Hoyer blames Bush for economic woes

During a pen and pad session with reporters, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) brought attention to the stark differences between the economic situation at the end of the Clinton administration and that facing the Bush presidency in its final days.

The Majority Leader pointed to the drastic dip in employment, retail sales, confidence in the financial institutions and the rising deficit.

“There is not a criteria of comparison between 2000 and now…that doesn’t show the failure of the Bush administration to produce what they said they were going to produce by their economic program,” said Hoyer.

“In fact, just the opposite is true. We’re experiencing our worst economic times since the 30’s.”

Hoyer charged Republicans as acting as if deficits do not matter and mentioned their reluctance to pay for the costly programs they supported.

The Democrats in Congress are apparently poised to improve the economic situation through a number of steps, including tax relief, improving health care, investing in education, and updating the national infrastructure. Hoyer also announced that the House Committees are planning hearings on the upcoming stimulus.

Hoyer went on to say that while he supports Obama, he will avoid what he describes as the ‘complacent and complicit’ nature that Congressional Republicans dealt with Bush, by providing additional oversight. He emphasized his point by holding up a copy of ‘The Hill’ newspaper with the headline ‘I don’t work for Obama’.