Pence Resigns Leadership Position

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) announced today that he is stepping down from his position as Chairman of the House Republican Conference. In a letter to his GOP colleagues, Pence said he had achieved his goal of helping Republicans take control of the House, and felt that the timing was right to resign.

“Now that we have restored a Republican majority to the House of Representatives and I have fulfilled my commitment to the Republican Conference, my family and I have begun to look to the future.”

There is speculation that Pence is considering running for either President or Governor of Indiana in 2012. Meanwhile, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) is considered a top candidate to replace Pence as the number three Republican in the House.

Republicans Blast Obama Over New Unemployment Numbers

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio)
“Welcome to the reality of President Obama’s broken promises, out-of-control spending sprees, and failing ‘stimulus’ policies.  After another disappointing jobs report and the resignation of one of the chief architects of the trillion-dollar ‘stimulus,’ it’s time for President Obama to listen to the American people and face up to the fact that his ‘stimulus’ policies aren’t working.  How many more times do families and small businesses have to ask ‘where are the jobs’ before President Obama changes course?  Our economy will ultimately recover, but it will do so because of the hard work and entrepreneurship of the American people.  Republicans are listening to the American people and offering better solutions to cut spending now and get people working again. “Today’s report should also cause House Democrats to reconsider beating a path back to Washington next week to double down on the same ‘stimulus’ policies that have led to fewer jobs and more debt.  The American people don’t want more Washington ‘stimulus’ spending – especially in the form of a political season pay-off to union bosses.  How about Washington Democrats do the right thing for a change and focus on helping small businesses?  Let’s work together to ease the uncertainty employers are up against and stop the Obama Administration’s job-killing tax hike on families and small businesses.” 

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.)
“The American people keep asking ‘Where are the jobs?’ but the only answer from Washington Democrats is more spending and more taxes. Their economic policies have failed and nearly 15 million Americans are still struggling to find work. “Today’s unemployment report should be a wake-up call to Democrats and their plan to impose the largest tax increase in American history. Higher taxes won’t get people hired. Congress must act soon to ensure that there will not be any tax increases on January 1, 2011 for American families, small businesses and family farms.”

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)
“How many more months of losing tens-of-thousands of jobs have to go by before the Obama Administration removes the blinders, stops the propaganda effort and concedes that this deficit spending, tax-raising, bailout-first mentality is unsustainable and threatening the future solvency of this nation?  For all of the effort being expended by the Obama Administration to convince Americans that their policies have ‘funded’ or ‘created and saved’ new jobs, the sobering reality is 18 months after the stimulus was signed into law, our economy is still hemorrhaging jobs. “Perhaps the most discouraging reality is that Speaker Pelosi and Harry Reid have allowed the Congress to recess so that members can focus more on keeping their jobs, rather than work on helping Americans finds jobs.  Instead of returning for one day, Congressional Democratic leaders should keep Congress in session for as long as it takes to enact policies that will cut the deficit, support small businesses and reduce the tax burden on all Americans.”