Obama Warns Of 'Massive Layoffs Of Teachers, Police, And Firefighters'

[laughingliberal]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- If Chuck Lacasse had gotten his pink slip four days earlier, Uncle Sam would have covered most of his family's health insurance while he looked for a new job.

But Congress allowed emergency health care assistance for unemployed workers to expire May 31, and seems unwilling to renew it despite pleas from President Barack Obama.

On Saturday night, the White House released a letter Obama sent to congressional leaders of both parties asking for nearly $50 billion in emergency aid to state and local governments to fend off "massive layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters" and to prevent a possible double-dip recession.

"We are at a critical juncture on our nation's path to economic recovery," the president warned. "It is essential that we continue to explore additional measures to spur job creation and build momentum toward recovery, even as we establish a path to long-term fiscal discipline. At this critical moment, we cannot afford to slide backwards just as our recovery is taking hold."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/13/obama-warns-of-massive-la_n_610401.html

First Bernanke warned Congress not to cut spending and now President Obama utters the possibility of the double dip. I see a decided shift in emphasis coming out of the Fed and the administration (one I applaud, btw). If we can't beat back the deficit hawks right now, we're in for hell.

[leftstreet]

1. How come rich people never have to practice 'fiscal discipline?'

It's always us peons

[Hannah Bell]

2. weird, isn't it? must be the same reason they never have to practice personal responsibility.

[HughBeaumont]

11. Because they're rich.

Seems like a shit answer, but there it is.

And as long as America keeps on believing this silly lottery-esque dream that someday, they TOO will be rich, that's the way it's always going to be.

Being rich means never having to abide by the law or say you're sorry for it.

Hell, the SEC dicked around with the Bernie Madoff mess for nearly 10 years even after a whistleblower came forward.

[Hannah Bell]

3. this is related to the reported possibility that various states & cities are on the verge of

"bankruptcy"?

wonder if the imf will come in with rescue plans.

[laughingliberal]

7. I think the real economic picture has emerged despite the, somewhat, rosy rhetoric

and the Fed and the WH are staring at the very real possibility of a new downturn. They seem to be trying, belatedly, to move away from the deficit hawks (who are, basically, trying to impose IMF style austerity on us without the middle man). If they don't succeed in turning this back, we're in for a bad ride.

[Hannah Bell]

8. agreed.

[Mithreal]

30. Wrt rosy rhetoric, can't help think there is a better frame than double dip

I know that is the commonly agreed acceptable phrase. Seems too academic, too investor class, too amoral, too happenstance. I don't know. Anyway, I know it communicates what is meant well, but not the real cost.

[dkf]

4. The emphasis should have been jobs. Instead it was healthcare in 2013.

Now we will all pay for Obama's misguided priorities.

[Enthusiast]

14. That sounded exactly like

something Liz Cheney or Rush Limbaugh would say. How in the fuck was Obama to create jobs?

[Toots]

16. While I agree with you in a way, when Obama coined the phrase "Main Street not wall Street"

What did he mean by that and what did he do toward that goal? Health Care was the ONLY thing toward that goal I can recognize.

[Enthusiast]

26. Apparently "Main Street not wall Street"

was only a slogan. Looks that way now.

[laughingliberal]

17. No, Cheney and Rush would spout the same RW nonsense that government never created one job.

Stimulus spending directed at investments in infrastructure and startup money for green technology companies would have helped.

I know the Republicans weakened the investment and recovery act by diverting 40% to tax cuts but we did get a larger majority in the Senate after that. Perhaps the jobs bill passed could have been larger.

[Enthusiast]

24. That is right. But,

imagine trying to get a second stimulus passed with infrastructure projects as the only focus. Of course the tax cuts didn't do shit. Obama could create jobs, it just isn't practical in today's political climate. Not when the other side wants the economy to worsen so they can regain power.

[laughingliberal]

28. Practical is in the eye of the beholder

There is value in a populist message and showing yourselves to be on the side of the people even if not successful. It also highlights those working against the people. If he fights for programs such as these and they are defeated, you lay the blame for the crappy jobs' situation at the feet of those who opposed you.

[Mithreal]

34. Not to pile on but the fucktards that live in my community

who work at the shipyard and other bases who cry all the time about how government creating jobs is socialist, and government should be out of the business of economic development should do to themselves what they are doing to America and the rest of us and hang their heads in shame.

The Big Deal isn't fit to call itself a shadow of the New Deal.

[blindpig]

54. The same way FDR did.

The obvious thing to do, but the capitalists don't like that solution, might cut into their profits if people weren't desperate for work.

[sabrina 1]

5. If they fired just one of the Wall St. CEOs who got us into this

mess, his salary and bonuses would probably pay all those teachers, firemen and cops for a couple of years. We don't need Wall St. Crooks, they do nothing for us except take Corporate Welfare to bail them out when they fail. We DO need Cops, teachers and firemen. Priorities, someone needs to make a list and send it to our government.

[Skittles]

6. stop the wars and bring jobs back to America

[theHandpuppet]

12. A-MEN!!!

I wonder how much of a chunk of our budget these two wars cost every damned day?

[Nikki Stone1]

62. We're bleeding money

because of these wars. Sometimes I wonder if those at the helm want to drown the United States in debt.

[Mithreal]

32. Sign the petition: The War is Making You Poor ACT

http://salsa.mydccc.org/o/30019/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=34

I realize there are more effective forms of activism, but we can do this too.

[Triana]

9. where the hell were these deficit hawks when THEY were running it up?

hypocrites.

[laughingliberal]

18. Always part of their plan. Run huge deficits so if Democrats regain power, there's no money left

for any programs that might help average people.

[Rex]

10. It is so nice to watch 'certain rich people' decide how much punishment

the working class is to receive for something they didn't have any part of. :eyes: Pensions? 401k? Rich people don't care, they have a new yacht to buy!

[stray cat]

13. State funded positions fall under the state budget

the stimulus bill helped hold onto some of these jobs last year but isn't available for this year. If you want these position protected it means more state taxes and fewer state benefits. How much are each of us willing to sacrifice to assure those in public funded jobs keep those jobs and get their pay raises?

[MadHound]

15. True that, but as you mentioned, the US government could help states and localities hold on to them

Another stimulus, one that isn't forty percent tax cuts, would help save these positions. But apparently that isn't going to come through.

So, teachers are going to get fired, as are firefighters and police. Not only will these people suffer due to a lack of jobs, but worse yet we will all suffer as the quality of public services decline.

FDR Obama isn't.

[laughingliberal]

21. Huh, the article says President Obama is asking Congress for $50 billion in emergency funds

He, apparently, believes it could and should be made available this year.

[Mithreal]

37. Umm, have you lost your mind? Tax cuts were a big part of that "STIMULUS"

How do tax cuts fund local, state and federal government?

I would love to get into a discussion with your fiscal conservatism and excuses, so please elaborate.

[L0oniX]

19. War and the fucking military jobs are more important.

[Mithreal]

40. Damn straight, what we do best nowadays.

[L0oniX]

42. +++

[fascisthunter]

20. so Obama... when will the rich pay their fair share of taxes?

[Mithreal]

39. We are all waiting for the answer to that.

I can predict what he will fight and lead for, but not feeling like exposing my low expectations. The era of low expectations is over.

Real Dems kick ass, not just talk about it.

[prolesunited]

22. Already happened here

Used to be that these were the solid jobs. You may have not made a lot of money, but they were stable and secure.

[saracat]

23. K+R

[freddie mertz]

25. Wow. Sorry to hear about so many people hurting. It's insane.

This congress has been a huge disappointment.

Hope the president gets his way on this, before we all end up in the dumpster.

[laughingliberal]

29. Yes, I'm happy to say I support the President 100% on this. nt

[Mithreal]

31. +1

[Spheric]

44. Me too. Just wish it could be more.

It is only designed to stop the bleeding, not to heal the problem.

But, I'll take what we can get.

[freddie mertz]

48. I agree, we need more. But the president will be lucky to get half...

Given the "austerity" bullshit the MSM and the chicken-hearted Pols are pushing.

[Mithreal]

57. I know. Let's buy off the cons and "moderates" with more government defunding

I mean tax cuts.

[Spheric]

58. Almost ready to climb into that bathtub. /nt

[Mithreal]

27. +1 $50 billion in emergency aid to state and local governments!

Get it done.

[adigal]

33. This is the society the teabaggers want...

no public schools, cops or firemen, no $$ for roads, trains, planes. No social services. Just survive on your own.

The irony is that many of my friends, especially my southern rescue friends, hate Obama and call him a socialist, while they have no health care, and are living hand to mouth and while the Republican governor cut their mortgage tax rebates. I just don't understand how blind they are! Is it because he is not lily-white?

[Mithreal]

35. For some sure, but not most.

To call the ignorance and propaganda stirring all about racism is to give too much power to racism and not see the real root causes.

[laughingliberal]

43. Maybe. But I'm more inclined to think it's 30 years of supply side propaganda & brainwashing.

I despair, at times, of ever exorcising Reagan from our country. What we see now is the result of 3 decades of his 'pro-bidness,' anti worker, anti poor policies, anti government propaganda People who never lived in a different time have no idea. Others bought into this crap years ago and have not the inclination to educate themselves beyond the old, anti government talking points.

[Spheric]

36. I believe the double dip has already begun.

It would now take a miracle out of congress and the administration to nip it in the bud.

Unfortunately, I believe they will continue to chase the problem rather than work proactively to prevent it. Nothing they have done to date gives me any confidence that the majority even understand what the root problem is. As a body, they continue to do things that reinforce the decline rather than alleviate it.

I also agree with the president on this, but it is too little, too late in my opinion. It's not like nobody could see this coming.

[laughingliberal]

45. I agree. The encouragement I take from this is limited to being glad they seem to get it now

By 'they' I mean the White House and, apparently, Bernanke. It is likely too late but what can be done is to start making the case and, when it all falls apart, point out the need to now get serious about real stimulus and real job creation.

The worst would have been to continue acting as if the deficit hawks are right and then try to further cut spending after the downturn. A disaster in the making, for sure.

[Mithreal]

50. During the double dip, we will start hearing triple dip, wait and see.

[Spheric]

53. We can bounce all the way to the bottom. /nt

[amborin]

38. K&R

[Mithreal]

41. The money we send the federal government is our money and we deserve a say

Not all should go to bail out TBTF banks, Wall Street, more war and military privatization and obsolete and wasteful weapons programs.

Certainly got our money's worth investing in subsidies to the oil, coal and nuclear freeloaders. Regulation would cost money, don'tcha know.

If the President FIGHTS for this, he earns some capital which he desperately needs imo.

All the fiscally conservative types who are against this, go take back your natural party but you're too embarrassed and it's too hard, am I right? Fellow Dems, there isn't any more room in the tent, make some choices about which friends need to go. I am sure the conservatives and moderates who have no problem voting conservative will be there when you need them. You may think liberals have nowhere else to go but you are right and wrong.

[MisterP]

46. "which I am now against" nt

[inna]

47. kr

[Greyhound]

49. K&R

[reggie the dog]

51. well at least wth the teachers, cops, and firefighers being laid off

the kids who should have been in school can make money selling drugs on the streets that the cops used to patrol. When the riots break out they can burn the wealthy areas to the groud due to lack of firefighters.

[Nikki Stone1]

52. Shock Doctrine

[glitch]

59. Going global.

http://www.webofdebt.com/articles/

[lib2DaBone]

55. Ruh Rho.. I thought everything was green shoots and Rosy?

That's what Bernake said? That's what Geithner said?

[Mithreal]

56. Everything but the fundamentals

[Dinger]

60. K & R (nt)

[waiting for hope]

61. K&R