Obama now blames poor job numbers on congressional inaction. Wait! His party runs Congress

Just a few minor things to catch up on for the weekend now that the Fundraiser-in-Chief has gone on another vacation (Don't worry though. White House chef Sam Kass went along, so the first family need not eat ordinary human food.)

-- The Congressional Budget Office says the 2010 federal deficit will be in excess of $1.3 trillion, as in $1,000,000,000,000+. (BTW, the next level we'll be talking about out of Washington is quadrillion, which has fifteen 0's.)

-- Despite Vice President Joe Biden's April boast that administration stimulus spending would spur the economy to add a half-million jobs a month by now, initial unemployment claims jumped a half-million last week, the worst since last November, as national unemployment remains at 9.5% and the economy sheds 131,000 more jobs.

-- But the economy's going great at the Democratic National Committee, which reports collecting $11.5 million from donors in July on top of the $53.8 million already taken in from various sources this year. The president just devoted three workdays across five states to rake in several more millions for his party.

-- But before leaving for his ninth presidential vacation, 10 days at a....

...secluded estate on Martha's Vineyard, Obama devoted four minutes in the White House driveway to a special statement on the latest disappointing jobs numbers. (Full text, as usual, can be read on the jump, along with a brief reaction from the Republican National Committee chairman.)

No questions allowed because the president didn't want to explain why despite the administration's announced Recovery Summer Program, the jobs numbers have started going backward again after 19 months of promises and $787 billion in alleged stimulation spending. Because, faced with the uncertainty of the economy and the certainty of new taxes after Nov. 2, employers are holding back on hiring.

According to the president, he's been "adamant" with Congress for months now about a new jobs bill to help small businesses. Obama says this really good bill is stalled in the Senate, where so much administration legislation has been crammed through so effectively by Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Reid's been so good at it, in fact, that he's now running for his political life in a reelection campaign back in Nevada where unemployment is 14.3% and Obama's legislation is not so popular.

Reid's up against a conservative Republican. So, that means Harry Reid must be a Democrat, just like Obama, and just like 59% of the Senate's votes.

The very same party that has controlled both houses of Congress since the 2006 election and really controlled them both since the 2008 hopey-changey balloting.

So, facing the growing grim possibility of a GOP surge on Nov. 2, is this maybe the start of buddy-bickering within the Democratic huddle? Vulnerable people pointing the proverbial political finger of blame at someone else? That's ridiculous, of course.

-- One more thing: Arianna Huffington has word-processed another one of her thoughtful essays over at Huffington Post. This one sounds kind of critical of the president himself. The headline: "Memo to America's Middle Class: Obama Is Just Not That Into You."

-- Andrew Malcolm

Related Items:

Why are so many Americans confused over Obama's faith?

Obama's Ground Zero mosque support hurting him. Democrats too?

Republicans' lead grows on generic congressional ballot for Nov. 2 elections

Political swimming photos through history

Relax and click here for Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. Or follow us @latimestot. Our Facebook Like page is over here. Also available here on Kindle now.

Remarks by President Obama on the economy, as provided by the White House

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. For the last several months, I have been urging Congress to pass a jobs bill that will do two big things for small businesses -- cut their taxes and make loans more available. 

I have been adamant about this because small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They create two out of every three new jobs in this country. And while a lot of big businesses and big banks have started recovering from this recession, small businesses and community banks that loan to small businesses have been lagging behind. They need help. And if we want this economy to create more jobs more quickly, we need to help them.

A report yesterday from the Labor Department underscores why this is so critical. In the final few months of last year, small businesses with fewer than 50 employees accounted for more than 60% of the job losses in America -- more than 60%. These are the businesses that usually create most of the jobs in this country.  And this report, combined with this morning’s news that unemployment claims rose again, compels us to act. It compels us to stand with the small businessmen and women who are trying to grow their companies and make payroll and hire new workers.

The jobs bill that is stalled in Congress would completely eliminate taxes on key investments in small businesses. It would allow small business owners to write off more expenses. And it would make it easier for community banks to do more lending to small businesses, while allowing small firms to take out larger SBA loans with fewer fees, which countless entrepreneurs have told me would make a big difference in their companies. I’d also like to point out this legislation is fully paid for and will not add one single dime to our deficit.

So this is a bill that makes sense, and normally we would expect Democrats and Republicans to join together. Unfortunately, a partisan minority in the Senate so far has refused to allow this jobs bill to come up for a vote. 

Now, I recognize that there are times when Democrats and Republicans have legitimate differences rooted in different views about what’s best for this country. There are times when good people disagree in good faith.

But this is not one of those times. This small business jobs bill is based on ideas both Democrat and Republican. In fact, many provisions in the bill were actually authored by Republican senators. It has been praised as being good for small business by groups like the Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

A majority of senators are in favor of the bill and yet the obstruction continues. It’s obstruction that stands in the way of small business owners getting the loans and the tax cuts that they need to prosper. It’s obstruction that defies common sense.

So let me just make this simple point. There will be plenty of time between now and November to play politics. But the small business owners I met with this week, the ones that I’ve met with across the country this year, they don’t have time for political games. They’re not interested in what’s best for a political party. They’re interested in what’s best for the country.

When Congress reconvenes, this jobs bill will be the first business out of the gate. And the Senate Republican leadership needs to stop its efforts to block it. Let’s put aside the partisanship for awhile and work together for small businesses, for employees, and the communities that depend on them across this great country. Thank you very much.    ####

 

Jobs statement by Chairman Michael Steele, as provided by the Republican National Committee

This month’s jump in jobless claims may have surprised some economists, but it’s no surprise to the American families who are struggling to adjust to the Obama economy. With unemployment claims hitting a nine-month high and a struggling housing market, middle-class Americans are losing faith in the Democrat leaders at the helm of our country.

The administration’s "Recovery Summer" has been an epic failure and it is way past time for the White House to be straight with the American people and admit that an $862-billion stimulus did not do what was promised. It is clear that the Democrats’ strategy of reckless spending, ballooning deficits and higher taxes are not the answer and that we need to pursue Republican pro-growth solutions to get our economy back on track.    ####

Photo credit: Chuck Kennedy / White House; Getty Images (Reid); Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images (Democratic House leadership celebrates another victory).

Comments

[montecristo5000]

That was a spectacularly one sided piece of writing.....

[plankbob]

Wait! The Republicans in the Senate have filibustered every bill. The tyranny of the minority. Wake up, Mr. Malcolm, and smell the filibuster.

[nrb]

Like taking a vitamin a day, the racist, socialist muslim-in-chief doses us with his LIE A DAY. Lie, lie, lie, lie about health care, about transparency, about earmarks, about the budget, about unemployment, about lobbyists, about immigration, about everything!  The socialist muslim-in-chief aims to destroy our freedom and our Constitution with the takeover of our people with the socialist health care bill, usurpation of education loans, and failure of our border controls.

[MaliciousDisorder]

Hope and Change, Yes We Can. You get what you vote for..

[Nick]

If you think it is bad now, can you imagine the mess we would be in with the Maverick and Sarah Palin. And even though the democrats may run the senate, every time they try to pass a piece of legislation the republicans threaten to fillibuster.

[moron]

Let me see. Congress has been controlled by liberals since 2006?? And the recession began when? Maybe Obama and the bicoastal clowns are now realizing 2+2=4?

[Regulas]

One of the Demorats tactics is to throw lies it against the wall, if it sticks use it. The lies about Bush do not stick anymore.

[Rowwdy]

ObaMao needs to shut his stupid mouth. Everything he has touched or done has been a failure. His handlers have sorely misjudged the American people and their resolve to fight this Marxist regime. November 2012 or impeachment, which ever comes first, can't come soon enough to rid our country of this scourge.

[Matt]

Why are the Democrats purposely throwing the midterm election? Why???

[Cuck u. Farley]

Hard to believe but an article in the LA Tmes critical of Obama. I certainly hope all of California and all of the US wakes up to the fact that they have been snookered. Obama does not have clue about either what is going on or what to do to reverse the course. He is inept. Congress has been controlled by the democratic party for four years and except for a relatively short period has been controlled almoist forever by the democratic party. The bailouts and handouts continue unabated and the US taxpayers are very tired of the shell game.

[Doug]

Well he has to blame someone. It's not like he is any position of responsibility. Typical liberal, When things are going sour you have to find someone else to blame.

[Steve]

Great to be, and great to plea, Great to have the right to be free, Love of this, makes all Americans free.

[Kristen]

Is it me or has the bamster started grating on your nerves too. I just want to shout shut the f$%&&&&Cl UP already! STOP YOUR CONSTANT CRYING!

[nothing like change]

“the Costanzon” factor. Remember old George Costanzaon on Seinfeld? He was the colossal looser until he started doing everything opposite. Presto, when George did the opposite to what he felt was right, things got a lot better. Now if we can just get this looser (Obama) to start doing exactly the opposite to what he thinks is right, we’ll all be better off. What a looser.

[ReConUSMC]

I hear a week before the Nov election Obama is going to blame Rush .L and Fox News since there is nobody left but himself to blame .
And that ain't going to happen .

Obama now has even Independents saying I miss Bush !
The know nothing egotistical laden Brother wore out his welcome ..... But of course that always happens to Snake Oil salesman after the folks find out the Juice and the Salesman were both Phonies .
The sad simple truth is Obama has proven he is not qualified to be President .
One also suspects if he had served a full term in the senate he would be looked at as far left even of Teddy (Lenin ) Kennedy .

[Tom143]

Seriously, does this President know how to be a man and take responsibility for his failures? I think I have to agree with Ben Quayle.

[ADM]

Did that woman clean off the heel marks that OBowMao's shoes left on the desk?

[virtualgd]

The community organizer has been a failure from the beginning and will always be a failure! Why are liberals so stupid that they cannot see this. One comment says "can you imagine if the maverick and palin were in office", well, anything would be better than this lying loser excuse of a president.

[touchdowntony]

Well at least Obama knows how to make optimum use of his leisure time. Sure glad there is nothing going on so he can take all these vacations. If he has all this free time things must be going good. Right ?

[The Big Lie]

If a lie is big enough and said over and over and the press supports it over and over... then it is true right...
the dems don't know the jig is up and the lies no longer work. they are just talking amongst themselves

[Jay Farnsworth]

Please don't tell the President what comes after a trillion.

[heymoman]

Right, you got it @NICK What we need is ONE party in America. Really, it worked Sooo great in USSR, Cuba, Nazi Germany. C'mon you ignorant rubes give it another shot Imean really we have the THE ONE

[Kristen]

Wait, I thought this was supposed to be recovery summer. Turnedu out more like George 's "Summer of George " from Seinfeld. I can see the hamster and Joey crying now. "This was supposed to be recovery summer......recovery summer.

[Jack Sheet]

Obama will throw everyone under the bus to save his narcissistic hide.

I am sick of hearing how the Republicans are "obstructing" everything when the Democrats have the votes to pass anything. IF they could just come up with legislation that all the Democrats could agree to vote for. They haven't been able to get all their own together on something much less get bipartisan support.

Hey, wasn't Buraq supposed to be the post-racial bipartisan above-the-fray healer? Looks like he lied (and lied and lied and lied...).

[versionthirteen]

Mister Density needs to keep working at those Decorative and Propaganda Arts so cherished by his fans. Organizers for peace and justice really make awful Chief Executives, don't they?

[Bruce Kuykendall]

Great insights into the hypocrisy of the administration's comments; however, I think you are giving Ariana Huffington too much credit. She doesn't mentioned the middle class once - only the "progressives".

Poll after poll shows that the vast majority of middle class Americans are centrists or slightly right of center - NOT progressives. The only jobs that the administration has made any attempt to save have been those of the unions (NEA and UAW) and the financial sector. The very groups that put America's economy in this mess.

Wake up America! Have some coffee, take a shower and sober up.

The New Year's Party of change is over and the hangover is setting in. You've been conned by a smile, a suit, and a teleprompter. This President has no experience, no ideas, and no leaderships skills - but you already knew that.

You just kept knocking back glasses of cheap champagne until you "drank him pretty."”

[FRANK - USA -]

good point there mister but you fail to realized something, its the republicans who are stalling any good measure(s) from helping people in this here country. e.g. Unemployment Benefits passed while their excuse was this QOUTE

[[ What we do not support -- and we make no apologies for -- is borrowing tens of billions of dollars to pass this bill at a time when the national debt is spinning completely out of control. ]]

END QUOTE, as if its our fault that dam.n bush cheney took all the surplus and sent it to Iraq for his oil war. Why are we suppose to pay for his recklessness!? Its the dam.n republicans fault for not falling into line with the Democrats to help this our country back to prosperity after an eight year nightmare.

[Common sense AMERICAN]

So the libs are complaining that the Joker in the White House and his idiot comrades in congress have flibusters threatened. GREAT for the Republicans and the COUNTRY. Libs push their anti-American destructive crap down the publics throat and we want no more of it. If on the other hand their would actually put forth solutions that the American people agreed with and that would help instead of leaving more devastation in their wake, then we could start talking about actual bipartisanship.

I also love how these libs are out their bashing "the minority". These idiots push for minority influence when Repubs many years ago (as in before take over and destruction of the country) ran congress. Any day that shows libs true colors is a good day. Do you remember how joyous the libs were when they got their affirmative action community organizer Chicago thug put into office? Many of them have clear buyers remorse right now.

The countdown to neutering this idiot in November continues. Once the leftists is neutered, then we can start focusing on his removal from office.

[Tim G.]

Clean the House and Senate November 2010.

[JOEL GOODMAN]

Who was it that was accused of having "an Imperial Presidency"?
I think our current darned fool in chief will qualify for this distinction without a challenge.
When if ever will this "boy" accept any responsibility for anything? First it's Bush and now his own---owned Congress that has "f"f ed up economy. It think he could do the country a real service and pull a Palin and resign from office before he does more damage.
Let's start a "Hey Obumbler--QUIT NOW" campaign.

[Kaonashi]

Breathe slowly, try to concentrate, and remember your JHS civics, if you ever learned them. 500,000 Wyomingites share their two Republican senators with the two Democratic senators representing 38,000,000 Californians. A few of these li'l states' li'l senators can get it into their heads to Filibuster and the game is pretty much over - unless the Democrats grow some cojones and ram things through.

This would, of course, harm the delicate sensitivities of the Senate, which in itself would bring a landslide of criticism; if your wife is criticizing you for breaking the pottery as you try to extinguish the fire that she herself caused, though, would you stop to listen?

[moron]

And in other news Barney Frank says abolish Fannie and Freddie? Uh, didn't Bush state that 26 times? Hope and change. No more waterboarding of 3 known terrorists holding very valuable information. Then Obama quadruples drone attacks killing suspected terrorists and innocents. Down with the Patriot Act, then passing and signing. Health care debates will be on C-Span!! Bipartisanship!! Signed orders to close Gitmo on his 1st day in office!! California, home of fruits and nuts. Hope and change!!

[Jon]

Based upon SOME of the comments in this board, it is obvious that some people have been drinking the same Kool-Aid Obama and his lackeys have been drinking. Typical of the vast majority of today's American society! Namely, 1) Never take responsibility for your own actions, 2) Blame everyone else for YOUR problems and situation. So what does Obama do, blame everyone else except his own stupid actions and policies. Here we are 20 months into his presidency and he is STILL blaming Bush. Now that that is starting to get old, he has to blame Congress. I wonder who he'll blame next for everything going to hell in a handbasket. My guess is he'll start blaming the American public in some shape, way, or form if he hasn't already. Grow up people, sometimes if you just look in the mirror, you'll see the problem.

[Taxpayer550]

The entire country now pays the price for those that hated the Christian, George W. Bush, by having to put up with the tyranny of a renegade, anti-American President.

[ADM]

Wait! The Republicans in the Senate have filibustered every bill. The tyranny of the minority. Wake up, Mr. Malcolm, and smell the filibuster.

Posted by: plankbob | August 20, 2010 at 04:06 AM

Time to walk the plank, Bob. Your statement is a LIE and you know it. The Democrats had the votes or enough RINOS voted for the bill to kill a filibuster. If they filibustered like you say, name the Republicans who did.

[John]

Joe the Plumber could have done a better job than this clown. All Obama can do is play the blame game or lie.

[Jim in Houston]

Thanks to all you Huff Puff loonys out there I am getting rich from my Kool-Aid investments. It seems Obumbler can't accept responsibility for anything. I'll bet it is someone else's responsibility if his shoes come untied.

[Rick laBonte]

Small business is the #1 target of the liberal fascist ruling class and its Obama regime. Why? Small businesses are non-union, non-socialist. They are family owned. Democrats hate families. Democrats want everyone to work directly for government, or indirectly, for large corporations that fund Democrats. Small businesses resist anti-european-american racist government preference programs. Small businesses resist enviro-fraud regulations, tax extortion, and other socialist schemes. Obama's 'lending' program, which was written by ruling-class lawyers under Pelosi's direction, is a trap by which government will destroy them. The Democrat's war on the economy is designed to ensure total dependence on government. Socialism must be utterly destroyed if we are to restore freedom.

[Danbury]

Soon, Martha's Vineyard will have tar balls added to its beaches on top of the fecal matter already there.

There goes the neighborhood.

[Chad]

"That was a spectacularly one sided piece of writing....."

hmm one might think this was an opinion piece.

Congress cant fix this issue... Unless it is to undo all the social programs they have instituted. We allowed Congress to spend Social Security funds and now its gone. Get rid of the socail Security. Drop Unemployment to a reasonable 3+3 (3months at current rate 3 months additional at 50%). If you pay people not to work they will do that. If you stop paying them they will go back to work.

[James]

Stupid is as stupid does.

[Ronald Emmis]

Obama is finished. People think he is a Muslim for a reason. Why is that? How can it be that nearly 2 years into his presidency people know less of him than they did when he was elected? Because they thought they were getting something new and shiny and someone who would be a leader. Instead they got a Chicago hack who is an incompetent and is so out of his element as President. The man was just not ready for prime time! And now the more people hear of him and see him in action the less they like of him. They wish he was on the ballot this year, so they could vote him out of office now. His last 2 years will just be a waste, battling with increased GOP majorities in both houses.

[kdub]

Spectacularly one sided articles are a way of life for our esteemed blogger. Keep up the good work, Mr. Malcolm! That Fox News dream job will be offered to you soon enough!!

[Prudence]

When nothing the Dems have done created jobs, why would the Republicans want to vote for more of the same waste ! Get out there and create jobs; no one will obstruct REAL job creation. Throwing good money after bad because the admin. has no experience in the work sector of the economy (only in the unemployed sector), is not something the American public will support (See the reality check in Nov).

[JC Austin]

IF---and its a big if, but if the Dems are throwing the mid terms, it's so that Mao-bama can blame the Rep congress for the lack of improvement in his final 2 years. Just as the stimulus was about to work, the newly elected Rep congress went and destroyed all the progress.
That's my theory on their theory.

[Jeff {SkAtEbOaRd}]

Looks like the writers at the LA TIMES must be upset still over the traffic snarl created by Obama and his Hollywood elite...! Let the record be stated, it took just two years for the LA TIMES to turn on the President and this out of control out of touch congress!

This will be..., THE NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER!

(AM responds: We're glad to have you here now. Had you been reading all along you likely would have written otherwise. Welcome! Please spread the word.)

[OJerkma]

When you waste a ton of borrowed money, you don't make things better. His anti-capitlistic, government-knows-best solutions are a predictable failure. If only he had enough money to give everyone a job, then it would be better...

November can't come soon enough

[Rocco]

It never seems to amaze me how the comments still blaming George Bush and republicans after two years of ruling in all part of the spectrum. Some idiots believe that republicans are threatening to filibuster that's why congress isn't doing anything. Come on! Enough with this crap. If you have a leadership skill, you will work it out instead of afraid this crap and that. Another idiot mentioned about McCain and Palin, by saying "can you imagine if McCain and Palin run the country?" To that idiot, your god after all is an idiot. He isn't come close to Palin's leadership skill. What a liberal loon! 2 years running the country and now the country is going deeper and deeper in the blackwhole! Is there any light coming out?

[DLCrocket]

Wait - tax cuts for small businesses? You mean tax cuts are good? You mean tax cuts help small businesses grow? You mean tax cuts are good for the economy?? I guess only democrat tax cuts are good because as we all know, because we've been told incessantly for the past eight years of the previous republican administration, tax cuts are ba-a-a-a-d.

[Brian Clark]

No one in fly over country, who actually pays attention, or produces anything, believes a word the "community dis-organizer" says. When you elect an ideologue, who has never done, accomplished or produced a thing in his life, this is what you get. When you put a 5 year old on the bridge of a ship, you get the Titanic. He's pathetic to watch with his arrogance, and again, like "Slick Willie" you can't believe a word that comes out of his mouth. Batting 1000 Democrats: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barry "the Pious". Great record of leadership.