Graves Statement on Today's Unemployment Numbers

(RANGER, GA) – State Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ranger), Republican candidate for the 9th Congressional District of Georgia, released the following statement regarding today’s news that unemployment reached a 26-year high:

“Today’s news that the national unemployment rate reached a 26-year high of 10.2 percent is alarming and unacceptable.

Instead of focusing on legislation and ideas that will create and protect jobs for American’s who are struggling to pay mortgages and put food on their tables, the majority in Congress and this Administration have taken over automobile manufacturers, nationalized banks, put a choke hold on small business with excessive regulation, passed a $1 trillion dollar energy tax, and now seem bound and determined to jam through a nearly $1 trillion health care bill, adding more debt to our children’s future.

The liberal agenda of raising taxes kills jobs and hurts working families, especially during a recession. It is no wonder with these failed policies that our unemployment rate continues to rise.
 
While it is easy to just to say their policies are wrong and the nation’s unemployment rate is inexcusable, when I am elected to Congress I will continue to advance ideas and policies that will get America back on track.

I know that cutting taxes is the surest way to empower the private sector, thus creating jobs and putting America back to work.  Congress should first balance their budget and reduce spending.  Then, coupled with repealing the unused portions of the stimulus, cutting payroll taxes in half for two years, abolishing capitol gains and the death tax and reducing the corporate income tax, we will ‘save and create’ jobs for Americans.

Our economy will recover by putting people back to work, through an expanded private sector, not an expanded government.”

Graves authored the Jobs Opportunity and Business Success (JOBS) Act during the last session of the Georgia General Assembly to create jobs and stimulate Georgia’s economy.  The JOBS Act, which received national attention, was a commonsense proposal to create, expand and attract jobs through a series of tax credits, cuts, and incentives for businesses to hire those looking for work.