by Peter Stern

Created on: March 21, 2010

"...Of the people, by the people, for the people..." has lost its significance.

Our "Do-Nothing" Congress has evolved into a "Do-Little" Congress,

...or, if you want to do a job right, don’t give it to Congress.

Recently, while still under the Bush administration, the U.S. Congress generated the giant corporate bail-outs spending billions of our tax dollars, without any real oversight.

Under President Obama, those were followed by huge bail-outs for the auto industry.

Top executive bonuses still are being paid out, only now with taxpayer dollars.

As the economy continues to plummet, more jobs are lost and home foreclosures are increasing.

Then Congress implemented auto and appliance clunker programs. Simply stated, that is a poor approach to injecting consumer dollars into the economy.

In short, Congress has done little for main street Americans.  We should NOT be embattled in the mode of People vs. Government, we should be practicing People working with Government and vice-versa.

There are long lines at the unemployment offices across the nation. Many Americans are not even eligible for unemployment insurance benefits because they have been jobless for one year or two.  Many who were fired from jobs are in a fight for eligibility because their former employers simply do not want to pay their share of unemployment benefits.

The American people were promised jobs; however, thousands of jobs still are being cut by many companies. Congress provided several extensions of unemployment benefits for those who had reached their maximum time. Meanwhile, Congress has not made good on the promise to develop jobs for those Americans who need them.  Many of the jobless live in day to day anxiety, without living income or potential jobs.

Developing jobs is an easy thing to do.  It can be accomplished two ways.  First, Congress could provide special incentives, e.g., tax credits, to businesses for creating jobs and hiring U.S. citizens to fill them.  The second option is for Congress to implement a domestic work plan that creates federal jobs to rebuild our infrastructures, e.g., bridges, roads, tunnels, dams, harbors, etc.

However, our Congress is NOT developing new jobs.  It is NOT rewarding the business sector for hiring American citizens.

So, what is Congress doing?  Why do Americans have to fight with their own Congress to help develop a more "friendly" employment environment?  

Once again Congress is engaging in short-term “solutions” to help jobless Americans.  Not moving very quickly to help the millions of unemployed, It finally agreed to extend unemployment benefits again for up to 14 weeks. 

This is only a very short-term fix.  It is like placing a Band-Aid on a deep wound — it won’t work.

Congress can not expect to continue this lackadaisical and disingenuous approach to strengthen our economy.  Americans need jobs.  Jobs provide salaries.   Salaries give Americans money to make purchases.  Purchases provide profits to businesses who then reinvest and motivate our ailing economy.

Americans need to ask their Congress that great old question classic comedian Oliver Hardy [knee-deep in frustration] used to ask so frequently of his simplistic partner Stan Laurel, “Why don’t you do something to HELP me?”

Many Americans wish Congress had a good response to that question.

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