the one message I'd like to send Obama: "It's the jobs, stupid"....

[cap]

Not to disrespect the POTUS, but to paraphrase Carville.
I'd like to get Obama focused on getting people jobs... All the other things, climate change, health care, energy, LA Oil Spill, are great and truly necessary to dig us out of the hole; but to win seats in 2010, he's got to get on message: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs.

[Hannah Bell]

1. jobs aren't on his to-do list.

[cali]

3. bullshit.

[gateley]

6. Then how come he mentions it repeatedly, and has created a job stimulus program?

If you're unhappy with him, at least be honest in your criticisms.

[paulk]

10. do you mean the job stimulus program from last year?

the one that was supposed to keep us from hitting 8% unemployment?

[Subdivisions]

13. Yup. And those jobs have already moved through my town in the form

of a highway resurfacing project that brought about a month's worth of lunch-time revenues. The jobs weren't created here. They were created somewhere else and simply rolled through my town from the north and proceeded southward right out of town. So much for that.

[gateley]

15. That was for starters -- he's also giving tax breaks to small businesses to

help them hire, and doing making other efforts.

Sincere question -- how would YOU address this problem if you'd been handed this nightmare that was decades in the making? My "solution" would be to give every citizen a portion of the money they've used for the bailouts, but the financial experts understand far better than I why that isn't viable (apparently). So, what steps would you take that Obama hasn't?

And, isn't making an effort a step in the right direction? I just don't think a snarky "it's not on his to-do list" is fair nor accurate.

I give every president some slack at the beginning -- I don't think any one of them has any real concept of the quagmire they're entering. Obama did what he felt would work, he was under pressure, and it did help a LITTLE bit. I just hope he keeps learning and tweaking and coming up with more options.

[paulk]

17. the most recent $30 billion small business tax break stimulus

is pretty much a joke - it's too small and tax breaks aren't the way to do it. Obama's reliance on tax breaks and the private sector for recovery is misguided, imo - I almost think, at times, that - being a child of that generation - he's bought into the Reagan economy and it's trickle down economics.

Obama and most Democrats are way underestimating how badly our economy is hurting - a problem that was decades in the making requires drastic actions to unmake - and I see too much business as usual from this administration. I think the economy needs federal money injected directly into it - more unemployment benefits, more (and easier to get) foodstamps, an expansion of welfare benefits - and an least an acknowledgment that there are a whole class of people, the self employed, that are pretty much falling through the cracks of both the economy and the government's attempts to help.

And finally, Obama should consider something along the lines of the depression era WPA and CCC - instead of flatly rejecting the idea, as he has done.

[gateley]

18. I agree with what you say, although I'll expand your statement about Obama

and most Dems underestimating how bad we're hurting. I think most people don't understand unless they're directly affected. My sister-in-law is unaware because she's employed at a good job with good benefits and can pay the rent and can afford to buy the food and clothes she needs

And those in Washington in additional to not hurting financially, liven in that insular bubble that is so far removed from reality...

I hope Obama gets to the point where he says "I welcome their hatred!", because I do agree these times call for depression era efforts.

But I don't take away from Obama trying. I guess I'm just still smarting from the Bush years.

[cali]

2. I'm pretty sure he knows this

[gateley]

4. He knows this and he references it every single time he talks about the economy.

[Walk away]

5. I think he knows but it's really up to the private sector to provide them.

There is a limit to how many real jobs the government can create on it's own with aide to states and towns. The real control they might have is stopping jobs from going to other countries. Then you would hear the little Pukes squeal!

[paulk]

12. CCC

WPA

Obama's faith in the private sector is misguided

and conservative

[Bluenorthwest]

14. Tell it to FDR

In what way is the private sector required or responsible for 'providing jobs'? What law compels them? Your fantasia? Do you have any idea how many jobs the government provides right now, including those of ever politician who is shrugging off the dire situation? And since when do we avoid actions because the Republicans will whine? That sounds like a concern for Republicans to me.

[Walk away]

21. I didn't say we had to avoid it because pukes whine...I just said that they would.

And you are right, private industry can't be force to create jobs but if they don't this country is skrewed no matter how many temporary goverment jobs you want to create.

[earth mom]

7. Don't mistake Obama for FDR. Obviously Obama doesn't give a shit about the peons. nt

[ecstatic]

8. he should force every company to hire 10 new people

Right?

[OhioChick]

9. Bingo

No Jobs = No Recovery for those on Main St.

K&R

[MadMaddie]

11. Yea, you are right jobs are the ONLY thing that he has to address!

:sarcasm:

Why aren't you and others protesting the Big 3 Mega banks that are NOT loaning money to small businesses who are ready to hire folks and put them to work?


-Jobs
-Massive Oil Spill (which will dwarf Exxon Valdez)
-Immigration Reform
-Finance Reform
-Big Banks not loaning money to small businesses
-Death Threats to him and his family
-Stablizing U.S standing in the world...
-Getting the hell out of Iraq and Afghanastan

oh wait there's more

A BROKEN Senate that has over 131 bills which have passed the House just sitting there while the fucking Republicans sit with their thumbs up their asses...Is that his fault too?

It's all interconnected and it's not simple. What is your proposal?

I tell you what mine is I think the government should start work programs to rebuild this countries infrastructure instead of waiting for the states to do it. We know what the reaction from the right will be and that is probably why it hasn't happened.

[gateley]

16. Yeah, he's a slacker, alright. *rolling eyes icon goes here*

I'm tired of this crap -- some of these people make it sound like he's as inept and ineffectual as Bush. :grr:

When he pisses me off, I rail on him about that particular (in my estimation) fuck-up. I don't write him off.

[MadMaddie]

22. I am with you!

[old mark]

19. Here's his email address - tell him yourself.

Link:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

I email them at least every other week.

mark

[Walk away]

20. Don't you think someone will be cleaning up the oil spill?

Won't that create some jobs? Don't you think that with millions more people with health care that there will be more jobs in health care? I don't see what your problem is. Those jobs are being generated now as we speak. But we are still losing jobs in manufacturing like crazy. The government doesn't need to manufacture anything. Private industry has to do that. As far as green jobs are concerned, that's great but you need companies to use green resources. Money doesn't come out of the air.

[Enthusiast]

23. How would you suggest

these jobs be created?

In light of the wholesale deindustrialization of the U.S. I don't see manufacturing jobs ever returning to where they were in the 1990s. What is your solution?

I'm a critic of President Obama but on this issue I can't see what he can do that would be very effective.

[Dr Morbius]

24. Miracles, dammit! We want miracles!

More reinforcement of the meme that Obama is a "false messiah."

Presidents do not create jobs. Presidents ideally create conditions in which jobs occur, but look at America today and tell me how Obama is supposed to make everything all better. Manufacturing is all but gone, and with few Americans having spending money, job growth is naturally sluggish.

I don't suppose anyone remembers Obama campaigning and saying over and over and over that he couldn't do it alone, and that he'd need us. I don't suppose anyone remembers after the election when he made it clear that now the real work begins.

[cap]

25. Guys, I am going to be phone banking tomorrow

and folks will be asking. I can't give them a flip reply and I can't tell them patience ...

I know the oil slick's important but.. folks need relief

[RB TexLa]

26. There are things far more important than one nation's unemployment rate.