Not enough jobs? Congress to blame

About a year ago, President Obama came out with the American Jobs Act. Remember that? Independent analysts gave the jobs act a big thumbs-up because temporary increases in spending boost employment in a depressed economy.

Determined to obstruct any effort to build up the economy so they could exploit its weakness for political gain, the Republicans blocked the bill.

Now, most Republicans understand that spending cuts increase unemployment. In fact, Romney recently said that defense cuts were a bad idea because it would mean cutting jobs. But, they blocked the bill anyway since it was Obama’s idea and it might help the economy.

Then, talk about chutzpah, we hear the Republicans citing Obama’s employment policies have failed. But wait. They blocked the jobs bill.

In reality, the fiscal and economic policies of the last four years have not been defined by Democratic ideas but by Republican stonewalling. And, based on the way the election is going so far, most Americans are realizing that the single, most important cause of our weak economy is Republican obstructionism. To overcome that obstructionism, we need to elect a Congress that can put aside politics, pass needed legislation, and get Americans back to work.

Jess Chipkin

Huntley