Topic: Jobs Act

The discussion shifts to the potential for a carbon tax and the elimination of the filibuster. The hosts argue that President Obama is acting like a dictator by using executive orders to bypass Congress on issues like No Child Left Behind waivers and student loan bailouts.

The hosts discuss the 2012 JOBS Act, which allowed companies to sell shares directly to the public through crowdfunding. They argue these regulations often "rip investors off" by bypassing SEC disclosures. They express doubt that a US-based solar startup like Rayton can compete with the Chinese manufacturing dominance in the silicon industry.

A listener reports that his daughter found a job shortly after a "Karma" request on the show. Other donors ask for karma regarding surgery, acting pilots, and airport security interactions. The founder of 5-MinuteLogo.com pledges monthly donations, leading to a critique of his business name.

Under the "We Can't Wait" initiative, the Obama administration announces a new 15-cent tax on fresh Christmas trees. The tax is intended to fund a federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees. The hosts ridicule the necessity of a government-mandated marketing campaign for a holiday staple.

Referencing a 60 Minutes interview with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the hosts discuss how legislative riders are used to hide significant policy changes. They express skepticism toward the 165-page American Jobs Act, suggesting it contains hidden benefits for bankers and high-speed rail interests like Warren Buffett. They vow to analyze the PDF for "obfuscations" that might be pushed through executive orders.

The hosts provide instructions for donating to the show via various URLs and mention that the American Jobs Act PDF has been added to the show notes. They emphasize that they will vouch for the credits of their executive producers on professional platforms like IMDB, contrasting themselves with "phonies in Hollywood."

President Obama's promotion of the American Jobs Act is characterized as political theater, as the bill had not yet been formally introduced when he claimed his "pens were ready." Meanwhile, an unusual legislative procedure orchestrated by Mitch McConnell allowed the US Senate to raise the debt limit by $500 billion with minimal public notice. The President's use of the phrase "yawning deficit" is also scrutinized for its linguistic oddity.

The American Jobs Act includes the creation of the American Infrastructure Financing Authority (AIFA), a government-backed investment bank. The legislation allows for projects with a "BBB minus" investment grade rating to receive federal financing, which is a lower standard than traditional high-grade investments. Loans for these projects feature 35-year repayment terms starting only after the substantial completion of construction.

President Barack Obama traveled to North Carolina to promote the American Jobs Act, urging the public to pressure Congress to pass the bill immediately. Critics note the lack of a published full text for the bill at the time of the speech, despite the President's public displays of a thick document.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, released an analysis supporting the American Jobs Act, claiming it would add two percentage points to GDP growth. The discussion questions Zandi's background, noting his education at the Wharton School and his ancestral ties to the Zand dynasty of Iran.

Valerie Jarrett and President Obama have repeatedly called for Congress to "pass this plan right now," despite the legislation not being drafted until the following week. The hosts highlight the absurdity of demanding the immediate passage of a bill that does not yet exist in written form.

A TSA insider reports that the agency often implements unwritten policies before they appear in official handbooks. The expansion of the TSA is characterized as a government jobs program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, while concerns are raised about X-ray leakage from poorly sealed scanning machines.

White House economic advisor Jared Bernstein is critiqued for his explanation of "saved or created" jobs under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The hosts mock the distinction between "direct" and "indirect" jobs, arguing that counting a teacher's shopping trips as job creation is fraudulent accounting. They label the briefing as pure propaganda from the "Ministry of Truth."

President Barack Obama's shift in terminology from "save or create" to "save and create" jobs in his weekly address is analyzed as a significant linguistic change. The actual impact of the stimulus package is questioned, citing a press conference where only 25 police cadet jobs were reportedly saved. Data from recovery.gov regarding TSA aviation jobs is also examined.

The speech's claims regarding banking deregulation are analyzed, attributing the roots of the financial crisis to the Clinton administration's repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act rather than the Bush administration. Discrepancies in job creation figures are noted, with the "save or create" metric shifting between 2.5 million and 3.5 million jobs in various reports.