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After another underwhelming jobs report was released this morning, it hardly came as a surprise when House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) issued a statement trying to exploit the totals for partisan gain. But a closer look at his office's spin reveals a broader problem for the Republican leader.
"Today's report is more evidence President Obama's policies aren't working for families and small businesses, and aren't creating enough jobs to get our economy back on track.... [T}hose looking for work can't find it because ObamaCare, our spending-driven debt, and the threat of tax hikes are making it harder for small businesses to hire. Nearly half of college graduates are unemployed or underemployed in President Obama's economy.
"But rather than address these challenges, President Obama has wasted time trying to distract the American people.... President Obama has shown what doesn't work; now it's time to try something we know will: getting the government out of the way of families and small businesses."
Boehner has routinely struggled to understand the basics of economics and current events, so his press release isn't exactly shocking, but it's worth appreciating how painfully wrong he is.
For one thing, Republicans have argued -- last year and this year -- that GOP measures have improved the economy, and that credit for recent improvements should go to them, not the president. But the logic on display is incoherent: for Boehner and his caucus, when there's discouraging economic news, Obama deserves all the blame. When there's good economic news, Obama deserves none of the credit. Job losses in 2010 were Obama's fault; job gains in early 2011 and 2012 have nothing do to with Obama; and tepid growth in the spring of 2012 are back to being Obama's fault again.
Remember learning the "heads I win, tails you lose" game as a kid? Boehner's argument is a lot like that.
For that matter, the Speaker's larger economic illiteracy is unnerving. He thinks a law that hasn't been fully implemented and tax measures that may not take effect are holding back job growth? Is there any universe in which that makes sense? Of course not.
But perhaps the most important argument of all is the notion that the president has chosen not to "address these challenges." This is wrong in important ways.
Boehner may not remember September -- it was eight whole months ago -- but Obama presented an agenda to a joint session of Congress called the American Jobs Act. It was filled with popular job-creation ideas; it was fully paid for; and independent analysis found it would create over a million U.S. jobs in 2012.
In the Senate, Republicans killed the proposal with filibusters, and in the House, Republicans wouldn't even bring the American Jobs Act to the floor. The GOP alternative? Boehner talked up a few small-bore ideas, but refused to subject them to independent analysis, because he knew what we all knew -- the Republican measures would have created a small fraction of the jobs Obama's plan would have created.
The fight from the fall is relevant because we now know, with the benefit of hindsight, that Obama was right and Boehner was wrong -- again. The job market is still improving at a glacial pace, but if congressional Republicans hadn't deliberately killed a credible and serious jobs plan in September, we'd be vastly better off right now.
Thinking about all the jobs that would have been created this year, but won't because of Republican intransigence, it's enough to make a grown man cry.
Instead of acknowledging that Republicans screwed up yet another opportunity to improve the economy, Boehner prefers to pretend it didn't happen at all -- and he's hoping Americans' memories are too short to tell the difference.
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I didn't even read Boehner or Romney's statement about the jobs numbers. I knew it'd be a lot of blah, blah, blah.
Actual Boehner quote from 4/26/2012:
"Blah blah blah blah blah, alright, so?"
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/26/11412649-quote-of-the-day?lite
Every time Boehner speaks lies spew forth. Only the republican party would cheer lack of job growth. What despicable men and women they are.
Me thinks that is more like Boehner's policies aren't working. Boehner-Ryan-Cantor are the problem.
That is rights. Where are the jobs the Boehner crowd promised during the 2010 campaign? They better start because smart voters will vote them out. President Obama needs a congress that will pass his proposals. It is amazing that even with a saboteur congress he has managed to put the economy and Job growth in the positive side of the graph. We were so much into the negative that it took three years to put in positive.
Boehner may be right betting on the lack of long term memory among the voters.
And the Republican jobs plan was what? I can't seem to remember it.
It was "repeal Obamacare, cut taxes, eliminate the EPA, and deregulate everything."
"Now it's time to get government out of the way of families and small businesses". The only consistent GOP legislation proposed obviously gets in the way of families unless women do not count when talking about families. Weasel or liar, neither is a bargain for America.
Steve, every day you make countless salient points about key issues that informed voters should know about. But within this blog, and even with Rachel on the air, you're mostly preaching to the choir.
How can we get these observations, arguments, and points out into the mainstream so that more moderates, independents, and yes even some Republicans can be better informed? After all, it is these folks who will decide November's results.
Hopefully OFA and the DNCC are working with you or at least paying attention in order to use these points in their ads, etc.
Just Say It: Boehner, Romney, and Republicans rely on STUPID PEOPLE. The people who vote for these liars are voters/sheeple who want to be lied to, who would never attempt to check the facts in places other than in the 'bubble' of the Right Wing. They've been indoctrinated into believing only Right Wing media outlets like Fox who are PROVEN liars every week (I'm not just accusing them, I can prove it), despite the proof otherwise.
Look at Romney and how much he lies in a given week (see Benen's Mitt's Mendacity every week). Do they care? NO!! Because these aren't just STUPID PEOPLE who vote "R" (whether it's bad for America or not) every election but they make excuses for liars and people who have proven to be incompetent and who create huge deficits and then use that same deficit to justify more of their failed policies.
These are people who the GOP expect to be stupid, expect to get it wrong because the GOP/Fox/RW lie to them and are never held accountable for it. And it feeds this cycle of ignorance in the GOP.
Until GOP voters start to hold their politicians accountable for lying (and for failing), they will continue to F#(% America and vote for these guys who just need to be told in the next election, "I'm holding you accountable: You're not going to get my vote until you stop lying as if I'm stupid, and get $#it done. Stop with the unprecedented filitbustering, blocking Obama from fixing the jobs problem and blaming him anyway, the list goes on...
I'm tired of stupid people who insist on being stupid. If it didn't have an impact on America, I wouldn't care but you're screwing us and too stupid to know why.
Good old GOP, they never let FACTS get in the way of their prevarications. At least they're consistent - lie, when caught lie more, when challenged "blame the other guy".
My sentiments mirror the above comments made Zora and TheRealQuestionEverything. It's exhausting talking to the average Republican voter that lives on entirely different planet of propaganda that they will defend by screaming "lah lah lah" and covering their ears.
We live in an age where one side believes that politics is a team sport and that ideology rules all. True patriotism is defending your country and seeking to make it better, not trying to make red win over blue regardless of the consequences.
I genuinely fear for America's future and remain dumbfounded by the fact that the GOP rein of terror during Dubya's tenure and how they've used their power (on the state and federal level) since 2010 hasn't rendered them unelectable by now.
A quick comment about the "For that matter..." paragraph: Because job creaters do look at the short-term future when deciding how many employees they can afford to take on, it is conceivable that they would be more cautious, hiring fewer people, if they expect to face difficulties from said law and taxes.
Since you've been touting better economic numbers for months as reason to reelect President Obama, Mr. Benen, your accusations against Boehner ring more than a little hollow.
I don't know where you live, but where I am from things are much better! We are building new homes and working on our roads. Oh yeah, if you want a job we have plenty of those too. Last i heard the auto industry is doing great also. So, are you just on here to b*tch and moan about Obama or what!
Why? Jobs were still added, not lost. Remember this last month was filled with the European collapse being on the brink almost weekly and only eased in the last few days. How often have we been told that another double dip for Europe would cause a lessening in our recovery at least? Buck up, lib...with the reports from Draper, Mann, and Ornstein you have to realize the accusations against Boehner and the Republicans are solid, not hollow.
I'm talking about the political hypocrisy of accusing your opponent of doing precisely what you're doing. Which is done by GOPers and Dems alike. And if you don't like the fact that I'm calling hypocrisy hypocrisy, too bad.
Guaranteed the Republicans won't consider a jobs bill, now.
The roads in my state are horrendous, and our Republican Governor has decided to cut public sector jobs, and focus on abortion instead of pass needed legislation to get our roads in better shape.
He expects the voters to do what he expects women to do (since the unltrasound bill was more important than jobs and the economy).."just look the other way."