McConnell Asks For Bipartisan Jobs Creation

Kentucky's U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement on the Senate Floor Monday regarding the need to focus on bipartisan job creation rather than on ‘campaigning and complaining’ This on the eve of the Presidents State of the Union Address: 

“ I’d like to begin my remarks today by simply stating the obvious: the jobs crisis we’re in continues for millions. Many millions more are worried about the future. And Republicans are quite eager to work with the Democratic Majority here in the Senate to jumpstart our economy and set our nation on a different course than the one we’ve been on the past few years. 

“Let’s be clear: the reason our economy has gotten worse and our future more uncertain has nothing to do with what Republicans in Congress won’t do at some point in the future and everything to do with what this President has already done.  Americans are looking for a new direction. It’s one that focuses on growing our economy, not on growing our nation’s debt.

 “So we’re happy to work with the Democratic Majority in the Senate to achieve these goals.  But based on some of the news stories I’ve read over the past few weeks it doesn’t appear they’re all that interested. Based on what I’ve read, it appears Democrat leaders here in the Senate have gotten together with the White House and mapped out a plan to actually guarantee gridlock for the rest of the year. 

“Now this is sort of a stunningly cynical strategy when you think about it. Millions of Americans can’t find work. The average length of unemployment is the longest it has ever been. Hundreds of thousands of Americans who had a job when this president took office have simply dropped out of the workforce.  “And the Washington Democrat plan for this year is to sit on their hands and blame it on the other guy.

 “I certainly hope that this was just a couple of overzealous staffers. I hope that Democrats haven’t really decided that this is how they plan to spend the rest of the year. I hope they haven’t given up on governing in favor of campaigning and complaining. 

“Because, to borrow a phrase, facing up to the economic crises we face can’t wait. Democrats in Congress can’t simply throw in the towel because they’re no longer getting everything they want. The fact is, Democrats got everything they wanted for two years after this president was elected. The American people decided to impose a little balance in November of 2010. And they’re still waiting for this White House and Democrat leaders in Congress to work on a different approach.

“It’s about time we got started. President Obama’s three-year experiment with big government has made our economy worse and our future more uncertain. Americans want a government that’s simpler, streamlined, and secure. But we won’t be able to achieve these things if Democrats refuse to try, if they’ve decided to spend the next year on show votes and legislation that’s designed for bus tours instead of bill signings. 

“The number one issue facing our country is jobs. And the number one goal of the Republicans in 2012 is to continue to make it easier for American small businesses to create jobs. We will accomplish this by focusing on three things: fundamental tax reform, regulatory reform and energy security. But we’ll surely fail if the Democratic Majority here in the Senate refuses to help.

“So Republicans will continue to make the case for policies that will spark an economic revival and create new opportunities for struggling Americans. And we hope that Democrats will join us. 

“Tomorrow, the President will come to the Capitol to tell us what he thinks about the state of our country and to outline his plans for the future. We welcome him. We look forward to his address. 

“And we stand ready to work with him, as always, on an agenda that will get our nation moving again. Not an agenda to divide. Not a repackaging of the same ideas that have made our economy worse and our future more uncertain. But a truly bipartisan agenda that gets us beyond past skirmishes and onto a different path. There is much we can do together. Let’s focus on that, and put the rest aside.”