A JOBS PLAN FOR JOB CREATORS?

As long as we allow politicians to slash public sector jobs, pay companies to move abroad, deny people’s rights to bargain for “frills” (like having enough firefighters or police to adequately protect us), dramatically reduce unemployment insurance, and defund programs that will cause more people to lose jobs, unemployment will continue to be high and potentially go higher. Remember, Boehner stating, “So be it” when discussing the loss of jobs?

Last year alone, 40% of total job losses were from public schools.

The GOP plans to campaign on the poor employment numbers, so we need to understand why the job losses occurred.

If they are so concerned about jobs, why would they continue to eliminate them? Perhaps we should look more closely at the “House Republican Plan for America’s Job Creators.” You don’t have to go much further than their title. Read it again. Job Creators? Many of us were under the impression that the jobs problem stemmed from the number of workers without jobs!

Their subtitle is “Empowering Families, Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs.” (See if you can find anything in the plan to empower families. I couldn’t.)

Their plan addresses providing fewer regulations for companies. It proposes lowering income tax rates for the extremely wealthy and for corporations—to lower rates than families making $69,000 annually now pay. They want trade deals with other countries expanded (something Democrats supported if the dislocated workers in America were given opportunities to gain additional skills for new jobs).

They support changing patents so that the “first to file” has precedence over the “first to invent.” Although they want to deport immigrants, as a general rule, they are willing to grant exceptions to highly skilled, hand-selected individuals. One part of their recently released plan includes reauthorizing user fees for prescription drugs and medical devices—something already passed by the Senate and House Judiciary Committee. And, of course, they want to expand energy exploration and production.

Finally, they propose paying down debt and reducing government spending, eliminating even more jobs. That’s it. Their plan consists of eight ideas. Where are workers in this plan?