Posted on 06/12/2010 6:39:29 PM PDT by maggief
President Obama urged reluctant lawmakers Saturday to quickly approve nearly $50 billion in emergency aid to state and local governments, saying the money is needed to avoid "massive layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters" and to support the still-fragile economic recovery.
In a letter to congressional leaders, Obama defended last year's huge economic stimulus package, saying it helped break the economy's freefall, but argued that more spending is urgent and unavoidable. "We must take these emergency measures," he wrote in an appeal aimed primarily at members of his own party.
The letter comes as rising concern about the national debt is undermining congressional support for additional spending to bolster the economy. Many economists say more spending could help bring down persistently high unemployment, but with Republicans making an issue of the record deficits run up during the recession, many Democratic lawmakers are eager to turn off the stimulus tap.
SNIP
With the letter, however, Obama makes a direct and unequivocal case for additional "targeted investments," including state aid and several less-expensive initiatives aimed at assisting small businesses, and he asks lawmakers to be patient on the deficit.
"It is essential that we continue to explore additional measures to spur job creation and build momentum toward recovery, even as we establish a path to long-term fiscal discipline," Obama wrote. "At this critical moment, we cannot afford to slide backwards just as our recovery is taking hold."
In an interview, Emanuel said the letter is intended to settle the growing debate over the opposing priorities of job creation and deficit reduction and "where you put your thumb on the scale."
"While some people say you have to spend and some people say you have to cut, the president wants to talk about both cuts and investing," Emanuel said.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Piss off, Hussein.
FUBO we taxpayers are out of money tell you fing union s to take a cut in pay
Pres_ _ent Obama already gave trillions to Sharia,
to terrorists and to his mobsters and internal army.
What about the unspent Stimulus money?
Oh, I forgot...around here, our locals got to spend that money on priorities like new sidewalks and bumpouts around the courthouse and the elimination of a few dozen prime parking places.
Because there's no one else to lay off. No overpaid entrenched administrators or bureaucrats, no duplicate or otherwise useless jobs.
No way!!! fire thousands of state bureaucrats. Move school class size to 35. Quit paying illegals !! SHut it DOWN>:
What about that 400 mil he promised to hamas?
To quote the lovely Tizzy Dizzy Heinz.........shove it!
There, fixed it.
I'd like to get my hands around the throat of any nitwit "economist" who would make such a stupid remark.
Hopefully, the public is no longer falling for crap like this and will see straight through them.......
Interesting to follow 0’s ‘hometown’ news.
Teachers union gets new leader
New labor president faces threat of layoffs, larger class sizes
Hey, nobama...why don’t you make that $50 TRILLION???????? And by the way, send me 50 million or so on Monday. Happy times are here again. nobama is a genius.
Why should public employees be exempt from economic considerations? Why not “lay off” some welfare layabouts instead?
If 50 billion is good for economy why not make the bill 500 billion.
I challenge anybody to find me a news story from past recessions where “emergency” and “recovery” were used in the same story. If things are slowly improving how come we keep facing these emergencies? It’s all a big lie and will continue until the collapse. By then state legislatures will have ceded all their remaining powers to DC.
Our company, like many of yours, gave everybody a 10% salary and wage haircut last year to prevent “massive layoffs.” So far, it is working.
How about teachers, police and firemen give up 10% of their salary and 25 of their gold-plated pensions and health care bennies? Problem solved without hitting us working slobs for another $50B we don’t have.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.