Posted on 02/13/2008 11:52:52 AM PST by pissant
JANESVILLE, Wis. (AP) — Democrat Barack Obama said Wednesday that as president he would spend $210 billion to create jobs in construction and environmental industries, as he tried to win over economically struggling voters.
Obama's investment would be over 10 years as part of two programs. The larger is $150 billion to create 5 million so-called "green collar" jobs to develop more environmentally friendly energy sources.
Sixty billion would go to a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank to rebuild highways, bridges, airports and other public projects. Obama estimated that could generate nearly 2 million jobs, many of them in the construction industry that's been hit by the housing crisis.
"This agenda is paid for," Obama said as the Republican National Committee promoted an "Obama Spend-O-Meter" online to track his proposals and portray him as a tax-and-spend liberal. Obama explained that the money for his spending proposals will come from ending the Iraq war, cutting tax breaks for corporations, taxing carbon pollution and raising taxes on high income earners.
Obama, who has faced criticism that he doesn't have enough policy specifics, asked autoworkers at the General Motors plant in Janesville, Wis., to "bear with me" as his began a policy speech that he said would be unlike his typical rousing addresses to rallies. He read from a TelePrompTer in a cavernous training room, flanked by sparkling new vehicles and a large American flag.
"Today I want to take it down a notch," Obama said. "This is going to be a speech that's a little more detailed. It's going to be a little bit longer, not as many applause lines."
Obama pointedly did not include one of his biggest applause lines, that he would require vehicle manufacturers to raise fuel economy standards. Obama often points out that he delivered that message straight to the automakers during a speech last year in Detroit.
But he didn't mention it on the plant visit that came a day after GM reported the largest annual loss ever for an American automaker — $38.7 billion in 2007.
"I know that General Motors received some bad news yesterday," Obama said. "I also know how much progress you've made, how many hybrids and fuel-efficient vehicles you're churning out. And I believe that if our government is there to support you, and give you the assistance you need to retool and make this transition, that this plant will be here for another hundred years."
Obama heads into Tuesday's Wisconsin primary as the favorite in the state and the front-runner for the nomination. His victories this week in eight contests have put him ahead of rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in the delegate chase.
But Obama did not pursue the front-runner strategy of ignoring rivals. He repeatedly criticized Clinton in an effort to beat back the challenge she still poses to him.
He tied her to likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain for their shared vote to authorize the war in Iraq. He lumped her with President Bush for offering an economic recovery plan that didn't include immediate relief, without mentioning that both the president and Clinton quickly adopted tax rebates.
Obama's appearance in Janesville was part of a strategy to reach out to voters who might be struggling in the economy and who have supported Clinton in most contests so far. Combining exit polls from 19 states that had competitive Democratic primaries before Tuesday, Clinton had a 49 percent to 46 percent edge over Obama with voters who named the economy as the No. 1 problem.
But Obama seemed to be turning that around in his most recent victories Tuesday. In Virginia and Maryland, Obama dominated among the one-half of Democratic voters who named the economy as their chief concern. In both states, about six in 10 Democrats who cited the economy voted for Obama.
It’s not just free money. Barry will lead us to Obamri-La. Hope and change and flowers, happiness, kumbaya. We’ll live like kings, poverty will be erased and everyday we can walk harmoniously hand in hand with our enemies.
Obamri-La.
Not to mention the cost of the increase in terrorist attacks against American interests once Obama surrenders in Iraq and al Qaeda is free again to run rampant throughout the world, killing innocents to their hearts' content.
Nobody can calculate the total cost of electing another weak, appeasing, socialist democrat to the White House. There is nobody alive who can count that high.
I would rather not take that chance. I read this stuff and I see Jimmy Carter all over again.
Obama is saying he wants to spend $150 billion to create 5 million jobs, that translates to spending $30K for each new job created. And he wants to spend a total of $210 billion, so that must mean that he wants to create 7 million new jobs.
There are just over 7 million people unemployed in this country and the unemployment rate is just under 5%; however, “full employment” is defined as between 3 and 7 percent. So, the reality is, we are either at full employment or very close too it.
All that will happen if we spend $210 billion to create 7 million jobs that we don’t even actually need is that businesses and individuals will be taxed more and spend less and we will LOSE more than 7 million jobs somewhere else.
Obama is not only proposing $210 for new jobs, the federal government rescuing the people from the federal government with their own tax dollars, but he is also proposing $90 billion in foreign aid.
Obama Proposes $210 Billion for New JobsThis post (<-click), while addressing a tax related thread, shows how misguided, spending-happy politicians like Obama are foolishly following in the footsteps of FDR's dirty politics.Obama’s Global Tax Proposal Up for Senate Vote (Obama wants $90b a year for foreign aid)
Again, the problem with FDR is that he scandalously ignored the Founder's requirement for constitutionally enumerated federal powers in order to start his New Deal programs, particularly those powers which reasonably justify federal spending.
The people need to wise up to politicians like Obama who are ignoring their oaths to defend the Constitution, sending them home as opposed to trying to put people like him in the Oval Office.
This will totally trash the economy.
Where does he think all that money he is going to spend comes from, the tooth fairey
Where does he think all that money he is going to spend comes from, the tooth fairy
Don’t overlook that, probably from Obama’s perspective, it is important that prospective voters think that the money that he is spending comes from the tooth fairy.
1500 new jobs with Democrat Business Donors getting 200 billion payola.
“McDole”
Har!
I thought Dole II was funny. That’s much better.
Sadly -- that man is not joking.
Taking money (and jobs) away from the private sector by taxing the businesses and then "creating" new jobs out of thin air... WTF?
Yea, but he’s such a nice man... articulate, clean and well spoken and all.
Where does this moron think the $210 billion comes from? The revenue fairy? It comes from all the hard-working people who would CREATE jobs if they weren’t taxed to death.
Where does this moron think the $210 billion comes from? The revenue fairy? It comes from all the hard-working people who would CREATE jobs if they weren’t taxed to death.
Baaaaaarf! I heard the same crap in 2000 while living in NY State, at that time it was our Junior Senator from NY. NY is still waiting. Election year promises are empty promises.
Baaaaaarf! I heard the same crap in 2000 while living in NY State, at that time it was our Junior Senator from NY. NY is still waiting. Election year promises are empty promises when it comes from Dems.
Change!Change!Change!Change!
What he really meant was, real ‘coin’.
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