Trade News > Trade Regulations > Oberstar: Obama 'Uninformed' on Infrastructure Jobs

Oberstar: Obama 'Uninformed' on Infrastructure Jobs

R.G. Edmonson | Dec 4, 2009 10:08PM GMT

The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story

White House must 'get on board, or we throw them overboard,' House leader says

Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn., said Friday President Obama was “massively uninformed” when he questioned whether “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects provide a quick boost for jobs.

“It was absolutely stunning to me,” Oberstar told The Journal of Commerce.

Oberstar, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, took part in a press conference in which highway and transit officials presented a list of more than 9,500 infrastructure repair projects that could be started in 120 days or less.

Oberstar blamed Larry Summers, director of the National Economic Council, for the president’s opposition.

“This is the Larry Summers effect at the White House,” Oberstar said. “This person does not understand, nor believe in, nor read figures of success in the infrastructure program.”

Those include, he said, 211,000 workers in construction projects, and jobs in the supply chain for construction materials, $10 billion in payroll, and $900 million in taxes.

The president’s comments “show no understanding of how this program works,” Oberstar said. “These are people who were getting an unemployment check who are now getting a payroll check.”

Oberstar said there is overwhelming support in the House to go forward with a strong infrastructure jobs bill even without White House support.

“People on both sides of the aisle are saying we need this jobs bill. We’re going to proceed,” Oberstar said. The White House, “Either they can get on board, or we throw them overboard, I don’t know which.”

Contact R.G. Edmonson at bedmonson@joc.com.

Rep Oberstar should know that if his bill h.r.2830 had passed we would not be worried about jobs but as he reportedly said it must have been "BS."
JOB CREATION?

A strong national goal and policy to quickly fix the ballast water problem from the obvious carbon foot prints and polluted water left by old ships as they deliver fossil fuels and foreign consumer goods would slow dramatically and create jobs. New green technology geared toward energy independence should become more cost effective to develop. The political will may not be in Congress to protect America because this is not a republican, democrat issue. This is oil and consumer goods being internationally and domestically transported by ships and an American issue of security and freedom, unfortunately the money lobby can remain silent as they are on the same side. Maybe if we were not dependent on China to buy our treasury notes, or Saudi Arabia really wanted their waters kept clean we could afford the strong protections the Coast Guards needs for the ability to complete this mission. The impact that implementation of a strong policy, with a fast time line for cleaned water disposal only, will have on shipping, will change the economic dynamics of world trade and also protect our countries environment and health for future generations. If the Coast Guard dose not do establish strong rules it will take a president who cares more about Americas environment and the worlds health than economic globalization with foreign economies.
New technologies required for environmental shipping should cost those wishing to bring goods into our country more money (making American manufacturing cost effective), not those who wish to protect our country from ecological destruction and disease resulting from economic globalization to help foreign economies.

- By don mitchel on 12/4/09