Education and the Workforce As I've blogged before House Leader Eric Cantor has introduced an agenda thats targeted to Americans who don't traditionally vote Republican. As a way to bring new voters into the Republican Party by going after middle class voters and people who aren't doing as well. By showing them how economic Conservatism could work for them and part of that has to do with legislation that was introduced by. Representative John Kline Chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee. I haven't read this legislation yet but what I've seen so far is that it builds of what House Republicans did and tried to do in. The mid 1990s with the so called Contract with America where Welfare to Work was a big part of that. Where Welfare would be there to put people back to work and make public assistance in America work for people who are on it. But also for the tax payers as well and what Education and Workforce Republicans are doing here. Is looking to reform the job-training programs in the Federal Government, by consolidating them and expanding the types of training people can get while they are unemployed.
President Obama has already said he's for a similar approach and wants to reform job-training in America. And make Unemployment Insurance pay not just for people to collect money while they are unemployed. But for them to be preparing to go back to work, not just looking for work but getting skills and new skills so they can get themselves a good job. Which to me as a Liberal-Democrat is language I like and what I want to be hearing from people in Congress. That its not the job of government to take care of people but to empower those who need it to be able to take care of themselves. And that part of that assistance is to help them pay their bills while they are not working and are not making enough. Money to be independent but also so they can get themselves the skills that they need so they can get a good job and be independent. Working and taking care of themselves.
There's that old saying that the devil is in the details and if this legislation is a cut and run approach. Meaning you cut peoples assistance or kick them off of public assistance because they've been on it for a certain amount of time. Even if they don't have the skills to be successful in life, then this legislation is dead but if this is real assistance that empowers people to be independent in life. Then this is an area where House Republicans will be able to work with President Obama on.
