8/16/2011 12:08 PM
As the prez makes his rounds in the midwest on his campaign tour, yeah yeah its all business, I know, he is speaking of what can stimulate jobs immediately, so he claims. Infastructure (a good idea....except), patent reform (thats a new one), a free trade agreement ( a signature of every president since Clinton, including Bush) and payroll tax extension.
We do need improvements in our nations infastructure, no one can argue that. But can we afford it? We're broke and in debt. A topic for discussion for sure. Patent reform is not exactly a job creator. It is more about making indivduals and large corporations ( a no no to the democrats) money. Both the House and the Senate have passed bills addressing this........but is languishing somewhere in never never land. The creation of another free trade agreement with Korea, Panama and Columbia is another bureaucratic idea that has less merit once you look closely at it. Shipping to those countries do not guarantee that thousands of new jobs will be created by a trade agreement. A senior democratic official has said as much, trade deals "won't create jobs directly" and some economist think it could COST the US upwards of 200,000 jobs. The payroll tax deduction that was passed a year ago is a good thing. Extend it. Not a lot of money, but money I spend on goods and services that the government is not holding. Good for employers as they too are getting break in payroll taxes. But the the oxymoron of this "job creator" is the democrats want MORE TAXES and the Republicans want more cuts to spending and this could be construed as just that. Hey finally a bi partisian agreement on something.
Hope he enjoys his ride on the Hound.