Economy

Oakland Press: Pete's Tune Changes

Pete Hoekstra's flip-flop on the no-tax pledge was covered by the Oakland Press:

Not only was the news release a tad misleading, it lead to a rehash of the fact that Mr. Hoekstra had done a somersalt on the issue or if your prefer, which the current Hoekstra campaign does not, he flip-flopped.

AP: Democrats working to undercut Perry, Romney

On September 23, 2011, the Associated Press wrote:

To hear Democrats tell it, Gov. Rick Perry's economic record in Texas is nothing more than a mirage and his views on Social Security make him "America's Most Dangerous Cowboy." In Massachusetts, President Barack Obama's allies say job creation lagged under Mitt Romney, whose policies would undermine the middle class.

AP: Candidates Bash Stimulus, Campaign At Companies

On September 15, 2011, the Associated Press reported: 

"Republican presidential contenders have crisscrossed the nation bashing President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plans as a colossal waste of taxpayer money. But with an awkward frequency, these same candidates are campaigning at businesses that benefited from the president's landmark stimulus package.

With the cameras rolling, the Republicans celebrate the hard work of local entrepreneurs in places like Pella, Iowa, and Milford, N.H., while later condemning the federal resources that helped those entrepreneurs navigate the economic downturn..."

MEMO: Questions For The Republican Debate

Last month, the Republican Presidential candidates met on a debate stage about a week after the resolution of the debt ceiling debacle. In their attempts to top one another in their pandering to the Tea Party, their political brinksmanship outlined a vision for America that would have assured default and advocated dangerous economic policies that would push our economy over the edge. Tonight, the candidates meet while jobs are at the forefront of national attention. The American people want to see if these Republicans can offer something other than the failed policy prescriptions that got us into this mess. While Republicans want to talk about cutting taxes for corporations with record profits at the expense of the middle class, the American people expect answers to these questions...

Salt Lake Tribune: Huntsman pitches wholesale tax overhaul

"Democrats also pointed to the former Utah governor’s family-owned Huntsman Corp., which now has a majority of employees overseas. Of the company’s 12,000 employees, BusinessWeek recently reported, only 2,174 are in the United States while some 1,100 are in China. "Desperately flailing to gain any type of traction in the race, Jon Huntsman is out today pushing ‘Made In America.’ But with him, it is ‘Made in China’ that has made him millions," says Ty Matsdorf, a spokesman for the liberal group, American Bridge 21st Century. "This appears to be just one more desperate attempt to breathe some much needed life into a floundering campaign."

AP: Huntsman offers tax, trade plan to create jobs

On August 31, 2011, the Associate Press reported:

"The location of the announcement and emphasis on American manufacturing prompted critics to challenge Huntsman's record at the Huntsman family business. Huntsman Corp., a chemical company, employs far more workers overseas than in the United States.

Huntsman's campaign conceded that fact, but said the jobs plan would improve the business climate in this nation and help Huntsman Corp. and other businesses hire more American workers.

That did little to quiet Democratic criticism.

"It's ironic that Huntsman is pushing 'Made in America' so hard when 'Made in China' has made him millions," said Ty Matsdorf, spokesman for American Bridge, a political group allied with Democrats. "Desperately flailing to gain any type of traction in the race, apparently he will try anything to breathe some much needed life into a floundering campaign."

PolitiFact Virginia: Allen says he reined in state spending as governor

On August 22, 2011 PolitiFact Virginia reported:   Republican George Allen is promising his unrelenting effort to curb federal spending…

Rick Perry Compares Civil Rights Movement To Lower Taxes And Deregulation

At an August 20, 2011 meet and greet at the Old Town Bistro in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Gov. Rick Perry seemingly likened the struggles of the civil rights movement to fighting for lower taxes and deregulation. As AMERICAblog's Kombiz Lavasany wrote, "The statement is historically inaccurate, Martin Luther King Jr. fought for unions and regulations."

MEMO: Rick Perry: The Great Campaigner?

Last week, Texas Governor Rick Perry burst onto the GOP Presidential scene, managing to step all over the Ames straw poll by making his official announcement the same day.

By waiting until after the straw poll to enter the race, Perry avoided answering the tough questions that voters care about. Rather than use his first week in the race to show Americans where he stands on today's most pressing issues, he upstaged himself with a series of gaffes and extreme statements, revealing that he's just not ready for prime time.

Washington Post: Bachmann On Why She Worked For IRS: "First Rule Of War Is 'Know Your Enemy'"

On August 18, 2011, the Washington Post reported:

"This is fun. Michele Bachmann, on the campaign trail today, offered what seems to be a new explanation for her previous work as a lawyer for the Internal Revenue Service, something that has drawn some ire from the right. Her explanation: She worked for the IRS as a kind of secret anti-tax mole whose mission was to get to know the place in order to better undermine it later. As she put it: “The first rule of war is `know your enemy.’” This explanation seems a bit at odds with descriptions of the episode she’s given on previous occasions, when she’s said her anti-tax fervor was the result of her work for the IRS. This version on the trail explains her work for the IRS — which spanned four years, from 1988-1992 — in a way that will be more acceptable to hard-core anti-tax conservatives." BACHMANN: “We change the economy by changing the tax code. How many of you love the IRS? No! It’s time to change it. I went to work in that system because the first rule of war is ‘know your enemy.’ So I went to the inside to learn how they work because I wanted to beat them.”