Veterans, their advocates tell Murray they need jobs, housing

When President Obama offered up a plan to put veterans back to work by giving incentives to companies to hire them, it was a good start but not the final answer.

Where has common sense in this country gone? We keep hearing some folks in congress screaming about protecting the "job creators" when they demand the tax discounts for the wealthy be continued but we haven't seen jobs created here. They are created overseas. Congress had made it easier for these companies to just hang onto their money instead of spend it, invest it and hire more workers. Why not tie these tax discounts to jobs right here? If they hire workers right here, then they can keep their discounts. If they hire workers in other countries, they lose them. Wouldn't that be the right thing to do if the folks in congress are really serious about what they claim? All they have done is whine about needing to cut this program and that program but they have not heard the cries of the American people out of work and unable to pay their bills. Put Americans back to work and then you'll see better days in this country for everyone including the veterans who put their lives on the line and need to get out of the unemployment line.

Veterans, their advocates tell Murray they need jobs, housing
Debt panelists take role seriously, senator says
By Kathie Durbin
Columbian Staff Reporter
Originally published August 16, 2011

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, in Vancouver Tuesday for a “listening session” with veterans and their advocates, said she’ll do her best to protect veterans’ benefits as she steps into a high-profile role as co-chair of the new deficit-reduction supercommittee. The 12-member panel is assigned the task of finding another $1.5 trillion in federal budget cuts by Thanksgiving.

But in response to pundits who say her spending decisions could be influenced by major defense industry campaign donors, Murray said no one should prejudge any of the committee members — three Democrats and three Republicans each from the Senate and House. By law, the committee must begin its work by mid-September.

“I have reached out individually to each member of the committee,” Washington’s senior senator told The Columbian. “I’ve been impressed that they consider this a serious responsibility.” Not only is the nation’s fiscal health at stake, she said, but committee members understand that they must “show that a democracy can work.”

“The pundits and journalists should not pigeonhole any one of us,” she said. “That will allow us to move forward.”

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