The topic of jobs finally is gaining momentum in Washington, DC. Both political parties now are discussing the topic. The President has just completed a bus tour where he was touring job sites. Members of Congress are home listening to constituents express concern about the state of the nation’s anemic economy.
One of the most appealing ideas recently to come out of our nation’s capital is the idea of a jobs “super-committee.” Congressman John Larson (D-CT.) is pushing legislation to establish a joint select committee on job creation to work alongside the recently appointed Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. His plan would have this special working committee design a blueprint to provide every American with a job within a decade.
“This would allow the Congress to simultaneously consider both our near-term (high unemployment) and our long-term (growing debt) challenges later this year,” Rep. Larson wrote in his August 8th ‘Dear Colleague’ letter. “If not addressed, I believe the social costs of unemployment will dramatically damage the United States’ status in the world and prevents us from emerging from this recession.”
The Congressman then correctly sums up the negative impact of continued high unemployment on every day Americans. “Families are being forced out of their homes, children are being forced to forego higher education, and the elderly are being forced to retire early without nearly enough saved to cover their long-term costs.”
Rep. Larson will file his bill when the U.S. House of Representatives convenes again in September. Hopefully, the dialogue in Washington, DC then will switch to job creation and increasing employment rather than program cuts and deficit reduction.
