Protesters Criticize Dold’s Position On Jobs

A group of more than 35 protesters gathered outside to focus attention on the congressman's failure to support job growth and lack of accessibility to constituents Monday at the .

Organized by Moveon.org, the protesters thought Dold was holding a Town Hall meeting at the Lake Forest site. The event was an invitation-only discussion among local industrialists to discuss the use of exports to create jobs, according to Dold District Director Kelley Folino. 

• See related story: Exports Spur Job Growth for Local Companies

proposed this jobs bill to put 2.2 million people back to work,” said Marilyn Pagan-Banks of Chicago, one of the protestors. “We want him to support it.”

People held signs reading “Congressman Dold, Please Support the Emergency Jobs Bill” and “Jobs not cuts.” 

According to proponents, the legislation proposed by Schakowsky, D-Evanston, would put people to work improving schools, parks and housing. It also would provide for additional police officers and firefighters. Work also would be found for people helping with early childhood development and college students to better equip them in the employment market.

Though Dold is not thoroughly familiar with the legislation Schakowsky announced Aug. 10 and will introduce in September, he thinks the private sector spurred by small business growth should be the ultimate job creator. 

“Is the government the one who is going to create jobs or is it the private sector?” Dold asked. “We need to create an environment that enables the private sector to get rid of uncertainty, invest in their businesses and hire more people.” 

With the unemployment rate hovering around 9 percent for three years, Schakowsky is proposing legislation reminiscent of the New Deal efforts employed in the Great Depression of the 1930s. 

“The private sector is not doing it,” Schakowsky said. “How are we going to fix the economy? In the Great Depression, this is what got the economy moving. That’s why I introduced my bill to put 2.2 million people back to work.” 

Though the two members of Congress agree jobs must be created, Schakowsky rejects Dold’s notion business needs certainty. She thinks demand must be stimulated by people working and spending money. 

“They (job creators) don’t need certainty, they need customers,” Schakowsky said. “They need people with money to buy their products. We have a huge jobs deficit. It’s worse than the budget deficit. The government is in a position to step in and create some jobs.” 

Protestors were equally adamant about having greater access to Dold. “It appears he is only available to people with money,” said David Hatch of Chicago. “He had a Town Hall in Libertyville (Thursday), but it wasn’t on his website.” 

Since he was elected, Dold has held , 12 Teletown Hall calls reaching 80,000 people and one Twitter Town Hall, according to Folino. He has also held three public events for seniors. 

“We reached out with a telephone Town Hall to 20,000 people,” Dold said. “We had a Town Hall in Libertyville and robo-called 20,000 people. We are out there listening to people.”