Senator Harkin Unveils Major Economic Legislation Aimed at Middle Class

[limpyhobbler]

Senator Tom Harkin announced today a broad economic plan that he will introduce shortly in the Senate—one well to the left of the current White House proposal and aimed directly at reviving the middle class.

Harkin’s legislation, which he dubs the “Rebuild America Act,” touches on virtually every area of American economic policy: it revamps the tax code, initiates a wide array of public spending meant to goose the economy, pushes for fair trade laws, and retools laws and regulations that affect middle-class families.

The legislation is divided into three basic categories: the first is proactive federal spending an action meant to boost the flagging economy.

- $300 billion for roads, bridges, energy efficiency systems and other infrastructure

- $20 billion in school modernization funding

- Boosting funding for agencies that regulate trade, to better enforce fair trade policies

- Funding to states to hire teachers, public safety workers and other public employees.

Then, the bill deals with ensuring long-term stability for the middle class. These provisions include:

- Increased child care subsidies for working parents

- Ensuring that workers, particularly white-collar workers categorized as independent contractors earn time-and-a-half overtime pay

- Raising the minimum wage

- Strengthening the National Labor Relations Act, making it easier for workers to join unions and increasing penalties on employers for blocking unionization.

Of course this has no chance of passing...

Read more: http://www.thenation.com/blog/167114/senator-harkin-unveils-major-economic-legislation-aimed-middle-class

[pacalo]

1. Sen. Harkin is trying. He's a good man.

[Waiting For Everyman]

2. K&R

[JDPriestly]

3. Thank you, Senator Harkin.

[fasttense]

4. Thanks for trying.

It's interesting that Ryan's destroy-the-middle-class-in-one-budget will never, ever pass but gets touted on all the corporate news channels. Yet the Liberal House Democratic budget (which has more sponsors than the Ryan budget) isn't even mentioned on most corporate news programs.

The same with this. It wont even receive a passing glance from our so-called liberal media.