The latest jobs report is out, painting a picture of an economy slowly climbing out of a major crater. As the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission said right at the top of their final report, things did not have to be this way. This was an avoidable crisis, and it was exacerbated by risky and illegal business practices, regulatory failures, and systemic problems related to oversight and accountability.

While the top race on next Tuesday’s ballot will surely affect how things move forward next year, it’s the lower level races that have the potential for really moving things in a new direction in DC. There’s a big crater that still needs to be filled, and getting local officials in office who are willing to scream for accountability, for regulation, and for good government that addresses the needs of the people is probably the most direct way I can help.

I have a counter-proposal to the Republican demand that we must temporarily extend all the Bush tax cuts.  They want to include tax cuts for those making over one million dollars a year, for the next two years, despite the fact that it will add hundreds of billions to the deficit  I suggest President Obama demand that instead of using the money to extend tax cuts for the rich, that it be used to mail every taxpayer a $1,000 check.

If schools across the country received aid checks from the federal government in March or April, they would have torn up the pink slips they put out in a preliminary fashion and planned for the school year ahead. But the state fiscal aid bill didn’t pass until August, just a month before the new school year. As a result, school districts have to scramble — and many of them won’t rehire until later in the year.

The only bill on the horizon that might have a positive economic impact is the small business loan bill. Yesterday, the Senate adjourned for a month, but Reid filed for cloture on the bill, and Senators hope to build support over the recess.

There are a multitude of reasons NOT to award the Chinese a contract for our new high speed rail. And yes, jingo-istic industrial support is one of them.

Sen. Scott Brown bears a great deal of responsibility for holding up Medicaid funding for his home state, while working along with the rest of the obstructionists in the Senate who cannot find it in themselves to save American jobs.

Paul Krugman has a must-read column today on the irresponsible and harmful fear mongering over the federal budget deficit.

• It’s Karzai.
• Good thing the Democrats control the Senate.
• It was too small.
• GOP about to get the full teabag.
• Palin wants Virginians to vote for quitting, lying.
• What are these ‘moderate Republicans’ they speak of?

Despite the claims of the rich, wealth does not equal morality. The American economy won’t recover until we understand that.