When unemployment stubbornly refuses to retreat what do you do? Well how about a Jobs Act singularly focused on creating jobs. Sounds like a plan. Well maybe so, in an an ideal world, but in the real world Obama's Jobs Act has two chances of getting through Congress - slim and none. Geez what's so bad with a Bill focused on getting people back to work that Congress would do nothing? Well maybe it's not the bill maybe it's the Tea Party Baggers lead by Bachmann and company. The right wing zealots would gladly derive the unemployment rate to 20% percent to prove a point. What point would that be? That we are both broke and stupid. It's just short sighted and stupid to not invest in jobs growth at a time like this.

Granted Obama's Jobs Act does include a good bit of spending but doesn't any investment involve spending? BTW - it's rather amusing that the Tea Party Baggers claim to be (on the surface) so concerned with runaway spending. Where were the Baggers when Bush ran up 5 trillion in debt, most of which, during his lame duck term? DId you hear a single right wing zealot whining and crying about the deficit then? Can't say I recall a peep out of them. Why? Maybe the were beneficiaries of the Bush's 5 trillion save the millionaires spending agenda? Now that the rest of the country is hurting and jobs are few and far between all of the sudden the deficit is a big deal. Hummh, smells like cronyism to me. The fact of the matter is that we got out of Great Depression in the 30s because of two words - "government spending." Say what you will, call it what you want but government has always been pivotal in shaping economic growth and direction in the US. So why shouldn't we invest to get people back to work? Simply put there is no credible reason to not invest in job growth. Of course that doesn't mean spend recklessly without a plan but like in any investment portfolio some bets pay some don't but at the end of the day if you make a decent return it was worth the effort. So although Obama's Job Act has little if any chance of passing Congress, it's not so much about the Bill but more about the politics. Too bad but you can blame the empty headed voters who put these looney tunes politicians into office. Maybe we should abolish voter rights too along with the Department of Education - that should make the Tea Party Baggers exceptionally happy.

In case you haven't heard Texas touts having a strong robust economy while other states are begging for bread. Now let's take a look under the hood and determine if the Texas model for job creation is something other states can adopt. Well for starters what is the Texas model for creating jobs? Well let's look to none other than Texas Governor Rick Perry for answers. As the Governor put it, to create jobs you need to:

1. Keep some of the money [or more precisely not spend all of the money].
2. Low tax rates on job creators.
3. Relaxed government regulations while still accomplishing essential functions.
4. A fair legal system and skilled workforce.

Well those four elements certainly are appealing to businesses and have created a many of jobs in the great state of Texas. What should be noted is that many of such jobs are lower wage jobs not particularly appealing to displaced Middle Class candidates. Also, worth noting is the rather troubling problem Texas has with illegal immigrants. Why? Well are those jobs benefiting illegal immigrants or unemployed Americans? If it's the later, than all Perry. Now if Texas can fine tune the model for the Middle Class it's a sure fire model for job creation other states can surely put to good use. Maybe Massachusetts (Boston) [maybe the tax whiners aren't whining so much now] has done something similar to jumpstart things there big time. Other in desperate need of a lifeline are Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and California to name just a few.

So the bottom line on the Texas model for job creation is that it depends. It depends on the type and number of jobs as well as the long term projection of such jobs. One thing is certain - at least the state of Texas has a job growth model. Most other states are clueless like a deer staring at headlights while the inevitable approaches.

Well if taxes are sure fire way to cause job losses, than it just begs the question on whether the current Washington debt deal is a job killer? After all, since the Feds are the only ones spending cash these days, will it really help to cut federal spending even more? Well the GOP seems to think so. In fact, the Tea Party zealots fought long and hard over the weekend for massive federal spending and no tax increases. They also fought for maintaining very unpopular corporate tax loopholes. Now we might need to call in the big gun economist across the country for this one but hey aren't we still in a recession? Last i checked, unemployed surpasses 9%. Last i checked, there were 14 million people hanging out in unemployment lines.

When was the last time so many people have been unemployed, with no hope in sight? Try the 1930s - hey wasn't that around the same time as the Great Depression? Gee I thought so. Didn't the country get out of the hole through the vision and spending of the Feds? Naw - hogwash so sayeth the GOP, we got out of that hole based on good luck and timing - yea that's it. Well from the looks of it referring to history as a example of how to manage this economic crisis is not necessary - just look to the wisdom of GOP. Who knows after the Feds are totally out of cash, maybe instead of an additional 5 - 6 million people being added to the ranks of unemployed and jobless, that instead we will magically see job growth thanks to the goodwill of corporations. Yea that's it. Why not just shut down the Feds altogether and rely on the goodwill of big corporations like say BP. Way to go GOP. So is the debt deal a job killer - according to the Tea Party rebels absolutely not. We'll get by somehow.