[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18712]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                THE REPUBLICAN MYTH OF A HEALTHY ECONOMY

  (Mr. HINOJOSA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, the Bush administration and Republicans in 
this body love to tout the so-called success of their economic 
policies, but as any economist or working American will tell you, the 
facts just do not add up.
  Republicans claim that their policies are increasing job growth, but 
the fact is they are presiding over the lowest monthly job growth rate 
of any administration since Eisenhower. The current tepid growth is 
less than one-fifth of the average of jobs created each month during 
the Clinton years.
  When it comes to the real money American workers take home, the 
picture is equally dismal. Inflation-adjusted hourly wages have 
actually fallen since 2003, and the median annual income has decreased 
3\1/2\ percent during this Republican administration. Meanwhile, 
productivity is up so Americans are working harder for less pay, while 
their employers reap the rewards.
  The solution to our economic situation is not the Bush plan of more 
tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest 1 percent. These policies 
have done nothing to benefit American workers and have driven our 
country into huge debt.

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