Press Staff Blog
Republicans may want to think twice before printing out their pocket card. Yet another look by economists at Republicans’ partisan agenda shows that House Republican's Forgettable Fifteen bills to roll back consumer and environmental protections – most of which don’t even exist yet - won’t help put more Americans back to work or boost our economy:
As the Senate prepares to take action on infrastructure proposals from the American Jobs Act next week, we wanted to be sure you saw comments from Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the need for investments in infrastructure:
Donohue: “Well, first, we're in agreement of the need to bring along a major improvement in our infrastructure. Second, we understand that a lot of jobs can be created in the transportation and the energy side and the aviation and the water side.”
An op-ed in today’s WSJ by National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling draws a stark contrast between the American Jobs Act and Republicans’ “more-of-the-same” partisan ideas that won’t help our economy.
The American Jobs Act will grow our economy and help put more Americans back to work now:
There they go again, saying they’re for job creation and then voting in lockstep against even bringing jobs legislation to the Floor for a vote. With the Senate out next week, Republicans have once again left town after obstructing any efforts to create jobs or help our economy while insisting on ideological proposals that nonpartisan experts believe could harm the economy. Here’s a great rundown from TNR’s Jonathan Cohn on what happened in the Senate last night:
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
“But Cantor could not answer host Chris Wallace when asked whether outside economists had reviewed Republican proposals and predicted the number of jobs they would create.”
GOP quote of the day goes to House Armed Services Committee Chairman McKeon:
"We're going to have to stop repeating ideological talking points and address our budget problems comprehensively, through smarter spending and increased revenue.”
We couldn’t agree more. We hope his Republican colleagues will listen and work with Democrats on a balanced package, that includes both spending cuts and revenue, so we can reduce the deficit, create jobs, strengthen entitlements and ensure all Americans pay their fair share.
Stop us if you have heard this one before: Instead of bringing a jobs bill to the floor, today House Republicans are bringing up a draconian abortion bill that puts women's health at risk. The bill would limit how women with private insurance can spend their own private dollars in purchasing health insurance and is a solution to a problem that does not exist.
After blocking the American Jobs Act this week, Senate Republicans are clearly feeling the heat that they don’t have a jobs plan. Unfortunately for them, the “agenda” they’re rolling out is just more of the same partisan ideas that won’t create jobs or grow our economy anytime soon.
Wanted to be sure you saw this Washington Post article on a CRS report that found a quarter of millionaires in the U.S. pay taxes at a lower rate than middle class families.
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.