Hemp Jobs Can Save The Day Vice President Biden

Remarks for the Jobs Summit at The White House

V.P. Biden’s remarks on 12/3/09 as published by the Office of the Press Secretary plus a Hempster’s insights for the jobs summit.  A great reference book to learn how to use hemp to heal our economy is by Richard M. Davis of the USA Hemp Museum www.hempmuseum.org entitled HEMP FOR VICTORY: THE TRILLION DOLLAR CROP.  Richard sent the White House a copy on release, but based on results, they have not read the book yet.

The Vice President’s remarks are in quotes. This hempster's response is bolded.

Remarks by the Vice President at the Opening Session of the Jobs and Economic Growth Forum - Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building, South Court Auditorium, Washington, D.C.

1:42 P.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  “Thank you.  Secretaries, members of the Cabinet, distinguished guests,
I welcome you all here today.  Your presence is welcomed, but quite frankly, it's not nearly as important as your input.  We're looking to you.  We're counting on you.” 

America’s hemp community is here with answers to our jobs and other economic problems we are facing.  Our commitment to serving at least 7 generations ahead demands that we allow nature to be herself and end prohibition of her most helpful hemp plant.

In this manner we give ourselves the opportunity to solve problems at the level of cause rather than managing the effects.

“We need help, for we realize that even after all we have done in these last 10 months that -- to revitalize American communities, our capacity, the government's capacity, is still somewhat limited.” 

The government’s capacity is not limited in solving the problem.  All that is needed is a quick rewrite of the law with a lot fewer words.  Stop the war on drugs by Executive Order.

Then, following the example set in China and establish a hemp czars to deal with the various aspects of our nation where substituting non toxic hemp products where toxic substances are being used.

“We can help -- we can help create the conditions that make for a stronger economy, make a stronger economy possible.” 

Ending hemp prohibition “creates conditions that make for a stronger economy, make a stronger economy possible.”

“But it's you, all of you in this audience here, who are in the position to make it a reality.  To put it another way, without you it will not become a reality.”

Without the federal government in the way of decent farmers, manufacturers and other business people, healing our economy will not become a reality.  The hemp solution is still either illegal or bound in extensive red tape, enough to strangle us. It is as though we've been legislated to death.

“So our task together is obviously not an easy one.” 

Ending hemp prohibition would be very easy – Executive Order – The war on drugs is over. Appoint hemp czars.

“We've not faced this kind of economic dilemma in the lifetime of anyone in this room.  And so building a new and invigorated platform upon which we can enter this century in a way that we can lead in the 21st century, the way we did in the 20th century, is at rock bottom what this is all about.”

…“new and invigorated platform” – with hemp, everything old is new again, like the 500 year old Guttenberg Bible printed on hemp paper, or valuable hemp medicine that is responsible for zero deaths other than murder by cop, or the impact large scale hemp growing can have on global warming…..

“No more bubbles.  No more bubbles.  You cannot sustain your world leadership based upon a housing bubble or a dot-com bubble; it's got to be based on a really firm foundation.  I don't have to tell you.  That's preaching to the choir, as they say where I'm from.  I know you all understand that.”

Hemp music (Sean Paul), movies (a.k.a. Tommy Chong)  and other entertainment are big business too with jobs, jobs, jobs from coming up with the art to marketing and selling the finished product. 
Hemp and religion have a long history as a recognized prayer tool that millions of people use in praise.  Entire religions are founded on the hemp plant and just about all can claim at least one hemp consumer who combines hemp with prayer empowerment.

“Look, the Recovery Act -- much maligned, but worked -- has worked very well -- the Recovery Act has played a vital role in kick starting this process.  It has not only pulled us back from that abyss that we were looking at -- remember the -- remember your college days, having to study the essayist, Samuel Johnson?  And one of the favorite quotes I remember, Mr. Secretary, was "There is nothing like a hanging to focus one's attention."  (Laughter.)  Well, let me tell you, your attention has been focused, our attention has been focused.  And we've been able to pull back from that dark abyss.”

To solve the problem at hand, a failing economy, our attention needs to be focused more on cause and less on effect.  The problem with The Recovery Act is that it helped those with means recover and the rest of us are still in “the dark abyss.”  If hemp were legal there would be ample opportunities in fashion, food, medicine, construction, agriculture etc. for people to start businesses and create jobs.  Yet this solution is still illegal.  Why is it illegal for us to save ourselves?  Who’s really in charge here?

“My deceased wife used to have an expression.  She'd say, "The greatest gift God gave mankind, Joey, is the ability to forget."  And my mother would quickly add, "Yes, if it weren't for that, all women would only have one child."  (Laughter.)  But all kidding aside, it's amazing -- amazing what we've forgotten already in 10 months just how dire and bleak things looked 10 months ago.”

I am not the only one to disagree that things are any less dire and bleak than 10 months ago.  The main difference is the shattering of hope. 

Folks are experiencing things as a lot worse.  I live in a state where hemp was voted legal the same time Prop 215 passed, yet we in Arizona are still second class hempsters living in dire and bleak times.

The only beacon I can see is in truth like 1,000 medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles County.  How many jobs do they create - from the farmers to the harvesters and the people who make the harvest equipment, and the government that is collecting taxes on the land used to grow, manufacturers, transporters, store owners, sales staff, etc.?  Now the LA City Council wants to reduce the number of job producing stores to 80. 

Hemp, the trillion dollar crop, is an economic stimulus package all it’s own.

“And so the Recovery Act has put us on the path to recovery, it pulled us back from the brink.  Before the President and I dropped our right hand on January the 20th of this year, already that month 700,000 people had lost their jobs; 740,000 by the end of that month lost their job; another 640,000 in the short month of February.  So the fact of the matter is the last job report was not good, but a lot better -- 190,000 jobs lost.”

But what about those other numbers, especially those where hemp would be a powerful 

shot in the arm.  From the Hemp For Victory series, the first two books that cover 

medical and global warming applications for the plant.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

“Employment Situation Summary – Establishment Survey Data November, 2009

(Both industrial and medical hemp can help here) 

Total nonfarm payroll employment was essentially unchanged in November (-11,000). 

(Hemp building materials can help here) Job losses in the construction, manufacturing, 

and information industries were offset by job gains in temporary help services and health care. 

Since the recession began, payroll employment has decreased by 7.2 million. (See table B-1.)

Construction employment declined by 27,000 over the month. Job losses had averaged 117,000

 per month during the 6 months ending in April and 63,000 per month from May through October. 

In November, construction job losses were concentrated among nonresidential 

specialty trade contractors (-29,000).

(Hemp’s 50,000 plus products could help here) Manufacturing employment fell by 41,000 

in November. The average monthly decline for the past 5 months (-46,000) 

was much lower than the average monthly job loss for the first half of this year (-171,000). 

About 2.1 million manufacturing jobs have been lost since December 2007; 

the majority of this decline has occurred in durable goods manufacturing (-1.6 million).

(Hemp plastics could revolutionize computing with their non-toxic nature and strong,

effective quality – plus hemp products could give home based businesses a sales opportunity boost) 

Employment in the information industry fell by 17,000 in November. 

About half of the job loss occurred in its telecommunications component (-9,000).

There was little change in wholesale and retail trade employment in November.   

Within retail trade, department stores added 8,000 jobs over the month.

The number of jobs in transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and leisure and

hospitality showed little change over the month…..”

“Our economy was shrinking when we took office at a rate of 6 percent, actually above 6 percent.  And now it's growing at a rate at about 3 percent the last quarter.  And leading economists attribute a large portion of that GDP growth in the last quarter to the Recovery Act.

And according to the most CBO report -- and if you've noticed, the one thing those of you who aren't -- do not work here every day notice the only thing Democrats and Republicans agree on is the objectivity of CBO.  We all quote their numbers, and we quote them even when they don't agree with what we wanted to do, because they are bipartisan; they are responsible.  And the CBO report, the most recent report of several days ago, said the act is responsible for creating as many as 1.6 million jobs.  A couple of my friends on the Hill wrote me a note saying, "Joe, stop quoting that the act created over 600,000 jobs."  I wrote back and said, "I promise I'll do that if you start saying it created 1.6 million jobs."  But the point is it has created jobs.”

“….Employment in professional and business services rose by 86,000 in November.   

Temporary help services accounted for the majority of the increase, adding 52,000 jobs. 

Since July, temporary help services employment has risen by 117,000.

Health care employment continued to rise in November (21,000), with notable gains

in home health care services (7,000) and hospitals (7,000). 

The health care industry has added 613,000 jobs since the recession began in December 2007.”

“So there's been progress.  But you know it's not enough.  That laid-off teacher -- that laid off teacher, they don't want to hear about the GDP.  That out of work autoworker or that Teamster, they don't want to hear about a CBO report.  There used to be an expression, and I'm not joking, my grandfather always used it.  He was from Scranton, Pennsylvania.  He said, "When the guy from Throop is out of work, it's an economic slowdown.  When your brother-in-law is out of work, it's a recession.  When you're out of work, it's a depression."  And it is a depression for over 10 million Americans, which is why I'm pleased that the next phase of this Recovery Act -- we are only about halfway through it -- we're entering even at a more rapid rate, we're distributing these dollars even quicker, projects are getting in the ground faster, and we're spending -- and a particular focus on those aspects that have proven successful in creating jobs, putting real paychecks in the pockets of hardworking Americans.

And by design, the items in the act which have the biggest impact are yet to come.  Within the next two weeks to a month, another roughly $13 billion is going to be announced rolling out in terms of both investments in broadband and high-speed rail, and competitive education and infrastructure.  In fact, the money spent on clean water, renewable energy, superfund sites, and much more, is going to more than double -- it's going to more than double in this quarter and will maintain a similar pace for the next two quarters.

So tomorrow, for example, Secretary LaHood -- who is here -- is going to be making an important announcement about the number of high-speed rail manufacturers who are looking to come to the United States, build facilities here, manufacture components here, manufacture train sets here based on our willingness to provide the seed money to invest in high-speed rail.”

What about American companies?  What about hemp & magnetic energy?  We can’t build that? 

“And many more announcements like that are coming in the months ahead.  But we're not just looking to bold new programs.  Many of the upcoming investments are expansions of our most successful programs to date.”

The HEMP FOR VICTORY program was one of the most successful programs ever.

“And that's where you all come in.

At today's job summit, we're all hearing -- we'll be hearing about ideas -- ideas that can do even more than we've done so far.  Some of you will urge us to invest more in infrastructure -- roads, bridges, water projects.  We've seen this investment succeed in creating jobs in the Recovery Act.  And today, we'll hear the case for doing more along those lines.

Others of you today are going to argue that we should invest in green jobs, retrofitting, weatherizing, making homes and offices more energy efficient.  Again, we've seen that these investments can be successful in creating jobs.  And today we'll hear the case for doing more along those lines, I suspect as well.

And still others of you will talk about the need for more incentives for small businesses and our other ideas to help business through tax incentives.  And again, similar investments in the Recovery Act are showing some real promise.  So we should see if there's more we can do in those areas.

Many different participants are going to -- are here, and many different offerings are going to be put forward, many different ideas. 

But in the end, the grist is the same:  take the things that we know work, and make them work better and make them work faster.  And all of this can't be done -- I should put it another way:  None of it can be done without your full buy-in and your leadership in the private sector.

President Obama has focused on this issue with an intensity that it demands, and with an intensity it deserves.  With everything else he has on his plate -- and I've been here for eight Presidents -- I think I can say without fear of contradiction, no President has ever entered office with as many crises sitting on his desk the day he walked into office.  And I've been here for eight Presidents as a United States senator.

But notwithstanding that, his laser focus has been -- and the economic team can tell you, every morning we have the meeting relating to the principles on the economy, the principals in the economic team coming in, it's what we call the Presidential Daily Briefing, is jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs.

And so, folks, we not only want to create jobs, but good jobs, jobs you can raise a family on, jobs that will service a foundation for a new economic future in this country.  And no man is more committed to making that happen than President Barack Obama.

So, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama.  (Applause.)”