President Obama has joined the perky posse of national leaders who’re urging Americans to be more upbeat about the economic doldrums we’re in. “Shake off all the naysaying and the anxiety and the hand-wringing,” he recently told us, sounding a lot like a football coach telling a player to shake off a concussion and get back in the game.
The President’s pep talk came the day after he made his “bold” jobs proposal to Congress. But Obama’s plan is more Walter Mittyish than Rooseveltian. While it does have some useful provisions to keep from losing still more jobs, the core of his plan consists of two more corporate tax breaks – a form of bribery to induce enormously rich corporations to hire American workers. This is the same old same-old that Washington keeps throwing at the problem and – hello, Washington – it’s not working. Sure enough, corporate chieftains say they’ll gladly take the latest handout, but we should not expect them to go on a big hiring spree. Mostly, they’ll use the money to cover the few people they were going to hire anyway – and pocket the rest.
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Nontheless, Obama is now barnstorming the country, rallying crowds to demand that Congress “stop the political circus and actually do something to help the economy” by passing his plan. Fine… but what about the corporate circus? And the Wall Street circus?
It’s time to stop coddling these gluttonous narcissists. America is in crisis, sinking toward depression. The President should really get bold by calling out and shaming corporate executives who suck up America’s wealth, then turn their backs on us, as though the only loyalty they owe is to their own avarice – none to their country. Likewise, he should kick the bailed-out bankers right in their ample butts and insist publicly that they start making loans to America’s smaller businesses that do want to create good jobs in our country.
Let’s stop begging and start demanding.
“The Jobs Speech,” The New York Times, September 10, 2011.
“Mr. Banker, Can You Spare a Dime?” The New York Times, September 10, 2011.
“Employers Say Jobs Plan Won’t Lead to Hiring Spur,” The New York Times, September 10, 2011.
“Obama’s plan is also about saving his own job,” USA Today, September 9, 2011.
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