White House-Business Bridge Building a Model for California
The White House is attempting to build bridges to the business community in a model that would well serve California.
President Barack Obama has invited corporate leaders to a meeting today to encourage corporations to start hiring and investing to perk up the economy. The Federal Reserve estimates American companies have nearly $2-trillion in cash reserves. Spending that money on new hires will cut into the unemployment rate as would investing in new equipment.
Another avenue I have suggested on this site is for corporations to loan to small businesses, which would boost the small business section of the economy in desperate need of capital. Small businesses can be job-creating machines if they have the available resources.
California companies will be represented at the White House meeting with the president, including Google Inc. and Cisco Systems.
Is It Really All Antonio’s Fault?
Cross-posted at RonKayeLA.
In returning from a long book-writing sabbatical, LA Times stalwart Jim Newton spent several weeks talking with “more than two dozen influential Angelenos — current and former politicians, labor leaders, environmentalists, neighborhood activists and bureaucrats.”
On Tuesday, his first column was published. The subject was Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the headline was “How Disappointing.”
“Criticism from his longtime foes wasn’t unexpected. They regard the
mayor as selfish, arrogant and ineffective. But his longtime backers
weren’t much happier. They complain that he’s been an incompetent
manager and has squandered the public’s initial enthusiasm for him. They
too are astounded at his preening self-indulgence.
“Neighborhood activists think he is labor’s agent, determined to feather
the nest of public employees in exchange for political support from
unions. Labor representatives find him two-faced, reneging on deals and
sloughing off basic management responsibilities. Environmentalists say
he’s all talk. Conservatives deplore him; liberals are tired of him.
Politicians believe he’s principally driven by his pursuit of higher
office,” Newton wrote.
In the end, Newton offers more of a prayer than an analytical insight: “Villaraigosa has gifts of leadership and ability, and the time to take
advantage of them. The city needs him to focus and deliver on his word.”
The DREAM Act – A Brighter Future For Many Students
In the coming days, the U.S. Senate will debate the DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act, a bi-partisan piece of legislation that will make it possible for many young adults who are undocumented immigrants to start on the path to legalization.
The DREAM Act will provide a pathway to legal status for young people who are willing to work for a college degree or serve in our armed forces. For many of these young people, America is the only home they know, and English is their first language. They are young men and young women who are successful in school and committed to the kind of work ethic that has made America great.
The DREAM Act will enable undocumented students to apply for federal student loans, which must be paid back, and federal work-study programs, in which they must work for any benefit they receive. The students would not be eligible for federal grants, such as Pell Grants. DREAM-eligible youths would also not be eligible for health care subsidies, including Medicaid, or other federal means-tested benefits like food stamps.