American Jobs Act

Yes, the American Jobs Act will cost more than $100,000; however, the act will be paid for as part of President Obama's long term deficit reduction plan.

 I have read the entire American Jobs Act, recently proposed by President Obama, and feel somewhat qualified to write about it.  I fully support President Obama and this act because I believe it will help rather than hurt or hinder our nation.  There are five major parts to the act which are sorely needed in this country:

1.  Tax cuts to help American small businesses grow.  President Obama has immediate incentives ready in the form of tax cuts to support the hiring and investments for small businesses.  He wants to help small businesses and entreprenuers access to capital and to grow.

2.  Putting workers back on the job through several methods and proposals.  He wants to support the hiring of veterans.  Who can be against this?  These are the men and women who have sacrificed their time and risked their lives  for our nation to keep  us safe and fight the war against terrorism.  Of course, these men and women should have an easier time finding jobs when they return to America and civilian life.  To me, this is a no-brainer proposal.

This act also helps to prevent the layoffs of teachers, police, and firefighters across our nation.   These people are the lifeblood of our nation.  We need their knowledge and protection if our country is to continue to grow in the 21st century.  To not keep these publlic employee jobs will throw our nation backwards to the 20th century, instead of forward in the 21st century which we are now a decade into.

This part of the act will modernize our schools and infrastructure.  How quickly we forget the lives lost when a bridge collapsed during rush hour traffic in Minnesota.  It was a waste of life and talent that never should have occured in a country as great as ours.  We must keep America's infrastructure repaired and modernized. 

3.   Put more money into American workers' pockets.  Through payroll tax cuts and helping Americans refinance their mortgages, more money will be available to those middle class families struggling to stay in the middle class.  If we want our middle class to flourish and thrive, we need this part of the act and we need it quickly.

4.  New pathways back to work for Americans.  There are millions of unemployed looking for work in a time when our unemployment rate is the highest it has been since the Great Depression of the 1930's.  The present unemployed cannot lose their benefits.  And, this part of the bill insures that the long-term unemployed cannot be discriminated against when seeking employment.  That businesses would not hire the long term unemployed who are qualified is unconsionable in a country such as the U.S. that prides itself on democracy, freedom, and opportunity for all.

5.  The act will be fully paid for as part of the President"s long term deficit reduction plan.  At least the President is trying not to add another $450 billion to our present deficit.

This act needs bipartisan support.  If the Republican Party objects to this act in its entirety then they are commiting an act of treason against this country as far as I am concerned.  I realize the act will need to be tweaked in certain areas.  If the Republican members of congress help to tweak it, I can live with that.  But if we have the bickering, hostage taking, and the complete "hold the line" attitude we had during the debt ceiling debate, I will consider the Republican Party enemies of this nation, to put it frankly.   And, Representative John Boehner, Speaker of the House, and leader of the Republicans, should be impeached if he does not support bipartisan support of this bill.

It is time for our country to pull together and support President Obama and the American Jobs Act.  I find it reprehensible that anyone would be against a bill that helps America grow and prosper in this world and helps Americans to have fitful employment in this nation.  That the Republicans in congress would not support this in the hopes of winning the 2012 presidential election is selfish, repugnant and repulsive to me.

For more information and/or the specifics of the American Jobs Act, please go to the web-site, http://www.americanjobsact.com/