Obama Still Offering Same Failed Proposals And Failing Department Heads

Eric Holder's On The List

Today in Washington, D.C. - May 9, 2012:
Quick Spotlight: Eric Holder is still Attorney General. It is amazing that his actions and/ or those of his department have not resulted in his removal or resignation. His action appear to be far worse than the former actions of V.P. Spiro Agnew who was forced to resign facing a criminal charge or of former AG Alberto Gonzales who was convicted of --- nothing --- but resigned after having several conflicts with Congress. Just a minute,  Holder and or his department officials have sanctioned "Gun Running" to Mexico which resulted in the death of people, have protected  people who violate and intimidate voters, have ignored the problems of crimes and even lost jobs created by illegals in our country, have sued states for taking action to protect themselves and  a long list of other actions or offenses. Last week,  In a dangerous power grab that will jeopardize government transparency,  the DOJ wants to redefine federal public record law so that it becomes the sole arbiter in disputes between agencies and individuals who submit requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).  Several members of Congress have called for his resignation. When will he do so? Most likely it will not be before the 2012 elections. Regardless, the appointment and continued subsequent support of the present Attorney General is proof positive of another mistake by Barack Obama.

The Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 2343, a bill dealing with federal student loan interest rates.  Yesterday, Democrats failed to get the 60 votes needed to move to their bill, S.2343, to stop an increase in student loan rates caused by legislation they passed in 2007. The Democrat bill would have paid for the bill with yet another tax increase.  Republicans senators have instead proposed a bill that would be paid for but cutting an Obamacare slush fund that even the White House has previously suggested cutting.

Yesterday the House spent the majority of their time debating several amendments to HR 5326 "Making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and for other purposes." The bill will be addressed today or later in the week.

However, the hot issue for the day is the debate and pending vote on H.R. 2072, would reauthorize and expand Export-Import Banks borrowing authority from $100 billion to $140 billion, potentially putting taxpayers on the hook for the full amount.  As reported the last two days, here and here and here, conservatives are against this bill. The House is also expected today to  address H.R. 4133 "To express the sense of Congress regarding the United States-Israel strategic relationship, to direct the President to submit to Congress reports on United States actions to enhance this relationship and to assist in the defense of Israel, and for other purposes."

Gallup finds today, “Thirty-two percent of 18- to 29-year-olds in the U.S. workforce were underemployed in April, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment. . . . Underemployment among 18- to 29-year-olds has hovered around 30% for most of the past year, showing no real improvement. . . . Young adults were more than twice as likely as those in older age groups to be underemployed in April. . . . Young adults continue to be much more likely than average to be unemployed . . . .”

Examining these results, Gallup writes, “Wall Street has generally viewed the government's unemployment report for April as a negative for the U.S. economy. Gallup's unemployment measures show that April has also brought gloomy job news for young Americans and underscores that this group has been struggling disproportionately for some time. Those aged 18 to 29 are more than twice as likely as those in any other age group to be underemployed. . . . Today's slow economic growth is a disaster for those unemployed and underemployed as they look for jobs when so few new jobs are being created. For younger Americans as a group, this is a particularly acute issue. Nearly one in three young adults in the workforce are not now able to gain full-time job experience. This not only hurts them temporarily, but deprives them of the experience they need to get a better job in the future. It also deprives U.S. companies of the skilled and experienced workers they will need for their businesses to prosper in the years ahead.”

This news comes on top of recent reports that only half of graduates between 2009 and 2011 had found a full-time job within a year of leaving school, that last year over half of college graduates under 25 were unemployed or underemployed, and that “[n]early 25 million adults live at home with their parents because they're unemployed or underemployed,” leaving The Atlantic to conclude, “It is, very simply, a tough time to be young.”

But instead of any real solutions, President Obama offers only campaign rhetoric designed at creating attacks on Republicans or excuses for why his policies have failed. This morning, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said, “The cynicism here is breathtaking. Here’s a President who, in the morning, worked hand-in-hand with Senate Democrats to ensure that legislation to freeze interest rates on student loans wouldn’t pass– in the afternoon, giving a recycled speech in which he pleaded for an end to the very gridlock he was orchestrating. There’s perhaps no better illustration of how far this President has come from the heady days of his last campaign.”

He blasted Obama’s expand the government and shift the blame approach: “Let’s face it: there isn’t a problem we face that this President didn’t think government could solve. And despite all the evidence to the contrary, he still can’t seem to shake the idea that more government is the answer for what ails us. When the Stimulus failed, it wasn’t the government’s fault. It was the Republicans. When the health care bill caused health care costs to rise, same thing. When trillions are spent and the jobs don’t come, it’s ATM machines, it’s the weather, it’s bankers, it’s the rich, it’s Fox News. It’s anything other than the government.”

“The President,” Leader McConnell said, “seems to view government the way some parents view their children. It can do no wrong. So if there’s a problem to solve, a challenge to tackle, the solution is always the same: more government. And the results are always the same — a disappointment to be blamed on somebody, anybody, else. . . . Hasn’t the experience of the last three and a half years taught this President anything about the limitations of government action? Three and a half years and five trillion dollars later, there are nearly half a million fewer jobs in the country than the day the President took office. That’s not what most people would describe as a good return on investment. Yet that’s all we get: the same government-driven solutions he’s been pushing for three and a half years.”

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Tags: Barack Obama, polls, jobs, college grads, Eric Holder, DOJ, Us Senate, US House, Export-Import Bank To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!