A jobs bill? Baloney!

Two days before the huge jobs and justice rally in Washington, D.C., the House on Sept. 29 threw a curve ball and called it a jobs bill.

Republicans and Democrats finally got together and voted to expand the powers of the Obama administration. But what for?

To create jobs for the millions of unemployed? To stop the layoffs of public workers and the slashing of state budgets? To extend jobless benefits? To stop foreclosures and evictions?

None of the above.

They voted to give the government more authority to put tariffs on imports from China.

After three depression years of doing nothing about the biggest problem facing the country — the refusal of bosses to hire workers and pay them decent wages — the politicians of both parties think they can say: “See! We’ve finally done something about jobs!” And just in time for the rally.

If this measure becomes law, it will do nothing to create jobs for workers in the United States.

For decades, big corporations have moved their operations to low-wage countries in search of higher profits. This year, workers’ wages actually increased significantly in China. So some U.S. corporations are already threatening to move to other countries where workers are paid less.

The problem is not China but our own corporate bosses and bankers. They sit on trillions of dollars and won’t invest them here unless they’re guaranteed a huge profit — while they throw workers by the millions to the wolves.

Election won’t bring jobs or justice

It’s time for workers to fight. This is a true crisis. Long-term unemployment is the highest since the Depression. Millions are losing their jobs, homes, health care and pensions. Poverty and homelessness are soaring. Government “stimulus” hasn’t made a dent — the money has gone to banks and corporations.

Workers all over the world are protesting layoffs and cutbacks. China-bashing is just a diversion to make us fight other workers instead of the greedy capitalists.

Labor of every hue, gender and creed needs the broadest solidarity at home and abroad to fight this global system. We must vigorously reject racism, sexism, anti-gay bigotry, attacks on Muslims and scapegoating of undocumented immigrants.

The elections are a waste of union money. We’ve already got a Democratic Congress and White House, and what have they done? The bosses and capitalist politicians won’t change anything until there is an independent, militant struggle by the workers — which is how labor got organized in the first place. That’s where union funds should be going.

We need to demand and fight for:

• A real government jobs program that hires millions of unemployed and pays prevailing wages, like the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s.
• A shorter workweek with no cut in pay. With new technology, worker productivity goes way up. We produce more, but the bosses pay us less and cut our jobs! Let’s revive the old union slogan of 30 for 40 — 30 hours’ work for 40 hours’ pay.
• Money for jobs and social services, not for wars abroad and repression at home. Stop the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids! Expand mass transit, education and a green infrastructure so the youth will have a future.

This editorial was distributed at the Oct. 2 rally in Washington.