Elise Foleye
WASHINGTON -- The Congressional Progressive Caucus
released a plan on Tuesday that would create jobs, invest in clean energy and rebuild American infrastructure -- and has little to no chance of passage. Still, the jobs package, a farther-left alternative to President Barack Obama's jobs plan, could provide a negotiating point as the president's bill moves through Congress in the coming weeks.
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"(Obama) must insist that we have nothing less than what he presented, along with the additions we're talking about here," Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) said. "This is an emergency, we must do it, and we cannot cut this baby in half. ... The whole proposal is what we must have."
At issue for these House members is the proposed payroll tax cut for employers, which could hurt the revenue stream for Social Security. But they were careful to say that they support the vast majority of the president's bill, despite some concerns about how it will affect key entitlement programs.
"We think (Obama's bill) is a wonderful first step. We'd like to strengthen it and make it bigger," said caucus Co-Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.).
more Ellison uncomfortable with Social Security tax cutWASHINGTON - While almost all Democrats agree with President Obama that creating jobs and reducing unemployment should be a priority, some of the most liberal members of the Democratic coalition, including DFL Rep. Keith Ellison, are concerned about the President's proposal to extend and expand the payroll tax cut which funds Social Security.
Until this year, employees and employers each paid a 6.2 percent tax on wages that went toward Social Security. Under a temporary tax deal struck last December, the employee side was cut for one year to 4.2 percent to boost the economy by slightly fattening workers' paychecks. President Obama's new plan would further cut the tax to 3.1 percent on both employers and employees through 2012, at a cost of $240 billion.
At a Capitol Hill press conference this morning, Ellison emphasized his support for much of the President's agenda but said he's concerned about the proposal.
"I am worried that it could set up a long term problem for Social Security," said Ellison, "As a strictly temporary measure, I could live with it for a little while."
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