With the election rapidly approaching, many are wondering what the candidates’ positions are on jobs for young adults ages 18 to 30. Bush and Kerry have been battling it out for months now, and their views on the issue have still not changed. Both have a positive outlook on the job market for people of younger generations; yet have quite different views on how to improve it.
President Bush states that his current job plan is working, with 1.4 million new jobs added since August of 2003. By May of 2004, the unemployment rate was lower than that of the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s average, with 5.6 percent under the current Bush Administration. This was mostly due, in his view, because he signed the Tax Relief law, which he says enabled significant economic growth.
Although some do not believe that Bush has done a great job handling the Iraq situation, they do, however, feel that he has made the economy prosper. The website www.congress.org says that in 2004, 11 sectors of the economy have had a payroll growth, this mostly including manufacturing. Other growths in payroll also involve jobs that college students, and graduates alike, are applying for. These job fields include information, construction, finance and professional and business services. During his term, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has had the fastest growing annual rate in almost 20 years.
Another important aspect is Bush’s “Six-Point-Plan to Improve the Economy.” These points consist of making healthcare more affordable, reforming the legal system to prevent lawsuits that increase the cost of doing business and promoting energy independence. In addition to this, the plan also incorporates streamlining government regulations, mostly for that of small businesses, making tax relief for families and small businesses permanent as well as pursuing free and fair trade agreements that create jobs.
Democratic candidate John Kerry has a quite different view on job opportunities for young Americans. He feels that we must address these concerns right away, and that people in our generation are entering one of the worst job markets in history.
If elected president, Kerry states that he will improve the economy and ensure that every American, particularly young Americans, will be able to succeed in finding a job quickly. Earlier this year, Kerry revealed that he will put into place a comprehensive plan that will unveil the potential of America’s economy, in turn creating millions of jobs in his first term alone.
Kerry feels that he will create conditions that allow the United States to regain its competitive edge by ending incentives for companies to send jobs overseas. In his view, this will restore discipline to the federal budget and invest in jobs of the future. Kerry’s main plan of creating jobs consists of making tax breaks for those manufacturing companies who produce goods and increase the amount of jobs in the U.S. He plans on helping out those companies whose benefits cover health care and retirement funds for their employees while maintaining a good relationship with foreign trading partners for the economy.
As stated on www.congress.org, John Kerry also wants to help out young Americans in the future. He strongly disagrees with other democrats who want to back the tax cuts on the wealthy, resulting in higher taxes for the middle class. He would rather oppose the tax cuts on the wealthy and provide significant tax cuts on the middle class, leaving them with better tax credits on health care and college tuition, which can be beneficial to young Americans later on in life.
John Kerry’s breaks on taxes may give hope in the near future. He greatly wants to close all the loopholes that give companies incentives for closing up shop and moving their industry abroad. This will enable companies to stay in the U.S. instead of leaving to avoid paying taxes, essentially creating millions of jobs for Americans.
Posted to the web by Paul Nasella
