Democrats’ Failed Economic Record: Stimulus and President Obama’s So-Called Buffett Tax Rule

Driving The Discussion Today….

Today marks the third anniversary of the Democrats’ $825 billion “stimulus” and the NRSC and Republican Senate candidates around the country are highlighting the mile-wide gap between the rhetoric of Senate Democrats three years ago versus their economic record today.  As Politico’s Morning Score previews, Watch for lots of state Republican parties and Republican Senate candidates to attack Obama and Democratic incumbents on the stimulus through today. The National Republican Senatorial Committee is up with a one-minute web video {below} to highlight the president’s statement about turning the economy around in three years. 

Democratic Senate candidates on the stimulus

Nelson: “Florida’s Drastic Rise In Unemployment Deserves Immediate Attention And Swift Action. The Senate’s Stimulus Package Will Provide Jobs That Lay A Foundation For A Clean-Energy Future. It Also Has Special Provisions That Will Help Homeowners Who Are Facing Foreclosure.” (Senator Bill Nelson Website, “Floridians’ Top Concerns: Retirement, Health Care, Jobs,” www.billnelson.senate.gov, Accessed 12/13/10)

Kaine Said The Stimulus Was One Of The First Flagstones In The “Road To Recovery.” “From his efforts came the first flagstones in the road to recovery. The Recovery Act, which put vital dollars back into the pockets of working families, pumped critical funding into high-growth industries and promoted projects that employed Americans and improved vital infrastructure.” (Tim Kaine, Op-Ed, “The President’s Progress,” Politico, 12/31/10)

Berkley Said The Stimulus Bill Would “Create Or Save 4 Million Jobs Over The Next Two Years,” Nationwide. Shelley Berkley: “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will create or save 4 million jobs over the next two years. In my district, thousands of construction workers will be put back to work improving infrastructure, building renewable energy facilities, improving school buildings and generally strengthening the future of our nation.” (“Rep. Berkley Urges Passage Of Broad Stimulus Package,” Congresswoman Shelley Berkley Press Release, 1/27/09)

Tester’s Press Release Said The Stimulus Would Create “Millions Of New Jobs” And Cut Taxes “By Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars.” “Both of Montana’s U.S. Senators today voted in favor of a plan to rebuild America’s struggling economy by creating millions of new jobs, investing in long-term infrastructure, and cutting taxes by hundreds of billions of dollars. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester voted to pass the Jobs Bill, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.” (Senator Jon Tester, “Baucus, Tester Vote For Final Jobs Bill, At Least $626 Million For Montana,” Press Release, 2/13/09)

Stabenow: “So This Is — This Is A Jobs Bill, Number One, Jobs Rebuilding America, Jobs In The Green Economy. It’s Also About Making Sure We Keep People Working, Keep Our Police Officers On The Streets, And Focus On Quality Schools.” (Fox News Channel, 1/28/09)

Sherrod Brown: “So It’s Not Just Shovel-Ready Projects That Are Ready To Go Now That Will Create Jobs, It’s Also – It’s Also Green Jobs, And It’s Also Building For The Future, So When You Do Economic Stimulus, It Really Needs To Look At What Kinds Of Jobs It’s Going To Create, Not Just Immediately But Two Years, Five Years, Ten Years Down The Road.” (ABC’s, “This Week,” 12/28/08)

Baldwin Said The Stimulus Would Create Or Save 67,000 Jobs In Wisconsin. Baldwin: “In Wisconsin alone, this bill will create or save more than 67,000 jobs, and provide more than $1 billion in health care for the uninsured, Baldwin explained.” (Rep. Tammy Baldwin, “Baldwin Votes For Economic Recovery Plan,” Press Release, 1/29/09)

Heinrich Called The Stimulus A “Jobs Creation Package” And Said It Would “Rebuild America’s Economy.” “‘This jobs creation package will rebuild America’s economy, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, while providing 95% of Americans with immediate tax relief,’ said Rep. Heinrich.” (Congressman Martin Heinrich, “New Mexico Delegation Supports American Recovery And Reinvestment Act That Could Create 22,000 Jobs In New Mexico,” Press Release, 2/13/09)

• And National Review’s Jim Geraghty writes, The National Republican Senatorial Committee reminds us that the stimulus passed, three years ago today, in a web video that represents a beautiful example of using lawmakers’ own boasts and promises against them.

Staying on the Democrats’ failed economic record, the Daily Caller reports that President’s top budget officials are desperately trying to duck the deficit and debt debate.  President Barack Obama’s top budget officials are trying to deflect questions about debt and deficits, especially because  his latest 10-year spending plan would boost government spending more than $1 trillion above the deficit-trimming deal that he signed in August….It’s “a rope-a-dope performance worthy of Muhammad Ali,” said Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the lead Republican on the Democratic-dominated Senate Budget Committee.  Their evasiveness is caused by their boss’ campaign-trail desire to claim that he is cutting spending more than he increases taxes, Sessions told The Daily Caller.

Speaking of campaign trail gimmicks, don’t miss this piece in today’s New York Times pulling back the curtain on President Obama’s so-called Buffett Tax Rule.  President Obama has made the Buffett Rule, mandating that millionaires pay at least 30 percent of their incomes in taxes, the centerpiece of his campaign for “fairness.” But look for it among the myriad tax changes the White House detailed in the 2013 budget proposal it released this week, and you will not find it.  The Buffett Rule has become a signal piece of election-year political rhetoric. It featured heavily in Mr. Obama’s State of the Union address last month. It has become a favored talking point on the campaign trail. And Mr. Obama underscored his support of it in his budget proposal.   But the White House says it is a “guideline,” rather than a legislative initiative. And it says it prefers not to establish the Buffett Rule without a broader overhaul of the tax code, though it would support a Congressional effort to carry it out alone.