Why Washington Isn't Doing Squat About Jobs and Wages - Robert Reich

[Donnachaidh]

http://truthout.org/why-washington-isnt-doing-squat-about-jobs-and-wages/1307250719

The silence is deafening. While the rest of the nation is heading back toward a double dip, Washington continues to obsess about future budget deficits. Why?

Republicans don’t want to do anything about jobs and wages. They’re so intent on unseating Obama they’d like the economy to remain in the dumps through Election Day. They also see the lousy economy as an opportunity to sell Americans their big lie that government spending is the culprit — and jobs will return if spending is cut and government shrinks.

:snip:

But there’s a third reason for Washington’s inaction. It’s not being talked about — which is itself evidence of the problem.

The unemployed are politically invisible. They don’t make major campaign donations. They don’t lobby Congress. There’s no National Association of Unemployed People.

MUCH more at the link --

[lunatica]

1. Robert Reich is right, again

He tells it like it is. The people in power may not listen to him but at least he's telling us the truth about who's destroying us.

[leeroysphitz]

2. N.A.U.P.

[pscot]

33. +1

[Drahthaardogs]

3. Finally!

Read this, re-read this, post it on your refrigerator. The Republicans are currently employing slash and burn politics. They will do ANYTHING to make sure Obama does not get a second term, including stifling wages, stonewalling on budgets, and blocking any and every judicial nominee they can find.

This is what American politics has been reduced to over the years. This is complete, self-indulgent behavior and Americans and paying the price. They do not give a shit about the people, this is about the party.

[eilen]

40. I don't think I want what currently passes for either party

in charge. One seems entirely incompetent, the other scarily dangerous.

[RagAss]

4. Perfect insight !

[Le Taz Hot]

5. Sorry, but Obama doesn't seem too intent

on creating jobs and raising wages either. He's too buys busting pot dispensaries and starting more "interventions for Democracy" in the Middle East. I love Reich but he is a partisan.

Edited for speeling.

[Donnachaidh]

6. Reich mentioned the fact that Obama isn't doing anything either

He's pretty much laid the blame on all of Washington. That's certainly NOT partisan.

[Le Taz Hot]

13. Then it serves me right for not

reading the whole article. :blush: :eyes: :hi:

[Donnachaidh]

16. Didn't mean to embarrass you

But his whole point in the article is how the unemployed have NO representation, and he listed who those unemployed were. He laid the blame squarely on everyone in Washington.

[Le Taz Hot]

17. No worries. I embarrassed myself . . .

I do it often. What can I say, it's a gift. ;-)

[patricia92243]

38. lol - I have that "gift" - wish I didn't n/t

[bvar22]

20. It is NOT just the "unemployed" that have NO representation in Washington.

The entire Working Class & The Poor (the Lower 98%) have NO representation in Washington.
There ARE a handful of "Democrats" in the Progressive Caucus who speak for us,
but they have been excluded from any leadership position in the Centrist New Democrat Party,
and marginalized by the MSM.
They are even attacked regularly in the blogosphere as the Far Left Fringe,
yet they speak for the MAJORITY of Americans.



Who will STAND and FIGHT for THIS American Majority?
Rhetoric, Empty Promises, and Excuses mean NOTHING now.
"By their WORKS you will know them."

[kath]

23. + a brazillion!

[WillyT]

32. + 1,000,000,000... What You Said !!! - HUGE K & R !!!

:mad:

:kick:

[russspeakeasy]

36. If they ignore us long enough, WE go away, or get busy with

eeking out a living, or watching Dancing with the Stars.

[Myrina]

42. Yes indeed.

:applause:

[Dappleganger]

45. This should be it's own thread.

Well said, I couldn't agree more. WE have been pushed out of the equation completely.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

46. I just don't get that. Doesn't he know that HE will be blamed for failing.

He and the Democrats. Does he not want to be reelected? Does he not care?

[underpants]

7. Reich is wrong. As one of many unemployed in 2008 WE got Obama elected

WE, and I saw many people at the local Obama office, knocked on doors and made phone calls to get him elected.

I personally knocked on 400 or so doors and talked to the people in the neighborhoods. I personally hosted a last weekend GOTV launch point from my house. WE flipped Henrico County (Va) which voted 53% for Bush in 2000 and 2004 to 56% for Obama in 2008.

There are a lot of talented people out there with time on their hands and as we have seen even in 2010 Dems win the ground - Repubs win the air (TV/radio) but the ground game, when used, beats the air game.

[southernyankeebelle]

8. The churchs should be involved with the group. They should march in

the streets together.

[OhioChick]

9. Sums it up quite well.....

"The unemployed are politically invisible. They don’t make major campaign donations. They don’t lobby Congress. There’s no National Association of Unemployed People."


As usual, it's all about that almighty dollar.

[Donnachaidh]

11. Is he the first to mention this lately?

I wonder, how many of the unemployed who HELPED Obama in '08 are still unemployed? There is no real figures kept on the real long-term unemployed. How many of those folks are not working, or worse - having to take a burger job because their old jobs got outsourced?

Being the cynic I am, I expect to see a photo-op movement towards something, possibly 6 months out from the election. But not much else. The *true* change we need has never been forthcoming from Washington.

:shrug:

[OhioChick]

12. Only those with $$$$ will see "change" (more money in their pockets)

Our local news reported that when he visited Toledo this past week, he was booed. Toledo has been hit hard here and have always voted quite blue. People can only take so much. The D's in Washington had better wake up.

"We’re going to pass through some rough terrain that even a Wrangler would have a tough time with,” Obama said, in reference to the Jeep truck produced at the Toledo plant. The quip was met with boos from the otherwise supportive employees in the audience."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/56216.html#ixzz1OFQ7guMf

[Octafish]

10. But - but - but I thought this was a democracy.

And it doesn't matter how much money you have -- we're all created equal, right? Right?

[janet118]

15. Grow up!!

:evilgrin:

[Octafish]

18. Thanks for reminding me of why I'm a Democrat.

Good thing there's a party that stands up for the common man.

Oh.

:hi:

[treestar]

14. The House is Republican

what did we expect? Of course there will be nothing done about the economy. That's what people voted for.

[toddwv]

21. I disagree.

The House Republicans are hell-bent on returning us to the policies that led to the Great Recession.

[hfojvt]

24. the trouble is that it's not even on the radar

Obama and dems are not all over TV hammering Republicans for doing nothing about the economy. Are they? Did I miss it? Did Obama jump on the latest jobs report to hammer Congress for not passing his jobs bill? Is he telling the American people how much budget cuts have hurt the economy?

[w4rma]

30. That is reason number two.

Democrats, meanwhile, don’t want to admit the recovery has stalled. They worry such talk will further undermine consumer confidence or spook the bond market. They don’t want to head into the election year sounding downbeat. And they don’t think they have the votes for anything that will have much effect before Election Day anyway.

[Citizen Worker]

19. The unemployed are invisible because they're quiet. Take it to the streets and make demands.

[defendandprotect]

27. Seems to me there is a huge opportunity in organizing senior citizens and unemployed?

Why aren't the unions doing it -- ??

It's labor -- and votes which they can supply!!

[Distant Observer]

28. That's about what is needed-- Millions marching on Congress

[Fuddnik]

41. We've only got time to follow Trump, Palin and Lady GaGa.

You know? The important things in life.

[Vanje]

22. K&R

[RandomThoughts]

25. That is easy to explain.

They are obsessed with the debt.

First off becuase they are being screamed at to pay there debts, on a personal, soul level.

But also becuase I am due beer and travel money, and they translate that as paying the national debt.

Just like dig deeper into the meaning of things, was translated as drill baby drill.

Just like they think the idea of soldier servant, male female, they think is about gender.

Just like many other things.



I am due beer and travel money.


They can't figure out the context.

[xchrom]

26. How can the unemployed contribute to a billion dollar presidential campaign?

They will be used for sexy lip service & discarded like a tissue.

[franzia99]

29. We should organize an effort to get them to Washington to protest...

Could you imagine having the millions of unemployed protesting outside the whitehouse? They could completely shut down DC using their sheer numbers. We have to figure out how to MAKE the government listen.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

31. AMAZING!! Reich is Right, as usual!!! That is why GOP is going after voting rights! n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

34. They want the currently employed...

to be so desperate to do anything to keep their jobs that they will accept stagnant, then later, reduced wages. We are slowly returning to the days of the Robber Barons.

[russspeakeasy]

35. This, in a nutshell, is it.

[Samantha]

37. I brought this very subject up here at DU in April

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x648006

Here is a paragraph from that thread:

"This shutdown is not about any of the reasons commentators report. It is about the Republicans' Number One Priority. Impede the recovery, further impair the economy, take out Obama in 2012. That is it in a political nutshell."

I don't think there is any question this is the Republican motivation in maneuvering to keep unemployment high. Keep in mind, a number of Republican governors took stimulus money and diverted it to other pockets rather than creating jobs. Pawlenty, for instance, used it to pay down the State debt. He wanted his own record to look better when he stepped out to run for President, and if that meant suppressing employment in the state, so be it. Several declined funds for the high speed railway, the overall package was intended to create as many as 15 million jobs. Read that number again -- 15 million jobs. That is the reason I believe the Governor of Florida declined it. He prefers the state's unemployment to remain high so Obama cannot carry Florida in 2012. Commentators suggest Obama cannot win re-election if he does not carry both Ohio and Florida.

It is a scorched earth political policy, but Republicans do not care. Making Barack Obama a one-term President is EVERYTHING to them, and if millions go hungry and lose their homes, as well as their health insurance, not to leave out unemployment benefits, Oh, well ....

They are a heartless, shameless cast of characters.

The only thing I don't understand is why more Democrats are not stepping out and calling them out for putting politics above the health and well being of so many American citizens. Where are they?

[mackerel]

39. I heart Robert Reich!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[spanone]

43. republicans haven't mentioned jobs since they conned americans to vote them in

[RedCloud]

44. But the armies of the poor traditionally win the war!

[Bigmack]

47. This depresses the shit out of me....

We can't seem to do anything about this kind of unemployment.... a problem for which there is a possible cure.

And we sure as hell can't even start to do anything about the bigger, almost unsolvable problems like Climate Change and peak oil and overpopulation.

If you ain't a gloom-and-doomer these days, you just ain't paying attention.

[Clear Blue Sky]

48. Follow the money...

The politicians are whores, responding only to those with money to throw at them.

[WinkyDink]

49. That the poor are invisible and, um, POOR is not a newsflash.