rssReid Fights for Fading Jobs Bill on Senate Floor
Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 12:58 pm
- 15 Comments
Today, the Senate is debating the tax extenders’ package, also known as the jobs bill or H.R. 4213. The beleaguered legislation has been cut by more than $100 billion to appease centrists and deficit hawks who still refuse to vote for it as it expands the deficit by around $20 billion. But what do those billions get? Medicaid funding for the states, extended unemployment insurance benefits for millions of Americans and a host of measures to close tax loopholes. Shockingly, the bill might actually fail to pass due to the Democrats losing the vote of Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.) and failing to win over a Republican — presumably Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine), Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) or Sen. Scott Brown (Mass.).
Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the majority leader, is not known as much of a rhetorician. But he gave a good, passionate speech opening debate again on the floor this morning — and giving a good rundown of what is in this tossed-salad of a bill:
I want to take some time this morning to update our fellow Senators and our constituents watching around the country about the bill currently before this body. This bill creates jobs, cuts taxes and closes corporate loopholes. It’s a good bill. It’s a necessary bill. This bill will make our economy stronger. It’s a bill I’m fighting for because the recession has driven Nevada’s unemployment rate higher than any other in the entire country. I’m fighting for it because we need to help small businesses grow and hire and once again be the engine that runs our economy. I’m fighting for it because I don’t think big businesses should get rewarded for shipping jobs out of America when so many here at home are desperate for a paycheck and the dignity of a day’s work.
This is the eighth week since March we have tried to find a resolution. We have gone back and forth countless times, considering ideas, compromising where necessary and courting support. We tried to bring it to the floor, but the minority said no. Once we finally succeeded in bringing it here to the floor, we tried to bring it to a vote. Again, the minority said no.
Somewhere along the line, throughout these charades, this job-creating, tax-cutting, loophole-closing bill has become a political football. The debate has focused more on winning and losing than on doing what’s right. So I want to take a step back and talk about what’s really in the text of this legislation. Let’s be crystal clear about all the good things a “yes” vote enables us to do — and what a “no” vote stops us from doing.
This bill: Extends the tax deduction for students’ tuition. Extends the deduction for state and local sales taxes. Extends the standard deduction for property taxes. Extends the deduction for the cost of classroom supplies purchased by teachers. Includes a $4 billion extension of Build America Bonds that provide low-cost financing for infrastructure investments. Extends Small Business Administration lending programs that provide low-cost loans to small businesses. Provides $2.5 billion in funding for state wage assistance programs to help people move from welfare to work. Extends the Research and Development tax credit that provides more than $6 billion in assistance to firms conducting research on new technology. Provides $5 billion in New Markets Tax Credits that encourage investment in economically-distressed areas. Allows retail and restaurant businesses to write off property investments over 15 years rather than 39 years. Provides tax credits to assist mining firms with their rescue team training and to purchase safety equipment. Provides wage assistance to firms that continue paying normal wages to employees who are members of the military’s reserves and are on active duty. Contains incentives to encourage film and television productions in the United States.
Later today, we’ll hold a vote on all of these items. Those who want to help middle-class America will vote “yes.” Those who want to protect corporate America will vote “no.” Those who want to create jobs and create the conditions for recovery will vote “yes.” Those who want to kill jobs, who want to stop our recovery in its tracks and who want to keep things the way they are will vote “no.” Those who want our economy to prosper and succeed will vote “yes.” Those who want this Congress and this economy to fail will vote “no.” Those who put people first will vote “yes.” Those who put politics first will vote “no.”
The American people are watching, and they’re waiting for us to act. They demand that their Senators understand what they’re going through and how badly they’re struggling. I understand. I know what the people of Nevada are going through. I know how much a good bill like this one will help those families and small businesses. I hope other Senators here do, too — for the sake of those in my state, for the sake of those in their own states and for the sake of our nation’s economy. As for those who still don’t see the value in creating jobs, cutting taxes and closing corporate loopholes — I hope they’ll take some time today to come to the floor and listen to their fellow Senators who believe in this bill. I hope they’ll listen with an open mind, and with their constituents’ best interests in mind.
The time to decide is closing in on us, but it’s not over yet. It’s not too late to do what’s right.
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15 Comments
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Comment posted June 24, 2010 @ 5:31 pm
To all the Senetors that are planning to vote no.
Since that will effectively cut off my only income. Would any of you mind to let me and my family stay with you? We will be without a home in a matter of weeks. I still have my cellphone, so I can keep looking for work everyday. I just will need to use your Internet connection, meals, bathroom and maybe watch a movie or two with your family and mine together.
I'm sure that you aren't as heartless as your vote reflects.
Thanks for nothing.
Comment posted June 24, 2010 @ 5:33 pm
Here are 2 things ALL of us can do starting today. Write President Obama and call his comment line and leave this message. Extend all unemployment benefits by executive order. Add a tier v and keep the economy moving forward. Right now there are 5 applicants for every 1 job available. Congress has our very lives in the fringe of their power struggle. The economy is like a fully loaded tractor tailor going up an ice covered hill. Allowing our benefits to laps and end now will stop and degrade any improvements and ground we have covered so far. It is imperative that the President steps in and handles this emergency situation immediately.
White house email:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
President Obama's contact number:
(202) 456-1111
It doesn't matter how you voted in the past. Make sure you vote against the people who have hurt your family's and our country. Vote them out!
Comment posted June 24, 2010 @ 5:54 pm
I went to the website and sent the email suggested by SB. It took less than 5 mins to do. Pleasse do so; we all need help.
Comment posted June 24, 2010 @ 7:09 pm
After nearly completing my schooling for a career change while never failing to seek work during the process yet failing to be given a job as of yet, I feel optimistic for myself before I run out of unemployment benefits, however I feel for the milliions who will still need help beyond the lapsed time period. With that, I believe the only thing left in our (the unemployed) power is the very thing that ALL of the elected officials have taken for granted. They do NOT take seriously nor value the vote of the unemployed whereas they feel we tend to NOT vote. I believe it is in our best interest and in our power to make a difference in this election. As a conservative with Christian values, I have tended to vote republican in most cases of the past. However, since the REPUBLICANS are more than eager to run up the national deficit to help their OIL BUDDIES and the BIG CORPORATIONS that butter THEIR pockets and ensure THEIR votes, and then finally grow a conscience in regards to a reck in our national deficit that they contributed to, but at OUR (the unemployed and poor) expense, to this it is HYPOCRISY. If they had any other logical explanation that would not be hyprocritical based upon thier past behavior, then I would be hard pressed to point fingers in regards to something I would otherwise benefit from. But their own reasoning is nothing but a lie and proves their lack of trustworthyness. BUT I ABSOLUTELY DRAW THE LINE WHEN THEY HAVE THE NERVE TO HAVE A GOVERNOR CANDIDATE FROM KENTUCKY TELL US TO QUIT OUR WHINING AND GET BACK TO WORK…I DRAW THE LINE WHEN THEY ARE QUOTED IN ARTICLES ACCUSING US OF BEING LAZY. HOW DARE YOU REPUBLICANS. WALK IN MY SHOES, GET YOUR…YOUR…LAZY (FILL IN THE BLANK) OUT HERE AND APPLY FOR COMMON MAN JOBS. YOU GO AROUND ACTING HOLIER THAN THOU…AGAINST ABORTION..PUT PRAYER IN SCHOOLS…DON'T DESTROY OUR FINANCIAL FUTURE AND NATIONAL DEFICIT TO HELP THE POOR AND UNEMPLOYED..BUT IT IS OK TO DO SO IF IT HELPS BIG COMPANIES AND PUTS MONEY AND VOTES BACK INTO YOUR OWN POCKETS…THAT IS HYPOCRISY….AND SINCE YOU CHOOSE TO JUDGE ME, I WILL SHOW YOU HOW LAZY I REALY AM, AND HOW WORTHLESS AND UNIMPORTANT MY VOTE REALLY WILL BE COME NOVEMBER….AT LEAST THE DEMOCRATS ARE HONEST ABOUT THIER VALUES THAT I MIGHT DISAGREE WITH, BUT WHEN YOU REPUBLICANS LIE ABOUT YOUR REASONING TO NOT SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED…EVEN THAT IS AGAINST THE VALUES OF THE BIBLE…TO HELP OTHERS….SO WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO JUDGE ME, WHICH I ALSO…AGAINST THE VALUES OF THE BIBLE…THEN I WILL NOT LET YOU HIDE BEHIND YOUR HOLIER THAN THOU ATTITUDE OF HYPROCRISY TO GAIN MY VOTE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALREADY PROVEN YOURSELF TO BE UNTRUSTWORTHY. ….
to US unemployed…I suggest we ban together and take a stand this election, our elected officials do NOT value us as eligible voters because they say that history trends the unemployed as inactive at the booth. SO LET US ALL PROVE THEM WRONG, AND CAST OUR VOTE THIS NOVEMBER…EVEN IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH MY UPCOMING SUGGESTION AND VOTE OTHERWISE…AT LEAST HELP US PROVE THEM WRONG ON THIS ONE ISSUE….
MY SUGGESTION…TO VOTE AGAINST EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN..REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY STAND FOR OR IF WE AGREE WITH THEM ON OTHER ISSUES. WHY? BECAUSE 100% of the republicans have voted against us…and as I stated above, the deficit has NOTHING to do with it. It is ONLY because we the poor or unemployed are not able to benefit them…but that will be where they are wrong when election day comes. WE SHOULD MAKE A STAND AND PROVE THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND MAKE ALL THE HYPORCRITICAL REPUBLICANS PAY FOR DARING TO INSULT US CALLING US LAZY…WHINNING, AND SOAKING OFF OF UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS. WE SHOULD MAKE THEM WALK IN OUR SHOES AND SHOW THEM THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE…WE SHOULD LET THEM KNOW WE ARE NOT LAZY AND ARE SINCERE AND ASK THEM TO EXPLAIN TO USE WHERE THE OTHER FOUR OUT OF FIVE AMERICANS AVAILABLE FOR FOR JUST ONE JOB IS SUPPOSED TO GO TO NOT BE LAZY..TO NOT WHINE…AND NOT STAY ON UNEMPLOYMENT…
The numbers say that 10% of Americans are out of work. That is incorrect, that does not include those who have exhaused unemployment benefits and have fallen off of payrolls, and does NOT even include the previously homeless beyond that. Everywhere I have researched has stated that it is far more than 15%. IF ALL OF US BAN TOGETHER AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER…AND…VOTE TOGETHER AGAINST THE REPUBLICANS THAT INSULT US AS WELL AS 100% OF THEM VOTE AGAINST US…WE CAN SWING THE VOTE IN OUR FAVOR. REMEMBER..THE LAST TO MAJOR REPUBLICAN WON ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN ON THE HAIR OF A NEAR 50% SPLIT OF OUR NATION..CAUSING LAST MINUTE VOTES TO BE NEEDED TO DECIDE WHO WON..AND I WON'T EVEN GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT BUSH AND GORE, When 15% of AMERICANS VOTE TOGETHER ONE WAY OUT OF WHAT WILL PROBALLY ONLY BE ABOUT 60%…THAT IS A QUARTER OF THE VOTES THAT WOULD BE CAST, WHICH MEANS IF THE ELECTION GOES AS CLOSE AS IT HAS IN THE PAST FOR THE REPUBLICANS…WE…THE UNEMPLOYED…THE POOR…THE ELDERLY….WE CAN CONTROL THIS ELECTION IN HOW IT WILL TURN OUT..BECAUSE WE WILL BE THE SWING VOTE…WHILE THE OTHER 75% OF THE VOTES ARE SPLITTING…(~37% each), OUR LAZY…WHINNING, UNIMPORTANT 25% OF THE VOTES CAN SWING THE DIFFERENCE TO WHO WE WANT TO WIN…LET US BAN TOGETHER…INSTEAD OF VIOLANT RIOTING AS SOME WOULD DO..LET US JOIN TOGETHER AND DO A POLITICAL RIOT THIS NOVEMBER AND CONTROL THE VOTE…VOTE AGAINST EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN AND GIVE THEM A TASTE OF WHAT IT IS LIKE….TELL EVERYONE…TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS….TELL YOUR DOGS…TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS DOGS…JUST EVERYONE OF US VOTE…UNITE…AND DEATH TO THE REPUBLICANS…(POLITICALLY SPEAKING OF COURSE)….UNEMPLOYED OF AMERICA…UNITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment posted June 24, 2010 @ 8:01 pm
ummm? IS NOT YOUR PRESIDENT IN RUSSA TODAY? GIVEING THE RUSSAN LEADER A NEW I-POD ? GOOD LUCK WITH THAT… ive been jobless for over 26 weeks , NOT FUN! my checks stopped weeks ago…. no tiers for me! I would like to see this bill passed Now!! to bad our government is out of control…. to bad people take notice only when it affects the bottom line for themselves , now its too late to prepare… sell now wile there is somone with money to buy. find a gas saver car thats paid for! find some land and put a trailer on it! save all money to pay taxes on it and plant a garden.. be ready to protect it.
Pingback posted June 24, 2010 @ 10:40 pm
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Comment posted June 24, 2010 @ 10:18 pm
I also took SB's advice and sent an email to the White House. I will be calling the phone number as well .
Unfortunately, we are all preaching to the choir on these articals and blogs. I think most who seek out recent news on unemployment extensions are going to probably agree with one another.
I'd like to add to SB's suggestion, that we all contact our local news stations as well. We need to reach out to the masses; to those who AREN'T googling the latest news on HR4213, the people who might not even know what's going on. The media is NOT talking about this issue as they have previously. They could be our biggest help in putting pressure on Washingon.
We are taking a hit when it comes to coverage because of the BP disaster. That is indisputably a major concern for most people, but so should be unemployment and the effects it has on our economy in general. Unemployment and newly homeless Americans exist in every region of the country, not just the Gulf Coast. If the news media has time to spend discussing celebrity nose jobs (as they do in my city), they certainly have time for us.
Please contact your local news media and help us get the word out on what's going on with the millions of people losing jobs, housing, etc…WE NEED HELP TOO!!! WE HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN. WE HAVE BEEN SWEPT UNDER THE RUG. LETS MAKE SOME NOISE AND REMIND THEM WE'RE STILL HERE!!
Comment posted June 24, 2010 @ 11:00 pm
Well folks, there will no doubt be a new thread on this, but the bill failed, due to Republican as well as blue dog Dem obstructionism.
I agree with SB on this……..Call and/or E-mail the White house, Ed Schultz, whomever has a voice on this issue. If the President doesn't want another depression on his hands, he'll HAVE to act.
Make it clear an executive order is not an option, but a necessity now! Do it EVERY day, if you have to.
Pingback posted June 26, 2010 @ 10:02 am
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Comment posted June 29, 2010 @ 10:44 pm
I am angry as hell that this was not on a “Stand alone” basis a long time ago. It has been used as a bargon chip for both parties for too long. We need help and need it now. This is not a game. Dick Durbin claims to be helping get this passed yet he only gets up there today and says to the Rep’s Ok will you pass the UI extensions if it is with this that and the other. HELLO quit trying to pass all your selfish crap and pass just the Unemployment that even the rep’s had said they support. This adding other crap you want done is just that…crap. Time to look after our needs. This will effect them all directly or indirectly in the long run. When we all can not even go buy milk it will add up. I say we all stop spending any money we may have left for a week to make a statement. When they see that a million plus people don’t spend a damn cent in a week it will be alarming. You’d think. IDK but I know one thing, it is time to start teaching them lessons instead of sitting here idle while they play games with our lives.
Comment posted July 7, 2010 @ 3:59 am
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