Obama on Jobs Act: “Pass this right away.”

President Obama urged Washington lawmakers to swiftly pass his administration’s expansive American Jobs Act tonight in a speech to Congress.

The 9.1% unemployment rate in August prompted the act, which will provide tax breaks in order to stimulate job creation. The Jobs Act will immediately provide tax breaks to average Americans, cut payroll taxes on businesses and extend unemployment insurance to millions who are out of work.

“The people who hired us don’t have the luxury of waiting 14 months,” said Obama.

The plan will eliminate taxes on increases of up to $50 million in payroll for businesses that hire new workers or raise current wages. Payroll taxes will also be cut in half on businesses’ first $5 million in payroll.

Obama sought bipartisan support for the Jobs Act, citing that about 50 Republicans from the House of Representatives have supported similar legislation in the past.

The Jobs Act includes an increase in taxes on the richest Americans, something Congressional Republicans have opposed.

“Some of you have taken oaths to never raise taxes on anybody as long as you live,” Obama said, “but don’t make an exception and raise taxes on the middle class.”

Under the proposed American Jobs Act, the typical working family will get a $1,500 tax break without impacting Social Security.

The plan will not add to the ever-growing deficit according to Obama. He urged that Congress, which already plans to cut $1 trillion in spending by Christmas, come up with enough deficit reduction to cover the cost of the bill.

The Jobs Act will also reform Medicare spending without effecting current recipients.

"We have to reform Medicare in order to strengthen it," said Obama.

Lawmakers can no longer reward businesses that can afford the best lobbyists, according to the President. They should instead reward businesses that create jobs.

“This is simple math,” said Obama. “These are real choices.”


Note: This assignment was meant to be written as if the Jobs Speech had just been given, hence the wording. Learn more about the American Jobs Act here.

Economy "In Limbo" In Run-up To Obama's Jobs Speech

President Obama's jobs speech Thursday night will come in the wake of a Federal Reserve report showing "weakening activity" in the American economy. The Biege Book, containing data collected before August 27th, noted a boost of activity in the auto sector but a "modest pace" for overall economic growth.

The economy is on a "rollercoaster ride", according to Forbes, as the price of gold spiked, dipped and rebounded in the past few weeks. Consumer spending is up as is the demand for service, but "the latest jobs report showed an economy adding no jobs in August." The economy has stalled.

Expect Obama to deliver a strong speech on Thursday supporting more federal stimulus to boost job creation and infrastructure contracts. The President is likely to issue a new $300 million jobs plan to help ease the minds of the American people and get the economy rolling. The framework is there, the economy is growing albeit at a "snails pace." What is needed is a structured jobs plan not reliant solely on slight economic boosts from the auto industry.

US jobs outlook grim

The NBC affiliate, WPTV5, reported tonight on the current jobs outlook in the United States. 14 million Americans were home from work today, not because of the Labor Day holiday but because they are simply out of work.

The station reported that no jobs were created during August to relieve the rising unemployment rate. A new Gallup poll also shows that about a quarter of Americans have confidence in Obama's ability to improve the national economy.

The President will make an economic speech on Thursday night. The speech "will be over in time for football," according to WPTV.

Two Florida congressmen provided their opinions on the upcoming speech for the network. Ted Deutch (D), of Boca Raton, said that Obama needed to make a "bold speech" about the economy. Tom Rooney (R) said that Obama's speeches "ring on dead ears" and are rarely accompanied with a legislative follow through.

Changes coming, background noise

This blog will be on the receiving end of a serious makeover in the next few weeks. Fall semester classes have started again. With my major in multimedia journalism, several courses now require me to manage a blog, establish a website using GoDaddy and post news stories and assignments.

The change is really a blessing. These assignments will allow me to display and hopefully market work I have already done while adding new pieces to my porfolio. I need content, so this is also an excuse to post the photo galleries and videoes I have sorely neglected. The motorcycle trip is sitting back against the sissy bar for now, but these assignments will be great preparation for that work. Hopefully I will be able to finagle things similar to what I want to accomplish during that trip into my assignments for class and the school newspaper, the iPulse. Practice makes perfect!

Most of all, I am happy to report that five of my six classes this semester are journalism and communications oriented. Gone are the days when I could complain that "I'll never use this!" And that is a pretty good thing.