DNC Response to RNC Ad

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released today by Democratic National Committee:

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100929/DNCLOGO)

The RNC, which is deep in debt and has enjoyed, at best, mediocre fundraising, claims to have a new one minute ad running in four states (PA, WI, NH and MI) attacking the President on the economy.  Please see below for a statement from DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse in response to the ad as well as a fact check of its content.

"No one should be surprised that a Republican Party run by a Chairman who just this week said it would 'not be the end of the world' if the nation were to default on its debt for the first time would rather run negative ads than work to find solutions to get our fiscal house in order and create jobs," said Woodhouse.  "While the President continues to fight to clean up a mess that was years in the making, the Republican Party and its candidates for president are playing politics with our economy and are fighting to protect the very budget-busting tax breaks and loopholes for oil companies, corporate jet owners, the wealthy and Wall Street that got us in to the current mess.  Americans want solutions – and other than negative attacks and working to end Medicare and revive the failed policies of the last decade that nearly sank our economy – Republicans aren't offering any."

FACT CHECK

PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS TAKEN STEPS TO PROVIDE BETTER ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES…

• President Obama Has Taken Steps To Make The Economy Work For The Middle Class, Including Credit Card Reform, Wall Street Reform, Student Loan Reform And Health Reform. President Obama has signed into law legislation that will help make the economy work better for middle class families. He signed credit card legislation that stopped credit card companies from unfairly raising rates. He signed Wall Street reform that protects consumers and reigns in some of the worst abuses that got us into this mess. He signed student loan reform legislation that helps make college more affordable for students. And he signed health reform that extends coverage to 32 million more Americans. [Whitehouse.gov, 5/22/09 and 7/21/10; Huffington Post, 3/30/10; Healthcare.gov]
• The Recovery Act Cut Taxes For 95% Of Taxpayers, Including All Low-Income Earners. [The Arizona Republic, 2/22/09]
• Since Coming Into Office President Obama Has Signed Legislation Creating Or Extending 17 Small Business Tax Cuts And Credits. [White House Blog, 2/25/11]

OUR ECONOMY HAS ADDED 2.2 MILLION JOBS OVER THE LAST 16 MONTHS

• The US Economy Created 2.2 Million Private Sector Jobs Over The Past 16 Months. [bls.gov, accessed 7/8/11]
• Private-Sector Employment Increased For The Last 16 Consecutive Months. [bls.gov, accessed 7/8/11]  

…WHILE REPUBLICANS WANT TO CUT CRITICAL INVESTMENTS FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES, END MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT & PROTECT TAX BREAKS FOR OIL COMPANIES AND CORPORATE JETS

ROMNEY, PAWLENTY, HUNTSMAN, AND BACHMANN ENDORSED THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET PROPOSAL THAT WOULD END MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT.

• Romney Said "Yes" He Would Sign The Ryan Plan That Would Have Ended Medicare As We Know It. [ABC News, 6/2/11]
• Pawlenty:  If "I Had To Choose Between Signing Or Not Congressman Ryan's Plan, Of Course I Would Sign It." [Ben Smith, Politico, 5/26/11; video]
• Huntsman Said He Would Have Voted For Paul Ryan's Budget Plan, "Including The Medicare Provisions." [ABC News, 5/20/11]
• Michele Bachmann Voted For The Ryan Republican Plan That Ends Medicare As We Know It. [New York Times, 4/15/2011]

THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET CUTS VITAL SERVICES FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES

• The GOP Budget Cuts Programs Vital To Middle Class Families, Including Education. In addition to ending Medicare as we know it, the GOP budget also calls for cuts to other programs vital to middle class families, such as public education, transportation, law enforcement and food safety. [Center for American Progress, 4/5/11]

REPUBLICANS OPPOSED PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CALLS TO END TAX SUBSIDIES FOR BIG OIL AND FOR WEALTHY COMPANIES' CORPORATE JETS

• Republican Speaker John Boehner Rejected Calls To Consider Legislation Eliminating $8 Billion In Annual Oil Subsidies. [The Hill, 4/28/11]
• WSJ: Republicans Attacked President Obama's Proposal Repeal Of Tax Breaks For Corporate Jets, Saying It Would Raise Only $3B In Revenue. [Wall Street Journal, 6/29/11]

REPUBLICANS FORGET THEIR POLICIES CREATED THIS MESS

• CBPP: Bush Tax Cuts And Wars Account For Nearly Half Of Long Term Debt; Stimulus And Financial Crisis Response Account For Less Than 10 Percent Of long Term Debt.  "By themselves, in fact, the Bush tax cuts and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will account for almost half of the $20 trillion in debt that, under current policies, the nation will owe by 2019. The stimulus law and financial rescues will account for less than 10 percent of the debt at that time." [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/10/2011]

SOURCE Democratic National Committee