After Melancon Voted For Obama’s Economic Agenda, Unemployment In Louisiana Increases

Fri Nov 20 — 7:14pm

The federal budget deficit for 2009 alone totals $1.42 trillion - a number higher than the total national debt for the first 200 years of the United States. During the month of October 2009, the deficit increased by $176.4 billion, setting another all-time record.

"Unfortunately for Louisiana families, the federal deficit has soared to record highs and the state’s unemployment has steadily risen ever since Charlie Melancon voted for the so-called ‘stimulus’ package in February 2009," said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand.

"Now Melancon wants a promotion to the U.S. Senate, but the families, seniors, and small business owners who have been hurt by his support for the Obama economic disaster will certainly remember his record next November," Wilkerson Marchand concluded.

Background Information

Louisiana’s Unemployment Rate Was 5.7% In February 2009. (U.S. Department Of Labor’s Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 11/20/09)

Louisiana’s Unemployment Rate Was 7.4% In October 2009. (U.S. Department Of Labor’s Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 11/20/09)

As Senate Votes On Multi-Trillion Dollar Bill, Connecticut’s Unemployment Continues To Rise

Fri Nov 20 — 6:50pm

8.8 percent: That is the October 2009 unemployment rate in the state of Connecticut, according to preliminary numbers released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics today. Since Dodd voted for the trillion dollar stimulus package more than nine months ago, the unemployment rate in his state has steadily risen, from 7.4 in February to 8.4 percent in September and now 8.8 percent in October 2009.

$1.42 trillion: The federal budget deficit for 2009 alone totals $1.42 trillion - a number higher than the total national debt for the first 200 years of the United States. During the month of October 2009, the deficit increased by $176.4 billion, setting another all-time record.

$100 million a day: While Senate Democrats brag that their health care bill "reduces the deficit by $130 billion over the next decade," they leave out the fact that interest payments on their so-called stimulus bill total $347 billion over the next decade - an average of $100 million a day.

"Unfortunately for Connecticut families, the federal deficit has soared to record highs and the state’s unemployment has steadily risen ever since Chris Dodd voted for the so-called ‘stimulus’ package in February 2009," said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand.

"As his constituents struggle through this economic downturn, Dodd has been working with Harry Reid and the Obama Administration to craft a massive $2.5 trillion government-run health care bill behind closed doors," Wilkerson Marchand continued. "Obviously Dodd hasn’t learned his lesson from the stimulus debacle or the AIG bonus fiasco, but Connecticut voters won’t forget Dodd’s role in our nation’s economic downturn when they cast their ballots next November."

Background Information

Connecticut’s Unemployment Rate Was 7.4% In February 2009. (U.S. Department Of Labor’s Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 11/20/09)

Connecticut’s Unemployment Rate Was 8.4% In September 2009. (U.S. Department Of Labor’s Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 11/20/09)

Connecticut’s Unemployment Rate Rose To 8.8% In October 2009. (U.S. Department Of Labor’s Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 11/20/09)

As Senate Votes On Multi-Trillion Dollar Bill, Arkansas Unemployment Continues To Rise

Fri Nov 20 — 6:45pm

7.6 percent: That is the October 2009 unemployment rate in the state of Arkansas, according to preliminary numbers released by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics today. Since Lincoln voted for the trillion dollar stimulus package more than nine months ago, the unemployment rate in her state has steadily risen, from 6.4 in February to 7.1 percent in September to its current number, which is the highest it has been since January 1992.

$1.42 trillion: The federal budget deficit for 2009 alone totals $1.42 trillion - a number higher than the total national debt for the first 200 years of the United States. During the month of October 2009, the deficit increased by $176.4 billion, setting another all-time record.

$100 million a day: While Senate Democrats brag that their health care bill "reduces the deficit by $130 billion over the next decade," they leave out the fact that interest payments on their so-called stimulus bill total $347 billion over the next decade - an average of $100 million a day.

"Unfortunately for Arkansans, the federal deficit has soared to record highs and the state’s unemployment has steadily risen ever since Blanche Lincoln voted for the so-called ‘stimulus’ package in February 2009," said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand.

"As her constituents struggle through this economic downturn, Lincoln is now preparing to cast one of the most important votes of her Senate career tomorrow evening," Wilkerson Marchand continued. "Lincoln should remain mindful of these key statistics as she decides whether to cast the 60th vote to move Harry Reid’s $2.5 trillion government-run health care bill forward. Her constituents will certainly remember when they cast their votes next November."

Background Information

Arkansas’ Unemployment Rate Was 6.4% In February 2009. (U.S. Department Of Labor’s Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 11/20/09)

Arkansas’ Unemployment Rate Was 7.1% In September 2009. (U.S. Department Of Labor’s Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 11/20/09)

Arkansas’ Unemployment Rate Rose To 7.6% In October 2009. (U.S. Department Of Labor’s Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 11/20/09)

Will Lincoln Rubber-Stamp $2.5 Trillion Health Care Bill For Reid, Obama?

Thu Nov 19 — 11:04pm

As the 60th vote in the Democrat caucus, U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) faces one of the most important decisions of her career as she will be the final vote to determine whether or not this contentious legislation moves forward.

"With national unemployment exceeding 10 percent, the federal debt at an all-time record high of $12 trillion, and states like Arkansas struggling to balance their budgets, is Blanche Lincoln prepared to rubber-stamp a new $2.5 trillion government-run health care program to appease President Obama and Harry Reid in Washington?" asked National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand.

"This bill means higher premiums for Arkansas families, higher taxes for Arkansas small businesses, Medicare cuts for Arkansas seniors, and tens of millions of dollars in a new unfunded mandate for Arkansas’ state government," Wilkerson Marchand continued. "Despite the Democrats’ rhetoric, this bill is filled with accounting gimmicks that disguise its true cost, and even attempts to disguise its allowance for taxpayer-funded abortions."

"Senator Lincoln should make no mistake about it - a vote to move this bill forward is a vote paving the way for passage for this costly legislation. Arkansans deserve to know: Will Lincoln stand with Harry Reid and rubber-stamp another controversial and costly bill for President Obama? Or will she stand up for Arkansas families, small businesses, and seniors to protect them from the higher premiums, higher taxes, and massive cuts to Medicare that would pay for this government takeover?" Wilkerson Marchand concluded.

Key Facts About Harry Reid’s Government-Run Health Care Bill:

Total Number of Pages: 2,074

Spending: The actual cost of the bill is $2.5 trillion over 10 years of full implementation (2014 - 2023). The $894 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score disguises its true cost due to the fact that many of the major programs do not take effect until 2014.

Taxes Increases: Taxes will go up $493.6 billion-nearly half a trillion dollars.

Medicare Cuts: Medicare will be cut $464.6 billion-another half a trillion dollars.

Abortion: Reid’s bill permits the use of accounting gimmicks that will, for the first time, allow federal dollars to go to plans covering abortion. The bill does not include the House legislation’s Stupak amendment language, and as a result, the National Right to Life called Reid’s bill "completely unacceptable" and said it would "result in coverage of abortion on demand in two big new federal government programs."

Government Plan: The bill includes a government-run plan and provides states with the possibility of opting out of participating in that plan. According to CBO, the government run plan "would typically have premiums that were somewhat higher than the average premiums for the private plans in the exchanges."

Employer Mandate: The bill will impose $28 billion in new taxes on employers that do not provide government approved health plans. These new taxes will ultimately be paid by American workers in the form of reduced wages and lost jobs.