Why is an infrastructure bank key to creating jobs?
It will put people back to work on roads and railways with good middle-class jobs. A large number of individuals would benefit: construction workers, engineers, architects, accountants.
How would extending a payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance benefits help job creation?
These programs work. Jobs started coming back shortly after December, when the agreement [on the payroll tax cut] was made.
Should undocumented immigrants be able to work in the U.S.?
There should be a path to citizenship. If we could get these individuals accounted for, they could pay taxes, learn English – potentially we’d see a dramatic increase in revenue.
States like Wisconsin and Ohio trying to limit workers’ collective bargaining rights. Your view?
A lot of states are in the red. The unions have given up a lot in recent years. Both sides should meet face to face, and decide what’s best for the public.
Have you seen all along this was going to be a slow-paced recovery?
I’m cautious. It’s a tough recession and recovery. But we’ve added 2.4M private-sector jobs. When the President started we had already lost close to 4 million.