DNC Chairman Kaine Responds to Calls From Republican Leaders Cornyn and Sessions to Return to Failed Bush-Era Policies

WASHINGTON, July 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement in response to statements by Republican campaign committee Chairmen Sessions and Cornyn calling for a return to Bush-era policies:

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"The men in charge of Republican campaigns made it crystal clear what Republican candidates plan to do if elected - take us backward.

"Pete Sessions' promise that Republicans plan to go back to the 'exact same agenda' that turned a record surplus into a record deficit and allowed Wall Street banks and insurance companies to ruin the economy, and John Cornyn's inability to name a single difference between today's GOP and that same agenda, are more than revealing flubs. They are frightening prospects.

"While President Obama and Congressional Democrats have taken bold action to turn the economy around and lay a foundation for long term prosperity, Republicans have promoted gridlock and obstruction -- and now we know why -- Republicans and their special interest allies want to return to the very policies from the Bush era and Republican rule that nearly sank our economy and cost eight million Americans their jobs."

NRCC Chairman Sessions: "We need to go back to the exact same agenda that is empowering the free enterprise system rather than diminishing it." [Meet The Press, 7/18/10]

NRSC Chairman Cornyn: "MR. GREGORY: Well, Senator... what, what distinguish the Republican Party of today from the Republican Party under President Bush's rule with regard to spending, which is where it got out of control under Republican rule, that now conservatives are so upset about. SEN. CORNYN: Well, let's look at a few facts. I, I, thank you for the opportunity because I wanted to respond to what Chris said. You know, in the last year that President Bush was in office, 2008, the deficit was 3.2 percent of the gross domestic product. Today it's 10 percent. Just--we just hit the $13 trillion cap on national debt, $2.3 trillion... MR. GREGORY: Well, let me just stop you, Senator. Wait a minute. SEN. CORNYN: ...since Obama... MR. GREGORY: Where did some of that debt come from? The president of the United States was George Bush when they passed a, a huge TARP, which was to bail out the banks. I mean, that's what ran up a lot of debt, as well. You're saying that a Republican... SEN. CORNYN: Well, you're ignoring... MR. GREGORY: ...was, was somehow different. SEN. CORNYN: You're ignoring the stimulus that was--failed according to the own, the president's own standards. He said it was supposed to keep unemployment to 8 percent. A $2.6 trillion healthcare bill, which I agree with, with Pete, will bankrupt not only the private sector but the states and the federal government creating a new entitlement program. My point is that, you know, unemployment was roughly 6.9 percent when President Obama was elected. Now it's 9.5 percent. The deficit was 3.2 percent the last year President Bush was in office. Now it's 10 percent. The debt was $2.3 trillion lower when--in 2008 than it is now because of runaway spending and debt. MR. GREGORY: So my question is still... SEN. CORNYN: Those are some of the policies people reacting to. MR. GREGORY: ...what is the distinction of the Republican Party of today vs. the, the Bush record that you're defending? SEN. CORNYN: Well, I think what people are looking for, David, are checks and balances. They've had single party government, and it's scaring the living daylights out of them. It's keeping job creators on the sidelines rather than investing and creating jobs. That's why the private sector isn't creating jobs. MR. GREGORY: Well, can't you understand people will see that as a strategy of saying no rather than saying yes to something? SEN. CORNYN: Well, my constituents in Texas, I have to tell you, to all the bad ideas that they hear coming out of Washington these days, no is a good start. And then they want us to replace it with commonsense policies that actually make sense. But the problem is, the, the--our friends on the Democratic side, including the president, have passed one unpopular policy measure after another and told the American people, "We don't care what you think, we're--we know what's, better than you do, what's good for you." And I think the birds are coming home to roost." [Meet The Press, 7/18/10]

SOURCE Democratic National Committee

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