After winning over Congress in the midterm elections, Republicans said they understood that the American people want jobs. Since the midterm election, the Lame Duck session and the swearing in of the new 112th Congress on January 5, 2011, there has not been one single jobs bill to be introduced by our new Republican Congress. Instead, the Republican Congress has been busy introducing bills to end health care reform, end health insurance for pre-existing conditions, and change the definition of rape and other unrelated job measures. From the beginning, Republican legislators made clear that they went to Washington to undo things instead of going to do things.
Back when the Republicans were campaigning, they constantly talked about jobs, jobs and jobs. But, since starting on January 5, 2011, the Republicans have done nothing to create jobs. Republicans held votes on 11 bills and not a single one of those votes created a single job for a single American. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declared on February 12, 2011 that President Obama's legislative agenda is "over" but said the GOP is willing to work to do what they "think is right for America." With no jobs on their agenda, so far, it appears that Republicans must now think jobs are wrong for Americans.
Assistant Democratic Leader Rep. James Clyburn (D. SC) says:
I come from a district and a state where unemployment is unacceptably high and too many people have been out of work for much too long. I honestly wish the Republican majority would focus on commonsense, pragmatic ways to create American jobs. If they decide to do this, they will find me a willing partner. But let's stop these shenanigans like we're seeing today.
Last week, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ( "DCCC") started the website WhenAreTheJobs.com to count the days that are running without a jobs bill being introduced. And last week, Republicans introduced a spending bill that would reduce the number of police on the streets. That eliminates jobs instead of creating them. The new Republican Congress has also focused on an extreme anti-choice agenda. They have gone from trying to re-define rape to allowing hospitals to refuse abortion care to women who will die without it. Politicians want to make government smaller by making it "just small enough to fit inside our bedrooms and our medicine cabinets" says NARAL Pro Choice America President Keenan. So bottom line is the Republicans, who campaigned on jobs and keeping government smaller, are failing to live up to their promise.
Everyday citizens cannot just stand idly by waiting for our lawmakers to introduce jobs. We have a democracy and must work towards making it work for Americans. There is no greater priority than getting Americans back to work. We are still a government of the people, by the people and for the people. We must be the change that we want.
On the issue of jobs, we should be non-partisan and united together. That's the lesson of the Egyptian revolution. In the words of one online comment, we need to be out on the streets and not return until we get our legislators to address jobs. We need to be the Egyptians now right here in the United States. Progressives held the One Nation rally for jobs and education in October, 2010 and then quietly went home. Jon Stewart held the nonpolitical Rally for Sanity. We need an organized and peaceful rally focused on the jobs issue. Then, we need to take it to the airwaves, the Internet and our legislators' offices on Capitol Hill. We have democracy and freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, yet some now take it for granted. Many Americans have become passive in their civic engagement. With peaceful assembly, freedom of speech and televised coverage, Dr. Martin Luther King and civil rights supporters helped to bring about the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Now more than ever, we need to take action to bring about the jobs and social change we need.
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Our lawmakers need to penalize companies that do this. No other way will they stop.
If the logic went that we should keep unproductive workers on the federal payroll so we don't lose jobs then why don't we just send checks to people and tell them to stay home? I believe Democrats are being overly simplistic in that regard. Republicans want to create productive private sector jobs.
Again, I think you'll still find it difficult to accuse them of not caring about jobs.
Republicans should be asked…EVERY DAY…by EVERY DEMOCRAT…â€and how does that create jobs?â€
I called the office of John Boehner and 5 other Republicans, including the sponsor of this last round of tax cuts to the rich last week.
I asked each of them to refer me to studies that show how many jobs they expect to be created by this last round of tax cuts.
In other words, what are we getting for spending $700 billion?
NONE of them had an answer.
That’s what the Democrats are losing to.
Didn't the tax cuts for the rich ensure jobs for "the rest of us"?
Isn't that why Obama supported extending them?
Please......
Nice finger-pointing....
How 'bout we focus on getting Obama to quit governing like a Republican?
Isn't that why Obama supported extending them? >>>
Wrong, and NO. You need to get your facts straight before finger-pointing yourself.
The mantra you've pointed out above is a Republican one. The reason why CONGRESS extended tax cuts for the rich is because the REPUBLICANS held the extension of UNEMPLOYMENT benefits hostage. And right before Christmas too, when most would see their benefits stop.
But nice try, trying to blame the President and the Democrats for the REPUBLICANS egregious pandering to the elite.
He aped those Repug talking points when he called for their continuance.
Time to get your facts straight.
Your precious Obama is a Republican.
He ADOPTED those talking points and the bankrupt "economic policy" behind them.
The ONLY qualifier he used was the current, deep recession.
Net effect - he lended credibility to the bankrupt Republican economic policies of trickle-down, cutting taxes is an economic stimulus, etc
lame
Keep at it, TLS. Soon, you can p*ss and moan to your heart's content when the Republicans retake the Senate and WH. Wouldn't your life be grand!
If they actually thought it through, it might just dawn on their jobs will be on the block come election day.
You can be an Egyptian all you want, based on your time tables you only need a few weeks to draw conclusions.
It didn't take them very long to introduce the law to repeat health care, so they have certainly had enough time to introduce a jobs bill.
Fanned
What is surprising, I suppose, is all the surprise coming from those thinking the GOP were telling the truth about their focus on jobs. When have they ever been in support of that and reflected it in their agenda or legislation? I would say never. They simply want you to fend on your own, tell you what you can and cannot do in your bedroom and in your life, and let the plunderers in the Church and Big Business run America as they see fit.