Why Aren't White House, Target Dems Focusing on Jobs?
FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: John Adler (NJ-03); Gerry Connolly (VA-11); Gabby Giffords (AZ-08); Alan Grayson (FL-08); Debbie Halvorson (IL-11); Jim Himes (CT-04); Larry Kissell (NC-08); Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24); Michael McMahon (NY-13); Scott Murphy (NY-20); Glenn Nye (VA-02); and Tom Perriello (VA-05).
Why Aren’t White House, Himes Focusing on Jobs?
With Vice President Biden Keeping a Busy Campaign Schedule for Jim Himes, Connecticut Families Continue to Face a Jobless Recovery
Washington- With the nation facing a 9.8% unemployment rate and the largest deficit seen since 1945, Connecticut voters expect the White House and Congress to be focusing on restoring jobs rather than throwing high-dollar fundraisers to line campaign coffers for partisan Democrats like Jim Himes. But instead, Vice President Joe Biden has been on the campaign trail helping his “old friends” and filling Himes’ campaign account.
“All told, Biden will have hosted at least 48 events in at least 22 states and Washington between March, when he headlined an event in Little Rock, Ark., for Sen. Blanche Lincoln, and Nov. 21, when he speaks at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Jefferson Jackson dinner. He’s fundraising for party campaign committees as well as for individuals at the direction of the White House and at the request of old friends.
“This week alone, he has held events for Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes in Greenwich, Conn., New Hampshire Rep. Paul Hodes in New York, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine in Atlantic City and North Carolina Rep. Larry Kissell in Washington. He’s in Virginia on Thursday for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds.” (Liz Sidoti, “VP Joe Biden, Obama’s trusted political workhorse,” The Associated Press, 10/08/2009)
“As the economy continues to bleed jobs, Connecticut families deserve more than an ongoing fundraising effort to line Jim Himes’ campaign coffers,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “If Vice President Biden focused as much attention on restoring jobs as he does on raising campaign cash for the likes of Himes, perhaps American families wouldn’t be nearly as disaffected with his party’s failed economic agenda. For 21 consecutive months, Connecticut families have dealt with a jobless recovery and are once again forced to ask: Where are the jobs?”
Somehow a bleak economy and a budget-busting deficit isn’t enough for Biden to admit his failed stimulus isn’t working:
“Vice President Joe Biden delivered a rousing review of the government’s economic stimulus plan in a conversation with the nation’s governors. ‘In my wildest dreams, I never thought it would work this well,’ he said. ‘Thank you, thank you.’” (Elizabeth Williamson, “Biden on Stimulus: ‘Never Thought It Would Work This Well’,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/24/2009)
BACKGROUND:
For the 21st Consecutive Month Americans Face a Jobless Recovery: “Employers cut more jobs than forecast last month and the unemployment rate rose to a 26-year high, calling into question the sustainability of the economic recovery. The unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent, the highest since 1983, from 9.7 percent in August, the Labor Department said today in Washington. Payrolls fell by 263,000, following a revised 201,000 decline the prior month that was more/less than previously reported.” (Bob Willis, “U.S. Employers Cut More Jobs Than Forecast; Unemployment Rises,” Bloomberg, 10/02/2009)
Federal Deficit Reaches the Highest Point Since 1945: “The U.S. government ended its 2009 fiscal year with a deficit of $1.4 trillion, the biggest since 1945, the Congressional Budget Office reported. The deficit amounted to 9.9 percent of the nation’s economy, triple the size of the shortfall for 2008. The nonpartisan CBO said yesterday the government was squeezed on both sides of the budget ledger in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. Tax revenue fell by $420 billion, or 17 percent, to the lowest level in more than 50 years.” (Brian Faler and Julianna Goldman, “U.S. Deficit for 2009 Totals $1.4 Trillion, Budget Office Says,” Bloomberg, 10/8/09)
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