Research Briefing

State By State, Unemployment Remains Dismal While Democrats Have Spent Year Pushing Job Killing Policies

NEW STATE UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS JUMPED ACROSS THE COUNTRY

In April Arkansas’s Unemployment Rate Remained At 7.8 Percent. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/10)

In April, California’s Unemployment Rate Remained 12.6 Percent. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/10)

In April, Colorado’s Unemployment Increased From 7.9 Percent To 8 Percent. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/10)

In April, Indiana’s Unemployment Rate Increased From 9.9 Percent To 10 Percent. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/10)

In April, Nevada’s Unemployment Rate Increased From 13.4 Percent To 13.7 Percent. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/10)

In April, Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Remained At 10.6. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/10)

In April, Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Remained At 9 Percent.  (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/10)

EVEN THOUGH DEMS PROMISED JOBS FOCUS, BUT THEY KEEP PUSHING JOB-KILLING LEGISLATION

DECEMBER 3: “House Democrats Will Hinge Their Entire 2010 Legislative Agenda On Creating Jobs And Reducing The Deficit To Avoid Significant Mid-Term Losses.” (Jared Allen, “Hoyer: Dems Need To Focus On Economy To Avoid Mid-Term Losses,” The Hill, 12/3/09)

DECEMBER 23: The White House Pledged “To Make A Very Hard Pivot To Jobs In The Run-Up To The State Of The Union. You’ll See An Intense Focus On The Economy And Jobs From This White House In The Beginning Of 2010.” (Mike Allen, Politico’s “Playbook,” 12/23/09)

But On December 24, Every Senate Democrat Voted For Obama’s Job-Killing Government-Run Health Care Plan. (HR 3590, Roll Call Vote #396: Passed 60-39, R 0-39, D 58-0, I 2-0, 12/24/09)

• California Management Professor: New Health Law Is “Begging Firms Not To Create Jobs.” “Firms are scrambling to find out the implications for their firms so they can begin to make intelligent decisions to prepare for those changes starting next year, she said… Prag said that coming out with health care reform at a time when businesses are trying to gauge the economy is ‘begging firms not to create jobs.’”  (Jim Steinberg, “Rate Hikes Likely With Health Care Reform,” The Redlands Daily Facts, 4/5/10)

JANUARY 13: “House Democrats Turn Focus To Economy.” “House Democrats shift their focus to the economy this week with President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton and Google CEO Eric Schmidt addressing the caucus. The emphasis on job creation comes as the unemployment rate languishes at 10 percent, Obama faces falling poll numbers on his handling of the economy, and Democrats prepare for the 2010 election.” (Walter Alarkon, “House Democrats Turn Focus To Economy,” The Hill, 1/13/10)

JANUARY 27: Obama Used “His First State Of The Union Address To Hit The Issue Of Jobs Hard … A Pivot Point To Show The Country He’s Learned From Mistakes In The First Year.” (Ed Henry, “Analysis: State Of The Union Offers Obama A Pivot Point,” CNN, 1/27/10)

FEBRUARY 23: “Hoyer Said Repeatedly That Democrats Will Spend The Year Placing A ‘Much Greater Focus On Jobs, Economic Growth And Expansion.’ ‘The Focus Will Be On Jobs ... . Jobs Is Our Principal Focus’ Hoyer Said.” (John Shaw, “Health Bill Is A ‘Very Positive Step Forward,’” The Main Wire, 2/23/10)

But In February, Obama Releases Budget That Raises Taxes By $2 Trillion. “President Barack Obama's $3.8 trillion budget for fiscal 2011 raises $2 trillion in taxes, cuts spending on programs with considerable political support and still leaves the nation with $8.5 trillion in additional debt over the next decade.” (Jonathan Weisman, “White House Proposes $3.8 Trillion Budget,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/1/10)

• Including $1.4 Trillion In Taxes On Businesses. “In all, Obama would increase taxes on some businesses … by a total of about $1.4 trillion over the next decade…” (Stephen Ohlemacher, “Obama Budget Would Impose Host Of Tax Increases, The Associated Press, 2/1/10)

But In March, House Democrats Voted For A Job Killing Government-Run Health Care Experiment.  (H.R. 3590, Roll Call Vote #165, Approved 219-212; D 219-34; R 0-178, 3/21/10)

• Sallie Mae “Expects To Cut About One-Third Of Its 8,500 Employees Nationwide.” Because Of ObamaCare “The legislation, which was coupled with health-care reform, prevents Sallie Mae from originating student loans, so the company expects to cut about one-third of its 8,500 employees nationwide. Nearly 1,700 work at the Fishers branch, which is the company’s largest, and more than 700 work in Muncie. Sallie Mae’s next step is to decide which offices to close... Kroehler said the Fishers office will have employee meetings this week to discuss what could happen next.” (Carrie Ritchie, “Reform Of Student Loans Hits Sallie Mae,” The Indianapolis Star, 3/29/10)

APRIL 27: “President Barack Obama Embarks On A Two-Day, Campaign-Style Swing Through The Rural Midwest Today To Talk About The U.S. Economy And Jobs As He Turns Attention To What Will Be A Top Issue In The November Midterm Elections.” (Roger Runningen, “Obama To Focus On Jobs, Rural Economy In Two-Day Midwest Trip,” BusinessWeek, 4/27/10)

But In May, Democratic Senators Introduce Climate Bill. “The leading sponsors of a long-delayed energy and climate change bill said Friday they will press ahead despite losing the support of their only Republican partner... Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass, and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said they plan to introduce a bill on Wednesday. The pair made the announcement just hours after Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said it's impossible to pass the legislation now because of disagreements over offshore drilling and immigration reform.” (Frederic J. Frommer And Matthew Daly, "Kerry, Lieberman press climate bill without Graham," The Associated Press, 5/8/10)

• After House Passed Cap And Trade Bill In June 2009.  “Democrats narrowly passed historic climate and energy legislation Friday evening that would transform the country’s economy and industrial landscape. But the all-hands-on-deck effort to protect politically vulnerable Democrats by corralling the minimum number of votes to pass the bill, 219-212, proves that there are limits to President Barack Obama's ability to use his popularity to push through his legislative agenda.” (Lisa Lerer and Patrick O’Connor, “House Passes Climate-Change Bill,” Politico, 6/28/09)

MAY 18: Dems “Hope” To Finally Get To Jobs Bills. “A year that Democrats decreed would be about ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’ has produced a far different check list as its sixth month nears: health care, financial regulation, energy, a nuclear arms treaty and a Supreme Court vacancy, as well as investigations into a mine accident, a calamitous oil spill, a failed terrorist attack in Times Square and alleged Wall Street fraud… They hope to change that starting this week.” (Jackie Calmes, “Democrats Shifting Focus Back To Jobs Creation,” The New York Times, 5/18/10)