ON THE GOP PROMISES OF JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY

After the State of the Union speech last week by President Obama the GOP presented a response...several of them to be exact. The Republican Party's mainstream speech came in both English (Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers) and Spanish (Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen). Not to be left out, the party's fringe wings were also heard from afterwards. Representing the Tea Party was Senator Mike Lee. For Senator Rand Paul the response was given by, well, Senator Rand Paul!  Basically, all four told us that if President Obama and the Democratic Party would just get out of the way, Americans would have lucrative jobs and a wealth of opportunity

Last week the Commerce Department issued its gross domestic product report for the 4th quarter of 2013.  Gross domestic product is the broadest measure of economic activity in the United States.  It jumped a robust 3.2%, much higher than economists had predicted, stated The New York Times.

Forbes magazine reported that Federal spending was down 12.6% in the quarter.  In the 3rd quarter spending was down only 1.5%. The Commerce Department estimated the Defense Department alone spent 14% less in the quarter ending December 31.  The Guardian reported the GOP's almost three week closure of the Federal Government, led by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, was responsible for most of the drop in spending.  CBS News estimated that without those forced cuts the gross domestic product for the quarter would have been almost one percent higher. 

If they are so much in favor of helping the average American with opportunity, which they say will provide Americans with jobs, why are Republicans so intent on making sure the economy stagnates, or at least, does not grow at as fast a pace as it would without their interference?  Cutting food stamps, cutting unemployment benefits, cutting Defense spending, cutting domestic spending, all means less will be spent on agricultural products, less will be spent on clothing and housing, less will be spent supporting our troops, and less will be spent on roads and infrastructure.

I think their reasons for these cuts have nothing to do with caring for America's pocketbook or budget.  I believe the reason for these cuts is an intent to sabotage the economy in hopes the public will blame President Obama and get GOP candidates elected as an alternative.  Put a Republican in office, they say, and see how the jobs fly into the market.

No to everything is their mantra.  When is the last time you heard a new idea from this party that did not include cutting taxes, cutting Medicare, cutting Medicaid, cutting Social Security, cutting Obamacare, cutting money to programs that support women, or bombing a country to show how strong we are?

These are not the ways a nation builds jobs or opportunity.  Like their willingness to pass laws related to science without using scientific fact, the Grand Old Party passes laws related to our economy with no underlying economic footing.