Jeff Merkley has some advice for President Obama

Kari Chisholm

In a column for the Huffington Post, Senator Jeff Merkley lays out some advice for President Obama in advance of the State of the Union.

In particular, Merkley wants to hear Obama talk about creating jobs - about prosperity, not austerity.

His specific recommendations:

First, tell Congress to end the budget games afflicting America. We need to set aside for a year the sequester scheduled for March that will knock our economy back even further. Replace it by closing corporate loopholes.

Second, use that year to get back to the regular budget and appropriation rhythm so we aren't careening from crisis to crisis.

Third, lay out a 10-yr plan that will steadily close the vast bulk of the difference between our revenue, which is at 16% of GDP, and our spending, which is at 23% of GDP. Deficits need to shrink and shrink steadily, but without the austerity shocks that are undermining economies throughout Europe.

Fourth, lay out the five jobs bills that will have the biggest punch in putting America back to work. While many corporate profits have soared and Wall Street has hit an all-time high, real people and small businesses are still suffering. There is no better program of any kind than a living-wage job!

Read it in its entirety here.

By Kari Chisholm Feb. 12, 2013