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Why Do We Need A “Jobs Summit” If Reid’s So-Called “Stimulus” Is Working?
Thu Dec 03 — 7:04pm
As the White House hosts its "jobs summit" today and discussions heat up surrounding a potential second stimulus bill, Democrats appear to have conceded that their $787 billion "stimulus" debacle has failed at providing the much-needed economic recovery that President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) promised when they rammed the bill through Congress in February 2009.According to the Wall Street Journal today, "House and Senate leaders plan to craft major jobs packages by year's end, as they respond to intensifying pressure to show they are doing more to ease unemployment... With joblessness at 10.2%, lawmakers are anxious about a possible voter revolt."
However, in October 2009 Reid vehemently defended the $787 billion bill and claimed that "the stimulus has rescued the world economy from the brink of a depression," according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. Reid went so far as to pat himself on the back and take credit for the legislation, boasting that "we’ve done a pretty good job... there’s no question our hard work is paying off.’"
Contrary to Reid’s self aggrandizing rhetoric, more than 3 million Americans have lost their jobs this year alone and the nation’s unemployment rate skyrocketed to 10.2 percent in October 2009. Now Reid and the Democrats are attempting to rush another massive $2.5 trillion government-run health care plan through Congress, paid for by families, seniors, and small businesses in Nevada.
"Evidently Reid’s constituents don’t agree that he’s ‘done a pretty good job,’ considering he’s one of the most vulnerable incumbent Senators facing re-election next year. Instead of staging summits and photo-ops to disguise the fact that the first stimulus failed, Reid should explain to his constituents why the Democrats need a ‘jobs summit’ if his so-called "hard work is paying off?" asked National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Brian Walsh.
"As Nevada and the nation face excruciatingly high unemployment rates, Reid and the Democrats should immediately reject the notion of a second stimulus and go back to the drawing board with Republicans to drive down the costs in their massive government health care takeover," Walsh continued. "There’s no doubt that Reid will be held accountable for his reckless out-of-control spending agenda next November."
The White House excluded the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) from the White House job summit guest list, despite the fact that they "represent many of the country's largest employers," according to the Washington Post.
The Post reported today that these groups were excluded as a result of their opposition to Obama’s massive government health care takeover and their support of free trade agreements, which labor unions in attendance at the job summit oppose.
Background Information:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "Said The Stimulus Has Rescued The World Economy From The Brink Of A Depression," And Said, "There’s No Question Our Hard Work Is Paying Off." "Vice President Joe Biden returned to Nevada on Friday in an attempt to convince voters in one of the nation’s most economically hard-hit states that the $787 billion stimulus is working and to re-elect the man who helped push it through Congress, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev... While introducing Biden to the friendly crowd, Reid said the stimulus has rescued the world economy from the brink of a depression. ‘We’ve done a pretty good job,’ he said. ‘The ditch is not as deep as it was. There’s no question our hard work is paying off.’" (Anjeanette Damon, "Stimulus Is Working, Vice President Joe Biden Tells Reno Crowd," Reno Gazette-Journal, 10/16/09)
Ignoring California’s Economic Woes, Boxer Continues Pushing New Costly Health Care Entitlements
Thu Dec 03 — 5:07pm
As U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) continues pushing for a massive government health care takeover, California officials are expressing concerns about the increased costs that this legislation would impose on the state’s already-struggling economy - a fact routinely ignored by Boxer in her rush to pass unfunded government entitlements.Yesterday, the California Medical Association - the state’s largest doctors group - announced its opposition to the Democrats’ health care bill, saying "it would increase local health care costs and restrict access to care for elderly and low-income patients."
According to a recent report in the Washington Post, the unfunded mandates contained in the Democrats’ health care bill have been estimated to cost California approximately $8 billion annually. In October 2009, Kim Belshé, California’s secretary of health and human services, flatly stated her state could not afford the "hundreds of millions, if not billions, in new costs on the state."
Yet, despite her state’s incredible economic woes - California’s unemployment rate recently reached its highest point since World War II - Boxer continues advocating a massive new government entitlement.
"In her rush to pass a massive $2.5 trillion government health care bill, Barbara Boxer has ignored the grim economic reality in her state," said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand. "Given her inaction on the most pressing concern facing California voters, it’s no wonder Boxer’s popularity lags so far behind Dianne Feinstein’s."
Just last night in an interview on MSNBC, Boxer bragged about the expansion of government-run health programs, telling Ed Schultz: "We expand a government-run program called Medicaid and we take millions and millions of more people into that government-run plan. I have to check my facts, but I do think it`s another 30 million... We save another government-run plan, Medicare, by cutting out the waste, fraud and abuse and extending its life. We help another government-run plan, the prescription drug plan, by filling in that donut hole and helping people."
In light of the the potential dangers of the increased costs for individual state governments, governors across the country have expressed their concerns about the legislation.
Yesterday, Delaware Democrat Governor Jack Markell - incoming chairman of the Democratic Governors Association - added his voice to the growing chorus, saying "all governors are certainly concerned about what the potential impact is of some of these bills," and also adding that the government should instead focus "really significantly on the state level on jobs and on the economic climate overall."
Castle's Strong Cross Over Support
Thu Dec 03 — 4:44pm
PPP
We're releasing our Delaware poll tomorrow and as was the case in the spring Mike Castle is doing well.
Obviously for a Republican to win statewide in a place like Delaware it requires winning a lot of crossover support and Castle is more well equipped to do that at this point than any other Senate candidate in the country for 2010. He's winning 20% of the vote from people who approve of the job Barack Obama is doing.
McCain "Robocalls" Coming to State
Thu Dec 03 — 4:37pm
Omaha World-Herald
John McCain's voice may be coming soon to a Nebraska telephone near you.
A national Republican committee is paying for a round of automated calls into Nebraska this week that will feature a message from the former Republican presidential contender. In the call, McCain will urge Nebraskans to oppose health-care legislation.
The "robocalls" are being funded by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and are being made in Colorado, Arkansas and Nebraska. In addition, live calls will be made in North Dakota, where automated calls are prohibited.
The calls are being made statewide and targeting independent voters, according to Amber Wilkerson Marchand, a spokeswoman for the NRSC.
Sen. McCain on Health Care
Thu Dec 03 — 3:52pm
The Omaha World-Herald writes on John McCain’s robocalls urging Ben Nelson to stand strong against the Democrats’ government-run health care plan.While the New York Times picks up Sen. McCain blasting Harry Reid’s hypocrisy regarding Medicare payments. Mr. McCain, told of Mr. Reid’s comments, was incensed. "Is this the same Senator Reid that said the last time we tried to reduce Medicare payments that he called it ‘immoral?’ Is that the same one?" he asked, his face reddening. I have protected seniors in my state for a long, long time. And it’s too bad that Senator Reid has chosen to seek draconian cuts that will affect the senior citizens’ ability to have the care that they paid for. That’s what his bill is about - $483 billion of draconian cuts. There is no one that believes you can make those kinds of reductions without rationing health care to our seniors and they have figured it out."
Sen. McCain also has an op-ed in USA Today outlining how the Democrats' proposed cuts to Medicare would impact seniors' access to quality care.
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