Casey Has Been A Loyal Rubber Stamp For Obama’s Unpopular, Failed Policies

As President Barack Obama travels to the Keystone State today in an attempt to sell voters on his latest proposal for billions of dollars in new government spending and job-killing tax hikes, Pennsylvanians are once again reminded that U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) has served as a loyal rubber stamp for Obama’s failed economic policies in Washington.

As the Pottsville Republican & Herald reported recently, “Casey has voted with his party in the Senate an average of 98 percent of the time since Obama took office, according to a Washington Post database on congressional votes…”  And as he helped Obama ram the Democrats’ original $825 billion “stimulus” debacle into law, Casey promised Pennsylvanians it would “get our economy out of the ditch by creating jobs and aiding those hardest hit by the worst economic downturn since the great depression.”

But instead, since Obama became President and Casey began rubber-stamping his liberal economic policies, Pennsylvania has lost 198,815 jobs and the state’s unemployment rate has risen from 6.8 percent to 8.3 percent.  Meanwhile, America has lost 2.1 million jobs since President Obama took office, and the nation is in its 33^rd consecutive month while above-8-percent unemployment.

Rather than learn from their mistakes, however, Obama and Casey are again calling for massive new government spending, coupled with permanent new job-killing tax hikes, all in the name of “stimulus.”

“Despite President Obama and Senator Casey’s promises, Pennsylvania has lost nearly 200,000 jobs since Obama took office, and the country is in its 33^rd consecutive month with unemployment stuck above 8 percent,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond.  “As Obama pitches yet another ‘stimulus’ spending proposal today, Pennsylvanians won’t forget that Casey put his loyalty to Obama ahead of their best interests when he helped usher in this failed agenda of reckless spending and job-killing tax hikes.”

Background Information:

Casey & Obama’s Promises…

Casey: The Obama Stimulus “Is Helping Get Our Economy Out Of The Ditch By Creating Jobs And Aiding Those Hardest Hit By The Worst Economic Downturn Since The Great Depression.” (Senator Bob Casey Website, www.casey.senate.gov, Accessed 2/1/11)

“When Obama Signed The Stimulus Law, The Nation’s Unemployment Rate Was 7.7 Percent. His Administration Had Promised The Program Would Stop The Jobless Rate From Passing 8 Percent.” (“Fact Check: Obama’s Stimulus Promises One Year Later,” Minnesota Public Radio, 2/18/10)

Casey & Obama’s Record…

Since President Obama Took Office, Pennsylvania Has Lost 198,815 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 6.8 Percent To 8.3 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 11/7/11)

• There Are 523,090 Unemployed Workers In Pennsylvania, Over 82,000 More Than When Obama Took Office. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 11/7/11)

• In 2010, 26 Percent Of Pennsylvania’s Unemployed Workers Had Been Out Of Work For A Year Or Longer. (Sara Murray, “Long Term Unemployment By State,” The Wall Street Journal’s “Real Time Economics Blog”, 7/21/11) 

Since The First Stimulus Was Passed, Pennsylvania Has Lost 165,653 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 7.2 Percent To 8.3 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/21/11) 

Since The First Stimulus Passed, Pennsylvania Has Lost 23,600 Construction Jobs And 25,700 Manufacturing Jobs. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/21/11) 

In 2010, The Obama Administration Predicted That Their $10 Billion Teacher Union Bailout Would Save 5,900 Teacher Jobs In Pennsylvania. (“Projected FY2010 Education Jobs Fund Allocations,” Department Of Education, 8/6/10)

• But In September 2011, There Were 8,000 Fewer Workers Employed In Local Pennsylvania School Systems Than The Year Before. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/21/11)

President Obama Suffers From Abysmal Approval In Pennsylvania:

Only 41 Percent Of Pennsylvania Voters Approve Of Obama’s Job Performance. “Obama’s job approval rating — 41 percent approving and 54 percent disapproving — shows little change from a June poll, said Jim Lee, president of the Harrisburg-based polling firm. What changed is the intensity of voters’ disapproval.” (Brad Bumsted, “Susquehanna Poll Suggests Obama Would Lose Pennsylvania,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 10/21/11)

• 42 Percent Of Pennsylvania Voters “Strongly Disapprove” Of Obama’s Job Performance, Compared To 18 Percent Who Say They “Strongly Approve.” “’The negative intensity should be of concern to the president since 42 percent say they strongly disapprove compared to only 18 percent who strongly approve — or more than a 2-1 disparity,’ Lee said. Intensity is important because it can be a ‘galvanizing factor’ in determining voter turnout, he said.” (Brad Bumsted, “Susquehanna Poll Suggests Obama Would Lose Pennsylvania,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 10/21/11)

Obama’s Support Is Waning Among “Working-Class Democrats” In Pennsylvania, “Largely Based On A Loss Of Trust.” “Obama has a Pennsylvania problem, particularly with working-class Democrats and women who supported Hillary Clinton in 2008. He eventually won them over (along with young people and blacks), beating Republican John McCain by nearly 10 points. Today, not so much — largely based on loss of trust. Candidates know they can evoke strong negative feelings and still win back voters. But voters’ trust is nearly impossible to recover.” (Salena Zito, “Obama’s Pennsylvania Problem” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,10/16/11)