Speak Out Network
Who's responsible for downgrading the U.S. credit rating?
There is a lot of finger pointing going on since the U.S. lost its AAA credit rating. Republicans are blaming President Obama for his lack of leadership and President Obama is blaming mainstream Republicans and and Tea Party for their lack of cooperation and for driving the nation to the brink of economic ruin. They are both right in blaming each other for the country's economic woes.
Although I supported President Obama, I am chagrined as I painfully admit to his failure to step outside of the box and put together a plan to lead the nation out of the mess he inherited when he took office. President Obama seems to be perfectly satisfied with the status quo, i.e, keeping 50% or more of the nation's available labor force either on unemployment (which is 20% or more realistically speaking) or disenfranchised (30% or more independent contractors, consultants, freelancers, self employed, contingent workers, etc. all of whom work outside of the legal framework of the employment system). With 50% or more of the nation's labor force excluded from participating in gainful employment, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to realize that it leads to widespread impoverishment of its citizens, which in turn results in an enormous drain on employment tax revenues.
One might ask what can President Obama do to turn this situation around? The first thing that President Obama can do is to hold Congress accountable for following through on some legislative changes that were recommended seventeen (17) years ago in the Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations, U.S. , "The Dunlop Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations - Final Report" (1994). This report is the result of a study that was commissioned by President Bill Clinton in 1993. This report contains some of the most relevant and groundbreaking observations and legislative recommendations relative to our 21st century labor force that I have ever come across. If the legislative recommendations were followed through on, we would have an immediate turn-around with respect to our unemployment/job crises (see excerpt from the Dunlop Commission Final Report attached). The second thing President Obama can do is bring an immediate halt to the harmful and misguided "job killing" legislation variously identified as "employee misclassification laws", "independent contractor legislation", "IC compliance", "IC legislation" that is sweeping the nation. This pervasive legislation is literally crippling entire industries such as construction and transportation and seasonal industries and is therefore robbing millions of people of jobs. To get an idea of how detrimental this legislation is, check the attached article written by K&L Gates, a prominent law firm that has written a legal alert aimed at companies about Pennsylvania's legislation that was recently passed into law or simply do a Google search on any of the aforementioned terms and see how rampant this type of legislation is. Whatever conclusions you draw from your review of the literature, KNOW THIS...THIS LEGISLATION IS KILLING MILLIONS OF POTENTIAL JOBS FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND CRIPPLING THE COMPANIES WHO WANT TO HIRE THEM!! I am hard pressed to believe that President Obama is ignorant of these two very important facts that would immediately reverse two of the most troubling economic conditions plaguing our country - unemployment and lack of jobs. The alternative to this misguided legislation is really quite simple - expand the legal framework of employment/labor laws so that ALL workers are covered and protected under the laws. The technology is now available that make it very easy to accurately record and keep track of worker benefits accruals, earnings, tax liabilities, etc. whether they are performing work for one employer or several employers, so IRS should no longer be concerned about accurate reporting and timely payment of employment taxes.
Therefore, the most important question is: "Mr. President, why are you not exploring these very viable options for creating jobs and getting people off unemployment? Since you don't seem to have any other options, what harm is there in exploring two very obvious options that have clearly been documented as having a negative impact on unemployment and jobs creation". After all nothing ventured, nothing gained!!
As for our Republican controlled House of Representatives, I would not put it past them to engage in a risky game of dare for political expediency that we just witnessed so they could blame President Obama. The bottom line is: the buck stops with President Obama who as the Chief Executive of this nation can call upon Congress to pass or abolish legislation that is found to be detrimental to the good of our nation and its citizens. He needs to recognize that as our Chief Executive, he has the right and the authority to hold Congress accountable for providing the legislative foundation for our country to thrive. If Paul LePage, Governor or Maine had the presence of mind to abolish "independent contractor" legislation in the state of Maine, I see no reason why President Obama cannot do likewise for the nation. After all, that's what leaders are supposed to do and if our national leader doesn't have what is takes to step into the leadership role that we expect of him, then it falls to us to demand with a unified voice: I AM TIRED OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IN ANY LONGER!!
We can all call our representatives and senators and demand that they support legislation for a "universal employment" policy.
Tags: Obama, congress, downgrade, economy, employment, jobs, legislation, unemployment
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© 2013 Created by Smiley and West.
