The latest jobs report out today indicates that employment has stalled, with unemployment stuck at 9.1 percent, proving yet again that the GOP tea party’s obstructionism on the economy is paying off. And since their endgame is to saddle the White House with responsibility for the poor growth their own obstructionism creates, their leader, Speaker John Boehner, was quick to blame the president for the weak numbers.
Steve Benen at Washington Monthly has nailed Speaker Boehner and his tea party bosses for first claiming credit for a good jobs report in the early spring, but now trying to blame the White House for the stalled growth ever since.
But if Republicans demanded credit for the job totals in the spring, these same Republicans are desperate to avoid blame for job totals in the summer. It’s a nice little scam Republicans have put together: when more jobs are being created, it’s proof they’re right; when fewer jobs are being created, it’s proof Democrats are wrong.
Heads they win; tails Obama loses.
Benen put together the two charts shown to the right, along with this commentary:
[Chart 1 shows] private-sector job creation in the latter half of 2010, when stimulus money was still being spent, and when Democrats enjoyed the congressional majority.
[Chart 2 shows] private-sector job creation so far in 2011, after stimulus spending largely ended, Republicans took control of the U.S. House and most of the nation’s gubernatorial offices, and the national discourse pivoted from jobs to the deficit and debt…
The “threat of higher taxes” existed last year, as did Democratic regulatory enforcement, and a large deficit. And yet, job growth improved. Then Republicans took office.
I can appreciate why the GOP wouldn’t want the blame, even though it’s conservative policies standing in the way of improving the economy. But if Republicans want to claim credit for the job market in April, they should expect responsibility for the same job market in September.
Great article, thanks.
They always want it both ways. Most intelligent people realize what the Repubicans’s game is.
I believe the Republicans have submitted several jobs to the Senate, none of have been approved, most have not even received a vote, thanks to Harry Reid. Thus I submit the American Public will see the Democrats for what they are: Do Nothings and incompetent.
If you really believe that Muhayerboy, you are wrong. The tea-bagger controlled House has not debated, much less passed, a bill designed specifically to create jobs. Remember that, despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, Republicans believe that the government can’t create jobs. The evidence mountain includes Halliburton; Blackwater/Xe; Lockheed-Martin; the military; federal, state and local transportation departments; every school district; every fire department; and every law enforcement agency in the country. All of these government entities and thousands more create jobs, as defined by taxpayer money being used to pay salaries.
Regular Americans fully understand what is really going on here. Because of their blinding hatred of Barack Obama. Republicans are doing whatever they can to slow economic growth for the sole purpose of getting Mitt Romney, an unprincipled opportunist, elected president next year.