"Transportation Bill Actually Not Boring" is actually not a headline from the Onion. President Obama today urged House Republicans to please not let the "Surface Transportation Bill" expire at the end of September. Up to one million people will lose their jobs if the Republicans continue to block the renewal of this bill -- which may be exactly what the Republicans want. more »
For decades now America has been putting off necessary investments in our public infrastructure—our roads, bridges, airports, ports and waterways, rail, levees, schools, water systems, energy systems, and other public facilities. This infrastructure meets the public’s safety and welfare needs, and supports the nation’s economic growth and competitiveness, but it is falling apart.
At the same time we have a jobs crisis: 13.9 million Americans officially out of work; another 8.3 million working part-time who would want full-time jobs, millions more who have pretty much thrown up their hands in today's stagnant economy.
The answer to both problems is obvious: Put millions of people to work repairing and rebuilding our public infrastructure—now.
It seems that I begin a post every month by writing, “Another terrible jobs report.” And it seems I end that post each month asking why our leaders are ignoring the problem. Our country is in a jobs emergency, and our government is not doing its part to fill the gap and create jobs. In fact, now they are talking about cuts that will just make it worse. more »
At the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) - America yesterday the AFL-CIO announced a $10 billion commitment to invest in America's infrastructure. This commitment puts labor’s money where their mouth is. more »
We've been deferring maintenance of our infrastructure since the Reagan tax cuts - never mind modernizing to restore American competitiveness. It is something that has to be done anyway, and here we are with so many people needing work. It's just nuts. Millions of jobs that need doing, and millions out of work, and we can't connect the dots. more »
Another bad jobless claims report... and this time Washington seems to have finally noticed that there are some unemployed people out here in the sticks. But instead of jobs programs the geniuses are proposing ... what else? ... even more tax cuts. more »
Have you seen the People's Budget discussed in the media? Nope. Have you heard that we need to be more "business friendly" by cutting taxes on the rich and cut the things We, the People do for each other? Yep. Did you know that polls show the public overwhelmingly wants taxes on the rich and government spending on jobs? Nope. Why is that?
We have a jobs emergency. We have a stagnant economy. We are falling behind in economic competitiveness. We have developed a terrible concentration of income and wealth. We can address all of these at once.
The Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO promised a big infrastructure push. The Chamber has backed off. Democrats and President Obama should embrace a big investment in jobs – and challenge the Republicans to support it. The American Majority wants it. It is a winning campaign issue.
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For decades now America has been putting off necessary investments in our public infrastructure—our roads, bridges, airports, ports and waterways, rail, levees, schools, water systems, energy systems, and other public facilities. This infrastructure meets the public’s safety and welfare needs, and supports the nation’s economic growth and competitiveness, but it is falling apart. 
