JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! We Need JOBS! - Editorial Comment

President Obama hosted a “Jobs Summit” in the White House on December 3rd. In attendance were leaders of industry and labor. At the Summit, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka presented President Obama with labor’s five-point plan for immediate job creation.
President Trumka told President Obama America needs jobs NOW! America needs to immediately increase aid to state and local governments so as to prevent layoffs and maintain vital services, create jobs by repairing and building infrastructure and putting TARP funds to work on Main Street, not just Wall Street, was Trumka’s message.
Every member needs to contact the President and their Congressman and Senators and let them know it is necessary to extend a lifeline to jobless workers by legislating supplemental unemployment benefits, additional food assistance and expansion of COBRA health care benefit payments. Such a move will aid working families fend off bankruptcy, home foreclosure and loss of health care. Extending benefits will also boost personal spending which will help create demand for products and in turn create jobs.
In addition, they must be encouraged to fund the rebuilding of America’s schools, roads and energy systems. Such programs would put people to work fixing the nation’s broken-down school buildings and invest in transportation, green technology, energy efficiency and more.
Congress also must increase aid to state and local governments to assist in maintaining vital services. State and local governments and school districts have an estimated $178 billion budget shortfall and the recession creates greater need for these services.
 We need to put people to work doing work that needs to be done. If the private sector is unwilling to provide the needed jobs then government must. These jobs must be good paying, prevailing wage jobs that will insure workers can meet the needs of their families.
Congress must act now. With over 15 million Americans out of work the situation is dire. Congress must implement the needed programs and provide the needed funds to assist all Americans in creating a recovery that results in jobs for every American.
Call and contact President Obama and your Senators and Congressman and put pressure on them to Act NOW to SAVE America!