A 1960's Batman comic. That's how the Chamber of Commerce characterizes our current economic crisis.
It's not surprising that the U.S. Chamber would liken our national debate on job creation to a Batman comic strip. To a lobbying powerhouse like the Chamber, this is a game, and they're priming the pump with tens of millions of dollars to make sure that in the end, they win.
In today's blog post, the Chamber highlights a few carefully chosen quotes to suggest that the Governors of our states are bravely battling a villainous Congress (with a mocking "Bam!" and a "Pow!") for reductions in spending.
That's funny, because the Associated Press has the opposite take in their article, "Struggling states seeking more aid from Washington." Which do you think is true?
The AP reports that both Democratic and Republican Governors are calling on Congress to swiftly pass a jobs package - and with voters losing their jobs, their homes, and any hope of ever retiring it's not hard to figure out why:
...Gov. Jim Douglas, R-Vt., the outgoing chairman: "Governors have done what is necessary to get through this" -- repeatedly cutting budgets, restructuring government, laying off workers and draining rainy day funds.
[Both Gov. Joe Manchin and Gov. Jim Douglas] said states can't continue to climb out of the recession alone, and the NGA renewed its bipartisan appeal for Congress to pass stalled jobs legislation that includes billions of dollars in aid to states.
Governors from Illinois to Montana are all demanding that Congress step up and pass the jobs bill.
...Gov. Pat Quinn, D-Ill., said: "We need more help from Washington to protect against job cuts and health care cuts. If we don't do that, we're following Herbert Hoover economics."
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, said that without Washington's assistance, "the danger of a double-dip recession is greater." Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, called for "a little less talk and a lot more action" from Washington.
As long as we're comparing the economy to Batman, I think we've found a perfect Joker in the U.S. Chamber.
