The Bush-McCain-Wolf Economy Continues to Bleed

If you like this, I guess Frank Wolf's your man!

The American economy lost 159,000 jobs in September, the worst month of retrenchment in five years, the government reported on Friday, enhancing fears that an already pronounced downturn had entered a more painful stage that could last well into next year.

Employment has diminished for nine consecutive months, resulting in the elimination of 760,000 jobs, according to the Labor Department report. Most of that occurred before the trauma of recent weeks, when a string of prominent Wall Street institutions nearly collapsed, prompting the government to propose a $700 billion rescue package.

Yeah, Republican economics is really doing wonders for America. Not. The point here, by the way, is not that this dismal situation is all Frank Wolf's fault, or John McCain's fault, or even George W. Bush's fault. The point is that all of those guys have bought into a bankrupt - literally and figuratively - economic philosophy of huge deficits (budget and trade), lax oversight, deregulation, favors to the richest Americans, "trickle down," etc. - that have gotten us into this mess. That's exactly why we need a fundamental change, and that's exactly why Frank Wolf should be replaced by Judy Feder on November 4.

"Americans United for Change" Blasts Wolf

As usual with Frank Wolf, you can count on his priorities being completely backwards. In this case, he cares more about millionaires than about extending unemployment insurance struggling in the Bush economy. Great stuff, huh?

Americans United for Change, as Part of its Bush Legacy Project, Blasts Reps. Drake, Wolf for Voting Against Extending Unemployment Benefits to Over 55,000 Virginia Workers Struggling in Bush Economy

Drake, Wolf Continue to Contribute to Failed Bush Legacy on the Economy

Washington D.C. – In the face of four consecutive months of negative job growth under the Bush economy totaling 260,000 lost jobs since the beginning of the year, Americans United for Change, the non-profit progressive issue advocacy group which recently launched its Bush Legacy Project, sharply rebuked U.S. Reps. Thelma Drake and Frank Wolf for voting against meaningful legislation to extend unemployment benefits to thousands of Virginia families in need. The goal of the Bush Legacy Project is to cement into history how two terms of failed conservative policies – supported by Bush and his allies in Congress including Sen. John McCain and Reps. Drake and Wolf - have weakened America’s security abroad while neglecting and undermining important priorities here at home.

With no help from Reps. Drake, Wolf -- the U.S. House passed an amendment to an Iraq/Afghanistan/Domestic priories supplemental appropriations bill last week that would provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state to workers exhausting the 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits – legislation that would extend benefits for 55,036 Virginia workers, according to the National Employment Law Project. In states with higher levels of unemployment, an additional 13 weeks would be available, for a total of 26 weeks of extended benefits.

“Voting to extend unemployment benefits to over 55,000 Virginia workers is the very least Reps. Drake and Wolf could have done after voting time and again to enable President Bush’s failed policies that have contributed to and even exasperated the economic downturn,” said Jeremy Funk, spokesman for Americans United for Change. “Ignoring these workers’ struggle, as Reps. Drake and Wolf clearly want to do, won’t make it go away. For four consecutive months, the U.S. economy has lost jobs. In total, 260,000 jobs have disappeared. Furthermore, there are 800,000 additional Americans looking for work than a year ago. The number of long-term unemployed – 1.35 million workers – is higher now than when Congress last extended unemployment benefits in 2002.”

“But Rep. Drake and Wolf think that more Bush tax cuts for millionaires is the only prescription for the ailing economy – tax cuts that never manage to ‘trickle-down’ to the people who really need it,” added Funk. “But, in fact, extending unemployment benefits is one of the most cost-effective and fastest-acting ways to help stimulate an economic recovery because the money is spent quickly; every $1 spent generates $1.73 in new economic demand, according to the Congressional Budget Office. How many more Virginia workers have to lose their jobs before Rep. Drake and Wolf realize that their ‘trickle-down,’ ‘Voo-doo’ economic policies never fail to fail? It’s time they get their priorities straight, stop contributing to Bush’s failed economic legacy, and instead focus on serious solutions for stimulating this worsening economy.”