General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWith troops headed home, time to rebuild America, Obama says in weekly address
by Susan Gardner
By the end of next year, Americas war in Afghanistan will be over.
Hot on the heels of his meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai yesterday, President Obama explicitly tied the draw-down of troops in Afghanistan to nation-building at homewith a specific call to address gun violence in America:
After more than a decade of war, the nation we need to rebuild is our own.
As we do, we have to care for our troops and veterans who fought in our name. We have to grow our economy and shrink our deficits. Create new jobs and boost family incomes. We have to fix our infrastructure and our immigration system. We have to protect our planet from the destructive effects of climate changeand protect our children from the horrors of gun violence.
While admitting it's not an easy list of items he meant to address, the president told listeners that if our soldiers can lay their lives on the line for years in the Middle East, surely the rest of us can do them proud by rebuilding the country and having services in place to help them with their transition home.
These, too, will be difficult missions for America. But they must be met. And if we can summon just a fraction of the determination of our men and women in uniform, I know we can meet them. And I intend to work as hard as I know how to make sure we do.
- more -
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/01/12/1178269/-With-troops-headed-home-time-to-rebuild-America-Obama-says-in-weekly-address
leftstreet
(36,112 posts)Jobs! Rebuild Infrastructure! Blah, blah, blah
So where is the Jobs Program?
Macroeconomic Advisers on the American Jobs Act, proposed a year ago:
We estimate that the American Jobs Act (AJA), if enacted, would give a significant boost to GDP and employment over the near-term.
-The various tax cuts aimed at raising workers after-tax income and encouraging hiring and investing, combined with the spending increases aimed at maintaining state & local employment and funding infrastructure modernization, would:
-Boost the level of GDP by 1.3% by the end of 2012, and by 0.2% by the end of 2013.
-Raise nonfarm establishment employment by 1.3 million by the end of 2012 and 0.8 million by the end of 2013, relative to the baseline
Of course, it that had happened, Obama would be more or less a lock for reelection. Instead, having blocked the presidents economic plans, Republicans can point to weak job growth and claim that the presidents policies have failed.
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/08/the-jobs-program-that-wasnt/
In September 2011, Republicans blocked the American Jobs Act and up to 2 million jobs
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021294027
Veterans Jobs Bill Blocked in the Senate
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/veterans-jobs-bill-blocked-in-the-senate/
leftstreet
(36,112 posts)...A dead political party finally routed from influence or significance by voters in 2006 & 2008
whatever
ProSense
(116,464 posts)If it makes you happy, have at it.
leftstreet
(36,112 posts)You mean the way Obama 'cheered' the GOP by installing their fav Wall Street advisers?
Please
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Go ahead, you seem to want to. Republicans block jobs bill, you blame the President.
Bizarre that you want to give Republicans a pass.
leftstreet
(36,112 posts)How you explain them coming from a Democratic prez is your business
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"You go ahead and cheer GOP policies
How you explain them coming from a Democratic prez is your business"
You are here pissing in a thread trying to blame the President for Republican obstruction. That's weird.
spanone
(135,873 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)MineralMan
(146,329 posts)The President cannot override Congress. Blame the GOP. Don't blame Obama.
LisaLynne
(14,554 posts)in the colon of the legislative branch: The Repugs.
spanone
(135,873 posts)republican will oppose this too....
Cha
(297,655 posts)we did NOT have enemies of the state in our House.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)thinking about it.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)Cha
(297,655 posts)the leading on this.. and not some neocon package mittLies came up with.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)I trust that he will seek diplomacy for as long as possible, though.