The date on the letter is September 12, 2011. In case no one noticed tomorrow is October 1st.

I hope the President realizes in order to find jobs for the unemployed Americans the State Unemployment Agencies are going to have to actively look for opportunities.  I mean there should be employees of the departments 'walking the beat' so to speak, because, workers could be applying to companies but be turned away for a variety of discriminatory reasons.  The state agencies should be soliciting job openings for posting in their offices as well as ACCEPTING posting for their offices.  I guarantee you it would help those looking.


The Table of Contents is interesting and about 8 or 9 pages long, but, I found this paragraph of the actual bill very interesting.


Page 6 


SEC. 4. BUY AMERICAN -- USE OF AMERICAN IRON, STEEL, AND MANUFACTURED GOODS.



(a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public
work unless all of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the United States.

The bill does go on to say if the cost of projects are 25% more by using these productions other sources can be considered or if there is a scarcity.  I understand, but, I wish it wouldn't have to be so.  By allowing substitution it permits people to back to work without undue burden.  I like the 25% through, it still protects the idea of manufacturing in the USA.


You know who I wish would come forward to solve some of those problems, the car companies.  I wish they would find a way to begin manufacturing of products used in such infrastructure that they also use.  Find a way to produce them here.  Shipping has increased because of the cost of fuels.  Chrysler, Ford and GM could obtain products made near their plants if they sought to remedy their supply needs as produced in the USA.  It would begin to rebuild supply sources in the USA that would also supply infrastructure projects.


(c) If the head of a Federal department or agency determines that it is necessary to waive the application of subsection (a) based on a finding under subsection (b), the head of the department or agency shall publish in the Federal Register a detailed written justification as to why the provision is being waived.


Subsection (c) of (a) above demands an entry into the Federal Register whenever a waiver is allowed.  That is a good thing.  Everything has to be documented and it allows the public to scrutinize any variation from the law without justification.

SEC. 5. WAGE RATE AND EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and in a manner consistent with other provisions in this Act, all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors and subcontractors on projects funded directly by or assisted in whole or in part by and through the Federal Government pursuant to this Act shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on projects of a character similar in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code.

Excellent.  The Secretary of Labor will enforce 'the going wage' according to accepted government standards.  Just because the unemployed are unemployed does not mean they have to take a job at substandard pay.  That is putting people first to avoid exploitation.


The next section is about "The Tax Holiday."  It quotes IRS laws and applications.  I am not going to get into that right now.  But, if I get a chance or anyone else for that matter, the percentages saved can be calculated from the law.


TITLE I – RELIEF FOR WORKERS AND BUSINESSES


SUBTITLE A – PAYROLL TAX RELIEF


SEC. 101. TEMPORARY PAYROLL TAX CUT FOR EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES AND THE SELF-EMPLOYED


I am going to break until tomorrow morning in regard to this.


I like what I see so far.


Thanks.

You know what is really tragic about the Republican ATTITUDE about the unemployed?

...Third, the American Jobs Act of 2011 helps out-of-work Americans by extending unemployment benefits to help them support their families while looking for work, and by reforming the system with training programs that build real skills, connect to real jobs, and help the long-term unemployed. It bans employers from discriminating against the unemployed when hiring, and provides a new tax credit to employers hiring workers who have been out of a job for over 6 months. And, it expands job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of
low-income youth and adults through a new Pathways Back to Work Fund that supports summer and year round jobs for youth; innovative new job training programs to connect low-income workers to jobs quickly; and successful programs to encourage employers to bring on disadvantaged workers....


They believe if the unemployed are deprived of benefits they will try harder to find work.  That is an attitude.  Why?  Because there is no proof anywhere that is the case, but, more than that; we know what occurred to cause the unemployment.  There aren't jobs for them to take if they were deprived.  So, basically, the Republicans are stating go live in poverty or worse and it shows.  The poverty rate in the USA is the highest it has been in a long time.  Increased from last year.  I would think the Republicans could figure out there is a relationship between the unemployed, the underemployed and poverty, but, they can't seem to make that connection.  Why?   Because they haven't even tried.

Admiral Mullen retired today, too. (click title to entry - thank you)

Add caption

After the networks stopped covering it I watched the entire ceremony on C-Span.  It was a really affair.  They even 'whistled he and his wife ashore' as they were the first to leave the grounds.


Very nice.  He will be missed.  In his place is the Army's General Martin Dempsey.  He seems nice, but, is different than Mullen.  I think his hat is too big.  He's shorter.  He could nearly reach the microphones.  He seems like a real character actually.  He brings a lot of boisterous friends with him when he speaks.


Oh, yeah, Admiral Mullen mentioned the Alwaki killing in his good bye speech.

This is Karen Mills. She is the Chief of the Small Business Administration. She had incredible news. (Click title to entry - thank you)

As I read the letter from President Obama it made me think about this meeting.


I don't want to hear how the Obama Administration isn't working as hard as they can in order to bring vitality back to the USA economy.


Chief Mills and Vice President Biden visited major banks in the country and this is what happened.

WASHINGTON, DC
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

...Last week the nation’s largest banks agreed to set aside $20 billion in small business loans over the next three years helping small business have access to capital and credit.

The banks were bailed out in 2008 and it has taken until now to have capital available for Small Businesses.  It is a major accomplishment and will provide the capital Small Businesses need to make the most of The American Jobs Act.


Click the title to this entry to see the video of her talk.

There is a two page letter President Obama wrote to Congress when he submitted the bill. Below is the beginning of those two pages.

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
Today, I am pleased to submit to the Congress the enclosed legislative proposal, the "American Jobs Act of 2011," together with a section-by-section analysis of the legislation.
The American people understand that the economic crisis and the deep recession were not created overnight and will not be solved overnight. The economic security of the middle class has been under attack for decades. That is why I believe we need to do more than just recover from this economic crisis -- we need to rebuild the economy the American way, based on balance, fairness, and the same set of rules for everyone from Wall Street to Main Street. We can work together to create the jobs of the future by helping small business entrepreneurs, by investing in education, and by making things the world buys....

The PDF is at the title if you click here. I downloaded it and will begin to read it this evening.

Until later.

Just as a point of interest...

...that won't be possible for everyone, but, we had a house with about 35% of the original mortgage still owned. The credit was in good standing and there were no other liens.  We don't do the 'borrow every dollar of equity thing.'  


What we did was to take a "Home Equity Loan" out with the Federal Credit Union.  We paid off the mortgage and the title will be coming to us.  The Home Equity Loan did not have any closing costs and the interest rate was lower than the original mortgage rate.  It was the easiest thing we ever did.  We didn't want to have a mortgage with BOA anymore and the credit unions made is simple to change and it didn't cost us a dime.  As a matter of fact, we saved money.


Don't be afraid to consider other options.  There are pleasant surprises out there.  Talk to the investment managers at these Federal Credit Unions, they are very interesting people.

Closed out the last account with BOA last week. They are not member owned.

We were significant customers to our local branch.  It was a shock to the staff when we pulled out.  For the number of accounts we had with BOA, we opened  new accounts with two separate Federal Credit Unions.


The family could not be happier we made the switch.  


The telltale signs of a changing infrastructure to BOA was obvious.  Major mistakes were made in long standing accounts we held.  At the first blush of trouble we 'got out.'  

There is some thought Gaddafi and his affiliates are hiding in plain sight in women's clothes.

...But the fighters' high command (click title to entry - thank you) in Libya's third-largest city Misrata said it was unable to confirm the capture of Ibrahim, who has kept up a steady stream of pro-Gaddafi broadcasts from unknown locations while on the run....


I suppose anything is possible.  

Syrian seems to be breaking open.

The assault against the 'unconfirmed' US Ambassador was conducted with tomatoes and stones.  It would seem as though the Syrian troops have no appreciation for civil disobedience, only oppression.  The Syrian government lost soldiers as a result of this aggression.  The Syrian government could have had meetings with Abdul-Azim no different than the USA Ambassador Ford did, but, instead of risking getting hit with a tomato Assad sends in troops to kill citizens.

7 Syrian soldiers, police killed in restive town (click title to entry - thank you)

By ZEINA KARAM, Associated Press – 32 minutes ago 

BEIRUT (AP) — A military official says Syrian troops have targeted forces opposed to President Bashar Assad in a rebellious central town and that the clashes have killed seven soldiers and policemen.

The official says the troops conducted a "qualitative" operation on Thursday and Friday in the town of Rastan in the central Homs province.

The official says the Syrian troops were killed by "gunmen." The comments by the unidentified official were carried by state-run news agency SANA on Friday.

Rastan has witnessed some of the fiercest fighting in the six-month uprising against President Bashar Assad, pitting the military against hundreds of army defectors, according to activists.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

BEIRUT (AP) — Angry supporters of President Bashar Assad's regime hurled tomatoes and eggs at the U.S. ambassador to Syria on Thursday as he entered the office of a leading opposition figure and then tried to break into the building, trapping him inside for three hours.

The Obama administration blamed the Syrian government for the attack in Damascus, saying it was part of an ongoing, orchestrated campaign to intimidate American diplomats in the country. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemned the attack as "wholly unjustified."

Ambassador Robert Ford, an outspoken critic of Assad's crackdown on the 6-month-old revolt against the regime, has angered Syrian authorities before by showing support for the uprising. The latest incident promises to raise tensions even further.

Ford came under attack by about 100 Assad supporters as he arrived for the meeting with Hassan Abdul-Azim, who heads the outlawed Arab Socialist Democratic Union party. Abdul-Azim is a strong critic of Assad's regime and was briefly detained by authorities earlier this year...

President Assad has done nothing but take a hard line against his people form the beginning.  A very hard line.  It only served to escalate the violence and not diffuse it.

Iran’s crisis tips for Syria: Save the regime and the Tehran-Damascus alliance (click here)

By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, September 30, 3:04 AM

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Two weeks after Egypt’s uprising swept aside Hosni Mubarak, the presidents of Iran and Syria stood side by side in Damascus in a blunt message to the Arab Spring: The Syrian regime can count on its allies in Tehran.

Seven months later — and after at least 2,700 deaths in Syria — Iran is tweaking its big brother role for Syrian President Bashar Assad. The Iranian leaders are now urging him to consider talks with protesters or risk heading down a path with few escape routes....

It seems as though the Arab League has to be involved.  They have been having a growing influence in the area for stability.  King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and President Assad have been known to conference from time to time as well.  President Assad is seeking the wrong path for his country and will increase the instability if he doesn't concede the anger of Syrian citizens.  There has been growing and open rebuke of Assad's leadership.

Saudi King Condemns Syrian Violence (click here)

KUWAIT, BAHRAIN, SAUDI ARABIA WITHDRAW AMBASSADORS

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 8, 2011 11:07 AM CDT

(NEWSER) – With tanks continuing an onslaught against Syria’s uprising, Saudi Arabia’s king voiced harsh criticism of the crackdown and withdrew his ambassador to the country. “What is happening in Syria is not acceptable for Saudi Arabia,” King Abdullah said in a televised statement, calling on authorities to stop “the killing machine and end the bloodshed.” “Syria should think wisely before it's too late and issue and enact reforms that are not merely promises but actual reforms.”

Kuwait and Bahrain soon followed suit, recalling their own ambassadors, the New York Times reports. “No one can accept the bloodshed in Syria,” said Kuwait’s foreign minister. “The military option must be halted.” …

I thought Osama bin Laden was an achievement, but, this President, Admiral Mullen and the USA military have an incredible record.

This is the controversial death.  Civil rights attorneys would claim he is American born and cannot be targeted for death without a trial.


He is responsible for radicalizing many people including those that attempted to kill or did kill Americans within our borders.  


He wasn't on the Most Wanted Terrorist List thought (click here);

...White House (click here) press secretary Robert Gibbs said Sunday the U.S. was “actively” hunting for Awlaki, who “supports al-Qaeda’s agenda of murder and violence.”

“We are actively trying to find him and many others throughout the world that seek to do our country and to do our interests great harm,” he said on the CBS program “Face the Nation.”...


He was concerned an enemy to the USA.  He gave comfort to the enemy.  There really isn't anything to defend.  

...A statement from Yemen's foreign press office (click title to entry - thank you) said the al Qaeda suspect "was targeted and killed 8 KM (about 5 miles) from the town of Khashef in the Province of Jawf, 140KM (about 80 miles) east of the Capital Sana'a."

There have been previous reports claiming al-Awlaki's death which turned out to be erroneous.

Al-Arabiya television network cited local tribal sources as saying suspected U.S. drone aircraft - which are known to operate in Yemen - fired two missiles Friday at a convoy of vehicles believed to be carrying al-Awlaki and his guards.

CBS News' Khaled Wassef reports that Al-Awlaki was reported dead following U.S. air strikes on southern Yemen in December 2009 and November 2010. He was also the target of a U.S. drone attack that killed two al Qaeda operatives in southern Yemen on May 5, 2011.

Wassef reports that al-Awlaki last appeared in a video released online in August 2010.

Yemen has risen in recent years to the top of the threat list for U.S. security officials - with AQAP seen as the most active branch of the global terror network in planning attacks against the U.S. homeland....


It is a relief and a comfort to realize how successful the USA military has become in carrying out missions against the men that are heinous and notorious.  It is important we are this successful.  My gratitude.