Obama signs emergency bill to halt teacher layoffs

[babylonsister]

Obama signs emergency bill to halt teacher layoffs
AP
By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer Jim Abrams, Associated Press Writer – 9 mins ago



WASHINGTON – Summoned back from summer break, the House on Tuesday pushed through an emergency $26 billion jobs bill that Democrats said would save 300,000 teachers, police and others from election-year layoffs. President Barack Obama immediately signed it into law.

Lawmakers streamed back to Washington for a one-day session as Democrats declared a need to act before children return to classrooms minus teachers laid off because of budgetary crises in states that have been hard-hit by the recession.

Republicans saw it differently, calling the bill a giveaway to teachers' unions and an example of wasteful Washington spending that voters will punish the Democrats for in this fall's elections. The legislation was approved mainly along party lines by a vote of 247-161.

The aid for the states is to be paid for mostly by closing a tax loophole used by multinational corporations and by reducing food stamp benefits for the poor.

Obama, joined by teachers at a Rose Garden ceremony earlier in the day, said, "We can't stand by and do nothing while pink slips are given to the men and women who educate our children or keep our communities safe."

The Senate narrowly passed the measure last Thursday, after the House had begun its August break.

The legislation provides $10 billion to school districts to rehire laid-off teachers or to ensure that more teachers won't be let go before the new school year begins. The Education Department estimates that could save 160,000 jobs.

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100810/ap_on_bi_ge/us_jobs_bill

[SunsetDreams]

1. K&R

"Too little, too late"

[damntexdem]

3. But good nevertheless for what it will do.

Better than the pissing away of the base that the WH has otherwise engaged in lately.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Not enough, too slow, who cares, and blah, blah and blah.......

[BeyondGeography]

4. Just like Bush

Fucking sellout.

[proud patriot]

5. Thank Goodness

:-)

[BeyondGeography]

6. Look how quiet it is in here

Hey, everybody, something that actually MATTERED happened. It will touch even more lives than Keith Olbermann's special comment tonight. Really, it will.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. Yes it is quiet

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. Hurrah!!!! How are the RW spin doctors spinning this today?

[Davis_X_Machina]

14. Assume no automatic good will....

...towards teachers, or police. Pence & Boehner can say what they say and pay no price because the median voter agrees with them.

Cops and teachers share one thing—they take your tax money, and turn around tell you, or your kids, ‘You’re doing it wrong’, or ‘You can’t do that’.

There is no constituency for any occupation that earns its bread by telling the Great American Electorate ‘No’.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. the same people will cry if there are no cops available

sorry the police will be there tomorrow or maybe not at all. Two can play at that game.

[Davis_X_Machina]

20. Until they need a cop..

...he's the guy who writes tickets, and won't let you beat your wife and/or jack deer.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

9. I thought he hated teachers.

:sarcasm:

[SunsetDreams]

12. me too

[femmocrat]

10. Probably a stupid question, but....

will there be "accountability"? Will the money actually be used for retaining teachers and who is going to make sure that it does?

How will the money be distributed to the districts that actually need it? Is there an application process?

:shrug:

[babylonsister]

11. Not stupid questions at all, but I don't know the answers. I

imagine you could google the bill...

Here's a start...

http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=2447

n the News: Bill to Save 319,000 Jobs Will Be Felt in Communities Across the Nation

[femmocrat]

13. Thanks for the link.

:hi: I hope this money finds it way to save jobs ASAP!

School has already started in many districts in the south. The rest of us start back in a couple of weeks. Just wondering how this money is going to get to the districts in time.

[AtomicKitten]

16. Thank goodness for that. nt

[impik]

17. The professional.

[Whisp]

18. but doesn't he Hate Teachers?

I'm pretty sure I read that here.
nvmind.

K&R!!!!

[Pisces]

19. I notice the usual " Obama hates teacher" suspects are absent regarding

today's vote.

[scheming daemons]

21. It's not enough. It never is.

[SeattleGirl]

22. Good on Congress for passing this and to Obama for

signing it!

[Zenlitened]

23. Ugh. Can I take back my Rec?

I was going to write "K&R, good news" or something to that effect.

But after seeing so many DUchebaggy responses from the Bitter Bogger Brigade, I'm wishing I'd never clicked at all. :(

[KakistocracyHater]

24. & by REDUCING FOOD STAMPS FOR THE POOR?! wtf?!?

so they cut the blanket a little at the bottom to make their shoulders warm? By taking food from poor American kids? Instead of "claw-backs" from the Banksters' monstrous 'bonuses'? Add the damn strings already