WASHINGTON - October 8, 2011
Obama also asked listeners to Saturday's address to tell their
senators to support the bill, which he's been lobbying for
aggressively against Republican opposition since unveiling it a
month ago.
With the economy listless and unemployment stuck above 9 percent
moving into the 2012 presidential campaign, Obama said the bill
"can help guard against another downturn here in America."
"But if we don't act, the opposite will be true," the
president said. "There will be fewer jobs and weaker growth. So
any senator out there who's thinking about voting against this jobs
bill needs to explain why they would oppose something that we know
would improve our economic situation."
Obama's jobs plan would reduce payroll taxes on workers and
employers, extend benefits to long-term unemployed people, spend
money on public works projects and help states and local
governments keep teachers, police officers and firefighters on the
job.
He proposed paying for the plan mainly by closing tax loopholes
for oil and gas companies and raising taxes on individuals making
more than $200,000 a year and couples making more than $250,000.
Those proposals were rejected by Senate Democrats who substituted a
tax on millionaires, with Obama's agreement.
But with Republicans opposed to much of the new spending in the
bill and to tax hikes even on millionaires, the legislation stands
no chance of getting through the Republican-controlled House in its
current form, even if Senate Democrats were able to muster the
necessary Republican support for Senate passage.
Despite the opposition Obama intends to keep pushing for the
plan in an effort to show the public that Republicans are standing
in the way.
"The proposals in this bill are steps we have to take if we
want to build an economy that lasts; if we want to be able to
compete with other countries for jobs that restore a sense of
security for the middle-class," Obama said.
"There are too many people hurting in this country for us to
simply do nothing," he said. "The economy is too fragile for us
to let politics get in the way of action." Despite opposition to
the overall bill, individual elements of it may well get through
Congress, particularly an extension and expansion of a payroll tax
cut that took effect Jan. 1.
Republicans used their weekly address to criticize the plan.
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., called it "nothing but a rehash of the
same failed ideas he's already tried, combined with a huge tax
increase."
"This is a cynical political ploy that's designed not to create
jobs for struggling Americans, but to save the president's own
job," Thune said.
He also accused Obama of promulgating excessive regulations and
too much red tape, to the detriment of business.
"We're calling for a regulatory time-out, an affordable energy
plan, broad-based tax reform including lower rates, and policies
that provide the certainty and stability our economy desperately
needs," Thune said.
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Online:
Obama address: www.whitehouse.gov
Obama calls for passage of jobs bill
By 6abc
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