Senate Snapshot: Stimulus Lite
Democrats to America’s 14 Million Unemployed: You’re Fine, We’re Concerned about Government Jobs
MAYBE HE HAS A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF "DOING FINE"
What’s “very clear” is that the Democrats are out of touch with the American people. After nearly three years of failed Democrat policies, including a $1.2 trillion “stimulus,” Cash for Clunkers, Cash for Caulkers, and a government takeover of health care, America’s families are left in record poverty and suffering from record unemployment.
Perhaps Sen. Reid’s thinking is that when top Democrat policymakers back away from their own economic record (here, here, here, and here), then it’s ok to ignore their disastrous effects.
The unemployment rate remains stuck above 9 percent, with 14 million Americans out of work and struggling to pay the mortgage, keep the lights on, and put food on the table. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 46 million Americans, or 15 percent of the population, have received government aid (i.e., food stamps) to buy food this year. According to the Census Bureau, one in six Americans were living in poverty in 2010, more than at any time since the 1950, which could reflect the results of sustained long-term unemployment.
Yesterday’s WSJ editorial pointed out:
Going back to 2008, the Labor Department reported 111.822 million employed private workers at the end of 2008. The number plunged during the recession, and as of September of this year overall private employment had climbed back to 109.349 million. But that's still some 2.5 million fewer jobs than in 2008. If this is doing fine, we'd hate to see Mr. Reid's definition of lousy.
UPDATE AND SUMMARY OF THE DEMOCRATS' NEW STIMULUS PROPOSAL
On Thursday, the Senate defeated by a vote of 50-50 a motion to proceed to consideration of S. 1723, part of President Obama’s second stimulus package. The cloture vote did not receive the 60 votes necessary to advance the bill that would send $35 billion to the states. Three members of the Senate Democratic Caucus — Sens. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) — joined 47 Republicans in the bi-partisan vote against the bill that would provide permanent tax increases in exchange for temporary stimulus measures that have previously failed to spur economic growth in the private sector.
President Obama has proposed consideration of his so-called “American Jobs Act” incrementally, beginning with $35 billion in temporary stimulus spending to supplant local and state funding for education and first responders. Based on the White House summary of the president’s plan, the bill would appropriate $30 billion to provide grants to prevent teacher layoffs. The president’s plan would require participating states to maintain support for early childhood, elementary, and secondary education and public institutions of higher education at the same level of support as the previous fiscal year or higher, effectively prohibiting reforms to state education spending. The bill would also provide $5 billion for competitive grants to states to prevent layoffs and pay for the hiring of law enforcement officers and other first responders. To offset the temporary spending, the proposal would contain a 0.5 percent permanent tax increase on Americans earning $1 million or more annually.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IN THE NEWS
“President Barack Obama and his allies in the Senate promise to press ahead with separate votes on pieces of his failed $447 billion jobs measure despite unanimous opposition from Republicans. But there also are signs of slippage among Democrats and evidence the strategy isn't working with voters.” (ASSOCIATED PRESS, 10/21/2011)
“The measure would have been paid for by a 0.5 percent tax on those making more than $1 million a year. Republicans have argued that the offset would hurt small-business owners, who often report business income and losses on their personal tax returns, as the nation struggles with high unemployment, which was at 9.1 percent in September.” (ROLL CALL, 10/21/2011)
“In their first attempt to advance individual pieces of the president’s sprawling American Jobs Act, Democrats fell short of the 60 votes needed to move forward a $35 billion package for states and localities to hire and prevent the layoffs of teachers and first responders.” (POLITICO, 10/21/2011)
“After halting President Obama’s entire $447 billion jobs-stimulus bill last week, the Senate blocked a $35 billion slice of the package in a late-night filibuster vote Thursday that highlighted the lingering questions among both parties over the White House’s plans.” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 10/21/2011)
REPUBLICAN SOLUTION
The House Republican Plan for America’s Job Creators is focused on removing government obstacles to long-term economic growth—the kind of reforms needed to end the uncertainty facing small businesses and help create new private-sector jobs. Learn more about the GOP plan and track the progress of House-passed jobs bills, at jobs.GOP.gov.
For additional information, contact:
The House Republican Conference Policy Office
