*American Jobs Act

Last night's vote demonstrated once again that Republicans in Congress are more concerned with positioning for the next election than doing what's necessary to help get Americans back to work. The bill blocked by Senate Republicans would have kept thousands of teachers in the classroom and thousands of first responders at the ready in communities across the country. Over and over, Republicans seem intent on torpedoing any proposal by the President and Democrats, even if it contains bipartisan ideas and would benefit those who are desperately seeking jobs. It is long past time for them to work together with Democrats to pass job-creating legislation like the one they blocked last night. I strongly urge Republican Leader McConnell to reconsider and allow the Senate to move forward with this and other measures to create jobs now.

While Democrats are out on the stump with our plans to create jobs, Majority Leader Cantor is simply stumped when asked how many jobs would be created by GOP proposals.

National Journal: Cantor Stumped on GOP Job Plan

Looks like Republicans are having a hard time selling their “more-of-the-same” agenda that won’t create jobs or help our economy anytime soon.

From Roll Call:

Another day, another poll showing the majority of Americans support the American Jobs Act and agree with Democrats that all Americans should contribute their fair share to help create jobs.

From MSNBC’s First Read:

The American people are demanding action on jobs now. The President has sent a bill to Congress that economists say would help boost our economy and create as many as 1.9 million jobs. House Democrats have proposed our own plan, Make It In America, which overlaps with the President’s bill and makes similar investments in innovation, education, and infrastructure to create jobs and increase competitiveness. These plans draw on the best ideas from both parties. While Democrats have two good plans, Republicans have yet to introduce one of their own. Today’s vote in the Senate further demonstrates that Republicans are pursuing an agenda that is inconsistent with the best interests of our country. Instead of working with Democrats to create jobs, they refuse to even consider a jobs plan. Instead of allowing the bill to come to the floor so they could debate and amend the parts of it with which they disagree, Republicans have once again simply said ‘no.’ It is long past time that Republicans get serious about unemployment and adopt the type of jobs plan the American people have been asking for.

This week, House Republicans are bringing two partisan bills to the Floor that don’t create jobs, and instead are focused on advancing their ideological agenda. And according to economists, GOP economic proposals like rolling back regulations won’t help our economy in the near-term or create jobs.

Economists have taken a look at GOP policies, and the news isn’t good for our friends across the aisle – the verdict is they won’t help our economy anytime soon:

“I don't think [GOP proposals] mean much for the economy, though, in the near term, not certainly for the next 6, 12, 18 months. And I think that's where I'm most concerned and focused.” [Mark Zandi, Daily Rundown, 10/7/11]

Today’s report is a further reminder that Congress needs to act now on jobs. While the number of private sector jobs rose by 137,000 in September, and we have had 19 straight months of growth in the private sector, this is not nearly enough for the millions of American still without work and worried about making ends meet for their families. We still have much work left to do.