The new Congress was elected by promising things to voters, but now in office they are doing different things. It is as if they said what they needed to say to get votes, but had a plan to do something else all along. The big question on everyone's mind: where is the job creation effort they promised? What is the plan?
After winning the midterms by running against Democrats for not creating enough jobs fast enough, Republicans are in charge of the House. So what are they doing? Well, not much on creating jobs -- that's for sure.
What Are They Working On?
First, the House passed H.R. 2, called the "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act." The repeal of the bill protecting citizens from predatory insurance companies now goes to the Senate, and if it passes the Senate it goes to the president for signing. This was the top priority of the new Congress, and no matter what they call the bill, it does not create any jobs.
According to the Library of Congress' Thomas database, the House is now working on the following bills, in order:
- H.R. 3: Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act.
- H.R. 4: Companies don’t have to report payments of $600 or more to the IRS...
- H.R. 5: Medical Tort reform – make it difficult or impossible for injured patients to sue for damages, can’t collect more than $250,000, no matter what harm the hospital does...
- H.R. 10: Prevent the executive branch from issuing any regulations...
- H.R. 22: Pipeline Safety and Community Empowerment Act of 2011.
- H.R. 25: Repeal the income tax and abolish the IRS...
- H.R. 26: Veterans Mental Health Screening and Assessment Act.
- H.R. 27: Lumbee Recognition Act. (Federal recognition is hereby extended to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina...)
- H.R. 29: Withdrawal of the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement...
OK, withdrawing from NAFTA could be a job-creating act. - H.R. 39 Delist polar bears from the endangered species list.
- H.R. 72: the New Jobs for America Act of 2011. Finally, wayyy down the list is a bill that really has something to do with jobs: "To authorize the Secretary of Labor to make grants to States, units of local government, and Indian tribes to carry out employment training programs."
- H.R. 87 To repeal the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Right, repeal the modest financial reform that made it through last year. Right.
. . . blah blah blah
Top Priority: Redefine Rape?
#1 was "reserved for the Speaker," #2 was repealing health care reform and passed, so let's look at #3, the Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act. This astonishing law, if passed, redefines rape and incest as only that which is “forcible.” It has been co-sponsored by 173 mostly Republican representatives, and was called a “top priority” by Speaker of the House John Boehner. Federal funding of abortion is already restricted, but with exceptions for rape, incest and health/life of the mother. So currently a woman who is raped can use Medicaid to pay for an abortion. This bill tries to deny federal funding for abortions resulting from rape or incest if there wasn't sufficient "force" involved! It also changes the health/life of the mother to only life, removing health.
How is that for priorities? Before jobs, this is what the new House is working on!
OK, I'll leave that where it is. Read it again, read the bill, and think about it.
Cuts That Kill Jobs
Instead of introducing job-creating legislation Republicans are getting ready to cut the very government programs that create jobs: education, infrastructure, research & development, unemployment benefits, etc. In what world will it help create jobs and help the economy to let our education and infrastructure further deteriorate?
Where Are The Jobs?
They campaigned on creating jobs. Where is the job-creation plan? What is the plan?
The President laid out a plan in the State of the Union address: rebuild the infrastructure and make our country competitive again. That is a plan. Where is the Republican plan?
