"Passage of the $447 billion dollar American Jobs Act will put people on the bench get back to work" proclaimed USDOT Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined by FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff, MN elected members of Congress Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum, along newly elected MN Governor Mark Dayton, Twin Cities Mayor's Rybak and Coleman from the platform of the St. Paul's Union Depot Central Coordior Light-Rail project. Oh, least not overlook hundreds of White construction workers."People on the bench get back to work" has been rallying cry chanted in unison by those lobbying for infrastructure projects. Advocating the creation of tens of thousands construction jobs for Minnesota's "people on the bench get back to work" by re-building and expanding America's light rails systems, deteriorating roads and bridges.
"People on the bench get back to work" refers to union construction workers who are laid off. The photo says a thousand words. The only African American, MN Congressman Keith Ellison, noticeably absent of currently employed Black "Dirty Jobs" workers. The Re-Build America construction strategy is not the answer for the millions of well educated Blacks who attended the Congressional Black Caucus's Job Tour. The corporate attire, suits, ties, and resume in hand need not apply for the Re-Build America dirty jobs. Liad off Black professionals are not the "people on the bench get back to work" the passage of the American Jobs Act will reach.
The union rolls absent of laid off corporate African American names, laid off corporate African Americans require something other than the passage of the American Jobs Act as currently proposed by Presidents Obama. African Americans are more appropriated labeled "people on the couch". The years of restricted access to union construction jobs membership has put the African American community on the slow track to economic recovery. The shovel ready companies are 99% owned and operated by White business owners. These shovel ready companies were created from people who have worked their way through the union systems till they are ready to hand their shingle as entrepreneurs. The Congression Black Caucus will need to address the lack of language in the $447 billion dollar American Job Act legislation to ensure all of America's citizens will have access to our Pres Obama job creation strategies.
People on the bench get back to work; however African Americans on the couch are being overlooked. THe American Job Act must address the double digit unemployment rate in the Black community.
