By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Congressman Jo Bonner (R) from Mobile writing in a statement Friday questioned President Barack H. Obama’s economic policy.
Congressman Bonner said, “The president promised in February of 2009 – a month after taking office – that his stimulus plan would keep unemployment below eight percent. As we enter the longest period with a jobless rate over eight percent since the Great Depression, one has to ask the president where is his plan?”
Representative Bonner continued, “Not only has he failed to lift employment, but his policies of borrowing and spending have had the opposite effect. The U.S. Department of Labor recently reported that the number of people not in the work force has grown by 7.8 million from January 2009 to July 2012. A recent survey released by the National Federation of Independent Business found that small business optimism continues to decline.”
Rep. Bonner also defended the Ryan budget passed by the House: “For starters, the House budget plan would reduce government spending from its current level of 24 percent of the economy to 20 percent by 2015, hardly draconian cuts. It also allows for much smaller increases in federal spending in later years but places overall spending targets far below President Obama’s bloated and irresponsible spending plans. The House budget would also block the president’s $1.9 trillion tax increase and reduce federal budget deficits by over $3 trillion compared to President Obama’s plan. Equally important, it makes recommendations to reform the broken tax code to make it more simple and fair, without special interest loopholes.
Rep. Bonner concluded, “Since January 2011, the House has passed over 30 bills aimed at freeing business from burdensome red tape and encouraging job creation. The Senate and President Obama have all but ignored our jobs legislation. Mr. President, where are the jobs?”
The apparent Republican nominee for President Mitt Romney wrote in an essay in the ‘Wall Street Journal’ that he also blames the President’s policies for the unprecedented poor economic recovery following a recession, “ President Obama has piled on excessive regulations, proposed massive tax increases, added more than $5 trillion in federal debt, and failed to address the coming fiscal cliff — all of which is miring our nation in sluggish growth and high unemployment,” Romney wrote.
The former Bain Capital CEO believes that he has the skills to move the American economy forward. “I know what it takes to turn around difficult situations,” Romney said. “And I will put that experience to work, to get our economy back on track, create jobs, strengthen the middle class and lay the groundwork for America’s increased competitiveness in the world.”
Congressman Jo Bonner represents Alabama’s First Congressional District in South Alabama.
