WASHINGTON — Statement from Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, on President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address:
“Tonight, Americans heard President Obama’s latest pitch for the same failed policies we’ve dealt with for five years: higher taxes, overregulation and irresponsible spending. Five years into the Washington Democrats’ economy, there are 10.4 million Americans unemployed, the labor force participation rate has plunged to its lowest level in nearly 40 years, median household income has fallen each year, and one in four part-time workers are living below the poverty line. The President and Senate Democrats have done next to nothing to promote pro-growth policies that would truly help individuals reach their full potential.
“Senate Democrats are more interested in pitting one group of Americans against another for temporary political gains than in creating jobs. And the President is more interested in working around Congress and the Constitution to enact his liberal agenda than in working with Congress to grow the economy. The goal of our economic policies should not be increased reliance on the minimum wage, unemployment benefits and government aid. Rather, the goal should be fostering an environment that allows individuals to find ennobling, meaningful jobs that can support their families.
“Opportunities for Americans will only come when Washington puts policies in place that promote economic growth rather than hamper it. A growing economy will create new opportunities for the poor and middle-class to find valuable work, start a business, increase their income, and advance up the economic ladder.
“Over the past five years, President Obama and Congressional Democrats have proven they not only have the wrong ideas about how to get America growing again, they also lack the credibility to be trusted to keep their promises. That’s why the majority of Americans want to elect someone new. The President and his Democratic friends in the Senate have lauded the economy for years, but their lofty rhetoric simply doesn’t match the reality for most middle-class American workers and families – not to mention the millions suffering in poverty. Worse, Senate Democrats have prevented action on measures that could provide an immediate boost to the economy at little or no cost to the American taxpayer. Americans deserve better from their elected officials in Washington. Growing our economy, getting people back to work, and making certain all Americans have the ability to climb the ladder of success are all reasons why we seek a Republican majority in the Senate.”