The stimulus has created or saved 2 million jobs since initiated. This includes a lot of highway construction and maintenance visible across the country, and tens of thousands of state workers in states crushed by the Great Recession. Republicans, who just got swept back into control of the House of Representatives, and numerous governorships, propose to cancel remaining stimulus, stop any future stimulus, and replace it with extending Bush tax cuts for the rich.
That's their ONLY idea, so far, for "creating jobs."
Oh – but they have a great plan for shedding alleged "job killers" in the administration's agenda. Forget about climate change (its a liberal academic conspiracy), education reform (send them all – except children of the rich, of course – to Sunday School seven days a week, a bit like Pakistan). Energy independence or efficiency (who cares about the Gulf, or reliance on MidEast oil?). Environmental regulation – worried about cancer or poison or mine disasters? Think again – worry about starving to death from no work and no unemployment extensions instead.
That's the corporate message, repackaged as "fighting job killers." And, of course, repeal healthcare reform and return to 50 million uninsured, and another 50 million under-insured ("insured", but sky-high deductibles and co-pays mean you can't afford to get sick). Oh – yes – I know we heard about those "death panels" and "big cuts in Medicare" but the bottom line is: the insurance companies must be paid before you get care. Who needs a death panel when who gets care and who does not will be determined by wealth? Simple. Just remember – any national care solution is "a job killer." So strange then that Japanese, German and Korean car makers put US auto companies nearly out of business while carrying the burden of such a "job killer."
But let the rich keep their tax cut and we are told by Boehner and McConnell that a gazillion jobs will magically "trickle down from Jackson Hole," as Frank Rich wrote this week. Its hard not to wander in to profane vocabularies when considering the monstrous scale of fraud Republicans, with the help of some "Blue Dogs," who are now gone from Congress, have perpetrated on the public. They spent $100+ million gilding this fraud with golden lies, coarse racism, and platinum bull-water (comes out of a bull).
The truth is the tax cut will provide no jobs until consumers – that's workers! – ability to buy returns. Give a business owner a million dollars a day in "incentives" – if no one is coming in the store, there will be not be a single job.
The truth is that 14.8 million were officially unemployed in September, 2010. Take away 2 million stimulus jobs, and you get 16.8 million "officially" unemployed. Pass the tax giveaway – there will still be 16.8 million unemployed. Obama has offered compromise after compromise seeking to cut the taxes for incomes under $250,000, without cuts to the rich being made permanent. But the Republicans will have none of it. Their concern about budgets is a complete con job. They want the same situation as exists now, or worse, when 2012 comes around and will flirt with fascism to take back the white house.Former President Bush had the most cynical quip of all – "why work so hard to keep the tax on the rich – they will find a way not to pay it anyway!"
The truth is that for youth – frankly there is no future at the current time. If SDS could be reborn again and shut down every campus and high school in the country in protest, tomorrow would not be too soon.
The truth is that older workers who lost billions in private pensions and 401K plans will be desperate to hold on to their jobs against the hordes of new unemployed lining up to take their jobs at minimum wage and lower, if these foolish Republican servants of finance, insurance, energy, defense and agribusiness corporations get their way. Retired workers will be fighting with the young for the crumbs unless solidarity becomes the watchword. Next will be slashing social security too.
The truth is that an all out attack on the remaining rights of workers to organize into unions and to defend themselves in politics is coming.
The truth is that these corporations have chosen to the path to hell over a more civil, balanced and sustainable future. But though they ride in a golden coach, the people CAN rise up and block them. And turn around. It is doubtful that a single democratic institution of our land is not in jeopardy if we do not ALL get off our butt, organize and prepare to defend ourselves. But – a wonderful old Bolshevik named Joe Figuerido from West Coast longshore once proclaimed: "If the working people even sneeze in unison – the temples of Wall Street will tumble!"
