Obama Pushes Jobless Relief As Debt Concerns Mount

[Dulcinea]

President Obama will be visiting a couple of swing states this week to talk about the economy, and urging lawmakers to extend unemployment benefits. But some senators have blocked that move for fear of adding to the federal deficit.

With a national jobless rate of 9.5 percent, the economy has been slow to add jobs — just 80,000 at private employers last month. Obama says the economy is moving in the right direction, but not fast enough.

"We're fighting to speed up this recovery and keep the economy growing by all means possible. That means extending unemployment insurance for workers who lost their jobs," Obama said in his most recent weekly radio address. "That means getting small businesses the loans they need to keep their doors open and hire new workers. And that means sending relief to states so they don't have to lay off thousands of teachers and firefighters and police officers."

But Washington isn't doing any of those things right now. Administration efforts to extend jobless benefits, boost small business lending and funnel money to the states have all been blocked in the Senate by lawmakers nervous about adding to the deficit.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128343671

[saracat]

1. Why doesn't he create a federal Jobs Program like the WPA?That is what we need!

[bigdarryl]

2. because he can't create shit without this stinking Congress approval

on top of that I don't think people out of work with no income who need unemployment checks just to get some income give a rats ass about the deficit

[saracat]

3. The idea hasn't even been proposed by anyone! What people need is jobs. I think they would rather

have jobs than unemployment checks that barely cover anything! (But we do need the unemployment, I am not saying we don't)

[IOKIYAL]

9. Do people remember congress when they make suggestions like this?

[saracat]

10. Certainly do. As I said, a WPA was never even on the table.

[LWolf]

4. I'm glad to hear him talking about it.

If he wants to see it happen amidst the deficit concerns, is he willing to do the right thing?

He can fund an extension of jobless benefits and a massive wpa type program by ending wars and bringing troops home.

[treestar]

5. Good. Let the Republicans and their filibuster use take the blame.

[ellie]

6. I have been out of town

so this may have been mentioned already, but why isn't anyone touting the expiration of the Bush tax cuts as a way to get the deficit down? Could it be that the repukes don't really care about the deficit? Say it isn't so!

[WI_DEM]

7. Good Grief! with recession and 9.5% unemployment now isn't the time you think about the deficit

haven't these idiots learned anything since the depression. You spend at times like this. To not spend is to cause further recession.

[BlueIdaho]

8. Republicans know what they are doing

Their one and only true goal is to stop government from helping it's citizens. Period. They must use every trick in the book to keep government from solving problems. If stimulus spending begins working they need to start screaming about the national debt. If there's a chance a government sponsored health care reform could improve peoples lives, they need to start screaming about death panels. In the end, they do not give a shit how any of this effects folks, they will sacrifice the poor, the old, the very young, and the middle class if it means they can destroy a government designed to help its citizens.

What do they think government's job is? War.

[Dulcinea]

11. They also want to see Obama fail.

They'll never get back into power if any of the Dems' ideas work.

[RBInMaine]

12. Go the fucking mattresses ! Go reconciliation ! FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE !