What's the Difference Besides Party Affiliation

The following was released by Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi:

Pelosi: Where Are the Jobs, Mr. President?

August 1, 2003

Washington, D.C. -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' announcement that 470,000 people abandoned their job searches in July and that 3.2 million private sector jobs have been lost since President Bush took office:

“The fact is that President Bush’s misguided economic policies have failed to create jobs. Since President Bush took office, the country has lost 3.2 million jobs, the worst record since President Hoover. And today we learned that in July nearly half a million people gave up looking for a job.

“Job losses are taking a real toll on the financial security of American families. While Democrats are fighting for opportunity, jobs, and economic security for working families, Republicans continue to focus on helping those who need help the least.

“According to today’s survey, while the national unemployment rate dropped slightly, it still stands at a near record high. In addition, the unemployment rate for African Americans was still over 11 percent in July, and the unemployment rate for Hispanics was 8.2 percent in July.

“It is time for President Bush and the Republicans to get to work for all Americans, not just the elite few.”

If this was such a supposed outrage during the Bush administration when the unemployment rate was 6.1%, Nancy Pelosi should be apoplectic with the current 9.7% unemployment.

For those interested, this represents a 59% increase in unemployment in 6 1/2 years. In January 2009, the last actual month of the Bush administration, unemployment rose to 7.2%. October 2008, the last month reported prior to the Democrats taking over the White House, Senate and Congress, the unemployment rate was 6.5%.

In September 2008, I had a good job making a great annual income. In October 2008 it became clear who would be elected president. Business owners and corporate CEOs became nervous, halting all capital expansion and hiring while "waiting to see" what would happen. As the president-elect had promised "change" in the form of higher taxes and wealth redistribution, businesses began layoffs to protect income and operating capital for 2009. Just one day prior to the inauguration of President Obama, I was laid-off. I took 10-months for me to find new employment. When I did, it was 1/3 of my previous salary and bonuses. Every company I had directed marketing, sales, or both previously had experienced an increase in annual income -- yet I couldn't find employment. Positions that previously would have received a dozen resumes now had stacks 2 - 3 inches thick.

Mind you, I love my new job. The people are great and I'm representing a product for which I am quite proud. But I do it knowing that I'll get 10 calls a day from creditors whom I can no longer pay. I pay my mortgage, but only because they have modified my rate. I keep up the payments to the credit union on the things I can't sell, and try to keep current on utilities. The Goldwing has been sold, Katrin's truck, the ATV rack, and guns. We seldom go out to dinner and the last movie we saw was Avatar, and some dear friends picked up the tab for that adventure.

This is the result of "Hope and Change". Nancy Pelosi was quite eager to point the finger at Republicans in 2003, saying, "It is time for President Bush and the Republicans to get to work for all Americans, not just the elite few." This was 23 months following the single deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil. One that simply snuffed some companies out of business with the crumbling of the Towers. Others simply died a slow death due to the grinding halt of the U.S. economy following 9/11.

Now the Democrats have been in charge for over a year, and we have an unemployment rate 59% higher than President Bush and a Democrat-controlled Congress. There have been no terror attacks or significant external pressures upon the U.S. economy. There are troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, but history tells us that this should spur on the economy and put people to work manufacturing guns, ammunition, supplies, vehicles, and offensive and defensive weapon systems.

What we have seen is a tripling of the national debt by the Obama administration. They have poured 87 billion dollars into AIG, taken over GM, and sold off Chrysler to Fiat. In doing so, they arbitrarily mandated the cancelling of dealership agreements. Instead of allowing the free market to decide which dealers would remain in business, they dictated which would be closed. This cost tens of thousands of jobs. From service technicians (mechanics) to sales people and administration, suddenly they joined the ranks of the unemployed.

So when you hear the pundits claim the Obama administration has saved or created millions of joins, remember the unemployment rate has significantly increased under the current administration. Regardless of the 1984-styled double-speak, that means more American's are unemployed (statistically) than any other time in our Nation's history with the exception of the Great Depression of the 1930's.

Remember this when you vote in November. It may seem way off in the future, but it's not. In the next 8 months you will be told how great things are getting. The media will continue to quote "experts" who will say the recession is over. Well, it ain't. Since the Democrats will not hold President Obama responsible for putting 8,700,000 Americans out of work, then we need to hold them responsible. Real change will only come when we vote for new Congressmen and Senators.