Convergence of Relevant Stuff

The New York Times reported on its front page this morning that the jobs report suggested that the recession was ending, but the recovery will be characterized by still rising unemployment even though the unemployment rate dipped by one tenth of a percent in July.  All good news For President Barack Obama whose polling rates went up to 58%.

The most hopeful jobs report since last summer suggested Friday that the  recession was ending, but the recovery will be marked by a still-rising unemployment rate and tens of thousands of job losses each month until next year.

stimulus.

President Obama\’s Address on Today\’s Job Report

Republicans continue to mount significant criticism of the President Obama’s stimulus plan. As always, this has been mean spirited and often downright nasty. If Obama coughs, the republicans criticize  it. It is a personal attack. It is mean spirited and it is uncalled for.  The motive is to bring down his  favorably ratings and an attempt to  make   political gains even when they have no alternative  or even a better plan of their own.

Most people know what the alternatives are that republicans have to offer, less taxes, less spending and let the state take care of it’s own.  That is what got this country in the mess that we’re in. Not only this,  the republicans have mounted a frontal attack on the Health Care plan since its inception. Citing socialistic medicine, high cost, and  other weak responses in an  attempt to shut down health care reform.

One wonders if the republicans lawmakers and those in state and local government had ever faced a parent who required nursing home care and has no assets? Have they faced a loved one diagnosed with cancer, who was laid off from their job and left to fend on their own?   Have they faced  the prospect of facing a terminal illness with little or no affordable health insurance? No, because most of them were dealt a better hand in life, a chance to have a home that they can comfortably pay for. Health insurance for their families. They are able to pick up the phone to call relatives  and friends to  ask for help in hiring their children for a job.  Are they are able to pass on the family business to a son or daughter.  They are able to do this because they have leg up on thousands of  less fortunate American who can’t offer the same.

They can’t pay for a mortgage, because they only have one job to support their family and perhaps that job was at a manufacturing factory that closed down.  They don’t have an inheritance that they can offer their kids to jump start their lives.  They don’t have all the perks that rich congressmen, senators, state legislators, and local legislators may have.  They have assess to the best school, the best jobs and everything.  Yet they are quick to criticize those without as being lazy and expecting a hand out.

There argument always centers own “opportunity is  available to all”.  Not so, there are barriers when you are always the last hired and first fired. How can you support your family and give  them things that republicans offer their families and friends, when no one will give you a job? When your ememployment rate  for your racial group is well over 15%?   Everyone works to achieve the America dream, but it needs to be available to all. Not just in theory.  The next time you hear a Republican complain about a stimulus bill,  the high deficits, and hear them tell you about the evils of public health care.  Beware.  They have a motive……To Keep It all for themselves and their families.  They last thing they want is to share their wealth with all Americans.

President Obama continues his  public relations tour in the face of  criticism from the media and political operative who complain about a number of issues.  Americans are an impatient people, and expect miracles to take  place a at breakneck speed, correspondingly they expect Obama to fix the economy quickly and efficiently even though he has been in office less than two months.  Not only is this ridiculously unreasonable, it is blatantly unfair.

No matter what, it seems Obama is being held to an impossible standard, that was not applied to other Presidents.  President  Bush was never held to this type a standard, that is precisely why Obama is left to deal with the mess Bush left and held to an impossible  standard. This type of double standard is seen nearly everyday in corporate America, where some people are given a free ride and others are criticized.

John McCain, has become the resident bitter critic. Criticizing everything that President Obama does. There is no question that McCain is terribly bitter about  his loss in the Presidential election to Obama.  Lets give Obama the time he needs like we afford to everyone else. Healthcare needs to be fixed. The stimulus packages need time to work and more packages are needed and need  to be made available.  Companies continue to downsize and job layoffs are a daily reality

President Obama has only been in office two months and he is cleaning up an economic house that was left dirty, broken and in shambles by George Bush when he left. It takes time and money to fix a comdemed house.

The CEO of AIG said that some of the people who received a bonus said that they would stay and try to help, but they turned around and took their millions of taxpayer dollars and walked out with our money.  In other words, they truly cared about their country and the American people.  This is absolutely ridiculous.  The folks at AIG do not have a clue and further do not care about American people who are suffering through layoffs, no food to eat, living in tent cities, their homes are being foreclosed on, and they have little or no hope of securing a job.

Wall Street has ruined this country.  Corporations are laying off older workers who make a high salary in order to please the hallowed share holder.  If you are an employee who has at least 2o to 25 years in the bank with one company and it is a publicly traded company, you are at risk of  being laid off in favor of keeping a younger workers who can be paid much less than the you the older worker.  Don’t get me wrong young workers deserve a job too and many of them have been laid off as well.  The point is corporations do not care about anyone; young or old. All in the best interest of the glorified share holder.

Companies are only interested in Wall Street and they could care less about Main Street. If you have never been laid off, let me enlighten you about what happens. You put in 25- 30 years of services to a publicly traded company. You worked harder than just about anyone at  your place of employment. Did not take vacation days. Performed your job over and above requirements;  then you get laid off. They tap you on the shoulder and tell you to go to HR, where you hear a speech that your job as been eliminated, it has nothing to do with you. It is not personnel, but you no longer have health insurance and we don’t care that you have a pre-existing condition (cancer).   That happened to me and that’s what corporate, and publicly traded companies do to  hard working Americans.

So yes AIG needs to get the money back from these greedy Wall Street executives and give the money back to the American people. They need it to eat. Buy health care and to feed their families.

Today, I signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law.

This is a historic step — the first of many as we work together to climb out of this crisis — and I want to thank you for your resolve and your support.

You organized thousands of house meetings. You shared your ideas and personal stories. And you informed your friends and neighbors about the need for immediate action. You continue to be a powerful voice for change throughout the country.

The recovery plan will create or save 3.5 million jobs, provide tax cuts for working and middle-class families, and invest in health care and clean energy.

It’s a bold plan to address a huge problem, and it will require my vigilance and yours to make sure it’s done right.

I’ve assigned a team of managers to oversee the implementation of the recovery act. We are committed to making sure no dollar is wasted. But accountability begins with you.

That’s why my administration has created Recovery.gov, a new website where citizens can track every dollar spent and every job created. We’ll invite you and your neighbors to weigh in with comments and questions.

Our progress will also be measured by the tens of thousands of personal stories submitted by people who are struggling to make ends meet. If you haven’t already, you can read stories from families all across the country:

http://my.barackobama.com/yourstories

Your stories are the heart of this recovery plan, and that’s what I’ll focus on every day as President.

With your continued support, we’ll emerge a stronger and more prosperous nation.