Why Not Create a Temporary Government Jobs Program to Help the Folks in the Gulf (and Make BP Pay For It)?

There are many times when Chris Matthews just works my nerves, but when he is on, man he is on. Last night was an example of that. I think that he was right to share a really great idea, one that BP should pay for.

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Matthews invoked the New Deal era CCC program, but he stopped at volunteerism. Why not really make it into a CCC-like program and pay folks to go the Gulf Coast and help out? If you look at what Rachel Maddow was talking about last night, then it becomes clear that we could create an overall short term jobs program related to helping the people of the Gulf coast, from Louisiana to Florida.

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If, as Maddow says, manpower is a problem for preventing the oil from coming ashore, then isn't it possible that Obama could propose an actual temporary jobs bill, and make sure that the tab goes to BP. The workers could do the various and sundry things needed to help the people in the areas under direct threat, from laying out boom to cleaning animals to whatever. It can be a temporary program. It can cost the American taxpayer nothing, and it's a great way to make a wayward company pay for the tons of perks that it received over the years.