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Arianna On CNN: 'This Is The Time For The Government To Step In'

Posted: 07/03/11 12:55 PM ET

Arianna appeared on Ali Velshi's Your Money on CNN alongside Mort Zuckerman and Eliot Spitzer to discuss how the United States can get a handle on unemployment.

"This is the new consensus that's emerging, beyond left and right, that the government needs to do more when it comes to a payroll tax holiday, for example, which would allow companies to hire more," she said. "It needs to do more when it comes to infrastructure spending. Our infrastructure is crumbling and the government can borrow at below three percent. Construction workers are idle... This is the time for the government to step in."

WATCH:

 
Arianna appeared on Ali Velshi's Your Money on CNN alongside Mort Zuckerman and Eliot Spitzer to discuss how the United States can get a handle on unemployment. "This is the new consensus that's emer...
Arianna appeared on Ali Velshi's Your Money on CNN alongside Mort Zuckerman and Eliot Spitzer to discuss how the United States can get a handle on unemployment. "This is the new consensus that's emer...
 
 
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12:33 PM on 07/08/2011
What is every body talking about ? Businesses are creating jobs ! gust NOT in America....
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coolfl33
12:12 AM on 07/05/2011
Hey, is there a law that is preventing the RICH Democrats from paying higher taxes? Why don't the Rich Democrats take the amount of money they would be paying in higher taxes and give it directly to organizations and charities that help and support Americans who are struggling.
If they donate it directly to these organizations and cut out the middle man (US Government), more money will be able to help more people. The US Government and the idiots that run it have proven time and time again that they don't care about the wasteful spending of taxpayer money. Why would you give more money to a bunch of idiots that use taxpayer dollars to benefit themselves, their families and their friends.

I mean, how in the hell do you get a country in debt to the tune of over 14 trillion dollars. There has to be a reason as to why this country has a debt of 14 trillion dollars, How do you justify giving more money to a bunch of idiots that have ran up a debt of 14 trillion dollars. Exactly how does giving these idiots more money going to change the debt ridden road of this country.
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Tom Hendricks
see wikipedia
01:13 PM on 07/04/2011
There is a way to do this that is outside the government. Have you heard about National Hiring Day, the grass roots idea to get people back to work?
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
flossophy
Liberalism is not liberal.
12:41 PM on 07/04/2011
Sorry, but these folks do not know what they're talking about.
Holypat777
Got no time 4 closed minds-WA/3D
02:54 PM on 07/04/2011
Neither do you. Do you really eat that crap (KFC)??
leonel
MA, Pol.Sci.; MA, Ed.; JD. Veteran.
10:26 AM on 07/04/2011
Not only is the government cookie jar empty, but it is mortgaged to China.

There is an unavoidable answer and the country will eventually get there.

Everybody, even homeless street people, will have to pay more taxes.

This means that the government has to recycle a lot more money, there has to be a lot more economic activity. It is not trickle down----it is up, down and sideways.

Look at more successful countries, what do they do?

Higher income persons have to contribute more, a lot more, than they do in the US.

There are also more sales taxes, taxes on everything conceivable to help recycle more money. That is the answer.

The problem with the US is just simple and pure selfishness.

Don't touch my money, don't touch my tax breaks.
janefi
It's always about The Constitution.
12:09 PM on 07/04/2011
The big problem is progressive taxation, at least on a federal level, is Unconstitutional. Everyone, including businesses and non profits, should pay the same rate on the top line of income.

This would eliminate all the loopholes out there, the IRS could be greatly reduced, and federal income tax would be fair.
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ConsensusReality
RootenTootenZooten
06:23 PM on 07/04/2011
you can't show anywhere progressive taxation is unconsitutional...congress has the power go levy taxes...period
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chitowner1
04:33 AM on 07/04/2011
So elitists "beyond left and right" now agree that employers will be delighted to hire some people if they don't have to fund Social Security. How comforting. And delusional.

Government do more on infrastructure? Nah. Government is too busy catering to the whims of the corporate elite, including insuring their bad bets and debts get paid off and subsidizing their profit margins to higher levels. Besides, the peons in the middle class won't need any infrastructure, as they slide to extinction.

Thanks, pundits, for spinning another fairy tale for us to read.
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John P Slevin
http://www.winliberty.com
10:45 PM on 07/03/2011
"Our infrastructure is crumbling and the government can borrow at below three percent. Construction workers are idle... This is the time for the government to step in."

Sure. The way to resolve the debt problem is to borrow more.

Shrewd.
GonzoFactor
Rationality and rationalization are not the same
11:03 PM on 07/03/2011
No, you get more people working and paying taxes. Lord knows the rich aren't going to.
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John P Slevin
http://www.winliberty.com
12:19 AM on 07/04/2011
See, your math is faulty.

You take money (taxes) from some people to create jobs for other people who then rebate a portion of their wages in taxes.

Problem is that all their wages were taxes to start.

Also, you incur more costs as the costs of employment include, aside from taxes, hiring costs, supplies to work, etc. All of that, never seen by the newly hired is spent and it's all taxes too.

Any increase in taxes reduces what those who are taxed can make available to create jobs the free market way...by spending where they choose, and thus sponsoring prosperous businesses which in turn hire more people, pay vendors who in turn hire more people.

Your way is to put politicians in charge of who works, where they work, how much they get paid and how much they get to keep.

That's the system we have. It hasn't worked out very good now, has it?
arb24529
Micro Bio? sounds like an abbreviated tweet
01:09 PM on 07/04/2011
OK so your not gioing to allow the Mexicans (who only came here to work) to take the jobs under the table to avoid the payroll taxes? Which one is it libbies? Make the Poor mexicans not work, so taxes get paid? Or let the poor mexicans work knowing we get no taxes? PICK one.
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Jenna T
you can get cream for that
10:05 PM on 07/03/2011
Of course !

And the government should step in and make sure that this 'News Aggregation Site' pays for it's content, and pays it's writers a fair wage.

And doesn't sell your personal data to anyone who waves a dime her way.

Somehow, I have a feeling that she wouldn't be in favor of that.
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imfedup
Fight the lies.
02:43 AM on 07/04/2011
This isn't a "news aggregation site." That would be Drudge.
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zelda777
transcend the B. S.
09:57 PM on 07/03/2011
Some think business should step in and fix the US infrastructure to "create jobs".

How? What will be the revenue stream of private business doing public maintenance? Where will the profit motive factor in? What would they charge to fix YOUR streets, bridges, parks, schools, libraries, etc? Would you like to have toll booths on every street, highway, and bridge? Just for starters? How to richly compensate the CEOs and stockholders? How much MORE would that cost than just your ordinary taxes??? Would you like to pay, say, $5 toll just to access your own street? And every street you come to in the course of a day? Who is going to collect all these tolls? How much are THEY going to earn...

Be careful what you wish for, low government folks.
jeremyv1980
Tough times don't last. Tough people do!
01:13 AM on 07/04/2011
I work with land developers ( I work with a construction company) and in all new subdivisions the developer incurs the cost of the roads, street lights, sidewalks, sewers, water mains, naturalgas and electric mains. If it happens to be where ameren or cilco are available (private companies) they tend to provide their own leads for the utilities because they know they will have years of maintenance free income for the small up front investment. I paid many tolls while I was going to school in OK. Every time I went home it cost me 4 bucks in tolls 3 just for the will rogers. All paid for by tax dollars, then they continued the "temporary" tax increase AND put a toll booth on it. Newsflash about the bridges - better than 25% are either structurally deficient or structurally obsolete.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/2006cpr/pdfs/chap3.pdf
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Tom Hendricks
see wikipedia
01:14 PM on 07/04/2011
Do you know about the idea of National Hiring Day? The grass roots idea that would bring jobs to thousands in one day. http://wp.me/p5S9X-nv
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cbwHouston
"Courage is the power to let go of the familiar!"
09:51 PM on 07/03/2011
CNN panelists made both valid and timely points. Let’s explore:

1.) Democrats recently proposed a Payroll tax holiday:

“The Evil Anomaly of Republican Opposition to the Payroll Tax Cut”
-June 23, 2011/Politicususa's R. Muse

http://www.politicususa.com/en/payroll-tax-cut

2.) Democrats recently proposed Infrastructure spending:

“Republicans' Determination To Disrupt Democrats' "Jobs-First Agenda" Threatens Our Economy”-June 7, 2011/ U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

"...They [Republicans] want to end Medicare in order to pay for more millionaires’ tax breaks...."
-US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

http://reid.senate.gov/newsroom/pr_060711_jobs.cfm

3.) Democrats recently proposed reform of H-1B and H-1 work visa programs:

“…Democrats seek major H-1B, green card reform New bill would gives green card to science, advanced-degree tech grads and people who create businesses
Computerworld/ By Patrick Thibodeau/June 15, 2011…”

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9217628/Democrats_seek_major_H_1B_green_card_reform

4.) Democrats push DREAM Act despite Republican opposition/By Tom Cohen, CNN/June 29, 2011

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/28/senate.dream.act/

5.) GOP blocks Democrats' jobs outsourcing bill-CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/28/gop-blocks-democrats-jobs-outsourcing-bill/
09:40 PM on 07/03/2011
In the WPA programs under Roosevelt, the average worker dollar created about 11 dollars in the local economies, stimulating commerce, and growth. The recent shovel ready programs, under Obama, are creating in excess of 130 dollars per dollar of wages earned. Now, obviously, this shows that these new programs certainly must be stimulating the local economies, (to a much greater degree than the depression era projects did). This seemingly good news, however, also has a certain desperate undertone, in that, if 1 dollar is passing through so many hands, does that mean nobody can afford to save? ..These government projects, with the current poor condition of our employment, and our infrastructure, and our dire need to transition our energy sources to green ones, these projects are desperately needed. People who maliciously stand in the way, of our much needed government projects, at a point in history such as now, are treading on treasonous ground, and should re-examine their real "reasons" for such vehement dislike of our President's policies. We need everyone, to help solve our problems, blue and red, and now is a poor time to be undermining our beautiful country, merely to prove a political point.
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09:22 AM on 07/04/2011
One big advantage Roosevelt was he had American industry to stimulate. All of the dams, bridges roads and buildings used American made steel and building materials which increased factory orders and had more people working and spending. When your steel and concrete is coming from China and your lumber from Canada, you are stimulating someone else's economy.
04:47 PM on 07/04/2011
Have you met the unemployed? The majority are former white-collar workers. A very large group of unemployed is the over-50. This is not the 1930s, we have a completely different work force. If you hire the unemployed for these jobs then they deserve the same union protection, salary, benefits, health insurance as the "regular" worker.
Thank you for not mentioning nonsense like paying the unemployed to sweep the streets, paint walls, or be "teacher assistants."
The government and public refuse to acknowledge that it's the former middle class who are unemployed or underemployed and shoving them into crap, low paying jobs is not the answer.
08:22 PM on 07/03/2011
Obamacracy has failed. Government doesn't need to step in, it needs to step aside and let companies and business's create jobs.
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ernie3
liberal and gay in SoFla
08:33 PM on 07/03/2011
The same greedy Wall Street that caused the economy to collapse in the first place?The same failed voodoo ecoonmics that conservatives preach? NO THANKS!
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Me2U2
10:12 PM on 07/03/2011
Obama bailed WS out of the mess.
janefi
It's always about The Constitution.
12:14 PM on 07/04/2011
Why did you fail to mention Barney Frank et al who crashed the housing market....which was the biggest hit to the economy.
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kwhitney333
Common sense is not common
08:36 PM on 07/03/2011
Ya, that's what we need companies doing what ever they want......FYI, we did that and the economy almost collapsed or did you forget that little fact....Deregulation does not work, Bush tax cuts to the rich do not work! If the fracken GOP/tbag would even try to pass just one of the bills proposed for jobs we would be in better shape...but noooooo that might mean the President will be relected and you cant have that...what a bunch of ignoramuses....If you think we will forget your behavior think again...
jeremyv1980
Tough times don't last. Tough people do!
09:38 PM on 07/03/2011
Shovel ready anyone?
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dwalpr
Does yer dewg bite?
08:18 PM on 07/03/2011
Arianna, you are a little late, Obama has been trying to get infrastructure funding for over two years!
11:07 PM on 07/03/2011
so what is OBAMA's problem? I VOTED for him! We all desperately sought change! There have been NO improvements; workers are STRUGGLING; prices are sky-rocketing! We need a STRONGER PRESIDENT. Regrettably, Obama was handed a pile of dung, courtesy of G W Bush & Co. The NEXT President needs to assume the office prepared to FIGHT FORCEFULLY, EFFECTIVELY, COURAGEOUSLY & UNFAILINGLY for the AVERAGE AMERICAN WORKER - The wealthy & powerful can take care of themselves (obviously, as we've witnessed for the past 10+ years). Sorry Obama: I believe the US is on the brink of a meltdown worse than that of the 1920's and you have been unable to turn it around.
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imfedup
Fight the lies.
02:48 AM on 07/04/2011
There have indeed been improvements. And stop shouting.
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shankapotomus
Hold on "Day One" is coming.
07:22 PM on 07/03/2011
Hasn't the government done enough, way way to much.
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juhar
07:59 PM on 07/03/2011
So you have a job, and you and your family can cut back and make it through? An the family with one or both parents unemployed should eat "cake" and live in the luxurious comforts of the local homeless shelter or tent city?
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shankapotomus
Hold on "Day One" is coming.
08:39 PM on 07/03/2011
Government caused the mess we're in if you haven't heard, and thank Clinton for it.
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kwhitney333
Common sense is not common
08:38 PM on 07/03/2011
No the government has not done enough!!!! not for main street but hey Wall Street is doing just dandy!!!
janefi
It's always about The Constitution.
12:18 PM on 07/04/2011
Since Wall Street funds just about everyones 401k...I'd think you'd be happy that it was doing well.
07:12 PM on 07/03/2011
When are the people in this country going to wake up? This adminstration is bankrupting our country and we are on the same path as Greece. It has given countless dollars to their friends (Unions, Welfare Recipients & Teachers) and they borrowed every penny of it. It is time for a balance budget amendment and force Congress & the President to live within their means. Eliminate Federal welfare programs if we do not have the money.
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murphy66
Speak Up I Can't Hear You
07:17 PM on 07/03/2011
looks like the bankers came first, before the union teachers and welfarers
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shankapotomus
Hold on "Day One" is coming.
07:22 PM on 07/03/2011
The bankers aren't the drain.
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xxxskier
Living backwards in tangled backwoods...
07:21 PM on 07/03/2011
Don't you mean corporate welfare, bailing out Wall St, and two and a half wars?