Unions and liberal groups blast Reid’s $15 billion jobs legislation as 'puny'

[The Northerner]

Unions and liberal groups have dismissed Sen. Harry Reid’s $15 billion jobs bill as "puny" while calling for larger stimulus measures.

More than two dozen organizations, including the AFL-CIO, National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples (NAACP) and National Council of La Raza, warned Democratic leaders in Congress to avoid tackling the troubled economy through incremental action.

They urged the Senate to pass the $15 billion jobs measure, which features a hiring tax cut for small businesses, but called for much more legislation to bring down an unemployment rate the White House projects to average 10 percent this year, more than 9 percent next year and over 8 percent in 2012.

"If this $15 billion was the only thing , that would be like having an amputated arm and sticking a Band-Aid on the end of it," said Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, on a conference call on Friday.

Lawrence Mishel, head of the union-backed Economic Policy Institute think tank, described the $15 billion bill being pushed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) as "small, puny."

Read more: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/82537-left-blasts-reids-15-billion-jobs-bill-as-puny

[provis99]

1. well, it is puny

If the government were serious about creating jobs, they would cut the massive war budget by 50%, and shift the money into infrastructure building.

But that will never happen, because it is more important for the American Empire to keep intimidating foreigners than it is to look after the peons back home.

[dysfunctional press]

2. what else do you expect from a small and puny senator?

i will be so fucking glad if WHEN that useless fucktard is voted out of office in november...as long as the dems are able to hold onto the majority, at least we might be able to get someone with at least an ounce of...testicular fortitude...for lack of a better term, as majority leader.

buh-bye harry- please let the door hit you...HARD...on the way out.

[Wardoc]

3. Those groups are right. It is so small as to be nothing much more than symbolism. (nt)

[AllentownJake]

4. What was TARP again? 700 billion. 1.25 trillion for Fed Reserve toxic asset

repurchases, yeah these guys got their shit together.

[OhioChick]

5. K&R n/t

[whattheidonot]

6. sad

it is sad. that is all the government has now for jobs. this is going to take a serious redoing of America. the whole system is shot,just hanging on. we need a revamp and soon.Afraid Obama not even coming close. half measures are not going to it. we need a takeover of power.

[laughingliberal]

7. It is puny. Two bright spots:

1) It might be better than nothing
2) They got rid of that crap about extending Bush's tax cuts

Okay, a third thing: #2 might have helped push Bayh out the door.

[lamp_shade]

8. As Harry said "This is not THE jobs bill". It's merely the first phase and reflects those

things that can be done right away.

[dkf]

9. What is wrong with piecemeal?

This doesn't have to be the end after all.

[BR_Parkway]

10. I've thought about that with health care - everyone on both sides

has been in front of a mike or camera stating that they like this or that provision. Hold them to it.

Everyone wants to look good by saying that they think insurance companies shouldn't be allowed to turn anyone down with a pre-existing condition. Ok, put money where mouth is, write it up, bring it up and let everyone vote on just that.

Either their hypocrisy will be further exposed, or it will the law of the land that insurance companies can't turn away pre-existing.

then move on to the next provision