Today’s rise in unemployment is just the latest development to highlight the failure of Obama and Manchin’s tax-and-spend economic policies in Washington.  While Manchin 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 Manchin cheered as his Washington party bosses rammed 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, West Virginians are reminded once again that the Obama-Manchin agenda of reckless spending has failed to create the jobs they promised while driving our national debt past a record $14.3 trillion,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond.

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, West Virginians are reminded that not only is liberal U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) 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 supporting President Barack Obama’s new energy tax hikes.

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 West Virginia families and job creators, Manchin, Obama, and the liberal wing of the Washington 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 West Virginia’s families suffering ‘financial hardship’ thanks to $4-a-gallon gas, why is Joe Manchin siding with President Obama to drive energy costs even higher with these proposed tax hikes?” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond.  “Yet again, Manchin and Obama’s liberal Washington agenda has put them in direct conflict with the interests of West Virginia families and small businesses.”

While his fellow Washington liberals claim that near-record-high gas prices are “not the issue,” even several Senate Democrats have called Manchin and Obama’s proposal “laughable,” and have made clear that the tax hikes will “cost thousands of jobs” and “increase our dependency on foreign oil.”

Sadly, this is not the first time Joe Manchin has displayed his enthusiasm for tax hikes and high gas prices: as Governor, Manchin proposed and signed a bill requiring electric companies to curb coal use by 25 percent, a similar requirement to the federal cap-and-trade bill.  In Washington, Manchin has dependably supported President Obama’s efforts to raise income tax rates, and has continued to support ObamaCare, which raises taxes by $570 billion.