Republicans Unimpressed by New Jobs Numbers

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Economy

(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

The U.S. unemployment rate fell unexpectedly to 10 percent according jobs numbers released this morning, though the economy still shed 11,000 jobs last month.

The figured were taken as a sign of hope for the economy and heralded by Christina Romer, the chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

"Today's employment report was the most hopeful sign yet that the stabilization of financial markets and the recovery in economic growth may be leading to improvements in the labor market," she said in a statement.

Roemer said that the loss of 11,000 jobs represented a "dramatic improvement from the decline of 597,000 in November 2008 and 741,000 in January 2009."

"It is by far the closest we have been to stable employment since the recession began almost two years ago," added Roemer.

As could be expected, Republicans had a different spin on the new numbers.

"Yesterday, President Obama hosted a 'jobs summit' at the White House in an attempt to convince the media and the American public that his administration is concerned with unemployment," said Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele. "Unfortunately this so-called 'jobs summit' was not about creating jobs – it was about creating a distraction to hide the fact that President Obama has managed to create more bureaucracy in Washington than jobs for American families."

"More than 11,000 Americans lost their jobs in the month of November, meaning more than 2.8 million Americans have lost their jobs since the stimulus passed, and the national unemployment rate remains in double digits," Steele continued. "If President Obama is truly interested in job creation, then he should stop campaigning for reelection, stop pushing 'Stimulus II,' and start working with Republicans on common-sense conservative solutions."

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH, pictured above), meanwhile, said in a statement that "while any decrease in the unemployment rate is encouraging, a 'jobless recovery' and double-digit unemployment is not what the American people were promised."

"More than three million Americans have lost their jobs since the President signed the trillion-dollar 'stimulus' that was supposed to keep unemployment below 8 percent and put people back to work 'immediately,'" said Boehner. "Anyone who views today's report as cause for celebration is out of touch with the American people, especially when Washington Democrats' policies – whether it's a government takeover of health care, a national energy tax, or 'card check' – are already costing jobs and will pile even more debt on our kids and grandkids."

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by mikedudical December 4, 2009 2:55 PM EST: The job market should have been the focus all along. We've wasted time and money trying to rescue Wall Street fat-cats and Corporate goons. People with JOBS buy houses and cars. People without JOBS lose houses and cars (see: http://www.repofinder.com). At least the Government is finally waking up to this. Let's just pray they can do it without raising taxes.; Reply to this comment

by NowBeWithThat December 4, 2009 2:43 PM EST

Torture statistics and they'll confess to anything.

Exactly how does the Obama Administration tell how many jobs are saved? Don't hold your breath for the answer.

The whole "saved or created" Obama job formula is brilliant but it's pure fiction. The worst part is that his claim goes unchallenged.

Reply to this comment


by billards53 December 6, 2009 3:47 PM EST: Torture the working class by putting 7 million people out in the unemployment line facing a bleak Christmas season .What did Boehner and the Republican leadership promise the american people ? The promise was socialism for the rich , bread lines for the poor .' The height of hypocrisy is John Boehner , he is the everest of polical bologna .Put Bush and his cronies on trial this christmas season . The republican party is a weapon of mass destruction that should be permanently disarmed .


by stan9 December 4, 2009 2:38 PM EST: I think the Republicans have provided recommendations. Provide tax incentives for business to invest. But of course Democrats do like this solution as it does not lead to a massive increase in government. The goal of Democrats is not to improve the econonomy but rather to grow the government.

The unemployement rate values of 10% are not seasonally corrected. When you do the seasonal correction the rate has not dropped. This is just a bunch of propoganda meant to distract us from a failed policy; Reply to this comment


by addict42 December 4, 2009 2:31 PM EST: It's funny how Boehner complains about unemployment when he represents a sparsely populated rural part of Ohio that basically is one of the most backwards in the Buckeye State and subsists primarily on farm subsidies. This is a sad example of how bumpkins elect fools and fruads.; Reply to this comment


by FHMullane December 4, 2009 1:04 PM EST: When things were tanking under Bush they were NOT negative... now that Obama has managed to stop the freefall and things are coming up a bit they are negative.

It was said, and I believe it more and more... this negative crap on both sides is going to destroy America. The Republicans are 100 times more guilty of this. They would trash this country to get to Obama...

I find this to be nothing short of treason!!; Reply to this comment


by tonyatq December 4, 2009 12:54 PM EST: The GOP sank this economy and now they are not impressed with some improvement. Makes you think they want the unemployment rate to continue the rise for their own political purposes.; Reply to this comment

by ocreader December 4, 2009 12:52 PM EST

Speaking of "negativity"...the last three comments seem to advertise it pretty well!

Reply to this comment


by velma179 December 4, 2009 1:54 PM EST: by ocreader December 4, 2009 12:52 PM EST
Speaking of "negativity"...the last three comments seem to advertise it pretty well!

***********

Since when is asking for solutions considered "negativity"?

Yes the posters below (including myself) are calling Mr. Steele and Mr. Boehner out on the basis of their OWN words. We Americans DO still have the right to disagree...

It can only be considered negative to folks (such as yourself, it appears) who subscribe to the same fact-free and solution adverse philosophy as these two "leaders".

by jimbom121 December 4, 2009 12:38 PM EST

The GOP would be unimpressed if the rate went all the way back down to 5%.

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by billards53 December 6, 2009 4:41 PM EST: Dont hold your breath , velma . Millions of American jobs are overseas where " American " companies emploty foreign nationals to produce " American " products . We run trade deficits with almost everyone in the world , while the wealthy pirates in this country have tax sheltered their wealth and still cry for tax breaks to free up money to invest in " AMERICAN " business .It's beyond a vicious cycle it's a down and out death spiral for working class people .I am tired of grin and Boehnering to this free trade insanity . This BUCKEYE ( Boehner ) is a worthless nut . We need fair trade not " free " trade .How can any country get out a massive public debt during a recession without exporting more than it imports ? THe solution is not borrowing either .


by velma179 December 4, 2009 12:25 PM EST: When will the likes of Steele and Boehner bite their lying lips?

Republican common sense "conservative" solutions? Does Steele have any of these to explain? Does he have ANY actual solutions to offer?

We are waiting....

Mr. Boehner -- there is NO government takeover of health care planned! Maybe if you would READ the legislation, you'd understand that.

And by the way... where did you buy your "predictor ring"... you really need to get your money back -- it as broken as the policies your team used to put us in this mess! Yep, the Dems helped... so did greed in private industry and a lack of personal responsibility -- but isn't it about time you, as a "leader" in the Republican Party start accepting YOUR responsibility.

Start by working for the AMERICAN PEOPLE rather than for the Republican Party-power-restoration-at-all-costs-club !

There are a lot of us that you do not represent... please understand that and understand that we took our rights and responsibilities as Americans seriously when we voted in 2006 and 2008. We are not as loud, but we are still the MAJORITY. Doubt that at your own peril.; Reply to this comment


by rwassel December 4, 2009 12:21 PM EST: If they're so unimpressed, why don't they put forth a solution?

Oh, that's right - because they don't have one. They're just the party of negativity, the party of NO.

There's not much worse than someone who sits around complaining about things, but doesn't offer any solutions on how to fix it.; Reply to this comment