“It’s Time for the President to Move This Economy

Forward to Prosperity – Not Backward to Decline”

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, released the following statement today after the U.S. Labor Department announced its August jobs report, revealing that a total of only 96,000 jobs were created and the unemployment rate still remains above 8 percent:

“Just hours after President Obama made his case for reelection, today’s jobs report only highlights his continued failure to grow our economy and put Americans back to work.  Economists had predicted a growth of approximately 125,000 jobs this past month, yet reality is far different.  Nearly 370,000 Americans have given up on the American dream and left the workforce, while the unemployment rate remains above 8 percent for the forty-third consecutive month since President Obama took office.  This is both unacceptable and unsustainable.

“It has become abundantly clear that the President’s policies have not only failed to grow the economy; they have actually made things worse.  The numbers are clear: only 63 percent of Americans are even participating in the work force, the lowest since 1981. The President’s economic ‘stimulus’ has done nothing to stimulate.  His ‘Big Government’ policies have made it harder for Americans to find jobs.  They have made it harder for job creators to hire, for businesses to expand, for entrepreneurs to innovate. 

“While the President continues to make the false claim that his policies have worked, House Republicans have passed 36 pro-growth jobs bills to help the American people get back to work.  And yet the Senate and the President have done nothing with them.  It’s time to advance economic growth, not stymie it.  It’s time to make it easier for Americans to find jobs – not harder.  And it’s time for the President to do what he promised and start moving this economy forward to prosperity – not backward to decline.  I am confident we can do better than this.”

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