My Republican colleagues have taken a view that's absolutely opposite
of the views of most all economists.
They think somehow we can continue to cut, cut, cut,
and that we put fourteen million people back to work. I think the mission
of Congress,
if you listen to the American people, should be very direct. And that's
creating jobs for American workers.
Unfortunately, our Republican colleagues in the house since senator driven by
putting one man out of work, President Obama.
We can't afford to wait for our friends on the other side of the aisle to block
issue, after issue, after issue, putting their own political interests ahead of
what's right for our economy.
There's no time for political ploys.
We're not going to let anyone in medicare as we know it.
We are not going to debate short-term fixes that don't take on the long-term
challenges we have,
and we are not going to ask Americans who have already
beared the brunt of this crisis to shoulder the burden of moving forward.
We need to pull together both political parties to get America back to work.
We will never get out of debt with more than fourteen million people out of work
in this country,
and the American people know that more than anybody else.
Deficit-reduction is extremely important,
but jobs cannot be put on the back burner.
We need to get back
supporting drops first.
So I join my colleagues here today and calling for the debt limit deal, being
negotiated right now,
to include a real jobs measure. Any business will tell you
you don't just
cut your way to success you grow,
you invest in the future, you invest in innovation, you invest in jobs. There are
things that we need to invest in to get America back to work.
Education,
training and research are obvious. We're seeking projects pursuing policies to build roads, and bridges, and
dams, and water systems, and sewer systems, create clean energy jobs
provide tax incentives for businesses
to hire new employees.
They've been proven to create jobs in the past,and they
have, I repeat,
in the past brought
bipartisan support. Americans have made it very, very clear
reducing the jobs deficit is just as important and reducing the deficit.
So as we continue to negotiate a fair deal on the budget and debt limit
we need to keep working for middle-class families, and we need to make sure that
it jobs measure is on the table, and part of that deal.
But all we hear from the House
is what they're going to do to
cut spending,
and we're part of that, we understand we have to do that,
but should be at least consider some jobs proposal. Some? One? Two? But
they've done.
It almost makes you wonder
if they are trying to slow down the economic recovery...
for political gain.
If we're putting jobs first
there ought to be something to spur hiring in this debt ceiling deal.
We'll make a fight on this, we won't
continue to let Republicans
jobs last.
