Thursday, September 15, 2011

Jobs Bill: The Obama Is In The Details

Things are not going well for Obama’s jobs bill. First, there was no bill, even though Obama insisted there was. Then there was a bill, but no Democrats were willing to sponsor it. In fact, they hate it. . . they fear it. Then Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert came along.

Obama’s jobs bill seemed destined for failure the moment Obama even announced it. The bill is a disaster of recycled, failed ideas which no one really thinks will do any good. The left hates it. The right hates it. Rasmussen says that only 38% of the public supports the bill. Even among Democrats desperate to do something. . . anything, this bill has been about as popular as the plague.

● Sen. Jim Webb (Va): “Terrible.”

● Sen. Mary Landrieu (La): “That offset is not going to fly, and [Obama] should know that. Maybe it’s just for his election, which I hope isn’t the case.”

● Sen. Tom Carper (Del): “I think the best jobs bill that can be passed is a comprehensive long-term deficit-reduction plan. That’s better than everything else the president is talking about combined.”

● Rep. Raul Grijalva (Az): “There is serious discomfort with potentially setting up Social Security as a fall guy.”
That’s why no Democrats have been willing to sponsor the bill.

Enter Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert. Gohmert has represented Texas since 2005. In 2008, he offered an alternative to the stimulus that would have given the country a tax holiday. In 2009, he cosponsored a bill that would have required presidential candidates to provide a birth certificate. Now he’s gone after Obama’s jobs bill, and what he’s uncovered is pretty shocking.

First, Obama’s bill would turn the unemployed into a protected class similar to ethnic minorities. Thus, if an unemployed person applies for a job and is not hired because someone who currently has a job is hired instead, that person can sue the company for discrimination. Seriously.

This is HUGE! Think about what this would do. The effect would be to (1) freeze everyone in place at their current jobs because no one would hire anyone who has a job, (2) stop all but essential hiring because of the risk of litigation, and (3) spur tons of frivolous litigation in the hopes of striking it rich or getting bought off. This would become the “Unemployed Litigants Enrichment Act.” You would literally see unemployed people bringing an avalanche of suits in the hopes of squeezing some cash out of local businesses.

This would destroy American business.

Secondly, there is a clause in this legislation which provides that any state that accepts federal money under any program will automatically waive its 11th Amendment protections (called “sovereign immunity”). That means states could then be sued for employment discrimination. Combine this with the unemployment bit above and you’ve got a recipe for the unemployed enriching themselves at the expense of the taxpayer. Even without the extra employment bit, this still would be a goldmine for employment lawyers.

These provisions are insane, which is why Obama is trying to create a sense of urgency to get the bill passed before anyone reads it. Hence, he spent the day talking about the “employment crisis” and our “national emergency.” Fortunately, this will never pass a Republican Congress. Heck, I doubt it could pass a Democrat Congress.

Finally, you should know that Gohmert has struck again. Since the Democrats have been unwilling to introduce the bill, Gohmert stole the name of Obama’s bill and introduced his own “American Jobs Act.” This is a two page bill that eliminates the corporate tax!

So yes, Mr. President. . . let’s pass the American Jobs Act now!!

72 comments:

Ed said...

Andrew, This is hilarious! Yes, let's pass the American Jobs Bill now!!

I have never seen a President as incompetent as this one.

Ed said...

Also, I saw Pelosi say today that she thinks the Democrats can recapture the House. What a fool!

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, I don't think there's been a president as incompetent. Even Carter seems competent by comparison. What I think is amazing is that the Democrats need this bill because they need to show the voters they can do something. But rather than work with it, they're treating it like a hot potato and they are running as far and as fast as they can from it.

Unknown said...

Andrew: I love it. No Democratic sponsors. Now that I live in the country, I can say "chickens coming home to roost."

AndrewPrice said...

Lawhawk, Yep, no Democratic sponsors. I'm just amazed more conservatives haven't caught on yet to Obama's attempt to make the unemployed a protected class.

Unknown said...

Andrew: Well, if he does, it will be the first time in my life I've finally belonged to a protected class. LOL

AndrewPrice said...

I think I will too. In fact, I think I'll make an industry of applying to and then suing companies that donate to Democrats.

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, BTW, Pelosi is a lunatic.

Unknown said...

Ed and Andrew: Quit picking on my favorite Congressthing. We should be grateful for Pelosi. She's the biggest, slowest-moving target we have. (Oops, was "target" too violent and uncivil?)

AndrewPrice said...

Lawhawk, Yes, Target is uncivil. I prefer Walmart.... or is that backwards?

As for picking on Pelosi, if she would only stop talking, then we wouldn't have anything to poke fun at.

I don't recall who said it, but Pelosi is perfectly defined by the quote "it is better to let people think that you're stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

Tam said...

I thought the bill was intentionally bad so that dear leader et al could add ammo (too violent?) to the "republicans are holding the economy hostage" mantra. But not only did it wait until after our king's vacation, but it was hijacked by Gohmert (HA! Love it!) and set aside for the all important bike path legislation Reid needs to pass. What a bunch of morons.

AndrewPrice said...

Tam, I kind of go back and forth on that. Obama must have known that the Republicans would never pass his bill. So did he intend to create something they wouldn't even look at, so he could blame them for not acting? Or did he expect that the Republicans would take the good parts and then he could claim success if it worked and he could blame the Republicans if it didn't "because they only passed part of my bill?" I'm really not sure what he was thinking.

But either way, this whole thing is turning into a disaster. Not only did he embarrass himself in the creation of the bill, but with the Democrats refusing to touch it, he can't even lay the blame on the Republicans. He looks like a fool.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. "ammo" too violent? Ammo doesn't kill people, people firing ammo kills people.... wait, I guess ammo actually does do the killing? Hmmm.

Oh well, if we're being too violent, I'm sure some committee of leftists will issue a strongly worded press release condemning us and bringing us up on thought crimes charges.

Ed said...

Picking on Pelosi makes me happy. It's the one thing she's good for!

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, Turn about it fair play. She picked on America for years, so we should be allowed to pick back.

AndrewPrice said...

Here's an interesting story. Obama just said that Social Security is off the table and thus can't be pillaged to fund either his jobs bill or the deficit reduction plan coming up in November.

It's also probably no coincidence that his approval ratings are back down below 40%.

Writer X said...

Go, Gohmert!

I think for Obama's next trick, he's going to get down on his stomach in the middle of the Oval Office and then stamp his hands and feet. I've never seen anything so pathetic.

AndrewPrice said...

Writer X, LOL! Who says he hasn't!

I honestly don't think we've ever had a bigger loser in the White House?!

(P.S. I see your primary might be moving up!)

ScyFyterry said...

Ghomert is da man! Let's pass this bill now democraps!

AndrewPrice said...

ScyFyTerry, I thought it was ingenious that he stole the name from Obama's bill. What better way to highlight that even the Democrats won't sponsor the thing.

Ed said...

Andrew, The Washington Examiner has a video showing all 90 times Obama has said "pass this bill" this week. 90 TIMES!

http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/obama-says-pass-bill-90-times-one-week

AndrewPrice said...

Wow! I don't know if that video is just obnoxious or hypnotic!

Here's the link: LINK

Ponderosa said...

Perhaps President BOzo will veto his "own" bill.

----------
BO: Who passed the American's Jobs Act?

Abbott: Yes.

BO: I mean the fellow's name.

Abbott: Who.

BO: The congressman.

Abbott: Who.

BO: From Texas.

Abbott: Who.

BO: The congressman...

Abbott: Who wrote the bill.

...

AndrewPrice said...

Ponderosa, Can you imagine how funny it would be if Obama had to veto "his own" bill? That is indeed the stuff comedy routines are made of. It really does sound like an Abbott and Costello routine or a Marx Brothers' film: "Night At The White House"!

And even putting aside the theft of the name, he still might end up vetoing whatever the Congress sends him if the Republicans do it right.

Let's face it, our President has become a punchline.

Concerned Liberals To Stop Internet Violence said...

That's a bridge too far! PUNCHline? AMMO? TARGET!!

You people are promoting violence. Conservatives are eeeeeeevil!!

T-Rav said...

The unemployed are a protected class now?!?! What a bunch of @#$%!!!!

Seriously, this just puts the coda on it: Obama has no understanding of the economy whatsoever, on even a basic level. Strip liberalism down to its core and this is what you're left with: a temper tantrum cry of "It's not FAIR!!"

T-Rav said...

By the way, that "Concerned Liberals" sockpuppet is, for once, not my doing.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, Can you imagine the consequences of turning the unemployed into a protected class? That is so fundamentally destructive of the economy that I can't even imagine someone suggesting it seriously, much less a President putting it into a bill??

You're right that he's got no grasp of economic or employment or anything. This is what happens when your only experience is being a community organizer.

AndrewPrice said...

Not you huh? Hmm. I was pretty sure it was you.

AndrewPrice said...

Dear Concerned Liberals, I would like to discuss this with you face to face so I can explain the concept of violence to you.

Can you meet me in Sudan in three days? Wear something Christian....

AndrewPrice said...

It looks like Democratic governors are avoiding Obama's jobs plan too:

LINK

BevfromNYC said...

Obama has generously offered to accept passing the bill in "parts". And he's already backed out of Social Security reform.

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, He offered that and then his staff immediately told everyone "this isn't an ala cart bill and they need to pass it all." So he's being a little (lot) evasive on that.

On Social Security... don't worry, it will fix itself, right?!

Ponderosa said...

If the demmys had won in NV & NY they would be screaming about how much support there is for the bill.

Weprin was crushed. Pretty sure his numbers collapsed after the joint session...

The GOP should feel free to deride the bill or just ignore it.
-----
BO is a one-trick pony:

Crisis! "Pass this ________ bill!"

Ummm....no.

AndrewPrice said...

Ponderosa, Very true. If the Dems had won either of those elections, they would be trumpeting that as proof that the public wants this jobs bill.

On when Weprin's support collapsed, he was neck and neck until about a week ago, so you're probably right about the timing. And to go from neck and neck to losing by 8% in a week really can't be blamed on anything other than something that happened that week -- and that would be the jobs bill.

What's funny to me is comparing Obama to Reagan. Reagan dealt with a hostile Congress and yet still managed to get so much of his agenda through because he really had the ability to reach out and get people to respond. The only response Obama seems capable of getting is anger.

T-Rav said...

Andrew, I pinkie swear. I wish I had thought of it, though. However, I may have to now report you to AttackWatch! for using such incendiary language against Concerned Liberals.

Meanwhile, you're right, only someone who had no concept of reality, except the version of it he learned from community organizing and spending time at a university, could come up with something this brain-dead.

AndrewPrice said...

Attack watch... sounds like Fishy Snitch, doesn't it?

Yeah, community organizer = no clue.


BTW, you know college kids as you live among them... what are they saying about Obama these days?

Ed said...

It was me! Lol! Sorry for stealing your gig T-Rav, but it felt right! :D

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, LOL! You were on my suspect list. Near the bottom, but you were on there.

LL said...

I think that the blush is off the rose with Barack Hussein Obama.

Maybe he can get the Democrats to "deem" Stimulus II as having passed in the Senate and they try and browbeat the Tea Party Republicans in the House.

AndrewPrice said...

LL, I think the days of deeming anything being passed are over for our young President.

And you're absolutely right about the bloom being off the rose. Even his own party is starting to see him as toxic.

What's ironic is that this was all so predictable! They just blinded themselves to every bit of it.

T-Rav said...

Ed, I shall never forgive you for stealing my thunder ;-)

Andrew, it's hard to say. Opinions among undergrads are in flux quite a bit, but I think they're reaching the point where it's clear even to them that Obama is all-thumbs when it comes to...well, everything. Based on some conversations I've had, I think that they, like a lot of other people out of college, have gone from being disappointed in his handling of things but still willing to give him a shot to turn things around, to thinking he's pretty much blown it and won't improve. Of course, the grad students and professors aren't changing, but it's a start.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, That's probably enough to doom Obama. He needs students and union organizers to run his get out the vote campaign and Wall Street to fund it. If the students don't volunteer because they've "lost their idealism" then he loses a big chunk of manpower. That puts it all on the unions, who aren't too thrilled right now either.

This could cost him 3-5% of his vote, which would be very, very significant.

You should encourage them all to sign up with Ron Paul. Apparently, Barry Manilow likes Ron Paul.... I'm assuming you know who that is?

CrispyRice said...

Sorry, late to the party! Thanks for the briefing on both bills. The things you point out are really bad ideas, but nothing less than I've come to expect from the incompetent boob in the WH.

And woohoo, Gohmert, I love it! And I love the idea of O having to veto his "own" bill, LOLOLOLOLOL!

AndrewPrice said...

Crispy, Late is fine. We don't take attendance! :-)

I also love the idea of Obama having to veto his own bill. He would be so furious. And could you imagine the fun campaign commercials that could follow that?

Obama may finally be bringing about a golden age of mirth!

Ed said...

T-Rav, What if I promise never to do it again (unless it's really funny)?

T-Rav said...

Of course I know who he is, Andrew! He's the guy who sings those old Dr. Pepper commercials!

AndrewPrice said...

Wow, 1970s superstar. . . remembered as a pop spokesman. Actually, I can't complain about that -- I mainly remember OJ Simpson running through airports as a rental car spokesman.

Oh... and the murder thing rings a bell to.

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, That's the Roger Rabbit rule -- you can only do things "when they're funny!"

Ed said...

Andrew, That's the one.

T-Rav said...

Ed, I happily accept your proposal. Just remember who is the sockpuppet king around these parts (and if you know, please tell me). :-)

T-Rav said...

Andrew, I was afraid that might make you and possibly some others feel old...which is why I did it. I didn't want to; I HAD to.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, I figured that was your purpose. And as the old people I knew when I was young used to tell me, I shall now tell you...

"It's not nice to make fun of us old people, you'll be old yourself one day."

Yeah... I didn't believe it either.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav and Ed, I'm pretty sure T-Rav is the sockpuppet king... or should it be king of the sockpuppets? Is there a difference?

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, You can't sneak a movie reference by me! Mwoo ha ha ha! :-)

T-Rav said...

Andrew, back to the voters stuff for a minute, I think Obama's running out of secure demographics to fall back on. The college kids won't turn out for him, at least nowhere near the way they did in '08; the unions will probably still turn out for him, but in a perfunctory manner; a poll today had 40% of the Jewish vote unhappy with him (see also: NY-9); and the Hispanics aren't exactly locked up for him. That basically leaves the blacks, the hippies, and the media, which is not exactly a winning coalition. Even the WH has to know this by now.

Which is why I include this. I don't really think it's going to happen, given the man's ego, but given the pounding Obama's taken on every front recently...what if?

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/09/15/john-fund-what-if-a-committee-of-prominent-dems-approached-obama-and-asked-him-not-to-run/

Grammar Police said...

In referring to such matters, we are of the opinion that "king of the sockpuppets" is less ambiguous, and more definitive. To say "sockpuppet king" could imply that one has a king who is a sockpuppet, which is of course an impossibility. As "king of the sockpuppets" denotes ownership/possession, we recommend that this term be used henceforth.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, I've actually weighed the possibility that Obama would not run again. I honestly can't see him agreeing. I could have seen him announcing after ObamaCare by saying it was too much pressure on his family blah blah and now that he's done what he needs to, he's stepping aside. He could have appeared to go out as a winner doing that.

But now, he would look like a loser and quitter and I don't think his ego would let him do that.

That said, I honestly think he cannot be re-elected.

1. As you very accurately point out, his support is gone. The loyal Democrats will still vote for him, but independents are gone and even the Democrats aren't going to waste a lot of time or money supporting him.

Jews will probably turn out against him. Hispanics will stay home. Unions will do their thing, but their members probably won't vote for him (except teachers -- they'll turn out for him).

The media will fall back in love as will blacks and socialists, but that's about it. And as you note, that's not a winning coalition.

2. What really convinces me is the consistency of his polling. Everyone goes up and down except Obama -- he goes down and stays down. I honestly think this is proof that the public has stopped listening, which means he can't win them back.

3. His team has proven to be incompetent.

4. This will be the first race he's ever had where the other side doesn't implode. He has no idea how to handle that.

5. He will get crushed in the debate because each of our candidates can debate.

6. He has an impossible task of trying to warm up his base while also winning back independents -- can't be done at the same time and he doesn't have time to do it separately.

Based on all of that, I literally think it's impossible for him to turn this around.

AndrewPrice said...

Here's your link: LINK

AndrewPrice said...

What about "Emperor of All Sockpuppets"?

If you're going for a title, go big!

T-Rav said...

Andrew, that's pretty much the way I read it. I'm sure a lot of people in the Democratic Party would be overjoyed to see him not run again; it would certainly make their problems a lot simpler. But he won't. The reason he's done so much wrong is the same reason he will never step down: he's far too fond of himself to admit he's beat.

There was supposedly an article making the rounds on the Internet the other day, saying Obama was approaching clinical depression. That's possible, I guess, but I don't really believe it just yet. I think he'll run this into the ground, sure enough, but he'll never take his hand off the controls.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, I don't buy any psychological diagnoses from a distance. I've seen those all my life and they are nothing more than projection. We don't know anything about who he is in private.

That said, he's definitely not a happy man. I think his biggest problem is the one we spotted a long, long time ago -- he's never learned how to deal with rejection. His whole life, everyone has told him he's so clever and patted him on the head... and then his opponents tripped themselves up. And thus, he's never had to face any real challenge. I think it shocks him that he's facing opposition now and he literally doesn't know how to handle it.

I see this in how angry he is when responding to the slightest criticism and how he flails around, not knowing how to win people over. He thinks winning people over involves saying "hey, this is what I want." And he can't understand why that isn't working.

I know that makes him sound like an idiot, but that's not really how I mean it. I mean it in the sense that he really has never had to try to sell anything to anyone -- and he doesn't know how to do it.

In terms of giving up, yeah, I agree -- he won't. It's not in his nature to give up at this point.

I agree too that the Democrats would love to see him step aside. I'm surprised he hasn't been approached about having a medical issue?

AndrewPrice said...

... of course, that assumes he hasn't already been asked.

Ed said...

Andrew, I would be surprised if a bunch of Democrats hadn't suggested it.


T-Rav, Go for Emperor of All Sockpuppets! I've always wanted to know an emperor!

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, I can see Biden begging him.... "I know a guy who has the plague?!"

Koshcat said...

I have an idea but may need some help. I will change my designation from GOP to DEM and challenge Obama in a primary. I am nobody with little background but I think I can beat him with the independent and conservative democrats. The worst that might happen is scare him a little bit and cause him do something even more stupid. I'll just take some of Ron Paul's ideas and repackage them with liberal flim-flam. What sort of help do I need? Well, successful or not I will need some sort of an exorcism to regain my soul. And I need about $100 million, but I will make sure you get a nice, cuushiony ambassadorship.

AndrewPrice said...

Koshcat, That is an excellent idea! Let me see if we have that kind of money lying around. LOL!

I have to tell you, I have many times asked myself if it might not be worth it trying to become a prominent Democrat just to keep messing with their primaries. Then I could always get upset and run as an independent -- stealing vital voters. :-)

Or... even better, I get elected and then shock the heck out of the world by governing FAR to the right! LOL!

I can see the progressives now: "we voted for Pricebama and we got Ron Paul!!" Waaaaah!

Koshcat said...

Except the difference between Ron and som of the anarchists around here is pretty narrow. They would either love you or pour gasoline on themselves and light on fire in protest.

AndrewPrice said...

That's true, there seems to be a very fine line there and I'm not honestly sure they know where that line is drawn!

How funny would that be though, to lead the left flank of the Democratic party to the right? LOL!

rlaWTX said...

surely there are some adults in his administration somewhere...? don't they recognize temper tantrums & hyperbole aren't "presidential"?

AndrewPrice said...

rlaWTX, You would think so, but apparently there aren't.

AndrewPrice said...

By way of an update, unemployment rose in 26 states last month and fell only in 12.

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