By Matt Hurley for the TIB Network:
Here is what John Kerry had to say about the newly released jobs numbers:
"The President keeps saying we've turned the corner. But unfortunately, today's job numbers further demonstrate that our economy may be taking a U-turn instead. Saying we've turned the corner doesn't make it so. America will not turn the corner to better days until we have a new president who can see our problems and take action to fix them. America can go in a new direction. We can make it better. The American people need jobs and a strong economy, affordable health care and energy independence. And we have a plan to get it done."Let me pull a few numbers out of the report. The Household Survey shows an increase of 629,000 jobs while the non-farm jobs increased only 32,000 (payroll survey). Did we just gain 537,000 farmers? (And if so, what does that say about sprawl?) No, it means that the payroll survey isn't accurately reflecting the reality of our current economy.
Unemployment remained unchanged at 5.5% which is about where the numbers were when Clinton was seeking re-election. There have been 11 months of consecutive job growth.
I'm all for doing better, so if John Kerry actually has a plan that makes sense, let's hear it. I'm not going to vote for a candidate on faith that he has a better plan.
Here are two points that Bush/Cheney would like for you to remember:
* The economy has grown 4.8% in the past year, as fast as any year in nearly two decades.Does John Kerry have a better plan than that? Here is the President's Six-Point Plan for economy and jobs:
* Productivity grew at the fastest 3-year rate in more than 50 years.
* Making Health Care Costs More Affordable and Predictable. Health insurance costs for employers have been rising by 10 percent per year since 2000, causing businesses to hire fewer new employees and too many families to go without insurance. President Bush proposes to allow small businesses to join together to purchase health coverage for workers at lower rates; expand medical savings accounts to give workers more control over their health care insurance and costs; and reduce frivolous and excessive lawsuits against doctors and hospitals that drive up insurance costs for workers and businesses.Pessimism never created a job, Mr. Kerry.
* Reducing the Lawsuit Burden on Our Economy. President Bush has proposed, and the House has already approved, measures that would allow more class action and mass tort lawsuits to be moved into Federal court - so that trial lawyers have a tougher time shopping for a favorable court. The President's reforms would also ensure that, in a class action lawsuit, most of the benefits of a settlement will actually go to the people who were injured. These reforms will help businesses focus on creating jobs, rather than fighting damaging junk lawsuits.
* Ensuring an Affordable, Reliable Energy Supply. Businesses depend on affordable and reliable energy. Energy shortages, price spikes, and blackouts disrupt the economy and discourage businesses from planning with confidence and adding new workers. President Bush has proposed a comprehensive national energy plan to upgrade the nation's electrical grid, promote energy efficiency, increase domestic energy production, and provide enhanced conservation efforts, all while protecting the environment. It's time for Congress to pass legislation based on the President's energy plan.
* Streamlining Regulations and Reporting Requirements. Government has a responsibility to ensure that its regulatory actions are reasonable and affordable. Too often, government regulations and compliance burdens hinder, rather than promote, job creation. The President will continue to work to simplify and streamline regulations, along with ensuring that well-intentioned compliance requirements do not have the unintended effect of killing jobs. In addition, the administration recently streamlined tax reporting requirements for small businesses, helping 2.6 million small businesses save 61 million hours of unproductive work.
* Opening New Markets for American Products. American workers can compete with anyone in the world when given a chance. Unfortunately, foreign taxes and tariffs drive up the costs of American products in too many countries, making our products more expensive and less competitive than those produced elsewhere. For example, in Chile, some kinds of American-made heavy machinery (such as motor graders) produced by American workers cost $11,200 more than those produced in the European Union or Canada solely because of tariffs. President Bush recently signed into law two new free trade agreements with Chile and Singapore that will enable U.S. manufacturers to compete on a level playing field - and he will continue to work to open new markets around the world to American products.
* Enabling Families and Businesses to Plan for the Future with Confidence. To make important spending, saving, and investment decisions, America's families and businesses need to be able to plan for the future. Right now, some key elements of the tax relief passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush - such as the increase in the child tax credit, the elimination of the death tax, and the new incentives for small business investment – are set to expire in a few years. For example, a married couple with two children and an annual income of $40,000 would face a $922 tax increase (a 112% increase) in 2005 if these and similar provisions in the Jobs and Growth Act are not made permanent. President Bush urges Congress to make these vital tax reductions permanent so America's families and businesses can make decisions for their financial futures.
