Sky High Unemployment Numbers Further Proof for Larsen that More Failed Stimulus Is Not the Answer

For Immediate Release:  September 2, 2011

NRCC Communications Office - (202) 479-7070  Contact:  Paul Lindsay, CommunicationsDirector

Democrats Prepare to Unveil More Failed Stimulus Spending as the Bad Economy Continues to Get Worse and Americans Ask: ‘Where Are the Jobs?’

Washington --- With August unemployment at 9.1 percent nationally, it is rather stunning that Washington Democrat Rick Larsen's party leaders in D.C. are preparing to unveil even more failed stimulus spending to follow up the disastrous $800 billion effort. Instead of recognizing the necessity for pro-growth policies to grow the private sector, Larsen and his fellow D.C. Democrats seem poised to double down further on their failed policies which have seen a bad economy become worse.

“Rick Larsen and his Democrat leaders in D.C. continue to demonstrate how radically out of touch they are with middle-class families in Washington by insisting their failed policies worked,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “The last thing American families facing 9.1 percent unemployment want is more of the failed policies that Larsen and his D.C. colleagues have pursued in the midst of this dire economic situation.”

National unemployment in August remained sky high at 9.1 percent. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/2/11)

This explains why disapproval of the Democrats’ handling of the economy is at all-time highs:

“Disapproval of President Obama's handling of the economy and unemployment is at an all-time high heading into his highly-anticipated speech on his jobs plan next week.

“A CNN/ORC poll released Thursday found deep dissatisfaction with the president's management of the economy; 65 percent of Americans said they disapprove of the way Obama is handling the economy, the highest level of disapproval the president has faced on that question in this poll.” (Michael O’Brien, “Obama faces lowest numbers on economy,” The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room Blog, 9/1/11)

However, instead of changing course, the Democrats in D.C. are simply doubling down on their old plans with some careful rebranding, like not mentioning the “s word”:

“With President Obama set to unveil his plan for job creation at a Joint Session of Congress next week, a former White House economic adviser said today that economic ‘stimulus’ will be part of the package – but won’t be labeled as such.

“‘You won’t hear the word ‘stimulus’ — the ‘s word’ — because that just is politically unappealing right now,’ Jared Bernstein, who left his post as Vice President Joe Biden’s top economist in June, told us on ABC’s ‘Top Line’ today.” (Rick Klein, “Obama to Seek Stimulus Funds – But ‘You Won’t Hear the S Word,’” ABC News’ The Note Blog, 8/31/11)

With unemployment at 9.1 percent in August, Americans want D.C. Democrats like Rick Larsen to recognize a new course is needed to create jobs and provide economic relief. However, instead it seems that Larsen and his Democrat leaders will simply double down on the failed policies that they claim worked so well.