Labor Day should be a time for us to take pause at how many Americans are out of work or under employed and work to do something about it. No, most Americans cannot invent jobs or hire employees. But as Americans, we can go to our lawmakers, those in Congress and the Senate, and hound them to find the solutions to our jobs and economic dilemma. That’s why we sent them to Washington, DC. The August Bureau of Labor jobs report was worse than abysmal, showing that no net jobs were created and little change since April. As we celebrate Labor Day around the country, it’s ironic that so many Americans are out of work. For many Americans, a Labor day holiday is unfortunately an everyday occurrence.
President Obama is scheduled to deliver yet another jobs speech on Thursday, September 8 on his new jobs initiatives. One Republican lawmaker has already said that it will be difficult to hear the President make yet another speech on jobs. So, if the Republicans are tired of hearing President Obama speak on our lackluster economy and jobless issue, why don’t they go to work in Congress and do something about it? Why don’t they get us back to working again? They have no intention of doing anything of the sort. Republicans made it clear that their priority and goal is to make sure that President Obama is a one- time president. Saying it repeatedly makes clear that “there’s no shame in their game”. Republicans who flat out refuse to work towards a jobs and economic solution in their efforts to bring down President Obama and the country in the process are becoming the new beltway economic terrorists. Unfortunately, the Republican brand of terrorism is extending far beyond the beltway and taking hostage many Americans out of work across the country. Americans are being held hostage by the GOP anti-job, pro big corporaitons sentiment.
It’s now been 243 days since the Republican controlled Congress took office in January, 2011 saying they intended to produce jobs. Well, 243 days later and counting, there still has not been one jobs bill by them. The August unemployment rate which is determined by looking at persons looking for work in the last 4 weeks was 9.1 percent. It is much higher, hovering at 16.1% when you take into account persons who are underemployed, involuntarily working part time and those who have been looking since last year. And for African Americans, the August unemployment rate rose to 16.7%.
And the only way on this Labor Day that we will see jobs is to make sure our lawmakers are working to make jobs. The majority of Americans who care about our country need to go to work on this Labor Day. They need to work by sending letters, E-mails, phone calling and making in person visits to their representatives and not stop until Americans are working again. And come next November, 2012, we need to go to the polls and put out of work , those who have tirelessly worked against putting us back to work.
liz says
thank you debbie.