Jan Schakowsky Announces New Budget Plan With Focus On Jobs

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, announced on Wednesday that she will introduce a progressive-minded budget outline aimed at putting more than two million people to work.

Titled the “Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act,” the plan would cost $227 billion and would be implemented over two years. It would be financed by separate legislation introduced by Schakowsky called the "Fairness in Taxation Act," which would raise taxes for Americans who earn more than $1 million and $1 billion. It would also eliminate subsidies for big oil companies while closing loopholes for corporations that send American jobs overseas.

The congresswoman said that her plan would create 2.2 million jobs and decrease the unemployment rate by 1.3 percent.

"If we want to create jobs, then create jobs," Schakowsky said in a press release. "I’m not talking about "incentivizing" companies in the hopes they’ll hire someone, or cutting taxes for the so-called job creators who have done nothing of the sort. My plan creates actual new jobs."

Schakowsky’s proposal reads more like a progressive wishlist than legislation likely to be signed into law. But it does provide a template of sorts to help Democrats frame their budget argument as lawmakers enter the high-stakes super committee negotiations.

Under her plan, the following policies would be implemented:

• The School Improvement Corps would create 400,000 construction and 250,000 maintenance jobs by funding positions created by public school districts to do needed school rehabilitation improvements.

• The Park Improvement Corps would create 100,000 jobs for youth between the ages of 16 and 25 through new funding to the Department of the Interior and the USDA Forest Service’s Public Lands Corps Act. Young people would work on conservation projects on public lands including the restoration and rehabilitation of natural, cultural, and historic resources.

• The Student Jobs Corps would create 250,000 more part-time work study jobs for eligible college students through new funding for the Federal Work Study Program.

• The Neighborhood Heroes Corps would hire 300,000 new teachers, 40,000 new police officers and 12,000 new firefighters.

• The Health Corps would hire at least 40,000 health care providers, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and health care workers to expand access in underserved rural and urban areas.

• The Child Care Corps would create 100,000 jobs in early childhood care and education through additional funding for Early Head Start.

• The Community Corps would hire 750,000 individuals to do needed work in communities, including housing rehab, weatherization, recycling, and rural conservation.

In addition, the bill would give priority to the longterm unemployed -- the so-called "99ers" who have exhausted both their state and federal unemployment benefits. Federally extended unemployment benefits are set to expire this year, even though nearly 14 million Americans remain out of work and it takes the average worker nine months to find a new job.

“The worst deficit this country faces isn’t the budget deficit," Schakowsky said. "It’s the jobs deficit. We need to get our people and our economy moving again.”

Comments

[tifosies]

07:39 PM on 08/17/2011

I'm concerned that this will go the way of the People's Budget, what did we hear? Nada! WE THE PEOPLE need to make noise! TEA= TheyEmbarrassAmerica! If you don't want to pay taxes, MOVE to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia. America is BETTER THAN THAT!

[Peatbog]

08:39 PM on 08/14/2011

GO JAN!!! Get on the TV with your plan!!! Make someone explain why it won't get a vote in the House! Shame the Republicans!!! and Shame on the Republicans!

[cornflower]

05:24 PM on 08/13/2011

I'll vote for this because the people hired will perform necessary work and paying them to do it will have a multiplier effect. But we need to enable people to, e.g. get out of houses they can't sell so they can relocate, train them for new jobs where old jobs in old industries have disappeared, enforce our borders and let employers improve jobs formerly refused by Americans because they were too horrible to accept and otherwise help Americans qualify to fill jobs in the US

[Randy m]

12:59 PM on 08/13/2011

Her budget plan would be a great way to save the country from collapse and move us forward to becoming a great country again. That is exactly why the repuglicans and the Tea Klux Klan will do everything possible to block it!!

[Tom Hendricks]

12:26 PM on 08/13/2011

My concern is trying to bring this wish list to this stale mate congress. Why would it get anywhere? People out of work can't wait for this congress. Most of the jobs she wants could be done in a grass roots way that doesn't involve government or its bickering in any way. Representative, add your voice to National Hiring Day. You could get that done in one day. Just say it. National Hiring Day just needs enough people calling for it - that means, the representative, or you reading this, or influential leaders, or media,

There is a solution to the jobs problem and it could quickly put hundreds of thousands of people back to work. It is not pro left or right. It is not from any corporation, it's outside the government control, it's totally voluntary, works in about one week, and helps all with little sacrifice from anyone.

National Hiring Day - This is a day that corporations are encouraged to hire new employees. Corporations are called on to put patriotism first and help their country in
hard times. Those corporations that cannot hire, are asked to stop firing for that month.
http://wp.me/p5S9X-nv

[Sagescript]

10:48 AM on 08/13/2011

How ironic that Schakowsky would first propose the Safe Cosmetics Act (HR 2359) which would put small cosmetic businesses out of business causing their owners to loose their 'American Dream' and then propose this act to help fund the American Dream. Well I for one would like to keep my small cosmetics business without the expensive requirements for animal testing and record keeping mandated in HR 2359 - I don't want a different American Dream, I want my own.

[platt]

10:56 PM on 08/15/2011

So you're saying you have a problem with the Provisions of the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 which include:
Phase-out of ingredients linked to cancer, birth defects and developmental harm;
Creation of a health-based safety standard that includes protections for children, the elderly, workers and other vulnerable populations;
Elimination of labeling loopholes by requiring full ingredient disclosure on product labels and company websites, including salon products and the constituent ingredients of fragrance;
Worker access to information about unsafe chemicals in personal care products;
Required data-sharing to avoid duplicative testing and encourage the development of alternatives to animal testing; and adequate funding to the FDA Office of Cosmetics and Colors so it has the resources it needs to provide effective oversight of the cosmetics industry. Could you tell me how you could be against this?

[Sagescript]

11:22 PM on 08/19/2011

Yes, I have serious issues with the Safe cosmetics act.
1. There are 'internet rumous' about cosmetics causing cancer, there are no scientific studies relating cosmetics to cancer.
2. I think all ingredients should be listed on cosmetic labels, the trouble is how 'ingredient' is defined. In this bill an ingredient includes all processing aids used in the manufacture of ingredients even when none are in the final ingredient. See here what I mean by this http://sagescript.blogspot.com/2011/07/chickens-hr-2359-neither-is-related-to.html
3. Manufacturers are already required to have MSDS forms on file and workers have access to them.
4. I am all for research and further research on cosmetic ingredients would be great. Its the costly record keeping required by this bill requires that of course will be passed on to consumers and FDA attention will be taken from important matters like E.Coli in our food.
By not registering small/micro businesses will be out of the loop and not receive up to date information on ingredient toxicity. Testing of final products for contaminants such as lead and arsenic is not feasible for small companies producing lots of 20-100 or even 1000. It is this same requirement for testing that put small toymakers out of business a few years ago. I encourage you to read more about this bill starting here: http://personalcaretruth.com/2011/07/safe-cosmetics-act-2011-cover-table-of-contents-and-sec-611-definitions/

[jatayu]

04:33 PM on 08/12/2011

This is a decent plan, I like the sound of it in theory but with this Congress and our current political situation there is little to no chance of it ever gaining any real traction. Its a plan that isn't about "massive government spending". It'd be paid for by "revenue" creating legislation that is attached to it; closing corporate loopholes, ending big oil subsidies, and raising tax to 49% on people making close to a billion a yr (all of which seems reasonable to me). Which, according to the Republicans will happen when we use their cold rigor mortis hands to sign the bill. I'm not so sure that this is a problem that'll be solved by thowing piles of money at it. The government should spend but should spend responsibly, it should also cut spending in some difficult areas, along with creating tax revenue fairly and immediately. But then again, I am a reasonable, intellignet, empathitic American who realizes that there are others, much different than myself, that deserve the same rights and comforts as I enjoy. I'm not so sure that there are many people with the same characteristics in the Republican party.

[Tom Hendricks]

12:30 PM on 08/13/2011

You are right, this is not a congress to take a wish list to, and expect quick results. People can't buy groceries with political bickering.

We can keep the stalemate in congress going with no results, or we could do something that actually puts people to work and doesn't need the government at all. I think it is time to tell congress - we don't need you and do it ourselves.

There is a lot of talk about jobs, but all of it centers on the government to solve the problem. They can't when they are at a stalemate like they are now. That's why we have to do it without the government­­.

This is not a time for old thinking or business as usual. This is a time for new ideas.
http://wp.­me/p5S9X-n­v
Trying to take a wish list and get it passed in a stalemate government doesn't make sense to me.

[CoyoteMan]

01:18 PM on 08/12/2011

I like her plan and the Kucinich plan. But I will predict for you now and I will back my prediction with a nice new $20 bill that none, not 1 sentence, will be enacted ever!
Any takers?
PS. my predictions run around 85% correct.

[Neaguy]

12:42 AM on 08/12/2011

One of the only decent plans around. Obama and the Republicans have too much faith in the failed free market.

We are only going to get out of our depression with massive government spending.

[tonylaz]

08:47 PM on 08/11/2011

So many Libs have so many plans for using someone else's money. If you think the plan is good, don't steal from me; use your own money to prove it works.

[johnblack53]

09:19 PM on 08/11/2011

Using somebody else's money? The last I heard "libs" pay taxes just like conservatives.

[tonylaz]

09:46 PM on 08/11/2011

If you have your hand in the public pocket, you're stealing MY money. Use your own!

[Neaguy]

12:44 AM on 08/12/2011

Ah, but the neat trick is to make money off of someone else's labor and call it your's. So, for example American workers are far more productive than they were 20 and 30 years ago, but yet more and more of that wealth created is going to the owners and managers and stock holders.

[tonylaz]

01:24 AM on 08/12/2011

It's a late at night and maybe I'm not thinking clearly, so please tell me: What does your statement have to do with "If you think the plan is good, don't steal from me; use your own money to prove it works."

[Paraded55]

05:30 PM on 08/11/2011

Sounds like a good idea!!!! Now-how about companion pieces in energy R and D, education-especially science and technology,including
both technical and advanced training and research- and transportation.?

[oldngrumpy]

05:23 PM on 08/11/2011

We are not going to get our economy back on track with service jobs. Those should be secondary considerations that result from higher paid jobs in construction and manufacturing. Throwing money at these jobs will only make progressives own their failure as soon as the money runs out and present a chance of creating a further dip.

If we don't get sufficient stimulus for some "real" jobs soon our economy will simply wither on the vine. We have a sorry state of repair in our infrastructure and it should be a no brainer connecting this fact with our equally sorry job situation that is holding back recovery. The main problem we have is that we keep electing no brainers.

[Neaguy]

12:45 AM on 08/12/2011

When will enough of us realize one of those no brainers is Barack I love the free market Obama, whose presidency seems to be modeled on Herbert Hoover's?

[Jupitersky]

10:59 AM on 08/12/2011

I think Ms Shakowski is looking at who's being hit the hardest by the recession and focusing on getting them relief. Young high school and college grads have the highest unemployment rates. It's an entire generation that will have lower lifetime earnings.

I think this is a good start. Most of these people will also spend money increasing demand for goods and services.

[Joshua Sager]

05:10 PM on 08/11/2011

A progressive plan has been proposed, now the left wing simply need to mobilize behind it with the same aggressiveness as the right wingers promote their ideas.

Finally, some sanity in the sea of debt ceiling insanity and tea party delusion. I don't think that the bill will get passed due to Republican obstruction, but it is necessary to bring the job situation into the public light.

Cutting spending and balancing the budget during a recession is right out of the Hoover playbook, so it is good to see something that will actually help the economy be proposed.

The progressive plan covers the first four of the ten steps that could fix the economy.

Sarcasticliberal.blogspot.com/p/10-step-solution-to-our-economic.html

ANYBODY WHO READS THIS: PLEASE DON'T TAKE THE POLITICIAN'S WORD ON ANYTHING, REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, DO THE RESEARCH AND FORM YOUR OWN OPINIONS.

[kemcha]

05:05 PM on 08/11/2011

This bill will never see the light of day. It would need to pass through the House Ways and Means Committee and Dave Camp will never allow that to happen. Shit, HR 589 still languishes in the Ways and Means Committee.

To make things worse? It raises taxes for the wealthy just to pay for unemployment benefits. Republicans, even if Dave Camp lets it move forward, will be voted down by Republicans.

[Rolf618]

05:01 PM on 08/11/2011

Sure would be nice if Obama got behind this plan. Sure the Repubs will scream and shout. Go ahead and let them be on record voting against jobs. A bold progressive leader once said this about jobs:

"The time to take charge of our future is here. Now is the time to act boldly and wisely, to not only revive this economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity. Now is the time to jump-start job creation, re-start lending, and invest in areas like energy, health care, and education that will grow our economy, even as we make hard choices to bring our deficit down. That is what my economic agenda is designed to do. It's an agenda that begins with jobs."

That was Obama in January of 2009 during his first address to Congress. Where did that guy disappear to?

[Lawrence Grant]

03:30 PM on 08/12/2011

Apparently he contracted a disease that affected his spinal column, and today's President is all that is left of him.