Today’s rise in unemployment is just the latest development to highlight the failure of Obama and Heinrich’s tax-and-spend economic policies in Washington.  While Heinrich and the Obama Administration promised their $787 billion stimulus would create “millions of new jobs” and keep national unemployment below 8 percent, the United States has actually lost more than 1.8 million jobs since Heinrich helped his Washington party bosses ram it into law – and national unemployment has remained above 8 percent now for 28 consecutive months.

“As the unemployment rate rises to 9.1 percent, New Mexicans are reminded once again that the Obama-Heinrich-Balderas agenda of reckless spending has failed to create the promised jobs while driving our national debt past a record $14.3 trillion,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox.

As a new USA Today/Gallup survey shows nearly 70 percent of Americans suffering “financial hardship” thanks to a national average of nearly $4-per-gallon gas, New Mexicans are reminded that not only is liberal U.S. Congressman Martin Heinrich (D-NM) refusing to work with Republicans on bipartisan efforts to lower the price at the pump, he is actually attempting to drive the price of fuel up by raising energy taxes.

As USA Today reports:

As gas prices hover near $4 a gallon, nearly seven in 10 Americans say the high cost of fuel is causing financial hardship for their families, a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds. More than half say they have made major changes to compensate for the higher prices, ranging from shorter trips to cutting back on vacation travel. For 21%, the impact is so dramatic they say their standard of living is jeopardized. Nationally, the price of a gallon of regular gasoline averages $3.96. That’s up 38%, or $1.09, from levels a year ago. In seven states, gas prices have passed July 2008′s record of $4.11 a gallon.

But instead of working to expand domestic production and lower fuel costs for New Mexico’s families and job creators, Heinrich and the liberal wing of the Democrat Party are working to raise energy taxes – a reckless move that the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports would “make oil and natural gas more expensive for U.S. consumers and likely increase foreign dependence.”

“With the vast majority of New Mexico’s families suffering ‘financial hardship’ thanks to $4-a-gallon gas, why is Martin Heinrich working to drive energy costs even higher with his proposed tax hikes?” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox.  “Yet again, Heinrich’s liberal Washington agenda has put him in direct conflict with the interests of New Mexico families and small businesses.”