Will Pelosi Highlight Her Mockery of a Record on Jobs at Mock Hearing Today?

“Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announced today that the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on creating jobs now in America…

“‘The top priority of Democrats in Congress is creating jobs,’ Leader Pelosi said. ‘By working together with the private sector, we can create jobs today while rebuilding our nation by investing in America: rebuilding our bridges and modernizing our schools, deploying broadband and harnessing the power of renewable energy…’” (“Pelosi Announces Hearing On Creating Jobs Now in America,”Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, 2/1/2011)

But Pelosi claimed for more than two years that the Democrats’ big government policies would create jobs. Will Pelosi admit the failure of her policies to create jobs, or will she continue to propose more of the same job-destroying policies today?:

2008

ON THE NEED FOR A STIMULUS PACKAGE:

“I said to the president that I don’t think we’ll be able to pass a trade bill or an immigration bill unless we have an economic package, a jobs package,” Pelosi says. “I don’t think you can have a president who is saying there is no need for a stimulus package. It’s not about trade-offs. It’s about making it possible for us to do this by giving people confidence that they can have a job.” (David Rogers, “Pelosi: I’m trying to save the planet,” Politico, 7/29/2008)

“And unemployment is up, and therefore we need unemployment insurance. That jobs are lacking, and therefore we need a stimulus package. So how can on the one hand could this be so urgent at the moment, and yet so unnecessary for us to address the effects of this poor economy in the households of America across our country?” (“Transcript of Pelosi Speech,” The New York Times, 9/29/2008)

“Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says after the election she would like to see Congress back in session to pass a second stimulus package.

“Grow the economy, create good paying jobs, in the future in a way that is a green recovery, geared toward Main Street and is fiscally sound,” said Pelosi…

“‘Elect us, hold us accountable, and make a judgment and then go from there,’ said Pelosi.” (“Pelosi Says Don’t Be Afraid of Democrat Control,” ABC 7 News, 10/28/2008)

2009

ON THE PASSAGE OF CAP-AND-TRADE LEGISLATION:

“No matter how long this Congress wants to talk about it, we cannot hold back the future. And so, in order to move on with the future, I want to yield back my time, submit my statement for the record, and urge my colleagues to vote for this important legislation. And when you do, just remember these four words for what this legislation means: jobs, jobs, jobs, and jobs. Let’s vote for jobs.” (“Pelosi: Remember These Four Words For What This Legislation Means: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, and Jobs,” CNN, 6/29/2009)

DEMOCRATS’ FOCUS ON JOBS:

“House Democratic leaders, worried they’ve appeared unresponsive to rising unemployment because they were absorbed by healthcare, are aiming for a legislation solution by Christmas….

“One way or another, aides say, House Democrats’ message from now to Christmas will be about jobs.” (Mike Soraghan, “Pelosi switches to jobs,” The Hill, 11/16/2009)

ON HER PARTY’S LACK OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2009:

“Pelosi gave no ground when asked an open-ended question to name any missteps and what she might have been done differently this year legislatively: ‘No, we had a plan. We followed our plan,’ she said.” (David Rogers, “Nancy Pelosi’s 2010 Plan: Jobs, Deficit,” Politico, 12/17/2009)

2010:

ON “THE JOBS ISSUE”:

“‘The jobs issue has permeated every major initiative that we have,’ Pelosi said, later adding that ‘perhaps we haven’t been clear enough about the focus and purpose, or the connection’ between Democratic priorities such as health care reform and the nation’s overall economic health.” (“Pelosi: House won’t support Senate health care bill, at least for now,” CNN, 1/21/2010)

ON OBAMACARE CREATING “400,000 JOBS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY”:

“It’s about jobs. In its life, it [the health bill] will create 4 million jobs — 400,000 jobs almost immediately.” (“Pelosi: Health Reform Will Create 400,000 Jobs ‘Almost Immediately,’ Real Clear Politics, 2/25/2010)

“House Democrats are “all about jobs,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday, but the party’s effort to keep a laser-like focus on the economy is proving easier said than done.

“The difficulty for Democrats was on full display at an economic forum Pelosi (D-Calif.) convened to highlight the party’s achievements in creating jobs and bringing the nation out of a deep recession.

“‘It is all about a four-letter word: jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs. We are all about jobs,” Pelosi said in opening the three-hour summit, in which a group of economists briefed House leaders on the state of the recovery.” (Russell Berman, “Pelosi’s Jobs Talk Drowned Out,” The Hill, 5/5/10)

ON OBAMACARE AS AN “ENTREPRENEURIAL” BILL:

“We see it as an entrepreneurial bill, a bill that says to someone, if you want to be creative and be a musician or whatever, you can leave your work, focus on your talent, your skill, your passion, your aspirations because you will have health care. You won’t have to be job locked.” (“Pelosi to artists: Quit your jobs, U.S. taxpayers have your health care,” The Daily Caller, 5/15/2010)

ON THE STIMULUS AS A SUCCESS:

“‘The recovery act has worked,’ the San Francisco Democrat said.” (Tom Abate, “Pelosi defends stimulus plan for creating jobs,” San Francisco Chronicle, 6/5/2010)

ON UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS AS A JOB-CREATION STRATEGY:

“Unemployment benefits are creating jobs faster than practically any other program, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.

“Talking to reporters, the House speaker was defending a jobless benefits extension against those who say it gives recipients little incentive to work. By her reasoning, those checks are helping give somebody a job.

“‘It injects demand into the economy,’ Pelosi said, arguing that when families have money to spend it keeps the economy churning. ‘It creates jobs faster than almost any other initiative you can name.’” (“Pelosi: Unemployment Checks Fastest Way to Create Jobs,” FoxNews, 7/1/10)

ON CREATING JOBS “AT THE PRESS OF A BUTTON”:

“Today, Madam Speaker, we have an opportunity to create jobs. At the press of a button, each of us will play a role in creating over 300,000 jobs, saving over 300,000 jobs across the country. Their jobs—these people are consumers. It’s important to our economy that they are employed.” (“Pelosi: Jobs Bill Will Help Us Educate Our Children and Protect Our Neighborhoods in a Fiscally Sound Way,” Office of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, 8/10/2010)

ON PRESIDENT OBAMA AS A “JOB CREATOR”:

“Actually, President Obama was a job creator from day one. Because of initiatives he took when he became president and his recovery package and other federal action, 3 1/2 million jobs were either created or saved.” (Transcript from On The Record with Greta van Sustren, “Pelosi on State of the Union: Obama Was ‘Job Creator’ from ‘Day One’,” Fox News, 1/25/2011)