Bloomberg warns high unemployment rate could lead to widespread rioting

REUTERS

Mayor Bloomberg

Soon many could be feeling the physical pain of the bad economy.
Sounding alarm bells about the nation's high unemployment rate, Mayor Bloomberg warned this morning that there could be widespread mayhem in the streets if Washington lawmakers don't start creating jobs for millions of Americans who are out of work.
"We have a lot of kids graduating college, can't find jobs," Bloomberg said on his weekly WOR radio show. "That's what happened in Cairo. That's what happened in Madrid. You don't want those kinds of riots here."
Bloomberg also said the damage may be done -- especially to recent college grads -- as the nation's unemployment rate hovers around 9 percent.
"The damage to a generation that can't find jobs will go on for many, many years," Bloomberg said.
Despite that, the mayor gave Obama praise for coming up with a jobs bill.
"At least he's got some ideas on the table, whether you like those or not," he said.
The $447 billion jobs plan is crucial if Obama wants to revive his sagging poll numbers as he sets off on his 2012 reelection bid.
Obama had hoped his massive $800 billion stimulus plan -- aimed at creating jobs -- would help unemployment fall below 8 percent.
A poll out earlier this week showed that Americans are skeptical of Obama's latest efforts.
The poll showed a majority of Americans don’t believe Obama’s jobs plan will make a dent in the unemployment rate. Overall, 51 percent of respondents don’t think the plan will reduce the rate, while only 40 percent thought it would.
Voters overall disapprove of Obama’s handling of the economy by 62-33.
Individual elements of Obama’s jobs plan get big majorities of support -- indicating the flaw might be in Obama and the way he’s trying to sell the plan.
According to another poll by CNN/ORC, the payroll-tax cut the president proposed gets 65 percent support, aid to states gets 74 percent and funds for school construction get 64 percent.