Jeff Miller: Americans Struggle In Faltering Economy

September 3, 2012

Across the country, ordinary Americans are struggling to get by in an economy that continues to falter.  Last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released a report which found that our economy grew by an unacceptable 1.7 percent in the second quarter of this year.  Nearly thirteen million Americans are unemployed and looking for work, more than eight million Americans have been forced to take part-time work because they could not find full employment, and, in the last year alone, over two and a half million Americans have given up the job search altogether.

According to economists, growth at or below two percent is not enough to lower the unemployment rate.  Rather than face these facts and exhibit the leadership necessary to jumpstart our economy, the Administration continues to act like their economic recovery has been a success.  In reality, however, the Administration’s catastrophic economic policies have led to the weakest economic recovery that our nation has seen post World War II. The President had a chance to lead when our economy most needed it, and he failed.

With the American people set to weigh in this November, the Administration has resorted to simple distortions and untruths.  Recently, an Obama campaign official went on a morning cable show and told the public that the Obama recovery has created more jobs than the Reagan recovery following the 1981-82 recession.  But, unfortunately for the Administration, the facts just don’t add up.  In the three years since the recession officially ended in June 2009, 3.4 million jobs have been created.  During the first three years of the Reagan recovery 9.1 million jobs were created.  In fact, employment under the Regan recovery rose by 13 percent in those first three years, compared to just 3 percent during the Obama recovery.

Just as troubling as tepid economic growth and low job creation, is the fact that median household income has continued to fall.  In fact, household income has actually decreased more during the Obama recovery than during the recession itself.  In the 18 month recession from December 2007 to June 2009, median household income in the United States fell from $54,916 to $53,508.  But, during the three years since the recession ended, median household income has dropped to $50,964.  An economic recovery that produces a five percent decrease in household income can hardly be called a recovery.  In fact, just about the only thing that has gone up during the so called recovery is the rate of poverty.  Official poverty statistics from 2011 have not yet been released; however, statistics from 2010 indicated that more than 46 million Americans were living in poverty, the highest number recorded since the Census Bureau began monitoring poverty more than 50 years ago.

Under this Administration, our economic recovery has been a resounding failure and the reason for this failure is quite simple: a lack of leadership and an unwillingness to put other issues aside and deal with the most pressing issue on the table.  Rather than focus his efforts on supporting the free market and growing the economy, the President decided to push for a reckless and unpopular government takeover of health care that the American people did not ask for, while simultaneously increasing the number of federal regulations which made it more difficult for businesses to expand and hire new workers.  This abdication of responsibility has lead to uncertainty and slow economic growth and it is dividing our country.

Unlike the Administration, House Republicans have a plan to cut government red tape, lower taxes, and create the kind of environment that allows the free market to work.  We have passed 32 jobs bills that are currently stalled in the Senate.  These bills would empower small business owners, reduce the tax burden, increase competitiveness, maximize domestic energy production, and pay down our unsustainable debt.  This is the kind of leadership that our country needs to get government out of the way and allow the American spirit of innovation, ingenuity and entrepreneurship to drive a true economic recovery and put our economy back on track.

Comments

22 Responses to “Jeff Miller: Americans Struggle In Faltering Economy”

  1. Frank on September 4th, 2012 11:23 pm

    My dad ( RIP) was one of the wisest men i’ve known, he was a depression Democrat. But he said folks just don’t get it! “He said a poor man never gave a man a job” that is why you give tax breaks to the Corporations, to creat jobs, DUH! Alabama Voters overwelmingly pasta state mandate giving millions to lure a steel mill in to their state. Just saying, someone has to cut taxes to generate jobs that generate taxes.

  2. LEO GUY on September 4th, 2012 10:49 am

    @Susan
    I’m sorry, but I’m not getting your point. I do know Rep. Miller is a repub and has been and will be relected again easily. Are you saying some dems do have a clue and see what is coming? I do know that Obama did not get a single democratic member to vote for his proposed budgets. Help me out here. :-/

  3. LEO GUY on September 4th, 2012 10:35 am

    @Bob,
    By the way Bob, since you’re so into splitting hairs with the years, those old guys ratified the constitution in the 1780’s. Sit down and let the adults speak. :-/

  4. Susan on September 4th, 2012 10:25 am

    When you say that the Dems had control of the house you forget the Blue Dog Democrats who went along with the Republicans. Mr. Miller has been part of all of this too so don’t be fooled.

  5. mc on September 4th, 2012 9:51 am

    Cut taxes? Cut govt red tape? thats it? Cuts who’s taxes? You can’t cut red tape too many jobs depend on it; reps and dems. cmon man you can do better than this. D.D. DAWSON I’m sorry to hear about that. I’d be calling rep miller. I did 20 in the navy and get all my ss (disability). Call him dont count on him reading this.

  6. LEO GUY on September 4th, 2012 9:10 am

    Bob,
    The glory years democrats love to crow about under Slick Willie, repubs controlled both house of congress.
    The democrat party had control of both the the House and Senate, starting January 4th, 2007, when the recession began. The democrats kept control until the voters chose the republican party to reclaim the House starting on January 3rd, 2011, after the first two years of Barack Obama’s presidency. There is plenty of blame to go around.
    You liberals are a joke, always taking the credit, but never taking the blame. Your liberal mass media makes this possible, and everyone knows it except maybe you.

  7. Bob on September 4th, 2012 9:06 am

    The real Bob would never refer to my fellow americans as DUMB DRAINWASHED SO CALL AMERICANS. We all have our opinions and that is what makes us Americans. My opinion is not always right but I respect yours also.

  8. Jimbo on September 4th, 2012 8:17 am

    Some of you need to go back to Jr. High or Middle school and repeat CIVICS. @ huh, Republicans control the “house”, everything they propose must be passed or amended by the SENATE, then the PRESIDENT must sign it unless there’s a 2/3rds Majority.

    Now,@ Jane, Mrs Pelosi is the former Speaker of the House. She’s not in the Senate. She’s the current “House Minority Speaker” .

    For those of you like Henry Coe, here is a fact that the Dems don’t want you to know. It was Senator Chris Dodd (D) and Rep. Barney Frank (D) that twisted arms and forced mortgage lenders to relax lending standards for new home buyers. It became a boom for real estate agents and Mortgage originators, but very soon a majority of these loans went into forclosure. $80,000 houses selling for $30,000.00 Big Banks lost fortunes and who did they run to? You guessed. That’s why so many construction workers are out of work! The American Taxpayer…. bailout by government for a problem caused by government. Do your homework people. Don’t believe the lies coming from ABC,CBS, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, or PBS. They are all in the tank for the Left (Dems)

  9. Jane on September 4th, 2012 4:59 am

    President Obama has been in office almost 4 years. Why is he still blaming Bush? Time to accept his responsibility. Mr. Miller has stood up for retirees, military, low income and voted responsibly in Congress. The “Repubs” only control the House, not the Senate. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi control that and refuse to vote or veto everything. So president Obama has a democratic senate to back him up…what his excuse? Blame Bush. I’m not saying everything is his fault, just that he needs to accept responsibility for his own administration.

  10. Bob on September 3rd, 2012 8:01 pm

    Yep the old old guys in 1800s new more than you new old guys.
    For all you DUMB BRAIN WASHED SO CALL AMERICANS. You need to do the research.
    Repubs controlled the senate from 1995-2000 and 2002-2007.
    Demos controlled the senate from 2007-2012.
    Repubs controlled the house from 1995-2007 2009-2012.
    Demos controlled the house from 2008-2010.
    And you dumb people think Obama created the problem.
    The largest deficit in history was handed down from Bush junior to Obama from 2008 to 2009. But that’s facts not nothing you people are interested in.

  11. LEO GUY on September 3rd, 2012 10:17 am

    Those old guys knew what they doing when they wrote the Constitution did’nt they? All these liberals conviently forget they held both houses of congress under Bush when the sh#t hit hit the fan. Also, they held both houses the first 2 years under Obama. In 2010 the people wised up and voted the liberals out of control of the house. Are’nt checks and balances a wonderful thing? Now we get another chance to finish the job in 2012, but the liberal propaganda machine is in high gear. This is our last chance.

  12. ron on September 3rd, 2012 10:06 am

    I remember Jeff Miller before he became a state representative. I have always voted for him and have in the past campaigned for him. If there was an alternative I would not vote for him again. President Obama is a joke and has caused much damage, but the republicans have helped him. Our country is in a shambles and Mr. Miller you have helped put it there. The only time anyone hears from you is briefly at election time. I wish a challenger would pop up.

  13. Bob on September 3rd, 2012 9:05 am

    It sounds like the majority of you agree. So replace this guy he’s like a leach on society.

  14. SW on September 3rd, 2012 9:00 am

    So tell us, Congressman Miller: what has been your leadership role?

  15. Allen Willis on September 3rd, 2012 8:50 am

    I believe Obama has totally failed as president, and has to be removed from office. I also believe that politians, life Jeff Miller, who only come out of the woodwork to vote on an occassional bill should be removed from office. We need elected officials who are creative and willing to fight for the rights of the citizens they (supposedly) work for, and not concentrate on re-elections and securing their on retirement. It would be interesting to know how much of their work week is deticated to job vs their private interest.

  16. Bobb on September 3rd, 2012 8:17 am

    Miller is o e of those old guys that knows nothing about compromise to allow this country to go forward. Replace him.

  17. D.D. Dawson on September 3rd, 2012 7:14 am

    Yes, Congressman Miller we common folks are struggling…!!! Our elected representatives just do not understand the problems of the WORKING people.

    As a firefighter for the U.S. Navy I worked a 24 hour shift, consisting of a Day On Duty and a Day Off Duty. For 23 years I held to that schedule.
    Having what I consider a good work ethic I found and worked at part time jobs and during that time I paid into the Social Security System the full measure as required by law.

    Upon reaching retirement age for SS I applied and to my amazement discovered that all my initiative and hard work had virtually been wasted. Wasted because of some oppressive clause buried in some rule or regulation that called for one half (1/2) of my EARNED SS benefit was all I would receive. So I am stuck with a monthly pittance of $213.00. Sir, this amounts to THEFT by the government. I worked for every penny, paid taxes, fees etc. Now though I am descended from Scottish immigrants who came to this land in the 1700’s MY EARNED benefit is reduced to pay for those who illegally cross our country’s borders and leech of government services with out making any contribution.

    Such programs (THEFT) must be stopped.
    Had I known that all my efforts to be a productive citizen would cause me to be penalized I would have NEVER worked those part-time jobs.

    I hope that the Congressman reads my comments and understands that I am but one AMERICAN that is caught up in the egregious rules and regulations that cause such situations.

  18. PSU1Earl on September 3rd, 2012 6:55 am

    Well this sounds familiar…

    July 19. 2012…

    CNN, “Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked the No.1 item on the president’s congressional “to-do-list,” refusing to allow a vote on a bill that would give tax breaks for companies that “insource” jobs to the U.S. from overseas while eliminating tax deductions for companies that move jobs abroad.”

  19. Bob on September 3rd, 2012 6:48 am

    Miller you remind me of the wack-a-mole game at the county fair. Every two years you stick you head out of the hole but the rest of the time you hide. Since you are sticking your head out lets go over some of your efforts in congress.

    1) You were the deciding vote out of 435 members of congress for the Central America free trade agreement (CAFTA) which cost America hundreds of thousands of jobs. Since this horrible vote you have voted for several more “free” trade agreements.

    2) You voted to increase the debt ceiling which puts our country in greater debt, most of which is financed by countries that don’t like us very well. By your vote on the debt ceiling you are saying it is ok for our government to spend more money even though .40 cents out of every dollar we spend is borrowed.

    3) The only legislation that you have pushed through the house is to rename a few government buildings.

  20. Kathy on September 3rd, 2012 6:21 am

    Republican party line, he took it straight from the already written play book, notice he can’t add something original. They are only allowed to repeat the party line. That’s how you move up the republican food chain. Same crap hoping it is etched into your memory. Most of the folks that write here are already etched in the word. Upper lower and lower middle class repubs. learned their words well.

  21. Henry Coe on September 3rd, 2012 2:34 am

    Horse apples!

  22. huh on September 3rd, 2012 1:00 am

    Republicans control the house, so whats his excuse? What government red tape? They are in control and can override the president .

    More excuses , Bush was president for 8 years while the bills racked up and the economy failed. Where was the plan then to fix anything? 8 years nothing was done during bush

    the people have not forgot