Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., said it was "no surprise" to her that "Republicans are willing to consider parts of bill that don't actually put people back to work.""If you want to create jobs, create jobs -- more jobs for teachers police, firefighters," she continued, critiquing the conservative viewpoint that government can't create jobs but only make it easier for business owners to hire people. "Nevermind about rich people being job creators....businesses need more customers to begin hiring."

Keith Ellison and other House progressives want the so-called Congressional "Super Committee" that's supposed to find major deficit savings to also focus on job creation.The DFL Congressman asked the committee's co-chairs, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), to hold public hearings on how Congress can energize the job market rather than simply focusing on making cuts to social programs.

Rep. Ellison talked to Al Sharpton about the town halls across the country that the Progressive Caucus has put on as well as the void of Republican town halls.

We need a bill (like the Progressive Caucus's People's Budget) that acknowledges that pulling money out of a weak economy only weakens it further and that accepting the right's economic philosophy is tantamount to accepting America's demise.