A group of unemployed workers are walking from Philadelphia to Washington to demand that the US Chamber of Commerce stop blocking efforts to create green jobs for Americans. Operation Green jobs after walking form May 19 to May 24 will rally on Friday at 10:00 AM at the headquarters of the US Chambers, located at 1615 H Street, NW in Washington, DC. The US Chamber like its Republican Congressional counterparts are fighting against green jobs. The US Chamber receives millions of dollars from oil companies to lobby Congress. Carl Gibson, lead organizer for the walk says, “Like Congress, the U.S. Chamber likes to say they speak for us, but their real interest is in serving the multinational corporations who fund their activities.” According to Jake Parent, coordinator of Public Citizen’s US Chamber Watch project says the U.S. Chamber spent more than $136 million in 2102 to lobby on behalf of giant corporations.
In 2008, President Obama campaigned to provide more green energy and technology jobs., promising to create 5 million new green energy jobs in 10 years. According to the Greg Rothwell of the Brookings Institute, “The stimulus bill and Obama administration budgets have certainly increased spending on green activities, and that spending has created jobs.” President Obama’s 2014 budget would increase money for production of green energy, green manufacturing and energy efficiency. Moving beyond green jobs, the Republican controlled Congress has yet to pass any bills for jobs, green or otherwise. Republicans consistently campaigned on creating jobs but no jobs bills have been created by Republicans.
The unemployed walkers coming to Washington will share their stories and offer solutions to help created more jobs and a stronger economy. Instead of attacking the EPA, attempting to debunk scientific consensus about climate change, the US Chamber and the GOP should pay heed to serving the American people. Carl Gibson, lead organizer of Shut the Chamber Campaign says, Congress focuses on dirty fossil fuels over clean energy alternatives because the US Chamber gets millions from oil companies to lobby Congress. The group is coming to Washington to express its discontent with prevention of creating more green jobs. And once again, we must ask the GOP controlled Congress, when are the jobs coming?
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