media, but I trust DU.

[Lasher]

11. On September 8 Obama proposed changes to Medicare and Medicaid to help pay for the jobs bill.

I would hope that at least some Congressional Democrats oppose it for this reason alone.

[Booster]

13. Don't feel bad. I do the same thing. I could read it and not know

what the Hell I just read. I also rely on DU to explain things to me in plain English. A lot of people on here are smart as Hell.

[frazzled]

24. How can you trust DU to make your decisions when no one agrees?

Please realize there is a wide variety of opinion here--some based on nothing whatsoever besides slogans they've read on some blog and some from people who spend a lot of time trying to read serious policy analysis. There are people strongly in favor and people violently opposed. I don't know how you make a rational decision based on that.

[MyUncle]

27. I am sorting through the opinions, I genuinely appreciate your help.

EOM

[quiller4]

21. It must first pass the House before it goes to the Senate

because it is a spending bill and they must originate in the House. Call your representative; not your senator.

[MannyGoldstein]

The bill will not pass

Republicans won't pass it for several reasons.

Fortunately though, Obama and the Republicans *can* agree on something else: passing three free-trade agreements originally introduced by Bush. So at least *something* affecting jobs will pass.

[RaleighNCDUer]

17. And we know how free trade affects US jobs. nt

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[MannyGoldstein]

5. The bill will not pass

Republicans won't pass it for several reasons.

Fortunately though, Obama and the Republicans *can* agree on something else: passing three free-trade agreements originally introduced by Bush. So at least *something* affecting jobs will pass.

[Ruby the Liberal]

6. So, do you think the bill will pass?

:D

[MyUncle]

8. Easy now Manny, back away from the "Enter" button...

[Booster]

14. Best laugh I've had today. Thanks for that.

[pampango]

23. What if our trade with FTA countries was much closer to being balanced than our trade with

the rest of the world? Or are free trade agreements bad for other reasons (weakening of our national sovereignty, distrust of foreigners in general, etc.) even if they led to our better trade performance?

Perhaps the coincidence of FTA's with the decline of the middle/working class standard of living and in the level of equality in the US is all the proof you need that they are BAD. (Of course those declines can be more directly linked to the weakening of unions, the destruction of a progressive tax system and the deregulation of the financial industry and corporations - things that progressive European countries haven't done. Those same progressive countries also have much more free trade - and trade in general - but have much stronger middle/working classes and much more equitable distributions of income.)

Are free trade agreements bad because you just KNOW they are BAD. In that case statistics on trade and evidence of what works in progressive countries really don't matter.

[bvar22]

25. ANYTHING we do that enables, empowers, & enriches ....

...the current Right Wing Death Squad Puppet Government in Colombia is a BAD THING.

Colombia is the 3rd Largest Recipient of US Foreign Aid.
Under the current conditions, it is realistic to assume that our Tax Money will ultimately subsidize the loss of American Taxpayer Jobs to Colombia.



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[pampango]

26. You make a great human rights argument that we shouldn't sign ANY treaty with Columbia.

Regardless of whether a case can be made that a trade treaty would be economically beneficial is secondary to the human rights violations that are going on there.

[Lasher]

9. Reid has scheduled votes on other bills first.

Votes for disaster aid, extensions for the Federal Aviation Administration, and a short-term spending plan are ahead of the jobs bill.

And you are right, there is no unity of support for Obama's jobs plan.

[dkf]

12. There is a provision to make some muni bond interest taxable.

This would make it more expensive for the states and municipalities to raise funds.

When I saw that I knew they never meant it to pass.

General consensus is it is DOA.

[Ruby the Liberal]

15. Build America bonds passed.

[dkf]

18. Subsidized by the Feds who ended the program.

[lonestarnot]

16. looks like there is lots of them

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billsearch.xpd?q=jobs+bill

[cherokeeprogressive]

19. The "bill" was a campaign speech.

Nothing more than a political ploy.

Prove me wrong.

I'm tired of this shit.

From here on out, you'll hear NOTHING but campaign speeches. There will be nothing of substance other than "the other side will cripple the country".

There will be no new ideas, no new policy proposals, no new nothing.

It's all politics now, with nothing more important at stake than WHICH PARTY DO WE WANT TO PRESIDE OVER THE CRASH.

[woo me with science]

20. It is a rehash of a proposal written by the Chamber of Commerce.

Free trade agreements that will cost, not create, jobs. The centerpiece of it is a continuation of a payroll tax holiday that has already been in effect for nine months without creating a bunch of new jobs, and which threatens Social Security by reducing the money allotted to it and tying it to the general fund.

It is full of crap that has been proposed by Republicans in the past many times. It was written for corporations.

[sam11111]

22. WPA funded by Buffet tax......this is what it should be

End ALL unemployment

And don't resort to begging the corporations to do it.

Our government can do it itself. And do it for sure. No wondering where the money went, as with the bank bailout.

See my sig.