COMMENTARY | CLIFTON HEIGHTS, Pa. -- I've been a registered Democrat since turned 18. My mom has been a registered Democrat since the womb. However, Mom fell asleep within five minutes of President Obama's speech supporting his American Jobs Act. I thought, "Uh-oh, this doesn't look good."
Turns out that Mom didn't miss much. The speech was long on generalities and short of specifics. I heard the speech and I still don't know what Obama's jobs plan is all about. Although specifics about the plan were leaked to the press a few days ago, I had been too busy with real life in order to pay attention. I thought I'd hear it all during the speech.
Shovel Ready Projects
Obama did mention "shovel ready" projects like repairing highways and bridges. I saw many people temporarily employed to help repair roads and trolley tracks in my town of Clifton Heights. However, those jobs were temporary. People need permanent forms of employment. On the street I live, most people are either unemployed or under-employed.
Shovel ready jobs are not ready right away. They need weeks or months to hire people and figure out other logistics. Perhaps there should be a new definition for "shovel ready."
Stop the Clapping!
Obama's speech was 34 minutes long. However, if members of Congress would have held off all applause until Obama ended, Mom would have been able to catch the entire speech before she dozed off. Okay, that's a slight exaggeration, but I'm a busy person. Mom's a busy person (when she's not taking naps.) Congress broke out into applause 53 times, including at least five standing ovations from both sides of the House.
I don't know about you, but if I'm paying to send someone to Congress, I want them working - not clapping. If Congress wants to get on the voters' good side, stop all of this pointless clapping and standing ovations. I know it's a tradition, but I don't see how that places food on my table. It's time to drop time-wasting traditions and figure out what's going on.
Extended Unemployment Benefits
I fully support extending unemployment benefits. In 2005, I had to receive state assistance. I was flat broke, unemployed, just returned to the US from a disastrous five year on-again, off-again relationship in England. I'm grateful for the help I received. Now, I'm able to buy my own medical insurance and medications.
Democrats argue that in this current low job market, people need money just to survive. This money returns to the local economies when people are able to buy food, pay their utility companies and put gas in their cars. I agree that unemployment benefits not only help the unemployed, but also that unemployed person's neighborhood. It's also nice to know that people will be that less tempted to steal what they need in order to survive. But whether this point will pass Congress is doubtful.
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