2010 is going to all about getting a Jobs Bill

[zulchzulu]

I had the good fortune to talk with John Nichols (with The Nation) this morning and we discussed briefly the fact that Obama basically threw out the plans to fight in Afghanistan. His great line about the so-called mission was "we had a mission eight years ago and we missed that opportunity..."; this is a nice, succinct response to anyone pulling a Cheney by saying Obama is "dithering" or whatever.

He then said that the current legislative attempts such as healthcare and climate change bills will soon either get passed quickly or take a back seat to getting a huge Jobs Bill enacted in time for the 2010 election. Apparently Reid caucused on Tuesday saying that having a 12% unemployment rate in 2010 would be extremely difficult for Democrats running in 2010.

So we should fully expect the Afghanistan war to get some funding for helping Pakistan fight Al Qaeda on the Pakistani border but be put on the back burner for at least the next few years.

Healthcare reform and climate change legislation will have a small window to pass at this point and the Jobs Bill will be front and center by next Spring.

[WI_DEM]

1. Well absolutely--even unemployment still hovering at 10% would probably mean GOP take over of

congress. I don't know why people would think they would do any better, but people vote against the in-party in bad times. It's a fact.

[flpoljunkie]

2. Shamefully, it was the Conservadems and the R's who kept a robust stimulus from being enacted.

The Republicans wanted a weak recovery so they could use it to run against the Democrats in 2010. They put party and power above the needs of their counry.

[andym]

3. Makes sense. The country needs jobs to return

it's not just a partisan political issue-- it's good for the USA. A jobs bill would help.

[andym]

4. duplicate. deleted. nt.

[uponit7771]

5. Obama has to point to conservative policies that got us into this mess and not just Bush...

...because pugs will return to those policies as soon as they are in power.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. It's his fault in as much as he has appointed Geithner and Summers...

and seems to have shut people like Volker out. It's quite a shame, really.

And now today the further bad news that the plan to stave off foreclosures is failing. I work at HUD and I know that a lot of our shovel-ready projects are well underway and the stimulus funds have been out the door. We have a great foreclosure plan, but the stimulus is not 100% out yet. The $8,000 tax credit for first time homeowners is a great idea, but I make too much to take advantage of that. There needs to be some incentive for more moderate-income folks like me who want to stimulate the economy by purchasing a new home. But housing prices in many areas are still high. And even with good credit like mine, the banks ain't lending and typically want 20% for a downpayment. Even with my salary, I can't afford that in this high-priced area of D.C.

[zulchzulu]

9. Paul Volcker is chairman of the newly formed Economic Recovery Advisory Board

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ObamaAnnouncesEconomicAdvisoryBoard/

[zulchzulu]

7. That has to be part of the new Jobs Bill...

I'm not sure just how it will get proposed other than something akin to the New Deal in the 1930's. Green jobs are the key.

[FatDave]

8. The day I see an elected democrat point an accusatory finger at conservatives...

...I'll shit myself and fall over dead from shock.