“We’re fired up, can’t take it no more!”
Protesters gathered outside Pat Toomey’s Pittsburgh office yesterday chanting these and similar slogans in hopes to pushing the freshman Senator to support President Obama’s recently unveiled American Jobs Act. Toomey is a member of the so-called super committee charged with developing a plan to reduce the deficit by $1.5 trillion or more.
The rally of 50 or so was part of a two-day effort – including events in Philadelphia and Harrisburg – coordinated by the American Dream Movement, a group some on the left hope will become the liberal counterpart to the Tea Party. They organized similar rallies and protests of Toomey and other Republicans over the summer.
The message of the group is universal and simple; create good jobs now for people who need them the most.
Signs from angry protesters read, “Jobs not cuts, Good jobs now, Invest and grow and I’m ready to fix a bridge.”
Kyndall Mason, Communications Manager for One Pittsburgh , a coalition that brings together neighbors, community organizations, faith groups and many others into a collective voice that helped organize the protest, says the message is literally this simple, “We need jobs, not cuts.”
“There’s plenty of work to be done,” says Mason. “Pennsylvania leads the nation in structurally deficient bridges that are in need of repair. Upgrades to our sewage treatment plants are long overdue. Kindergartners need teachers, working parents need day care services, elderly Americans need home care, and we all need our mail delivered.”
Amongst the crowd were many people who have been laid off from their jobs or lay below the poverty level and are trying to support a family.
Morgan, a bank worker, says she and her husband should be making more than a measly $8 per hour doing what they do.
“I have a family of five and together me and my husband make $16 per hour. Do you think that is enough to raise a family on? Still, the government comes after us for our taxes, what about corporate America? Make them pay taxes. These politicians are backwards. I pay taxes, General Electric doesn’t. This city and country is in need of jobs, so they cut the port authority. I do not understand.”
Another protester and activist of One Pittsburgh, Marcus Reed , explains that our kids need this to happen just as much as these adults need the jobs.
“With these cuts that have been made, several of our schools have had to shut down amid our cries to get aid in teachers and material, and this is plain wrong. I come from a hard neighborhood, and I see kids committing iniquitous acts because of the lack of guidance and also for just plain survival. We need serious initiatives set forth to help these kid’s lives, and it starts with a good education.”
Despite the protests, Toomey’s offices insists that the Senator is working hard to create a plan that will result in job creation and investment here at home.
“Sen. Toomey is working to modernize our tax code for the benefit of all Americans,” said Toomey Press Secretary Rebecca Neal. “Among other things, he believes that tax reform should help foster much-needed job creation and investment here at home, while also eliminating wasteful loopholes and making American companies more competitive.”
“Moving to a territorial tax system would bring home hundreds of billions of dollars of new direct investment, which will expand businesses and create new jobs,” said Neal.
Neal also made it clear that as Sen. Toomey continues working on tax reform, he “welcomes hearing from all of his constituents about this issue and other matters of importance.
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