So Obama recently unveiled the American Jobs Act, his $447 billion plan to solve our crippling and persistent unemployment problem. It'd be a shot in the arm for a struggling economy and his awkwardly low approval ratings. Pundits, supporters and critics have been falling all over themselves figuring out whether it's too small or if it could even get passed by the Republican House of Representatives (which has its own plan for jobs).
Of course the bill would effect Indiana, which has a lower unemployment rate and deficit problem than the rest of the country. Governor Daniels has said that he would likely accept the $2 billion in infrastructure money the plan would send the state's way (though he called it "hair of the dog economics.") The Indiana Democratic party has not made much in the way of their own statements, but their Facebook page is full of conversation on the subject. That's great and all, but what about Hoosiers themselves?
Frank Steele is a 24-year-old columnist for the Bleacher Report from Terre Haute who considers himself an independent. He doesn't expect much to come from the debate. "More buzzwords from the Republicans and an uphill battle for the liberals." Steele was pessimistic about what would actually get passed as well. "The agreements aren't in place to get something like this through."
He wasn't the only independent to voice skepticism about the bill's chances. Mark Johnson, an unemployed graduate from the University of Indianapolis also holds little hope for the bill. "The Republicans will block everything they are unhappy with." Johnson was especially critical of the lack of compromise in general. "The situation our nation is in is horrible, and even bi-partisan stuff can't get passed."
Libertarian Bradley Nielson, who works for an Indianapolis area power company, was even less compromising in his view of the bill's future. "Neither side has a clue how to solve the jobs problem." He puts the lack of action squarely on the shoulders of the Republicans. "The Tea Party and the health care debate brought a new radicalism to the party. Radicalism is by its nature anti-conciliatory."
Steffani Rossman is a councilor at the Indianapolis Zoo who is registered as a Republican. She isn't as selective in placing blame for a process she too believes is doomed from the start. "I think people make deals under-the-table which they have to uphold which means they won't give on anything." Obama wasn't a particular sore spot for her either. "Sadly, I don't expect much from anything any president does."
Liberal Terry Kirts, a professor at Indiana University, felt the nation had no time to waste on a debate when it came to jobs. "I don't care about deficits," he said. "and we NEED to invest in our infrastructure if we're going to compete." Kirts also thought the proposed tax increases were just fine. "I mean companies are making huge profits! They just learned through the recession that they could get 75 percent of workers to do 125 percent of the work!"
Kayleigh Long, an international relations student at Indiana University, did not bother to equivocate. As far as the American Jobs Act went she said, "From what I've seen in the recent past I expect the Tea Party will reject it outright, in its entirety and probably call it socialist. The Republicans will secretly support most forms of it but reject it publicly." Bipartisanship, or a lack there of, is America's greatest challenge at this time according to Long. "I see no one in Washington doing anything about it in large strides, but I think the person most vocal about it has been Barack Obama and his Jobs Bill was pre-tailored to support bi-partisanship."
The recent New York times poll found that over 80 percent of Americans support infrastructure spending to increase employment. Also, Congress's approval rating is at a confidence sapping 12 percent. Given those numbers, the response of the Hoosiers interviewed isn't very surprising.
What will be surprising is anything getting passed this year.
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