Robert Reich: Why Washington Isn't Doing Squat About Jobs and Wages

Robert Reich: Why Washington Isn't Doing Squat About Jobs and Wages: "

RR:




http://robertreich.org/post/6188608377 The silence is deafening. While the rest of the nation is heading back toward a double dip, Washington continues to obsess about future budget deficits. Why? Republicans don’t want to do anything about jobs and wages. They’re so intent on unseating Obama they’d like the economy to remain in the dumps through Election Day.... Democrats, meanwhile, don’t want to admit the recovery has stalled. They worry such talk will further undermine consumer confidence or spook the bond market. They don’t want to head into the election year sounding downbeat. And they don’t think they have the votes for anything that will have much effect before Election Day anyway.



But there’s a third reason for Washington’s inaction. It’s not being talked about — which is itself evidence of the problem. The unemployed are politically invisible. They don’t make major campaign donations. They don’t lobby Congress. There’s no National Association of Unemployed People.... What do these jobless have in common? They lack the political connections and organizations to get the ears of politicians, and demand policies to spur job growth.





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