Invite the top 1000 largest firms in US to Washington, give them 2 weeks to put together any projects that can be started in next 3-6 months, with job created pro formas, project scopes, etc, and then the government pick the best projects that will create the most jobs, are central to stimulating the economy, and are well formulated from a business plan perspective. Then give these companies low interest loans to start all these projects, save the tax payer a lot of money, and would turn the economy around much faster than this malaise we are currently experiencing.
Damn! I was hoping for town stonings, for that is what many of the larger banks deserve! WHATEVER! Let the depression bring it on. The seems are coming apart, and the REVOLUTION has begun!
Since we just had the worst Jan in the history of the stock market, and feb is following suit, maybe Obama should realize t5hat he needs to stop washington politics as ussual, and get things accomplished that are not pork barrel bring stuff back to my district that elected me crap! I know they need to save face, it is obvious that what they passed is a social works stimulus bill with a lot of back half 2010 effects on the economy. Great now lets call this the job creation plan and I guarantee you the fluors, shaw`s, oil, companies etc, industrial raw material firms etc, would all take off. No government plans, just low interest loans to firms that will hire, create the most jobs in 2009, great idea---why can`t the smartest people in Washington understand what Wallstreet is telling them everyday, your dropping the ball on this one! All these firms were already putting these projects together anyway thinking they were going to get some stimulus money-in fact, they were all lobbying in washington with their ready to go projects, what the hell happened to all the projects that the infrastructure, engineering firms had laid out before washington to include in the actual stimulus/job creation plan?
i like the idea of the invitation. i'm not so sure about the "create the most jobs" part though. i think it the benchmark should be productivity. pick the projects that will produce the most. job creation will follow suit. although now that i think about it, you're suggesting a loan, not a grant. perhaps with a loan, these 1000 companies would really suggest viable productive projects eh, i still like the idea of a productivity based benchmark
Best idea I've seen to date. Literally, best one I've seen in any print, blog, tv, radio, period. In 8 months. Wish you'd published this 6 weeks ago. What the hell, throw it out there, it's probably not too late. You know there'll be another handout *cough, i mean stimulus package, cough* down the road.
What has happen to our nation is the loss of the middle class and their consumer spending. Our stupid leaders (Clinton, Gore, Bush and every politician that has voted for and supported so-called 'free trade') has killed our industrial base. Ross Perot tried to warned the voters but they would not listen. Now we have to reap what we have sown. It was well known that by outsourcing our jobs that we would become a low paying service workforce without sufficient income to support the standard of living Americans had come to expect. It is foolish to believe that we can build up the standard of living of third world countries at the expense of our economy without lowering our standard of living. To create jobs we need to cancel our participation in all of the trade agreements and impose restrictions on all goods and services that we can produce and provide in our country. Such a policy would eliminate unemployment and under-employment and restore our industry base and middle class without government spending. We are on a fast track of becoming a nation of a minority of very rich and a large majority of very poor with no middle class. If we do not change our economic policy the once most powerful economy will become a third world economy with all of the problems associated with disillusion. It is time for the silent majority to take a stand before we have a revolution.
Seriously, you should run for office or be on somebody's staff. Can't get any worse than the fools running state/ fed governments today.
When old man Walton died, so did America's factories, no more USA made. We don't even make litebulbs. The only part of "Free trade" that is free is we have let foreigners have our jobs for free. Americans would never volunteer to buy a product that cost more cause it was made in USA. Bad businesses should go out of business, whether it is banks, auto makers or dawgs hot dog stand. Should have let the bad banks go under last year. Since we know that Americans will not buy a higher cost item if it is cheaper from China, need to make it equality. If you don't want to raise tariffs or tax foreign made items, close the ports. Sure you will quote all the reasons of why we can't, but two years from now, it is very possible of having 20% unemployment. And when the benefits run out, people will be cashing out their retirement accounts to live on. That should make the final tear to Dow 2000. Another major problem is long ago we didn't want to pick our veggies, sure get the Mexicans to do it, Well they are doing a whole lot more, they are doing more than picking veggies. Plus they are costing all states incredible sums for health care and other drains on state governments, California laying off 20,000? Many get paid in cash, good-bye taxes. We need a way to rid of 15 million illegals, I don't know why we can't get prisoners to pick veggies, one more reason not to do a crime. "Bluestreak" has it right, instead of rewarding those who have blundered there businesses into the ground, give companies outstanding loans and tax incentives to build factories that make good products and good jobs. Better to have folks get a job than them robbing you at gun point to feed their family or worse, stealing your computers at home at gun point. You might think it is funny now... But whatever that is produced will still cost more than what China will charge, still comes back to equality of price. When does China start sending their $7,000 autos? We won't have a Big 3, we will have a Big Zero, like at Pearl Harbor - slaughtered by the Zeros. I just pray what was the end of our last depression doesn't happen, but the writing is on the wall.
So you actually a believer in their are " jobs Americans aren't willing to do" How about wages Americans. can't afford to work for rather then let supply and demand determine wages they flood the country with cheep labor, and scare you into thinking that we need these workers, otherwise your strawberries will go up 15% These are the same folks that believe in free market, well why not let strawberries and strawberries picker's wages be determined by free market silly Americans letting silly things like immigration laws and sovereignty get in the way of free markets