General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDemocrats Rally Behind President Obama’s SOTU to Demand Action on Jobs
http://www.politicususa.com/2014/01/29/democrats-rally-president-obamas-sotu-demand-action-republicans.htmlDemocrats Rally Behind President Obamas SOTU to Demand Action on Jobs
By: Sarah Jones
Wednesday, January, 29th, 2014, 9:00 am
Democrats rallied behind President Obamas powerful State of the Union speech, pushing forward his goals of job creation and renewing the extension of unemployment insurance.
Sander Levin (D-MI) called for action on unemployment insurance in a statement, The President spoke forcefully of the value of the 1.6 million unemployed millions whose insurance has been cut off and the urgent need for Congress to re-start the federal unemployment insurance program that is a vital lifeline during their job search. Levin pointed out that there is only one thing standing in Obamas way. The only thing standing in the way of the Presidents call that these unemployed Americans need our help right now is the resistance of Congressional Republicans.
Levin said that the Presidents speech demands action. Tonights speech and the stories of so many job-seeking Americans demand action. The President extended a hand to Republicans in a number of vital areas and I hope they will take him up on the offer to act together. If not, he made it abundantly clear and rightfully so that as President he will act in every other way possible to advance opportunities for middle class families.
Senator Al Franken (D-MN), who has been pushing legislation (Community College to Career Fund Act) to this effect, rallied behind Obamas call for job training. Im very pleased that the President highlighted job training in his speech, said Sen. Franken. There are more than three million jobs in this country that could be filled today if workers had the right skills, and with too many people still unemployed, we have to find a way to train Minnesota workers and fill these open, high-skilled jobs.
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) agreed with the Presidents focus on jobs, saying in a statement, I am gratified that the President made jobs and the economy the central focus of his State of the Union address. Casey also backed the worker training concept that Franken is trying to get done, I was encouraged by the Presidents emphasis on worker training programs, hiring incentives and pay equity to ensure workers have the chance to get ahead.
What were seeing here is a party solidly unified behind its President. This is a party that knows that if they want to get anything done for the people, theyre going to be battling Republicans every step of the way. The only way to win that war is to stand together, and demand action.
This is all designed to get the people demanding action, in order to put so much pressure on Republicans in an election year that Republicans feel they must actually do something for the people. If the people make enough noise, even this Congress will have to listen.
global1
(25,241 posts)We need to take away the popular talking point from the Repugs - "Where are the jobs" which is being echoed by them now as evidenced by the Repug SOTU responses.
The jobs could be there if the Repugs did THEIR job. We need to keep the pressure up on them for infrastucture and job training and we need to hold their feet to the fire on pushing through a 'jobs bill' in the House.
But the pressure on the 'jobs bill' needs to come from the Dems so that it is evident where the impetus came from. I can see the Repugs pushing through a 'jobs bill' and trying to take credit for it. They've been stonewalling throughout the President's term(s) because they don't want him to be successful on anything.
It is time we held their feet to the fire and embarrassed them into doing the right thing.