NAACP: Obama must focus on jobs - The Hill's On The Money
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) wants the Obama administration and Congress to focus above all on addressing unemployment, but is stopping short of calling for a massive new stimulus.
“Generally speaking, we first and foremost want them to pay attention to the economy and the high rates of joblessness in the black community,” NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous said Thursday. “It is unacceptable for us to be 2 ½ years into a recession and still be fighting for Congress to accept responsibility to get working class people back into this economy.”
“The sense on the street, and I just came back from meeting folks in Harlem for instance, the sense on the street is that the administration should be harder and more aggressive on this,” he told reporters at a Thursday press event.
NAACP chief lobbyist Hilary Shelton said Friday that the NAACP has not taken a position on a new stimulus bill although he personally believes if crafted correctly such a bill could work to boost the economy. Shelton said that the House GOP budget cuts are a disaster for the poor.
“It is a very dangerous and immoral budget we are seeing come out of the House and we will do everything we can to fight it,” Shelton said.
To address the lack of jobs, the NAACP favors passage of a local government bailout bill sponsored in the last Congress by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.). That bill would provide $75 billion to stop layoffs in local and state government due to budget cuts.
Shelton acknowledged that the bill, not reintroduced by Miller this year, faces an uphill battle in a GOP House focused on spending cuts.
NAACP also favors renewing the expired HIRE Act tax credits which encourage hiring.
The HIRE Act provided employers with an exemption from their 6.2 percent share of social security tax on wages paid to qualifying employees, effective for wages paid from March 19, 2010 through December 31, 2010.
For each qualified employee retained for at least 52 consecutive weeks, businesses were also be eligible for a general business tax credit, referred to as the new hire retention credit, of 6.2 percent of wages paid to the qualified employee over the 52 week period, up to a maximum credit of $1,000.
Shelton said that overall the NAACP is playing defense now, protecting environmental laws like the Clear Air Act and the Obama health reform.
Jealous said that the GOP is intent on gutting the Justice Department’s civil rights division through budget cuts.
“One of the achievements of this administration has been rebuilding the Department of Justice’s civil rights division. This budget threatens that,” he said. “Enforcement was devastated by the previous administration. We can’t afford to go back.”
Shelton said that NAACP is relying on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) especially to defend against deep cuts to essential services to the poor.
He said that block granting Medicaid, as proposed in the House-passed budget, would be devastating especially for the black community.
Shelton said that as the administration looks to cut the deficit, the NAACP is urging that taxes be raised on the wealthy.
NAACP: Obama must focus on jobs
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Jealous said Congress’ attitude toward African American unemployment has been one of “hostile neglect.”
He also warned that members of the black community, President Obama’s most stalwart supporters, are growing frustrated on the lack of action on jobs.
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NO ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY HAS WORKED FOR ILLEGALS, OPEN BORDERS AND NON-ENFORCEMENT/AMNESTY MORE THAN BARACK OBAMA!
IT’S NOT THAT HE GIVES A FUCK ABOUT THE MILLIONS OF POOR MEXICO EXPORTS, HE DOESN’T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT POOR AMERICANS! HE SIMPLY WANTS TO KEEP HIS WALL ST. PAYMASTERS HAPPY AND GENEROUS!
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http://mexicanoccupation.blogspot.com/2011/06/usa-2011-mcjobs-4-gas-and-underwater.html
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http://mexicanoccupation.blogspot.com/2011/05/wikileaks-exposed-obamas-la-raza-open.html
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NAACP: Obama must focus on jobs
- 06/12/11 05:00 PM ET
“Generally speaking, we first and foremost want them to pay attention to the economy and the high rates of joblessness in the black community,” NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous said Thursday. “It is unacceptable for us to be 2 ½ years into a recession and still be fighting for Congress to accept responsibility to get working class people back into this economy.”
Jealous said Congress’ attitude toward African American unemployment has been one of “hostile neglect.”
He also warned that members of the black community, President Obama’s most stalwart supporters, are growing frustrated on the lack of action on jobs.“The sense on the street, and I just came back from meeting folks in Harlem for instance, the sense on the street is that the administration should be harder and more aggressive on this,” he told reporters at a Thursday press event.
NAACP chief lobbyist Hilary Shelton said Friday that the NAACP has not taken a position on a new stimulus bill although he personally believes if crafted correctly such a bill could work to boost the economy. Shelton said that the House GOP budget cuts are a disaster for the poor.
“It is a very dangerous and immoral budget we are seeing come out of the House and we will do everything we can to fight it,” Shelton said.
To address the lack of jobs, the NAACP favors passage of a local government bailout bill sponsored in the last Congress by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.). That bill would provide $75 billion to stop layoffs in local and state government due to budget cuts.
Shelton acknowledged that the bill, not reintroduced by Miller this year, faces an uphill battle in a GOP House focused on spending cuts.
NAACP also favors renewing the expired HIRE Act tax credits which encourage hiring.
The HIRE Act provided employers with an exemption from their 6.2 percent share of social security tax on wages paid to qualifying employees, effective for wages paid from March 19, 2010 through December 31, 2010.
For each qualified employee retained for at least 52 consecutive weeks, businesses were also be eligible for a general business tax credit, referred to as the new hire retention credit, of 6.2 percent of wages paid to the qualified employee over the 52 week period, up to a maximum credit of $1,000.
Shelton said that overall the NAACP is playing defense now, protecting environmental laws like the Clear Air Act and the Obama health reform.
Jealous said that the GOP is intent on gutting the Justice Department’s civil rights division through budget cuts.
“One of the achievements of this administration has been rebuilding the Department of Justice’s civil rights division. This budget threatens that,” he said. “Enforcement was devastated by the previous administration. We can’t afford to go back.”
Shelton said that NAACP is relying on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) especially to defend against deep cuts to essential services to the poor.
He said that block granting Medicaid, as proposed in the House-passed budget, would be devastating especially for the black community.
Shelton said that as the administration looks to cut the deficit, the NAACP is urging that taxes be raised on the wealthy.
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