Governors Lineup in Charlotte

While Republican governors were recognized last week in outlets like Politico and The Wall Street Journal for their reforms and leadership positions within the GOP, the governors speaking at the DNC this week are defined by their records of increased unemployment and higher debt in their states

There’s a tremendous contrast between the results of Republican executive leadership in the GOP-led states and the leadership provided by the governors speaking this week. Please see below for more details on the governors speaking in Charlotte and the impact of President Obama’s policies on their states.

Lincoln Chafee (I)

Chafee

Since Lincoln Chafee Took Office, Rhode Island Has Lost 3,200 Jobs. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama

Since Obama Took Office, Rhode Island Has Lost 12,900 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 9.7 Percent To 10.8 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Rhode Island Has 59,898 Unemployed Seeking Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

30,000 Rhode Island Children, Or 14 Percent, Have At Least One Unemployed Parent. (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Bill And The State Of Rhode Island

Since Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Passed, Rhode Island Has Lost 11,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 9.9 Percent To 10.8 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

The Stimulus Spent $352,667 To Collect Temperature Records From A Chinese Lake. “352,667 … high-resolution, quantitative records of temperature and effective precipitation for the past 25kyr from Lake Qinghai…” (Mark Hollmer, “Stimulus Funding For Brown University Research Surpasses $33M,” Brown University, 2/17/10)

The Stimulus Spent $17,115 To Study The Effectiveness On Yoga For Women Quitting Smoking. “17,115 … Yoga for women attempting smoking cessation: an initial investigation.” (Mark Hollmer, “Stimulus Funding For Brown University Research Surpasses $33M,” Brown University, 2/17/10)

Obama’s Proposed Tax Hikes Will Hurt Rhode Island’s Economy

Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Rhode Island 2,500 Jobs. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

• Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Rhode Island $0.7 Billion In Lost Economic Output. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

Jack Markell

Markell

Since Jack Markell Took Office, Delaware Has Lost 8,600 Jobs. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama

Since Obama Took Office, Delaware Has Lost 8,600 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Decreased From 6.9 To 6.8 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Since Obama Took Office, 5,275 Workers In Delaware Have Dropped Out Of The Labor Force. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Delaware Has 29,996 Unemployed Seeking Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

18,000 Delaware Children, Or 9 Percent, Have At Least One Unemployed Parent. (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Bill And The State Of Delaware

Since Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Passed, Delaware Has Lost 7,800 Jobs. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

• The Stimulus Spent $889,000 To Study Green Jobs In Delaware. “What does Delaware need to do in order to go green? That is the latest question that the University of Delaware’s Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research (CADSR) is tackling, thanks to an $889,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.” (Jon Bleiweis, “Stimulus Grant Supports CADSR Study Of Green Jobs In Delaware,” University of Delaware, 5/5/10)

Obama’s Proposed Tax Hikes Will Hurt Delaware’s Economy

Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Delaware 2,300 Jobs. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

• Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Delaware $0.9 Billion In Lost Economic Output. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

Failure 101: Fisker

THEN: At Solyndra In 2010, President Obama Praised Fisker’s Loan Program And The Stimulus Grants And Tax Credits That Increased Demand For Their Vehicles. “But thanks to loans through the Department of Energy, which helped provide Tesla motors with the financial wherewithal to expand, that shuttered plant is soon going to reopen. … And it was made possible by loans through the Department of Energy, as well as tax credits and grants to increase demand for these vehicles.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President On The Economy, Fremont, CA, 5/36/10)

• THEN: Vice President Biden Thanked The Stimulus For Helping Reopen The Former GM Plant Fisker Used Its Loan To Purchase. BIDEN: “I was there to celebrate a beginning. Thanks to the Department of Energy loans and Recovery Act grants for vehicle electrification and an innovative company called Fisker Automotive, the plant was reopened in order to start producing the next generation of plug‐in hybrid vehicles in America that get 100 miles to the gallon.” (Vice President Joe Biden, Remarks At The Middle Class Task Force Meeting, Washington, D.C., 12/16/09)

• Biden Attended The Re-Opening, Calling The Loan “Seed Money That Will Return Back To The American Consumer In Billions And Billions And Billions Of Dollars In Good, New Jobs.” BIDEN: “This is seed money that will return back to the American consumer in billions and billions and billions of dollars in good, new jobs.” (ABC News’ “Nightline,” 10/25/11)

NOW: In February 2012, Fisker Halted Work At Its Delaware Plant And Laid Off More Than 60 Workers Because It Failed To Meet Production And Sales Milestones Promised In Its Loan Agreement. “Fisker Automotive, developer of luxury electric cars, halted work at a former GM plant in Delaware and laid off 26 workers there because it ran out of government loan money. Fisker had failed to meet production and sales milestones it had promised in the loan agreement with the Department of Energy, so loan cash was shut off last May. Fisker went on a cash diet, and solicited private investors, while it negotiated a new timetable with the DOE. The cash shortage finally forced the layoff of 26 people at the Delaware factory, which was most of the crew working there to get the former GM plant back into service. Fisker also sped up the layoffs of 40 to 45 engineers at its Anaheim, Calif., headquarters.” (James R. Healy, “Fisker, Out Of Government Money, Begins Layoffs,” USA Today, 2/7/12)

• Fisker, Backed By More Than A Half-Billion Dollars In Loan Guarantees, Missed Early Manufacturing Goals And Has Pushed Back Plans For U.S. Production And Creation Of Thousands Of Jobs. “An electric car company backed by more than a half-billion dollars in Department of Energy loan guarantees has missed early manufacturing goals and has gradually pushed back plans for U.S. production and the creation of thousands of jobs.” (Carol D. Leonnig and Joe Stephens, “Fisker, Electric Carmaker Backed By $529 Million U.S. Loan, Balks At Solyndra Comparison,” The Washington Post, 10/21/11)

In April 2012, Fisker Laid Off 12 More Workers At Its Delaware Plant. “Fisker Automotive, the startup hybrid-electric carmaker backed by the state and federal governments, has laid off another dozen workers at its Newport-area factory. The layoffs, which occurred quietly Friday, come as the company continues closed-door negotiations with the U.S. Energy Department for a loan that could determine whether Fisker ever builds a car in Delaware. Meanwhile, the state continues to pay the utility bills for the factory, holding out hope that the automaker will still put scores of Delawareans back to work.” (Jonahtan Starkey, “Fisker Plant ‘Absolutely Empty,’” The News-Journal, 4/17/12)

Jennifer Granholm

Granholm

During Granholm’s Governorship Of Michigan, The State Lost 532,900 Jobs. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

During Granholm’s Governorship Of Michigan, The State Unemployment Rate Increased From 6.6 To 10.9 Percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

During Granholm’s Governorship Of Michigan, 352,766 Workers Dropped Out Of The Labor Force. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama’s Proposed Tax Hikes Will Hurt Michigan’s Economy

Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Michigan 21,300 Jobs. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

• Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Michigan $5.2 Billion In Lost Economic Output. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

Failure 101: A123 Systems

THEN: Obama Called Then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI) At A123 Systems To Say, “Thanks To The Recovery Act, You Guys Are The First American Factory To Start High-Volume Production Of Advanced Vehicle Batteries.” OBAMA: “But I am calling to congratulate A123 Systems on this tremendous milestone.  As you said, thanks to the Recovery Act, you guys are the first American factory to start high-volume production of advanced vehicle batteries.” (President Obama, Remarks By The President In Phone Call To Recovery Act Advanced Battery Grant Recipient, A123 Systems, Livonia, MI, 9/13/10)

Obama Told A123 Systems That “The Work You’re Doing Will Help Power The American Economy For Years To Come.” OBAMA: “But most of all, I want to congratulate and thank all the men and women of A123 Systems.  You guys are making us proud.  The work you’re doing will help power the American economy for years to come.”  (President Obama, Remarks By The President In Phone Call To Recovery Act Advanced Battery Grant Recipient, A123 Systems, Livonia, MI, 9/13/10)

NOW: China’s Wanxiang Plans To Invest $450 Million In Obama-Funded A123 Systems, Taking An 80 Percent Stake. “China’s largest automotive parts supplier is poised to take control of U.S. battery maker A123 Systems (AONE.O), which received $249 million green-technology grant from the Obama administration in 2009. China’s Wanxiang Group Corp plans to invest up to $450 million in A123 Systems, taking an 80 percent stake in the U.S. company, A123 said on Wednesday.”  (A. Ananthalakshmi and Paul Lienert, “China’s Wanxiang To Take Control Of Battery Maker A123,” Reuters, 8/8/12)

• After Receiving Taxpayer Dollars, A123 Warned Last Month It Only Has Enough “Cash To Fund Its Operations For Only The Next Four To Five Months.” “A123 warned last month that it had cash to fund its operations for only the next four to five months. A123 received more than $200 million from venture investors before raising $378 million in a 2009 initial public offering. That same year, it was awarded a grant under the Obama administration’s $2.4 billion Electric Drive Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative.” (A. Ananthalakshmi and Paul Lienert, “China’s Wanxiang To Take Control Of Battery Maker A123,” Reuters, 8/8/12)

Dannel Malloy

Malloy

Since Malloy Took Office, 9,017 Workers In Connecticut Have Dropped Out Of The Labor Force. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama

Since Obama Took Office, Connecticut Has Lost 35,400 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 7.0 Percent To 8.5 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Connecticut Has 163,315 Unemployed Seeking Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

79,000 Connecticut Children, Or 10 Percent, Have At Least One Unemployed Parent. (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center, Accessed 10/18/11)

Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Bill Failed To Create The Jobs He Promised Connecticut

Since Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Passed, Connecticut Has Lost 23,500 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 7.4 Percent To 8.5 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

The Stimulus Spent $54 Million In Stimulus Funds To Operators Of Mohegan Sun Casino, Which Grossed $1.3 Billion In 2009. “With the support of Sen. Chris Dodd, D.-Conn., the federal government has awarded $54 million to Connecticut’s politically well-connected Mohegan Indian tribe, which operates one of the highest grossing casinos in the U.S. The tribe runs the sprawling Mohegan Sun casino, halfway between New York City and Boston, which earned more than $1.3 billion in gross revenues in 2009.” (Coulter King and Marianne De Padua, “Mohegan Sun Casino Owners Received $54 Million In Stimulus Money,” ABC News’ The Blotter, 6/17/10)

Obama’s Proposed Tax Hikes Will Hurt Connecticut’s Economy

Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Connecticut 8,800 Jobs. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

• Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Connecticut $3.1 Billion In Lost Economic Output. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

Connecticut Economist Said ObamaCare Will Hit State’s 121 Medical Device Companies, 173 Pharmaceutical Companies, And Health Insurance Companies With New Taxes. “The tax will affect 121 medical device manufacturers in Connecticut, according to state Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD) Managing Economist Stan McMillen, who is preparing a report on the impact of health care reform on Connecticut companies. Beginning in 2011, McMillen says, Connecticut’s 173 pharmaceutical firms will be among those nationwide paying an escalating annual fee, depending on their share of the market for business they do with the government. An annual fee also will be imposed on most health-insurance companies beginning in 2014, based on national market share, for at least the next decade.” (Karen Singer, “ObamaCare: This Might Hurt,” Connecticut Business News Journal, 5/10/10)

Martin O’Malley

O’Malley

Since O’Malley Took Office, The Maryland Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 3.6 Percent To 7 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Since O’Malley Took Office, Maryland Has Lost 36,200 Jobs. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama

Since Obama Took Office, The Maryland Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 6.3 Percent To 7 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Maryland Has 211,778 Unemployed Seeking Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

107,000 Maryland Children, Or 8 Percent, Have At Least One Unemployed Parent. (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama’s Proposed Tax Hikes Will Hurt Maryland’s Economy

Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Maryland 13,800 Jobs. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

• Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Maryland $4.0 Billion In Lost Economic Output. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

Obama’s FY 2013 Budget Cuts $27 Billion In Pensions To Federal Workers, Who Make Up 10 Percent Of The State’s Civilian Budget, Leaving Democrat “Concerned”

Unions And Maryland Democrats Criticize The Budget. “Labor unions that represent government workers — and some Maryland Democrats — criticized the budget President Barack Obama unveiled Monday for cutting $27 billion in federal employee pensions while offering what they called a modest, half-percent raise.” (John Fritze & Andrea K. Walker, “Obama budget cuts would hit Maryland,” The Baltimore Sun, 2/13/12)

“Maryland Is Home To Nearly 300,000 Civilian Federal Employees — About 10 Percent Of The State’s Workforce.” (John Fritze & Andrea K. Walker, “Obama budget cuts would hit Maryland,” The Baltimore Sun, 2/13/12)

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) “Concerned” About Cuts. “Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin praised the White House for taking a ‘balanced approach’ to deficit reduction but said he is concerned about proposed cuts to the federal workforce and bay programs as well as a proposed freeze in funding for the NIH.” (John Fritze & Andrea K. Walker, “Obama budget cuts would hit Maryland,” The Baltimore Sun, 2/13/12)

Pat Quinn

Quinn

Since Quinn Took Office, Illinois Has Lost 119,100 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 8.0 Percent To 8.9 Percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama

Since Obama Took Office, Illinois Has Lost 119,100 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 8.0 Percent To 8.9 Percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Illinois Has 587,249 Unemployed Seeking Work. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

389,000 Illinois Children, Or 13 Percent, Have At Least One Unemployed Parent. (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Bill And The State Of Illinois

Since Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Passed, Illinois Has Lost 82,600 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 8.5 Percent To 8.9 Percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama Pet Project Received $1 Billion In Stimulus Funds. “Earmarks? Perhaps not. But funding for FutureGen? Absolutely, to the tune of $1 billion. …But others say that’s a distinction without a difference — that FutureGen is merely an earmark by another name, a project that had powerful patrons, funding straight out of the stimulus bill and requirements for the money targeted so narrowly that only a few projects would fit the bill.” (Eamon Javers, “Stimulus Serves Up Obama Pork,” Politico, 6/16/09)

Millions Of Stimulus Dollars Were Sent To Phantom Congressional Districts. “According to the people in charge of the Recovery Act, 2.5 jobs were saved in the 59th Congressional District of Illinois… We also experienced some job saving relief from the feds in the 20th, 21st, 22nd, 44th and District 00… The 22nd received almost $2 million.  Let’s thank the elected officials who represent those districts.  Anybody know who they are?” (Jerry Agar, “Districts Saved Or Created In Illinois,” Illinois Policy Institute, 11/17/09)

Obama’s Proposed Tax Hikes Will Hurt Illinois’ Economy

Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Illinois 30,700 Jobs. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

• Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Illinois $9.0 Billion In Lost Economic Output. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

FEMA Denied Illinois Disaster Aid, State To Appeal Decision

FEMA Ruled Illinois Would Not Receive Federal Aid After Storms Destroyed Nearly 100 Homes. “The Federal Emergency Management Agency decided over the weekend that homeowners’ insurance, local charities and state funds could cover those costs. The storm ripped through the town and surrounding Saline County on Feb. 29, destroying 98 homes and severely damaging 31 others. Seven people were killed.” (Tammy Webber, David Mercer, “Officials Can’t Believe FEMA Denies Tornado Aid,” The Associated Press, 3/12/12)

• FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate: “It Has Been Determined That The Damage Was Not Of Such Severity And Magnitude As To Be Beyond The Capabilities Of The State.” “‘Based on our review of all of the information available, it has been determined that the damage was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments and voluntary agencies,’ FEMA administrator W. Craig Fugate wrote to Gov. Pat Quinn in a letter Saturday.” (Tammy Webber, David Mercer, “Officials Can’t Believe FEMA Denies Tornado Aid,” The Associated Press, 3/12/12)

Gov. Patrick Quinn (D-IL): “FEMA Underestimated The Impact This Deadly Tornado Had.” “‘FEMA underestimated the impact this deadly tornado had on small towns like Harrisburg and Ridgway,’ Quinn said, adding that he’d spoken with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.” (Tammy Webber, David Mercer, “Officials Can’t Believe FEMA Denies Tornado Aid,” The Associated Press, 3/12/12)

FEMA Denied Illinois’ Appeal To An The Earlier Denial. “The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, denied Illinois’ appeal to an earlier denial of individual assistance following a Feb. 29 storm that unleashed a deadly tornado in the southern part of the state.” (Andrew Thomason, “FEMA Denies IL Disaster Relief, Again,” Illinois Statehouse News, 3/21/12)

• Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL): “I Am Very Disappointed With This Decision And Do Not Believe It Reflects The Reality And Devastation On The Ground. I Remain Committed To Obtaining Any And All Assistance Available To Help Our Southern Illinois Communities Recover.” (Andrew Thomason, “FEMA Denies IL Disaster Relief, Again,” Illinois Statehouse News, 3/21/12)

Brian Schweitzer

Schweitzer

Since Schweitzer Took Office, The Unemployment Rate In Montana Has Increased From 3.8 Percent To 6.4 Percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama

Since Obama Took Office, Montana Has Lost 2,800 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 5.3 Percent To 6.4 Percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Montana Has 32,111 Unemployed Seeking Work. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

15,000 Montana Children, Or 8 Percent, Have At Least One Unemployed Parent. (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center, Accessed 9/1/12)

Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Bill And The State Of Montana

Since Obama’s $831 Billion Stimulus Passed, Montana Has Lost 500 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 5.5 Percent To 6.4 Percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/1/12)

Stimulus Spent $6.5 Million For Montana Power Plant That Doesn’t Produce Power. “Private-equity firm Wayzata Investment Partners created neither jobs nor energy with the $6.5 million it received for a plant in Thompson Falls, Mont. The facility had state permits to burn coal and wood for energy, and Wayzata had invested more than $20 million to comply with government rules, said a person familiar with the matter. After finishing the work, this person said, Wayzata told Treasury officials the plant would burn only wood; coal-burning plants don’t qualify for 1603 money. The facility, which still doesn’t produce power, is for sale. Wayzata representatives declined to comment.” (Ianthe Jeanne Dugan and Justin Scheck, “Cost Of $10 Billion Stimulus Easier To Tally Than New Jobs,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/24/12)

The Stimulus Spent $50,000 For A Tennis Court In Bozeman, MT, Which Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-MT) Said Violated The “Rule Of Common Sense.” “[Violated The] Rule Of Common Sense.” DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN: “I Came To Bozeman to find a city on thin ice over how it’s spending stimulus money — $50,000 to erase all of these cracks and potholes in city tennis court. … Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer wants to make Bozeman an example of how not to spend stimulus money.” … GOV. BRIAN SCHWEITZER: “What they violated was that rule of common sense. There ought to be that little guy in your head that waves his finger at you and says, wait a minute, we might want to rethink this thing.” (CNN, 1/25/10)

Obama’s Proposed Tax Hikes Will Hurt Montana’s Economy

Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Montana 2,300 Jobs. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

• Obama’s Plan To Raise Taxes Would Cost Montana $0.5 Billion In Lost Economic Output. (Drs. Robert Carroll and Gerald Prante, “Long-Run Macroeconomic Impact Of Increasing Tax Rates On High-Income Taxpayers In 2013,” Ernst & Young LLP, 7/12)

Obama “Wall Street Guy” Jon Corzine’s MF Global Bankruptcy Harming Montana Farmers

Obama: Corzine Is “Our Wall Street Guy.” “The rollout also provided a showcase for Corzine, the former Goldman Sachs CEO whom Obama referred to as ‘our Wall Street guy’ at a meeting of Democratic governors in Chicago on Friday.” (Claire Heininger, “Corzine Profile Rises In Obama Camp,” The Star-Ledger, 6/23/08)

Jon Corzine Has Bundled Over $500,000 For Obama’s Reelection Campaign. (Obama Volunteer Fundraisers, Barackobama.com, Accessed 4/1/12)

In November 2011, It Was Reported Jon Corzine, One Of Obama’s “Leading Wall Street Fundraisers,” Is Now “The Center Of An FBI Investigation.” “Jon Corzine, now the center of an FBI investigation into the handling of hundreds of millions of dollars invested in his securities firm, was one of the leading Wall Street fundraisers for President Obama’s campaign and suggested to investors that he might take a top administration post if the president were re-elected.” (Michael Isikoff, “Corzine, Top Obama Fundraiser, Under FBI Investigation,” MSNBC’s First Read, 11/2/11)

• “Federal Regulators Are Investigating Whether MF Global, As Its Financial Condition Worsened, Tapped Client Funds That Were Supposed To Be Kept Safe In Strictly Segregated Accounts.” (Steve Karnowski, “Shock Waves From MF Global Collapse Felt On Farms,” The Associated Press, 12/4/11)
• Corzine Gave “Direct Instructions” To Transfer Funds From A Customer Account To Meet The Overdraft At JP Morgan In London. “Jon S. Corzine, MF Global Holding Ltd. (MFGLQ)’s chief executive officer, gave ‘direct instructions’ to transfer $200 million from a customer fund account to meet an overdraft in one of the brokerage’s JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) accounts in London, according to an e-mail sent by a firm executive.” (Phil Mattingly and Silla Brush, “MF Global’s Corzine Ordered Funds Moved To JPMorgan, Memo Says,” Bloomberg, 3/23/12)

“The Havoc Wreaked” By The Failure Of Jon Corzine’s MF Global Is Rippling Through The Farm Belt. “The havoc wreaked by MF Global’s bankruptcy filing has been felt not just by Wall Street investors and traders, but also by wheat and corn growers, cattle ranchers and pig farmers. Dotting the farm belt, many who used the commodities market to protect against price swings are finding their money locked up and their hedges unwound due to the firm’s downfall.” (Jerry A Dicolo And Dan Strumpf, “MF Global Collapse Felt In Farm Country,” The Wall Street Journal, 12/7/11)

• Farmers, Ranchers And Rural Businesses Were The Hardest Hit By MF Global’s Failure And The Investigations Following The Bankruptcy. “Farmers, ranchers and rural businesses such as grain elevators and feed mills were among the hardest hit when they were cut off from the cash in their hedging accounts at MF Global, which sought bankruptcy protection in October after making a disastrous bet on European government debt. The number of people harmed and the extent of their losses isn’t clear yet.” (Steve Karnowski, “Shock Waves From MF Global Collapse Felt On Farms,” The Associated Press, 12/4/11)

Montana Farmers Have Filed A Class Action Lawsuit Against Jon Corzine, Charging That He “Stole Millions From Their Accounts” To Pay Off MF Global’s “Spiraling Debts.” “Montana farmers have filed a class action suit against former New Jersey governor Jon Corzine, charging that the failed financial firm run by Corzine stole millions from their accounts to pay off its spiraling debts, and that Corzine’s ‘single-minded obsession’ with making MF Global a big player on Wall Street led to the firm’s collapse.” (Cindy Galli, “Farmers Sue Jon Corzine Over Missing Millions,” ABC News, 1/9/12)

• MF Global’s Included 38,000 Farmers And Ranchers Whose Funds Were “Supposed To Be Segregated And Secure.”  “MF Global’s clients included 38,000 wheat farmers, cattle ranchers and others who ‘hedged’ prices by placing millions in MF Global accounts. Those accounts were supposed to be ‘segregated and secure,’ according to the federal suit, meaning MF Global could not draw on those funds.” (Cindy Galli, “Farmers Sue Jon Corzine Over Missing Millions,” ABC News, 1/9/12)
• The Montana Lawsuit Alleges MF Global Siphoned “Funds Withdrawn From Segregated Client Accounts” To Cover Its Bad Investments. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of all 38,000 customers, alleges that when MF Global made a series of bad investments — notably in European debt — it began ‘siphoning funds withdrawn from segregated client accounts’ to cover its debts. (Cindy Galli, “Farmers Sue Jon Corzine Over Missing Millions,” ABC News, 1/9/12)
• “‘This Is A Suit By The Real Victims Of MF Global,’ Said Plaintiff’s Attorney Mark Baker Of The Law Firm Anderson, Baker & Swanson.” (Cindy Galli, “Farmers Sue Jon Corzine Over Missing Millions,” ABC News, 1/9/12)
• “The Montana Complaint Takes Square Aim At Corzine,” Alleging That He Had A “Single-Minded Obsession” With Making MF Global A “Wall Street Powerhouse.”  “The Montana complaint takes square aim at Corzine, alleging that the former governor longed to make MF Global a Wall Street powerhouse through a series of risky investments. The lawsuit says Corzine, a former CEO of Goldman Sachs, had a ‘single-minded obsession’ when he took over in early 2010.” (Cindy Galli, “Farmers Sue Jon Corzine Over Missing Millions,” ABC News, 1/9/12)
• The Montana Farmers Allege That MF Global Grew “Through Corzine’s Political Lobbying And The Commingling And Looting of Customers Segregated Accounts.”  “But Corzine was reckless in his zeal, according to plaintiffs’ attorneys, instead trading in the risky debt of European countries. MF Global grew not through sound business, alleges the complaint, but ‘through Corzine’s political lobbying and the commingling and looting of customers’ segregated accounts.’”(Cindy Galli, “Farmers Sue Jon Corzine Over Missing Millions,” ABC News, 1/9/12)

Ted Strickland

Strickland

During Strickland’s Governorship Of Ohio, The State Lost 338,168 Jobs. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/4/12)

During Strickland’s Governorship Of Ohio, The State Unemployment Rate Increased From 5.4 To 9.0 Percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/4/12)

During Strickland’s Governorship Of Ohio, 134,113 Workers Dropped Out Of The Labor Force. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 9/4/12)

Obama

In 2008, Ted Strickland Determined That Barack Obama Could Not Win Ohio Because Ohioans Won’t Be “Taken In By The Fluff.” “‘I don’t think Ohio is going to be taken in by the fluff,’ Strickland told The News in Cincinnati. ‘I think it’s a choice between a speech and a plan,’ he said.” (“In Wake Of NIU Horror, Barack Obama & Hillary Clinton Back Arms,” New York Daily News, 2/16/08)

In 2008, Ted Strickland Did Not Support Obama Because It Was Unwise To Choose “A President Based On Feelings.” “In interviews, Strickland praises Clinton’s experience and the depth of her policy proposals and questions whether Obama would prove to be anything more than a wave of enthusiasm. ‘Not many years ago,’ Strickland said, ‘we chose a president based on feelings. George Bush was elected because he seemed like a good guy, the kind of guy you’d like to have a beer with. … Look what we got.’” (Jim Tankersley, “Favor Wins Clinton Fervent Ohio Aid,” Chicago Tribune, 2/23/08)

In 2008, Ted Strickland Said “That Some Obama Supporters Are Following Their Heart Without Engaging Their Head In The Process.” “Gov. Ted Strickland has endorsed Clinton and is actively campaigning for her in Ohio, saying last week that he thinks Clinton is by far the more experienced candidate ? and that some Obama supporters are ‘following their heart without engaging their head in the process.’” (Mark Niquette, “One Win Is Enough, Obama Says,” The Columbus Dispatch, 2/23/08)

In 2008, Ohio Governor Dismissed Barack Obama’s Policy On Trade, Claiming That It Was “Just Political Rhetoric.” “Ohio Governor Ted Strickland said at a rally this morning with Clinton in Toledo that Obama’s vow to renegotiate NAFTA and be tough on trade is ‘just political rhetoric.’ ‘Well, we people in Ohio believe that you ought to say what you mean and you ought to mean what you say,’ Strickland said.” (Foon Rhee, “Clinton Goes After Obama On NAFTA Meeting,” The Boston Globe, 3/3/08)

In 2008, When Commenting On Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Strategy, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland Dismissed Senator Barack Obama As A “Phenomenon.” “Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio, a Democrat who has campaigned across the state with Mrs. Clinton, said in an interview. ‘I think we’ve survived the initial blast of the Obama phenomenon, and we’re now holding steady.’” (Adam Nagourney, “Spending Heavily, Obama Attempts Knockout Blow,” The New York Times, 3/2/08)

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