So this is what Obama is going to fight for?

[MadHound]

A tepid jobs plan, that once again contains more tax cuts and tax credits(the least effective forms of stimulus) than actual money for job creation.

A free trade agreement that is going to see more money siphoned offshore.

A reduction in regulations that could leave us dangerously vulnerable in the workplace and at home.

Finally cuts to Medicare/Medicaid that will cut even more out of the social safety net in this country.

This is the plan that is finally seeing Obama fired up and ready to fight. A center right program that is long on tax breaks, and short on real job creation. A tepid stimulus program that is trying to disguise itself as a jobs program. A plan that opens the gate for the cutting of Medicare/Medicaid and with even more payroll tax holidays, chokes money off from Social Security. A plan that relies, in part, upon failed Republican initiatives.

This is what he wants to fight for? This is the message he wants to take to every corner of this country?

Don't get me wrong, it is nice to see that the President is finally, after two and a half years, making noise about actually fighting. The problem is, this is not just a Democratic plan, but it is a plan that is too little, and designed to fail at its nominal purpose, creating jobs.

If you are going to create jobs, then the only real way to do so is a true, WPA style jobs program, which this isn't. And if you are wanting to fight, then you need to go big, real big, big enough that any sort of compromise won't see your program whittled away to nothing.

This plan, in the end, is going to be like the stimulus, too small in size, too long on tax cuts and tax credits. Worse, in exchange we are going to Medicare/Medicaid attacked, Social Security choked off, and the abolishing of necessary rules and regulations. Finally, we're going to be treated to the spectacle of nominal Democrats cheering on the passage of what is essentially a Republican plan.

Oh joy in the morning:eyes:

[tblue]

1. Obama is fighting

for the right to make speeches for another 4 years.

[Donnachaidh]

8. ...

:spray: :thumbsup: FTW. :rofl:

[William769]

14. +1.

:thumbsup:

[datasuspect]

16. hey the rich parasite class (our owners) have to eat too!

asparagus~!

[Bandit]

2. I truly doubt we are going to see much fight from Obama, He just has not ever presented himself as

much of a fighter. He has given in to Republican demands at every single opportunity so I just don't see that changing. :shrug: Hope I am wrong but time will tell I guess.

[Shagbark Hickory]

3. Huge disappointment. n/t +! for the guts to speak your mind.

[pnorman]

18. And jusy how much "guts":does it take to say that on DU nowadays?

n.t

[zipplewrath]

4. All depended upon ones expectations up front

He's NEVER been shooting for something less than 6% unemployment. He's been willing to accept 8+% for years. His prime motivation here is to avoid it heading back to 10%. If one agrees with this strategy, they can find alot of good in the speech. It did have the "tone" for which many have been waiting. If one is more of the FDR bent, and expect the government to ACTUALLY hire people and get the unemployment rate below 6%, this speech was a huge disappointment.

[MadHound]

21. Well, that's great and all,

But I'm more of the bent that we get people employed, turn this economy around, and save our social safety net. It seems to be the right thing to do.

[zipplewrath]

24. As do I

However, there are at least 2 other schools of thought. One of them, popular around here, is that you "Do what you can". They've already given up on 6% unemployment and are "satisfied" with 8-9%.

Then there's the GOP crowd that suggests that anything the government does will result in making the situation worse, and therefor they not only want to do nothing, but they want to do LESS.

[LadyInAZ]

5. There is will always be contra vise

with social security, elderly assistance/care, underemployment, welfare receiptants... the economy as a whole will always have an unemployed rate of people not working and on edge... hopefully this new plan will get the working class back on its feet so that the recession can reduce in affect to so many americans... the beginning of this campaign we were assured assistance in unemployment benefits while the recession recovers... but when the orinigal 99ers was hit the reality sank in... our leaders failed us... so many lost their homes, cars.... so many became homeless starving...this caused a bigger problem on government assistance funding... now this government is now try to compromise with the elite in tax breaks to help the working class back to work again. is where we should be... i think the government programs will still stagger along as usually... but will be funded by more people back at work... hopefully this will repair the damaged caused...

[hifiguy]

6. Making sure his BFFs on Wall $treet are never

held accountable for the biggest theft in recorded history.

Implementing his BFFs' plans to gut SS and Medicare and put the money into their hands.

Coddling the plutocracy.

Running the middle class over the cliff's edge into the sea, though not as rapidly as his BFFs would like.

Continuing the never ending wars with WestAsia forever.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Brickbat]

9. He's going to fight? Huh.

[WiffenPoof]

10. Sadly...

I must agree with you.

I must say that I don't know why the issue of jobs was not addressed to this extent early on in Obama's administration. Didn't all of us see this coming years ago?

I honestly believe that the only remedy is a true WPA type program.

-P

[Modern_Matthew]

11. As someone making under $10,000 a year... I appreciate my tax cut, thank you very much. nt

[MadHound]

22. As someone who was unemployed for over a year,

And is now underemployed making less than ten grand a year as well, I would appreciate Obama turning this economy around. You're not going to do that using the least effective form of stimulus out there, tax cuts and tax credits.

[LatteLibertine]

12. The Panama "trade" deal is definitely a big joke

[fascisthunter]

13. he isn't going to fight for shit

he'll fight for what is in the best interests of Wall Street.

[Marr]

15. He's a neoliberal. That's free trade and small government.

He's not trying to fix anything-- that's not what government is for, according to these types. He just wants to get all those nasty impediments out of big business' way. So he'll service Wall Street some more, and and put a "populist" sticker on it.

[bvar22]

17. The Chamber of Commerce should like his plan.

They wrote most of it.

Chamber of Commerce APPROVED!

http://www.industryweek.com/articles/u-s-_chamber_of_commerce_unveils_job-creation_plan_25482.aspx?Page=2&SectionID=3


You can't be FOR more "Free Trade",
and Pro-Working Class at the same time.
These two positions are mutually exclusive.


Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Lionessa]

20. Actually last eve, someone pointed out that except for a slight change, his plan IS the CoC plan.

I'll see if I can find the link.
Ah, here it is. It took a while for readers to quite get that Dragonfli was being sarcastic, nonetheless a good comparison thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1905093

[deutsey]

23. I knew he wasn't going to do it, but I was hoping Obama would push a WPA-style

proposal when he first got into office (because of his inner circle, I knew there was little chance of that happening). Maybe he wouldn't have gotten it through, but, who knows? Maybe if he had come out swinging right off the bat (with the GOP in disarray) he would have sustained the momentum from the election and done it.