Yes – Republicans have been trying to sabotage the economy since even before Obama was sworn into office (more HERE).  The party that likes to claim the mantel of patriotism has shown itself via its own actions to be anything but patriotic over these past 3 years.  It isn’t as if they’re negotiating in good faith for conservative values – they are doing EVERYTHING to hold the economy back even when Obama proposes conservative ideas.  Republicans have walked away from deals to reduce the deficit, from agreements to manage entitlements over the long haul, from tax cuts for the middle class …. they’ve even walked away from bills that they CO-SPONSORED.  As in …they put their name on the bill and as soon as Obama was for it – they voted against their own bill.

Right now there is a bill called the American Jobs Act waiting to be passed that would have created 1.3 million jobs within a year of its creation; Republicans blocked almost all of it.  The only part they didn’t was the portion that was even too politically indefensible for the Republicans … helping veterans find jobs.  And now – the rate of unemployment for veterans is 6.6% (source) and that is WELL underneath the national average.

Krugman writes HERE:

Does anyone remember the American Jobs Act? A year ago President Obama proposed boosting the economy with a combination of tax cuts and spending increases, aimed in particular at sustaining state and local government employment. Independent analysts reacted favorably. For example, the consulting firm Macroeconomic Advisers estimated that the act would add 1.3 million jobs by the end of 2012.

There were good reasons for these positive assessments. Although you’d never know it from political debate, worldwide experience since the financial crisis struck in 2008 has overwhelmingly confirmed the proposition that fiscal policy “works,” that temporary increases in spending boost employment in a depressed economy (and that spending cuts increase unemployment). The Jobs Act would have been just what the doctor ordered.

But the bill went nowhere, of course, blocked by Republicans in Congress. And now, having prevented Mr. Obama from implementing any of his policies, those same Republicans are pointing to disappointing job numbers and declaring that the president’s policies have failed.

Remember the time that Romney scoffed at hiring more firefighters, teachers and police as proposed in the American Jobs Act? In June – Mitt Romney openly came out against hiring more teachers, police officers and firemen …ya know – government workers.  You can see his position on that in his own words HERE.

There hasn’t been any recent polling to question whether or not Americans believe Republicans are intentionally trying to block  an economic recovery for political gain … but in June of this year this question was asked HERE:

The poll, conducted by the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling in conjunction with the Daily KOS and the Service Employees International Union, found that 49 percent of prospective voters think the GOP is “intentionally stalling efforts to jump-start the economy” as a way of ensuring that presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will take the White House.

Democrats were not the only political demographic to share that sentiment, according to the poll, which found half of independents felt the same way.

And in November of last year – three separate polls found the exact same thing HERE:

Suffolk University polled registered voters in Florida and found that nearly half of voters, including large minorities of conservatives and Republicans, believed “Republicans are intentionally stalling efforts to jump-start the economy to insure that Barack Obama is not re-elected?”

On Monday, a nation-wide Washington Post/ABC News poll yielded similar results. The question in the Post/ABC poll was different — it asked respondents to choose between “President Obama is making a good faith effort to deal with the country’s economic problems, but the Republicans in Congress are playing politics by blocking his proposals and programs,” and “President Obama has not provided leadership on the economy, and he is just blaming the Republicans in Congress as an excuse for not doing his job.”

Also on Monday, liberal blogger Markos Moulitsas publicized the top lines of a PPP poll he commissioned, which closely mimic the the Post/ABC survey: “50% think GOP intentionally stalling economy, incl 51% of Indies, & 15% of GOPers. Details Tuesday.”

As I’ve shared in “The Republican Congress is Killing the Economic Recovery” the Republican party has blocked several proposals by the Obama administration which would have created millions of jobs:

June 24th, 2010: GOP Blocks Unemployment Insurance Bill Once Again, Dems Giving Up (Open Congress)
July 29th, 2010: Republicans block small business plan in Senate (Reuters)
September 28th, 2010: GOP Blocks Bill to Punish Companies that Move Jobs Abroad (CBS News)
November 18th, 2010:  House GOP blocks bill to extend jobless benefits (USA TODAY)
November 18th, 2010: Republicans vote unanimously against equal pay for women bill (Raw Story)
December 9th, 2010: Senate Republicans block 9/11 health bill (Reuters)
October 11th, 2011: Senate Republicans block Obama’s jobs package (CBS News)
October 20th, 2011: Senate blocks money for teachers, firefighters (WaPost)
November 3rd, 2011: Republicans block $60bn infrastructure bill (Financial Times)
December 11th, 2011: Senate blocks payroll tax-cut extension (MSNBC)
March 29th, 2012: Republicans Block Repeal of Oil-Company Tax Breaks Obama Sought (Business Week)
April 17th, 2012: Senate GOP blocks Obama’s ‘Buffett rule’ for minimum tax rate on millionaires (Fox News)
May 8th, 2012: GOP blocks Senate debate on Dem student loan bill (Associated Press)

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