Obama Is Doing Whatever He Can to Improve Employment in America

Published in People
(China) on 5 September 2011
by Lao Ren (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Qu Xiao. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
Employment in America has stagnated and the unemployment rate hovers high

A report published last weekend by the United States Department of Labor shows that the stagnated employment growth in August has kept America’s unemployment rate at a relatively high level of 9.1 percent. According to this report, America’s employment rate has not made any net growth in August, while relatively speaking, an estimated 85,000 more jobs were created in July.

Previously, most economists had predicted that August would see at least some growth in the employment rate. The employment report in August shows, however, it was the worst month of the year. There has been some growth in the medical and health care industry, but jobs in the government have decreased. In addition, a strike at a rather big mobile phone company also affected the employment rate.

The report also shows that in August, the real unemployment rate was 16.2 percent, a little better compared to the same month last year. The scope of real unemployment includes those who are not working, those who wish to have full-time jobs but at present are working part time, and those who gave up looking for work because they think there are no suitable job opportunities. The statistics also indicate that the unemployment rates of the black and Latino populations still remain higher than the overall unemployment rate of the entire society. The unemployment rate for Asian Americans is lower than any other ethnic group.

The American media said this is a depressing report. Because employers are worried that the slow economic growth is affecting sales and profits, they are unwilling to hire more people. Consumer expenditure has been the main driving force for most economic activity in America; its weakening has damaged further growth of the American economy. The consumers lack faith for the future because on one hand they worry about their jobs; on the other hand, they are facing ever rising energy and food prices.

Obama’s approval rating has plummeted to even lower than Bush's

Due to the Obama administration’s poor reaction in dealing with the financial crisis and its many bold but useless counter policies, the present situation of the American economy still remains awful. Recently, the public opinion polls carried out by The Gallup Group, The Washington Post and Pew Research Center all show that the approval rating for the Obama administration is already quite low — the American public is gradually losing faith in the federal government.

The newest public opinion poll conducted by The Gallup Group shows that the American people’s satisfaction with the federal government has dropped to 17 percent, the lowest level in the past eight years. The level of dissatisfaction is 63 percent, which leaves the net satisfaction at minus 46 percent. American people’s satisfaction with Obama is even lower than with the preceding Bush administration. Although a really low level of public satisfaction with the American federal government like this has indeed happened before, it has never been so embarrassing: The level of satisfaction with the present government could be even lower than with the notoriously unpopular mineral oil and gas industry.

The unemployment rate and fatigued economic growth in the advanced enterprises have already cast a dark shadow on the prospect of Obama’s reelection. According to another new public opinion poll, more than half of the American voters hold the opinion that Obama doesn’t deserve to serve as the American president for another four years. A poll published on August 31 by Quinnipiac University shows that 51 percent of registered voters think that Obama shouldn’t be reelected, whereas 42 percent think he could renew his term. The American voters’ opinions of Obama are divided: 47 percent of voters give favorable views, while another 47 percent hold negative opinions. The American media have analyzed that the main reason for Obama’s low public opinion is the continuously deteriorating economic situation, high unemployment rate and large financial deficit.

In order to save American employment, Obama is pressing hard against Congress

On his weekly television address on August 3, Obama kept pressing harder against Congress to elongate the Transportation Construction Act, and claimed that this act would ensure a million job opportunities. “If it’s delayed for just 10 days, we will lose nearly $1 billion in highway funding that we can never get back. And if we wait even longer, almost one million workers could be in danger of losing their jobs over the next year,” Obama said.

Obama showed in his weekly TV address that if Congress doesn’t act by the end of September, highway and bridge funding would be used up and many workers would lose their jobs. “Allowing this bill to expire would be a disaster for our infrastructure and our economy.” Obama reiterated his previous message in the White House Rose Garden about urging Congress to pass the Provisional Appropriation Bill of billions of dollars regarding aviation and highway projects; if not, it would bring more disasters for the American economy.

An earlier employment report shows that the American economy has not created any new job opportunities in August. Being heavily criticized because of the high unemployment rate, Obama must think of a way to grow the economy and stimulate jobs. He must do whatever he can to lower the 9.1 percent unemployment rate, so that he has a bigger chance to be reelected in the presidential election next year.

Obama is betting all he has on his jobs plan

Obama will give an important speech with the theme of creating jobs and revitalizing the economy at a Joint Session of Congress on September 8. The present unemployment rate in America is 9.1 percent; the American people’s most pressing issue is the government’s policy on creating jobs. In his speech Obama himself will announce his proposal for promoting employment, with the hope that Congress will immediately pass this bailout package for rebuilding the American economy. It could help many small enterprises get stronger and help to get many American people back to work; the income of the middle class and working class will be increased, the government deficit can be reduced and financial order can be finally restored.

When receiving the interview in the White House, Obama claimed that the U.S. government will take several measures to accelerate the economic growth by 1 to 1.5 percent, which means America will have 500,000 to one million new jobs. The detailed content of Obama’s proposal includes expanding the expenditure on infrastructure, providing favored policies on taxation to the enterprises that hire more workers, reducing the employer’s payroll tax and canceling unemployment insurance, but instead offering pension training to employees.

White House Spokesman Jay Carney said that the president thinks America has reached a crucial moment and must take effective actions to stimulate economic growth and create jobs. A researcher in the University of Virginia Center for Politics commented that President Obama may mention in his speech a proposal for elongating the favored plan on payroll tax to enterprise employees and encouraging companies to hire more people; or he may present some plans to promote government expense, for example, on infrastructure.

According to statistics, since World War II, no president could win reelection when the unemployment rate in America was higher than 6 percent except for President Reagan. The economists’ survey shows that the present unemployment rate in America is 9.1 percent, and the enterprise’s average expectation of the unemployment rate next fall is 8.2 percent, apparently above the red line of 6 percent. The media commented that Obama’s magnificent job plan of creating a million work opportunities is the biggest wager he could bet on his reelection next year.


美国就业停滞失业率居高不下

  上周末,美国劳工部发布的报告显示,8月份,美国经济中的就业增长停滞,致使美国的失业率保持在9.1%的相对高位。劳工部这份报告显示,美国8月份就业没有出现净增长。相比之下,7月份的就业机会估计净增长了8.5万个。

  此前,大部分经济学家曾经预测,8月份就业市场至少会出现一些增长。然而,8月份的就业报告显示,这个月是将近一年来表现最差的一个月。医疗卫生方面的就业有所增长,但是政府部门的工作有所减少。另外,一家大电话公司的罢工也影响到就业情况。

  报告还显示,8月份就业不充分的比例为16.2%,与一年前同一时期相比略有改善。就业不充分的范畴包括没在工作的人,希望有全职工作但目前在做半工的人,以及由于认为没有合适的就业机会而放弃寻找工作的人。这一数据还显示,黑人和拉美裔的失业率仍然高于整体人口的失业率。亚裔美国人的失业率比其它人口群体低。

  美国媒体评论说,这份就业报告令人沮丧。由于担心美国经济增长缓慢会影响销售和营利,雇主们不太愿意雇用员工。驱动美国大部分经济活动的消费者支出的疲弱有损了美国经济的增长。消费者担心自己的工作,同时又面临高涨的能源和食品价格,因此对未来缺乏信心。

  奥巴马的支持率直线下降低于布什

  由于奥巴马政府近几年来处理经济危机不力,且制定的一些大胆却行之无效的政策,使美国经济形势至今非常糟糕。最近美国盖洛普、《华盛顿邮报》、以及皮尤民意调查都显示,奥巴马政府民意支持度已非常之低,美国民众正逐渐对联邦政府失去信任感。

  美国盖洛普最新民意测验显示,民众对于现在对联邦政府的满意度已经降至8年来的最低位,仅有17%,而不满意度为63%,净满意度为-46%。民众对奥巴马政府的满意度甚至低于前任的布什政府。虽然美国联邦政府的满意度也曾有过非常之低的情况,但却从未有过如此尴尬的状况:当今联邦政府满意度甚至要比一直不受欢迎的石油和气体工业的满意度还要差。

  高企的失业率和疲软的经济增长,已经给奥巴马的连任前景蒙上了浓厚的阴影。美国一份新的民意调查发现,超过半数的美国选民表示,奥巴马总统不配再担任四年总统。8月31日公布的昆尼皮亚克大学民调显示,51%的注册选民认为奥巴马不应连任,42%的注册选民认为他可以再次当选。选民对奥巴马的看法好坏参半,47%的选民对奥巴马持好评,同时47%的选民对奥巴马持负面看法。美国媒体分析说,为何现在奥巴马的民调指数却如此之糟?当然继续恶化的经济形势、高失业率以及高财政赤字是主要原因。

  奥巴马为挽救失业向国会施压延长法案

  8月3日,奥巴马在每周广播电视演说加紧向国会施压,敦促国会延长交通建设法案,宣称此法案将保住近100万工作机会。奥巴马说:“这项法案只要推迟10天通过,我们将折损近10亿美元的高速公路经费,这些资金将一去不复返。倘若我们拖延更久的时间,近100万劳工将陷入危境,于今后一年丧失他们的工作。”

  奥巴马在每週广播演说中表示,如果国会不在9月底之前采取行动,道路和桥梁项目的资金将用尽,迫使工人失业。“允许此法案期满终止,对我们的基础建设乃至经济,将形同灾难。”奥巴马重申稍早在白宫玫瑰花园所传达的信息,力促国会议员通过关于航空和高速公路计划的数十亿美元临时拨款法案,否则将带给经济更多的灾痛。

  前一公布的就业报告显示,美国经济在8月未创造任何新就业机会。 因失业率居高不下而遭到挞伐的奥巴马,必须想方设法提振美国的就业情势和经济成长。他必须全力以赴减低仍高达9.1%的失业率,明年连任总统大位的机会才会有起色。

  奥巴马把赌注押在“百万就业”计划上

  奥巴马已定于9月8日在国会联席会议上发表重要演讲,他这次在国会的演讲主题是创造就业,振兴经济。美国目前的失业率为9.1%,美国民众最关心的就是政府制定增加就业的政策。奥巴马本人将在演讲中公布其就业促进提案,并希望国会能立即通过此项旨在重建美国经济的一揽子计划,以加强小商业,帮助美国人重返就业岗位,提高中产阶层和美国工人的收入,削减政府赤字和恢复财务秩序。

  奥巴马在白宫接受媒体采访时称,政府将采取一些措施,让经济增速提高1-1.5%,而这将意味着美国会增加50万至100万个就业岗位。奥巴马提案的具体内容包括扩大基础设施项目支出、为增聘员工的企业提供税收优惠政策、减少雇主薪酬税以及改失业保险为向员工提供再培训补贴等。

  白宫发言人卡尼称,总统认为“我们正处于一个重要时刻,我们必须采取有效行动以刺激经济增长和创造就业。维吉尼亚大学政治研究中心研究员康迪克说,奥巴马总统可能会在演讲中提到延长给企业的员工薪资税方面的优惠, 鼓励它们雇用更多的员工;也可能提出一些刺激性政府开支方案,例如基础设施建设等。

  据统计,自二战以来,除了里根,美国还从没有哪一位总统在失业率超过6%的情况下赢得连任。而彭博对经济学家的调查显示,美国目前的失业率为9.1%,业界对明年第三季度美国的失业率平均预期为8.2%,显然超过了6%的红线。媒体评论说,奥巴马的创造100万个就业机会的宏伟计划就是为了给明年的竞选连任押下的最大赌注。

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