“If it were not for congressional Republicans’ repeated obstruction or dilution of virtually every significant job-creation proposal sent to Congress since 2009, unemployment today would likely be under 7 percent instead of stubbornly persisting at around 8 percent.”

So if you want to create jobs in the United states of America, I suggest that you vote for every possible Democrat and Independent that you can. That you REFUSE to support any Conservative, Republican or Tea-Party member running for any elected Office.

If you are concerned about jobs why would you elect Romney when he has a long, well-known history of exporting jobs out of the country as governor of Mass.? He laid off many people during his time as governor. Obviously, he will not do better than Obama, in fact I think worse.

Failure of leadership all around . Gridlock is phony. Congress can create $trillions in United States Notes without increasing our debt. These “Legal Tender Notes” could be spent into the economy to jump start it. Very low interest, long term loans could be made to Americans “underwater;” part being sent directly to pay off mortgage arrears and, if breadwinner is unemployed, a few months future payments. $1.4 trillion U.S. Notes could produce 19 million jobs, provided we get over the idea that this money has to be used in maximally “productive” ways. American’s simplistic moralism (“jobless means undeserving”) and general welfare require millions of jobs to replace jobs killed by automation, outsourcing, etc. The jobless can’t all operate earth movers or computers. But millions can engage in paid, high value, low – tool use child, senior and disability care, education, homemaking, pick and shovel burial of the electric grid, building retrofitting, using hammers, paint brushes, trash spears, and other simple tools.
Would this be inflationary? Yes! The Panic of 2008 started severe DEFLATION. Only massive targeted re-flation can counteract it. Lack of it turned the Panic of 1929 into the Great Depression of ’29 – ‘39. Mega-banks hate the idea of U.S. Notes. They lose “earned” interest because they aren’t lending Notes to us. They’ll send a thousand “Liars for Lucre” economists, etc. to argue against it. They’ll withdraw advertising to media that favor it. They’ll withdraw support from politicians who advocate it and support vocal opponents.
So look into U.S. Notes for yourself, then push the idea until they can’t ignore it any more!

I've no idea if what Luckylongshot says is accurate or not but I do believe that hte number of unemployed stated by the government is an understatement. For one they did not couunt me and I am only doing some part time work and can't find a full time job.
I am somewhat heartened by what Larronm says and hope he is accurate. If so then at least the California government gets it.
With regard to Reich's comments about the economic situation possibly being out of Obama's hands, all I can say is that if it is then that is partly Obama's own fault for having Larry Summers as an economic advisor for the first two years, for having Geither as a treasury secretary, and for following an appeaseemnt policy with regard to the obstructionist Republicans and those Blue dogs of his own party. The pity is that he gives the Dems a bad name with regard to restoring the economy and it may get turned ocver to the Republicans and Shnit Romney to give the Republicans back some cred for saving the economy. Of course they will only save it just enough to get some undeserved credit from the right wing MSM while keeping unemployment too high and continuing to stick it to the working class.

It seem to me that we ought to start looking at these economic reports with a bit more reality. Dr. Reich knows, as do most investors, that the BLS jobs report is no where near a true reflection of the situation. They will amend it in Aug. and again in Sept. It is based on a survey, not on statistics. However, there is a report which is published each month and far more accuratly reflects the job market. That is the report by ADP, the payroll firm. For July their report shows 176,000 new jobs. In all likelyhood the BLS report, once amended twice, will come in pretty close to that number. But by then, no one will notice.

Then there is the matter of the infrastructure bill that the President signed yesterday. It is likely to have a significant effect on the job market in fairly short order. That is because it will put tax dollars to work building and repairing our infrastructure. If we are to make a real dent in the employment problem, we will need to put government money to work. The AJA is another way to accomplish that but I see no way to get this Congress to pass that bill. The solution is to work to elect Democrats to Congress. The President could help there. He could start asking voters to send Democrats to Congress along with his re-election. End the gridlock. Put a stop to the obstructionism. That's how we get it done.

Here in California we have just taken a giant step in that direction by passing the legislation needed to begin construction of a high speed rail system linking the major cities of our state. This $68 billion project will put a great many people to work for a long time accomplishing something that will have long term benefits for all Californians. Oh, did I mention that the Feds are contributing $3.2 billion to the first phase? It is time for elected officials to start putting the country ahead of their own ambitions.