Obama Calls Out Republicans For Wasting Time On Keystone: ‘That’s Not A Jobs Plan’

[Galraedia]

In a speech on Tuesday focused on repairing the American economy, President Obama called out Republicans in Congress for flouting serious job-creation efforts in favor of trying to repeal environmental regulations and push for the creation of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

While Republicans have advocated for Keystone by insisting that it will create jobs, Obama slammed that assertion Tuesday, pointing to the Cornell University estimate that Keystone would only create 50 permanent jobs:

If (Congressional Republicans have) got a better plan to create jobs rebuilding our infrastructure or to help workers earn the high-tech skills they need, then they should offer up these ideas. But I’ve got to tell you, just gutting our environmental protection, that’s not a jobs plan. Gutting investments in education, that’s not a jobs plan. You know, they keep on talking about an oil pipeline coming down from Canada that’s estimated to create about 50 permanent jobs. That’s not a jobs plan

Watch it:

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/07/30/2384551/obama-keystone-jobs/

[think]

1. Good to hear Obama speak the truth about this environmental boondoggle...

K&R

[joshcryer]

9. He's still for it for geopolitical reasons.

I know he's not stupid enough to think Keystone would help American jobs, but he can't afford to have Canada shipping the oil to China directly, it has to go through our ports and our refineries. It's a strategic thing as opposed to something environmental or something pro-jobs.

[vi5]

2. He's right.

But then again, lowering the corporate tax rate isn't much of a jobs plan either.

[freshwest]

4. That's not what he's doing. He's lowering those paying 35% to 28% and those paying 0% to 28%.

Which is why the 1% media hates him. This is about closing loopholes that allow corporations to ship jobs overseas and pay nothing for Americans: It exactly the same strategy adopted by JFK, lowering the rate but cut loopholes for corporations. The revenue raised will go for infrastructure jobs of all kinds and education.

[Dwayne Hicks]

6. While closing loopholes is needed...

Lowering corporate rates is not. These giant corporations rake in billions a year they should be paying 35%. instead we pay them to ship our jobs to India and China. Its pretty disgusting.

[joshcryer]

7. The corporate rate actually harms smaller businesses who can't take advantage of loopholes.

So it's a difficult balance.

[Dwayne Hicks]

8. Is it the same?

For small business? Do they also have the 35% tax rate?

[joshcryer]

11. Large corporate is about 13% small is 20%.

We're talking effective tax rate here, of course. Very large corporations can use the loopholes, and of course small businesses have a tiered tax rate (so a company making 10k isn't going to be taxed at 35%).

The problem is that the effective tax rate for corporations in the United States is 13%, but 20% for small businesses.

Note: the SBA (Small Business Association) does consider a business "small" if it has under 500 employees, so if you look at Table 26 in that report you can break it down a bit further and see what I'm talking about.

[Dwayne Hicks]

12. Thanks

I will take a look.

[joshcryer]

13. The main focus are those companies that pay zero or negative tax.

That is, they get fucking rebates for existing!

Basically anything in the Fortune 500 needs to be scrutinized.

This is the scary part:



From here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_tax_in_the_United_States

Trillions in lost revenue.

[Dwayne Hicks]

14. Yeah it's bullshit...

But of course republicans will never pass any sort loophole closures.

[joshcryer]

16. Indeed.

It's a lost cause.

[freshwest]

15. The ones who shipping jobs overseas are the ones paying 0% now. That is what he's stopping.

It's in the longer video, the transcript and the bill he's submitting. The one the GOP says they'll block.

JFK lowered the tax rate and cut the loopholes out. This is the same policy. It worked before, it will work again. 35 > 28 > 0.

28% across the board with no exemptions, and no breaks for shipping jobs, is what is going to pay for more infrastructure jobs and education.

He's on top of this about Keystone, he's resisted it all the way, and explained it in this shorter clip.

The GOP has tried to hold hostage every spending bill by tying them to Keystone and personhood bills, defunding PP, SNAP and UAE. And they've just voted for the 40th time to repeal the ACA at a cost of $50M to cut the economic benefits,mostly to the poor of Americans

Obama won't give in the government shut down, and this latest initiative is going to pit the people paying 35% against those who are paying nothing. Obama has said all along that was wrong.

Those who keep jobs here and are willing to pay 35% will be grateful for the 7% and the ones paying nothing are going to make sure this is twisted in the news to benefit their 1% owners.

So I'm onboard with this.

[joshcryer]

17. Sorry, freshwest, but Obama has always supported Keystone.

On one hand he did deny the permit due to them trying to rush it, but on the other hand he himself wanted the red tape cut.

[Katashi_itto]

3. Tax incentives have never created many jobs.

A real infrasture building program creates jobs.

[Dwayne Hicks]

5. He's right

A couple hundred temporary jobs isn't even a drop in the bucket! Let alone the potential for an environmental disaster. Does the country even need another pipeline? Do we even want it? I sure as hell don't!

[Cha]

10. Mahalo, Pres Obama!

[PragmaticLiberal]

19. Thanks for the info guys. I'll look into the President's proposal more in depth.

[Major Hogwash]

20. "That's not a jobs plan!"

It was a great speech!!