Political Climate of Austerity May Doom Dems’ Jobs Plans

Given the American public’s strong desire for reductions in the huge budget deficit, Democrats in Congress are going to have a tough time advancing a jobs program that includes government spending. “I don’t know what we’ll do next,” says Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, according to The Hill.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

With their party in control of Congress and the White House over the past two years, Senate Democrats focused their job plans on government spending. But the drubbing Democrats suffered in mid-term elections last year changed all that.

Durbin says Democrats will be lucky to keep existing government jobs programs given Republicans’ strength. “It’s a serious challenge, because if we’re going to make the steep cuts in spending, we’ve got to be careful we don’t cut education and opportunities for job creation,” he says.