Two years after President Barack Obama signed the Democrats’ $787 billion stimulus debacle into law, voters are reminded that liberal U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) supported the costly measure, which has failed to create the jobs Democrats promised.

The Obama White House projected that their massive stimulus spending would cap national unemployment at 8 percent, and Manchin offered President Obama his full support, promising West Virginians that it would “make a big difference in the job market,” and jumpstart the American economy. But since the Democrats rammed their stimulus debacle into law on a party-line vote, West Virginia’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed, and today stands at 9.6 percent, above the national average.

“In the two years since Joe Manchin eagerly supported President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus and promised it would create jobs, West Virginia’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed and is now well above the national average,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond. “Senator Manchin still refuses to admit that his massive stimulus spending failed to create jobs while driving our national debt past $14 trillion, but West Virginians will surely see through his rhetoric and hold him accountable for his reckless spending and debt when he faces them at the polls next year.”

Meanwhile, the NRSC launched a new web video today entitled “Happy Anniversary, Stimulus,” to remind voters nationwide of the failure of the Democrats’ $787 billion stimulus debacle.

CLICK HERE To View The NRSC’s New Web Video

Background Information

In February 2010, Manchin Said The Stimulus Would “Make A Big Difference In The Job Market.” Q “Looking back at the success of the stimulus package, there seems to be a sense that a lot of states are making hard decisions and maybe it wasn’t such a great thing after all. Do you share that assessment? Do you think it’s fair?” . . . Gov. Manchin: “There’s an awful lot of that money that is coming out now going towards infrastructure — projects, state by state, I think it will make a big difference in the job market.” (Press Conference With Governor Joe Manchin (D-WV) et al, 2/22/10)

In December 2008, Manchin Said Obama’s Plan For An Economic Stimulus Package With Funding For Infrastructure Projects Would Jumpstart The U.S. Economy Immediately By Creating Jobs And Demand For Construction Materials. “After meetings with President-elect Barack Obama on Monday and Tuesday, Gov. Joe Manchin said he is convinced Obama will move quickly on economic stimulus packages for the states. Manchin said federal funding for highway construction and other infrastructure projects would jump-start the U.S. economy by immediately creating jobs and demand for construction materials. ‘With infrastructure projects, these jobs are ready to go tomorrow,’ Manchin said Tuesday afternoon, after Obama met with the Democratic Governors Association Monday evening and the National Governors Association Tuesday morning in Philadelphia.” (Phil Kabler, “Obama Will Help, Manchin Says,” The Charleston [WV] Gazette, 12/3/08)

· “Manchin Said, ‘He’s [Obama’s] Not Just Throwing Money At This (Recession). He Wants To Make Sure There Are Investments And Value.’” (George Hohmann, “Manchin Says Obama Here To Help,” Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 12/3/08)

West Virginia’s Unemployment Rate Has Risen Since The Stimulus Passed

West Virginia’s Unemployment Rate Was 6.4% When The Stimulus Was Passed Into Law In February 2009. (U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 9/14/10)

· In December 2010, West Virginia’s Unemployment Rate Was 9.6%. (U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Website, ww.bls.gov, Accessed 2/10/11)