Jobs Act Failed in the Senate

According to the article, consideration for the Jobs Bill was blocked as it simply did not have ten additional votes. Now with the Democrats left to scramble and pick up pieces here and there, what will happen next.

Honestly, I was shocked by the reaction. Most everyone though that at least the Bill would be considered and at least part of it would be passed under the title of the Jobs Act. (Here's another source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20103989-503544.html.) I honestly did not think that the entire thing would get passed due to its hefty price tag of $447 billion dollars.

What do you think should happen next? And how should the Democrats save face?

(Picture credit to:http://www.dailypolitical.com/finance/obama-urges-congress-to-vote-on-jobs-bill-in-october.htm.)

I thought everything was supposed to be improving!

Oh how I love CNN news text messages. This one plainly reads, "U.S. unemployment rate hits 10.2 percent in October, the highest rate since April, 1983. Job losses total 190,000."
When I got this message I was shocked. After hearing for weeks now that the economy and employment was improving, this little text shattered that concept for me.
I never did hear any solid numbers on the improving job market and economy so I guess I can't really have expected the claims to be true but it was something I at least wanted to believe. However, my hopes were false as the economy and job market are clearly NOT improving. Obama's plans are either in vain or have not been set into full motion yet but either way something needs to be done.
What should be done to reverse our declining economy and job market?

Climate Change Fail

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/science/earth/23climate.html

Now we've all heard about global warming at one point or another and how we keep trying to do things, but never end up doing enough. Well, here we went again today at a UN Conference to talk about global warming. And you guessed it, we aren't doing enough.

China is currently the largest air polluter in the world, closely followed by the United States.  During today's United Nations meeting on climate change, over 100 countries discussed their goals on reducing emissions by 2050.

Most industrialized nations have agreed to "a 25 percent to 40 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2020". However, developing countries like China have said "Due to their low development level and shortage of capital and technology, developing countries have limited capability and means to deal with climate change". Despite this China said they would "cut carbon dioxide emissions by a “notable margin” by 2020 compared with 2005 levels; drastically increase the size of forests; increase the use of nuclear or non-fossil fuels to 15 percent of power by 2020; and work to develop a green economy."

A fairly arbitrary percentage for the more industrialized nations. They need to set a far stricter goal that isn't so vague. China had a slightly more focused plan, actually stating what they want done in a period of time, but the notable margin part is a bit more bleh.

President Obama wants the U.S to invest largely on renewable energy, and giving incentives for cleaner vehicles and clean energy. He also wanted developed countries to provide both financial and technological aid to developing countries to help the world reduce carbon emissions. 

While this looks very nice, none of this has really happened. Frankly, the Cash for Clunkers thing wasn't useful at all. It required you buy a vehicle with a fuel economy of over 22 MPG which is absolutely abysmal.  Older cars from 10 years ago had mileages ranging up to 45 miles per gallon, and after over a decade, all we ask for is 22 miles per gallon? Come on!

Many environmentalists still don't feel we are doing enough to cut emissions, however the target date is so far into the future that Indian environmental minister Jairam Ramesh said that "It is the height of dishonesty to have a target for 2050 because none of us will be around to be held accountable,".

The main problem I've found with climate change, is that no one now actually cares. They won't live long enough to see it, and their children may or may not see it either. Furthermore, all we've done so far is plan. We "plan" to cut emissions by 2050. We "plan" to invest into various clean energy. Not much has actually happened to do anything of the sort. With dates like 2050, as the Indian environmental minister had said, are so far into the future that President Obama can just push the problem onto the next president, and not have to do anything but lay a big speech on how we'll do something about it. We need change now, not in 50 years.

-Weilu Jia