Yesterday brought more news of thousands and thousands of massive job cuts, from a Who’s Who of the American economy.
Home Depot. Caterpillar. Sprint Nextel. Texas Instruments. Microsoft. Citigroup. Nokia. Harley-Davidson. Pfizer.
2.6 million jobs lost in 2008. 600,000 jobs lost in December. 584,000 in November. 432,000 in October. 200,000 just this year.
President Obama called for bipartisan approval of his economic stimulus package of tax cuts, emergency benefits, and public spending projects.
These are not just numbers on a page. As with the millions of jobs lost in 2008, these are working men and women whose families have been disrupted and whose dreams have been put on hold.
And Republicans? Still searching for that soundbite. 
I’m concerned about the size of the package. How you can spend hundreds of millions of dollars on contraceptives? How’s that going to stimulate the economy?
Republicans present no alternative, just their usual obstruction. When pressed for details, they demand more tax cuts. Even though President Obama’s promised middle class tax cut is included in the package. Even though small business tax credits were added to attract Republican support. Even though the unemployed worry about their homes, food, bills, their kids’ tuition, not taxes. Maybe we should add a violin to the package, so Boehner and his pals can truly fiddle while the economy burns around them.
Update: Add Time Warner/AOL. Starbucks. IBM. Target. Corning.
Filed under: Economy, John Boehner, Obama, Unemployment | Tagged: Economy, John Boehner, Obama, Unemployment
