GOP Clashes With Efforts To Boost Economy, Say Senators

By Sarah Mamula - Talk Radio News Service

Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) expressed outrage over the GOP’s hesitation to work towards bipartisanship to help issues currently facing the nation. At a press congerence, Stabenow referred to data charts showing that more than 80% of Republicans voted against bills such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Unemployment Insurance Extension and the health care reform bill.

“Bottom line, we are in a situation,” said Stabenow, “If we … had, frankly, more willingness to work across the aisle in the interest of the American people…we would be even farther along,” said Stabenow when speaking about the slow growth of the economy.

On Wednesday, the senators spoke about Congressional achievements since President Obama took office, but stressed the difficulties with Republican opposition to policy reforms.

“One of our colleagues said the entire Republican strategy on health insurance reform was not to help make good policy, but to make it President Obama’s Waterloo, to break this President,” said Menendez, referring to South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint (R).

Menendez went on to say that Republicans have not been working to help create jobs for communities, but have working against Democrats for “political gain” with the fall elections rapidly approaching.

“It’s undeniable that the jobs situation has improved dramatically since President Obama inherited the Bush recession…Democrats have shown the leadership and done the heavy lifting necessary to implement policies that spur recovery,” said Menendez.

“Republicans have a clear record of opposing job creation legislation,” added Menendez, calling their agenda “job-killing.”

The senators hope for more Republicans to reach across party lines in the coming months to enact legislation to boost recovery, but they were not optimistic. 

“They have shown no signs of seeing the light,” said Menendez. Voting against legislation is  “a strategy meant more to increase their [Republicans] size in the Senate than it is to create the number of jobs necessary for our families.”