Obama steps up push for added economic stimulus

[The Northerner]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama and his aides are stepping up a push for further government spending to boost the economy as signs grow of the recovery's fragility.

The White House is calling for Congress to urgently pass measures to extend jobless benefits, aid cash-strapped states and provide targeted tax breaks to encourage research and development by businesses.

Obama's Democratic allies, facing congressional elections in November, have grown cautious about additional spending. Seizing on voter anxiety about deficits, Republicans have cast the administration's policies as fiscally reckless as they seek to challenge Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress.

"People are suffering out there. We want to keep this economy growing faster. We want to see an acceleration of job creation. And we have to take some steps to continue in that direction," top White House adviser David Axelrod told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65C2JM20100613

[bluestateguy]

1. I'm all for offsetting the spending with cuts elsewhere. And I know just where to start:

Ahem....

[Dulcinea]

9. Pass the jobless benefits bill!

Unemployment money goes directly back into the economy. The surest way to a double-dip recession is to cut off unemployment benefits!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. we will have no teachers left if we don't

but we will have bombs and those sorts of things

[DJ13]

3. Those are a decent start

But if economic activity needs to be stimulated more funds need to be targeted at the bottom of the economy as it gets into circulation faster.

And while you're at it, target those tax breaks at returning manufacturing back to our country so we have jobs that pay better than McDonalds.

[dencol]

4. This is a time where spending is needed.

Even deficit spending... we need more of it, or will face a double dip recession with even bigger deficits. The Dems were elected for their ability to handle the economy, and for them to be cautious about spending at this point is maddening.

[Skittles]

5. bring jobs back to America

[JDPriestly]

6. Good point!

Let's get our businessmen and women back into business and out of government and schools and other things they don't understand. Maybe if we stop outsourcing and importing, our business folks will decide to attend to the the things they do best and let experts in other areas like teaching and medicine do their thing without interference.

[dencol]

7. Not going to happen...

The only thing to do is create new jobs through creating green jobs, rebuilding the country, and investing in research and development for transport systems, and other high-tech jobs that are difficult to outsource. Hell, we could put countless tech workers back on the job by building a nationwide fiber-optic network like Australia did. That kind of stuff will build jobs NOW, while laying the groundwork to make us competitive.

It won't happen because we are not on a level playing field. China and others allow companies to pass on the environmental costs to society and to brutally exploit workers. Yea, those things are done here too, but not nearly to the same extent.

[Skittles]

8. stop giving tax breaks to companies committing economic treason

that's a start

[dencol]

13. It's a start...

But these phone bank and manufacturing of 2 cent plastic parts jobs are gone - probably for good unless we're willing to chain our workers to machines for 16 hours a day. We have been squandering opportunities like fools when it comes to medical, renewable energy, and transportation research. It's time to change that.

[Laelth]

10. Good. We need it. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[ProgressiveVictory]

11. jobs. jobs. jobs!!!! thats it. jobs bill!

[No Elephants]

12. ....