Appearing on CNBC's "Squawk Box" from the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Arianna Huffington discussed The Huffington Post's partnership with NBC News, Microsoft, and The Rockefeller Foundation to launch a bipartisan jobs initiative at both party conventions this year.
Arianna outlined what the project is all about:
"What we're trying to do at both conventions is show what the private sector, not-for-profits, and entrepreneurs can do to create jobs. We are bringing over 70 entrepreneurs to each convention and having an expo to show their startups and what they're doing and where the media can actually put some spotlight on what is working and not just on what is not working."
When anchor Becky Quick asked her for an example of successful job creation, Arianna cited the example of a JPMorgan analyst who was taking a train trip across America, bringing young entrepreneurs into areas facing economic hardship and helping them to use their creativity and ingenuity to start businesses in those areas.
She added: "The idea here is for us not just to be idle bystanders waiting for somebody in Washington to come up with a magical solution. We are doubtful this is going to happen anytime soon. We want to activate that spirit of entrepreneurship that is so much a part of the American DNA."
Watch the full segment below:
 |
 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
Now for main street. There is no jobs program and the Treasury Department allowed the banks to write the HAMP program that did little help to stem foreclosures.
The bailout moved money to the top while doing little for main street. The result is a crushed and demoralized working class that will accept lower wages and benefit loss. The point is that THIS IS THE RECOVERY. THE LOST JOBS ARE NOT COMING BACK. THE RECOVERY WAS DESIGNED THIS WAY.
The failures of the Obama administration has opened the door for a Romney presidency promises to dramatically increase the disparity of wealth and do away with the social programs. People are confused but they do realize Obama has done little to help them. Elect Romney and we have a catastrophe. Elect Obama and we have a disaster.
The median wage has already declined another $3,500/year in the 2000's alone! And the middle class has lost over 11 trillion in wealth. This while those at the top are enjoying massive increases in wealth. Neither candidate mentions the poor whose numbers are rapidly increasing.
You are absolutely right - NEITHER Candidate addresses this huge issue. Unemployment & Underemployment, with reduced incomes + nominal benefits, are the biggest, most all-consuming problems working people face.
So it makes you wonder...why?
Dump Obama. I predict an instant upsurge in all business activity upon his defeat.
The Uncertains will come off the benches, some of the off shore money will come home (we need to do more than Dump Obama, we need to lower corporate tax rates etc), optimism will begin to emerge again.
Liberals will say that the Obama programs finally worked.
It doesn't matter how much money the rich have to manipulate narratives in the media or capture government agencies that are responsible for delivering candor on the US Economic situation. Just as a rich person can find a doctor willing to humor them that their stage four cancer isn't a big deal, that isn't the same thing as being cured of the disease.
The United States Government needs to treat the Depression we entered into in 2008 as a Depression or else the economy and unemployment crisis will drone on for years (perhaps decades) to come.
Viable Employment has not been created/replaced. How can an adult or a family live on minimum wage? It can't be done.
This Depression will eliminate the Baby Boomers who are not affluent (Is this the intent?).
It wasn't due to my lack of vision, work ethic or agility. There was simply no business or appetite for investment. The fact is, the actions/misdeeds of the world-shakers and market-makers affect small businesses exponentially where we can only affect things incrementally. And good government is critical. Until DC is fixed - with finreg assuring us that the banks aren't going to wilfully collapse the economy again for fun and profit and with "leaders" who are there to move the country forward, as opposed to their own careers and the fortunes of their patrons - I, like many small businesses am "uncertain".
Judd Gregg and the GOP like to bandy about the term "uncertainty" about tax policy, healthcare, the deficit, etc. The problem is far more fundamental, because the corrupt, self-serving solutions they provide for these issues are merely manipulations to serve their patrons' interests.
So please don't think we small guys can do it alone. Charming sentiment, and a laudable effort. But DC needs to be swept clean. I think they should all go, all at once, in the midterms of 2014.
Then there was zero access to capital to continue (I had stellar credit and a healthy cushion of credit lines that evaporated that same month). I had to shut the doors.
I've still not recovered financially. Yes, that's the risk you take as an entrepreneur. But had the economy not fallen off a cliff due to the gambling that others did (and were rewarded for) I am confident that business would have grown, provided for my family, and allowed me to continue to provide employment to others.
I still strongly believe in entrepreneurship, but we are not all on an even playing field. There was not one single thing I could do in 2008 to change the fact that, even though I had played by the "rules", the bankers had not and they blithley brought countless small businesses to their knees.
They were given help to continue despite flaunting all the rules. Me, and many others, were not. And, it could happen again.
They have the gold and make the rules.
And frankly I'm scared shirtless the GOP will retake the show. That will be the end of all, 'cuz it will happen, they'll make sure.
Right now we are failing because demand is low, and we have consolidated many businesses to the point that we have a centralized system, which is not as efficient as many parallel paths of economic activity. Yet, public policy more and more favors larger corporations at the expense of individuals and small business. Unless we address the structural issues, we are doing nothing but creating the appearance of doing something.
When Paul’s father died, he collected Social Security and used the money to pay for college. Ryan has been a congressman for 14 years. He voted to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act that allowed Wall Street to go wild. Under President George W. Bush, he voted to put on America’s credit card two wars, Medicare part D, tax cuts for millionaires and the TARP bailout. For the past four years, Ryan has voted lockstep with the Republicans against every bill that would get our economy moving. Then of course we have the famous Ryan budget plan.
http://lacrossetribune.com/news/opinion/stephanie-steiner-ryan-a-poor-choice-for-vice-president/article_1b453a26-f093-11e1-bf1c-0019bb2963f4.html?comment_form=true
Cmon now, that's just asking too much!
The money has been allowed to pool to the unproductive top, thereby reducing the spending power of those who actually do something, which causes economic activity to plummet.
Repubs have effectively killed capitalism.
The REAL Atlas is Shrugging, and until you fix that, no real recovery can happen.
But that would be a great start.
Welcome to the start of you finding a clue.