Meet the new GOP "jobs" plan. Same as the old GOP "jobs" plan.
Today, Republicans are very excited to roll out their shiny new super-awesome jobs plan called "House Republican Plan for America's Job Creators." And apparently, everyone in the media thinks it's a great plan! Speaker Boehner has thoughtfully collected some highlights of the media's praise of this awesome new plan on his official Speaker of the House website:
ABC News says "the plan is designed 'to foster innovation and investment, tackle our debt, and help business owners create jobs without raising taxes on working families and small businesses.'"
Wow. That sounds great, doesn't it? Foster innovation without raising taxes? It's GOP magic! But what does ABC News actually say?
According to Republicans, the plan is designed "to foster innovation and investment, tackle our debt, and help business owners create jobs without raising taxes on working families and small businesses."
Ah. So that's not really "according to ABC News." It's "according to Republicans," who told ABC News what they think the plan will do. And ABC is just quoting Republicans. That's a little different, isn't it?
But wait! There's more. According to Boehner, Politico is full of praise:
Politico’s Huddle says the plan would "[p]romote lower energy prices through increased domestic production," "[c]ontinue to open new markets to American made products," and much more.
Wow. The plan will do all that? It must be good. But what does does Politico's Huddle actually say?
Here are the bullet points from the GOP's rundown of the agenda:
Then Politico quotes, verbatim, the GOP's bullet points. So no, Politico doesn't say the plan will "promote lower energy prices" or "continue to open new markets." That's just the GOP talking.
So what does Politico say about the plan?
It's largely a repackaging of policies they've long supported, but if they work to legislate on these issues they may be able to change the conversation from overhauling Medicare to lowering taxes, deregulating and boosting trade.
Ah. So it's the same old shit, with a slightly new name, intended to distract the public from noticing that even though Republicans promised last year that their number one priority would be jobs, jobs, jobs, they've been a lot more focused on abortion, abortion, abortion; killing off Medicare; and naming some courthouse in Texas after Daddy and Dubya Bush.
No matter. When the House Republicans finish praising themselves for their "new" jobs plan, I'm sure they'll go back to focusing on what they really care about. Surely, somewhere, another courthouse needs a new name.
