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Governing for We, the People, or gutting for the benefit of the rich? This budget fight is about a stark choice: jobs and growth for We, the People, or going down the road of plutocracy -- rule by the super-rich and big corporations -- with little or nothing left over for the rest of us. It comes down to that.
Obama: Governing
The President submitted a budget that creates up to 15 million jobs, while cutting the huge deficit that Bush left us with. From USA Today, Obama budget plan could create millions of jobs, "a massive job-creation engine,"
President Obama's proposed fiscal 2012 budget is potentially a massive job-creation engine, with plans to generate millions of them by repairing and expanding highways, bridges and railways.
. . . The plan calls for $53 billion to build a high-speed rail system, $336 billion for highways and a "national infrastructure bank" that would combine public and private money to build national or regional transportation systems.
This is the Obama jobs record: (click to enlarge)
Republicans: Gutting
In a well-telegraphed one-two punch Republicans last year held the country hostage to force tax cuts for the wealthy, increasing the deficit by up to $900 billion. Now this year, the right hook. Saying "we're broke" they are demanding cuts to the things government does for We, the People.
The Republicans have stated clearly that they don't want to govern and don't want government by We, the People. They call government a "burden." The ideologues want to flat-out get rid of government, and they mean it.
Speaker Boehner, in the TPM report, If Jobs Are Lost As A Result Of GOP Spending Cuts 'So Be It', made the priority clear: "If some of those jobs are lost so be it. We're broke."
Budget Focus: Jobs or Cuts?
The budget discussion should not be about which "side" cuts the most. It should be about how best to create jobs for people in an economy that grows enough to end the Reagan/Bush pattern of borrowing. Bill Scher, writing in his post, President Antes Up 15M New Jobs. GOP Folds.,
There's a risk that the budget battle descends into a race to the bottom to see which party can cut the most. But that is not an inevitability.
Especially because there is very clear contrast to be made on jobs.
. . . The House Republicans cannot point to any proposal of theirs and claim it would directly create a single job. That is not a matter of debate. That is a literal truth.
... the basic math is impossible to ignore. 15,000,000 jobs versus -700,000 jobs. That's the difference between public investment and gutting government. That's the real debate before the American people.
Believe it or not, on top of not creating any jobs in their budget, Republicans are cutting jobs programs!
March 10 Summit on Jobs and America's Future
On March 10, 2011, the Summit on Jobs and America’s Future will bring together leaders and activists who understand that America faces a jobs crisis – and who are committed to building a political movement for sustainable economic growth, dynamic job creation, and a revival of the American economy.
Free. $15 with lunch. Register here.
