Bennet’s So-Called “Stimulus” Job Creation Overstated By “Thousands”

Thursday, 29 October 2009 12:57

In the News

WASHINGTON - According to a report from the Associated Press today, recent White House data on the so-called "stimulus" bill that Governor Ritter’s appointed U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) supported this year misled Americans with a gross overstatement of the actual jobs that would be created or saved by the controversial legislation.

Bennet claimed in February 2009 that the stimulus "creates jobs, cuts taxes for American families and businesses, and lays the foundation for long-term economic growth."

But as the AP notes today "An early progress report on President Barack Obama's economic recovery plan overstates by thousands the number of jobs created or saved through the stimulus program, a mistake that White House officials promise will be corrected in future reports."

In addition, "The AP review found some counts were more than 10 times as high as the actual number of jobs; some jobs credited to the stimulus program were counted two and sometimes more than four times; and other jobs were credited to stimulus spending when none was produced."

"Today’s report further demonstrates just how incredibly wrong Michael Bennet was about the so-called ‘stimulus’ bill that he supported in February, which he claimed at the time would ‘help create jobs and grow our economy,’" said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand. "It’s just too bad the Democrats didn’t mistakenly overestimate the trillion-dollar price tag of the bill instead of overestimating just how many jobs it would create."

"As unemployment continues to rise nationwide, the families, seniors, and small businesses in Colorado are paying the price for Bennet’s mistake," Wilkerson Marchand continued. "Unfortunately, as Bennet enters his first ever election with pressure from both sides of the aisle, he apparently has not learned his lesson from the stimulus debacle. Instead, he continues to lend his support to Harry Reid’s massive government-run health care takeover, which will put Washington bureaucrats between Coloradans and their doctors."

"Clearly, if he makes it to the general election in November 2010, Bennet will be forced to answer for his support of the failed stimulus bill and a Washington-run health care system next year," Wilkerson Marchand concluded.

Background Information

Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) And The Obama Administration Touted The So-Called "Stimulus" Bill As A Means Of Job Creation:

Bennet: "[W]e Came Together Tonight To Enact An Economic Recovery Plan That Creates Jobs, Cuts Taxes For American Families And Businesses, And Lays The Foundation For Long-Term Economic Growth." (Senator Michael Bennet, Press Release, "Congress Approves American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," 2/13/09)

Bennet: "This Plan Provides Colorado With Over $500 Million For Targeted Investments In Energy, Education, And Transportation That Will Help Create Jobs And Grow Our Economy." (Senator Michael Bennet, Press Release, "Congress Approves American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," 2/13/09)

Bennet: "[W]ith The Passage Of This Legislation, We Can Begin The Difficult Task Of Rebuilding Our Economy And Putting America Back To Work." (Senator Michael Bennet, Press Release, "Congress Approves American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," 2/13/09)

The Obama Administration Claimed The "Stimulus" Bill Would "Jumpstart Growth And Transform Our Economy." ("American Recovery And Reinvestment Act: State-By-State Jobs Impact," The White House, 2/13/09)