Minnesota Rep. Ellison and Progressive Caucus push Obama on job creation
Leading members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, including co-chair Keith Ellison, are urging President Barack Obama to step up job creation efforts to create three million jobs in 2012.
“„“The size of the federal budget deficit is not keeping the American people up at night ; they’re worried about how to pay for groceries. That’s what members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus [...] heard from families struggling to stay afloat, losing their homes, and emptying their savings just to pay the bills.”
Obama is making a speech announcing his economic initiatives to Congress Thursday night.
The editorial signed by Reps. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) at Politico urged a massive investment in infrastructure like roads, bridges and fiber-optic cables, as well as the extension of unemployment benefits.
“„“To achieve significant economic recovery that produces jobs, investments at the level of hundreds of billions will be required. Many in Washington are likely to argue that we don’t have the money. But these same critics want to hand out more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.”
They urged Obama to go big in tonight’s economic initiatives.
“„“America is in the throes of a national crisis. The country is demanding a big, bold, brave jobs plan. It’s up to the president to deliver. We – and, more important, the American people – will support him as he does the right thing.”
The Obama administration has put his expected jobs program at a cost of about $300 billion, although early reports say that it will focus on methods like payroll tax cuts rather than the public works programs favored by progressives.
