Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians For 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

“Help And Hope” Take The Day Off

FailedSenator.com — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:51:26 +0000

As Barbara Boxer gathers today with the Big Labor bosses who have lined her campaign war chest over the years, a new study from UCLA shows that rank-and-file union workers – like all working Americans – are feeling the pain of the recession. That’s, of course, in spite of the big-government economic stimulus plan Barbara Boxer championed, which she said would bring “help and hope” to Californians, save or create 400,000 jobs in the Golden State and keep unemployment under 8 percent nationwide.

UCLA Study Shows Union Jobs Disappearing. “Union jobs in the Los Angeles metropolitan area are disappearing at a faster rate than anywhere else in the country, according to a UCLA study released on Labor Day. ‘The State of the Unions in 2010: A Profile of Union Membership in Los Angeles, California and the Nation’ found the recession has wiped out union membership gains over the past three years. During the survey period of July 2009 through June 2010, UCLA's Institute for Research on Labor and Employment found unionization rates fell by a full percentage point in the five-county Los Angeles metropolitan area -- a larger margin compared to state and national levels.” (“Union Jobs In LA Disappearing At Rapid Rate,” KPCC, 9/6/10)

Union Job Loss “Inevitable” Due To “Duration And Depth Of The Recession.” “‘Given the duration and depth of the recession, it was inevitable that union jobs would be hit,’ said Lauren Appelbaum, IRLE research director and the report’s lead author. ‘Jobs are continuing to disappear, and unionized jobs are continuing to disappear along with them.’” (“Union Jobs In LA Disappearing At Rapid Rate,” KPCC, 9/6/10)

Union Member: “So Many Union Jobs Have Been Lost Because Of This Recession.” “One local union member said the job situation has gotten consistently worse over the past few years. ‘So many union jobs have been lost because of this recession, and quite frankly, I think if you have a union job, you can thank your lucky stars that you still have a job,’ said Gus Fanfassian of ATU Local 1700.” (Lisa Hernandez, “Study: Socal Union Jobs Are Disappearing,” KABC Website, 9/6/10)

Clearly, Barbara Boxer’s failed economic policies are so ineffective that she can’t even help save the jobs of her biggest fans: Big Labor. Looks like “help and hope” took the day off today, too.

“Help And Hope” Take The Day Off is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

Not So Happy Labor Day

FailedSenator.com — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:21:51 +0000

As many Americans pack up for Labor Day weekend getaways, this morning’s jobs report showing that the national unemployment rate ticked up to 9.6 percent in August is a stark reminder that the 2.2 million Californians and 14.9 million Americans who are currently unemployed have nothing to celebrate on Monday thanks to Barbara Boxer’s failed policies in Washington. Despite Boxer’s promise that the taxpayer-funded stimulus package would deliver “help and hope,” Americans across the nation continue to struggle to find jobs.

Los Angeles Times: “The nation’s jobless rate worsened slightly last month, edging up to 9.6% from 9.5% in July, the government said Friday in a report that had little for workers to cheer about this Labor Day weekend.” (Don Lee, “Unemployment Rises Slightly In August To 9.6%,” Los Angeles Times, 8/3/10)

Jobless Rate Could Rise To 10 Percent In Coming Months. “[H]iring has now been weak for four straight months. That deprives consumers of cash and reduces their ability to spend. Analysts expect economic growth to be tepid for the rest of this year and the jobless rate could keep rising to 10 percent or more in the coming months.” (Christopher Rugaber, “Companies Add 67K Workers, But Jobless Rate Rises,” Associated Press, 9/3/10)

According to the Department of Labor, Labor Day is “dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers”—a worthy tribute, indeed. Barbara Boxer, for her part, will be celebrating the holiday with the likes of SEIU, the AFL-CIO and other Big Labor advocates. Not all that surprising given the fact that they’ve lined her war chest with millions of dollars in campaign contributions over the years.

Over Her Career, Boxer Has Received At Least $1,651,341 In Organized Labor Contributions, Including At Least $327,350 In Contributions To Her 2010 Campaign. (Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 9/3/10)

But if you’re one of the more than 2 million Californians who are still looking for work, Labor Day feels a whole lot like every other day of the week when you don’t have a job to go to.

Not So Happy Labor Day is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

Career Day

FailedSenator.com — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:14:13 +0000

It’s debate day, and that means voters around California will be tuning in to watch tonight’s face-off between Barbara Boxer and Carly Fiorina. What will they see? They’ll witness firsthand the stark contrasts between an out-of-touch, out-of-reach career politician who has spent nearly three decades in Washington with few positive results to show for it, and a proven leader who has actually had experience in the real world creating jobs, meeting payrolls and managing billion-dollar budgets.

But for anyone who doesn’t believe that Barbara Boxer is truly a career politician, don’t take our word for it. Turns out even Boxer herself refers to her time in the U.S. Senate as a career – one she enjoys greatly, we might add.

Boxer Repeatedly Referred To Service In The Senate As A “Career.” BOXER: “Already my opponent says she will only stay 12 years in the Senate. She hasn’t even gotten there. And she got fired less than six years from Hewlett-Packard. So I guess that would be a long-term job. But, um, I find it kind of amazing. But if she doesn’t think it’s a good career, and a career where you can help people, why would you ever want to do it?” (Sen. Barbara Boxer, Remarks At San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board Meeting, San Francisco, CA, 8/31/10)

Boxer Says “It’s True” She Enjoys Her Career As A Politician. “On her race with Fiorina, Boxer acknowledged she's been cast by Republicans as a ‘career politician.’ ‘It’s true that this is what I like to do. I'm proud of it,’ she told The Chronicle.” (Carla Marinucci, “Barbara Boxer Pushes For Afghan Exit Strategy,” San Francisco Chronicle, 9/1/10)

Barbara Boxer hasn’t had a job in the real world in more than a generation, and her “career” as a U.S. senator is one she’ll fight tooth and nail to keep. In contrast, Carly understands that people lose touch with reality after too many hours inside the Beltway. On that front, Barbara Boxer is Exhibit A … no wonder she’s so adamantly opposed to term limits. Unfortunately for the people of California, Boxer’s résumé in Washington includes voting for more than $1 trillion in higher taxes and making it more difficult for small businesses to grow and succeed. It’s a résumé she has been desperately trying to re-write in her election-year effort to extend her employment contract to 40 years … but the facts are the facts, and her record is her record. And both show that, as a result of Barbara Boxer’s failed career in Washington, our state is today facing an unemployment rate of 12.3 percent and more than 2 million Californians being out of work.

Career Day is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

Boxer’s Policies Bankrupting the Central Valley

FailedSenator.com — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:11:21 +0000

It must be an election year, because Barbara Boxer was in the Central Valley this week talking about how hard she’s working to stimulate the economy. The problem, of course, is that her job-killing policies are not only causing unemployment rates to skyrocket, but they are also negatively impacting many different areas of the economy, and Californians are personally feeling the stress. Whatever it is she’s doing clearly isn’t yielding the results she promised – and Valley residents are feeling the pain uniquely and more deeply than many other regions of the state. In fact, a recent report shows that bankruptcy filings are increasing in the Central Valley in large part because of the region’s unemployment crisis.

Bankruptcy Filings Increased In The Central Valley Last Year Due To Employment Loss. “Bankruptcy courts in the Central Valley and beyond are busier than they’ve been in years, as distressed families and businesses increasingly seek respite from the financial storm … ‘We’ve seen an increase in bankruptcy filings across the board,’ Fresno attorney Benny Barco said Tuesday. ‘A lot of it has to do with loss of employment.’” (Michael Doyle, “Bankruptcy Filings Soar In U.S. And In California’s Central Valley,” The Sacramento Bee, 8/18/10)

“The Grim Business” Of Bankruptcy Filings In Fresno and Bakersfield “Just Keeps On Coming.” “For federal bankruptcy courts in Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno and Bakersfield, the grim business just keeps on coming. On Monday, a seemingly typical day this week, 129 new bankruptcy filings were recorded in the three courts. In the Fresno bankruptcy court, proprietors of a Kern County-based fitness club paid a $299 fee Monday and filed for Chapter 7, also known as a liquidation bankruptcy, where nonexempt assets are sold to pay creditors.” (Michael Doyle, “Bankruptcy Filings Soar In U.S. And In California’s Central Valley,” The Sacramento Bee, 8/18/10)

The truth is that, after 28 years in Washington, Barbara Boxer has increasingly become long on rhetoric and short on results. She promised 400,000 jobs would be saved or created as a result of the $862 billion taxpayer-funded stimulus, yet almost that many jobs have been lost in the state since the plan passed. And at the end the day, 132,000 Fresno and Kern County residents are out of work, facing the prospect of losing their homes and their credit.

Boxer’s Policies Bankrupting the Central Valley is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

Friday’s Child

FailedSenator.com — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:09:49 +0000

Friday’s child may be loving and giving, but Friday’s economic news sure isn’t. Today, we received further confirmation from the federal government that the big-government economic stimulus plan Barbara Boxer championed has not delivered the economic recovery she promised Californians, as the Commerce Department revealed economic growth in the second quarter of the year was even slower than previously estimated.

Economic Growth Estimate Released Today Shows Recovery “Had Slowed To A Crawl.” “Economic statistics released Friday offered the clearest sign yet that the recovery, already acknowledged to be sauntering, had slowed to a crawl. The government lowered its estimate of economic growth in the second quarter to an annual rate of 1.6 percent, after originally reporting last month that growth in the three-month period was 2.4 percent. The revision is a significant slowdown from the annual rate of 3.7 percent in the first quarter and 5 percent in the last three months of 2009.” (Motoko Rich, “U.S. Economy Slowed to 1.6% Pace in 2nd Quarter,” The New York Times, 8/27/10)

Not surprisingly, many in Congress are taking this grim news to heart and re-evaluating the economic policies they’ve been touting thus far. In particular, a growing number of Democrats are now pushing behind the scenes for an extension of the entire 2001 and 2003 tax relief package – a cause Republicans have been championing for months.

Democrats Having “Second Thoughts” About Tax Hikes. “With the economy rapidly weakening, some senior Democrats are having second thoughts about raising taxes on the nation’s wealthiest families and are pressing party leaders to consider extending the full array of Bush administration tax cuts, at least through next year.” (Lori Montgomery, “Among Democrats, Economic Pressures Are Changing Tax-Cut Dynamics,” The Washington Post, 8/26/10)

Pelosi Advisor: “Raising Taxes Is A Gamble That Is Unnecessary.” “[Economist Mark Zandi] acknowledged that tax cuts for the rich tend not to be an effective way to pump money into the economy because they tend to save it rather than spend it. ‘Normally, I would firmly agree that raising taxes on people who make over $250,000 a year would not make a meaningful difference in the way they spend money. But I worry that these aren’t normal times and that even this income group may be sensitive,’ Zandi said, noting that the top 3 percent of households account for a quarter of all personal spending. ‘With 9.5 percent unemployment – which is clearly going to move higher – raising taxes is a gamble that is unnecessary,’ he said.” (Lori Montgomery, “Among Democrats, Economic Pressures Are Changing Tax-Cut Dynamics,” The Washington Post, 8/26/10)

Seems that, with the compounding evidence pointing to economic stagnation, some Democrats are taking the hint and changing course. But the question remains: will Barbara Boxer finally admit that her beloved big-government economic “stimulus” plan hasn’t delivered the 400,000 jobs or the economic growth she promised? Or will she finally admit that raising taxes on families and small businesses is an economic gamble California cannot afford? Because the people of this state want to hear the truth about what she’s doing – or, more accurately, NOT doing – to create jobs and grow the economy.

Friday’s Child is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

Job Creators: Boxer Bites

FailedSenator.com — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:59:32 +0000

Election Day must be getting closer because, recently, Barbara Boxer has started saying what we've all been saying since day one: the election this November is going to be about jobs – or the lack thereof.

"Jobs, [Boxer] Says, Is The Most Important Thing On People's Minds These Days, And What May Ultimately Decide The Race Between Her And Opponent Carly Fiorina. 'The Selection Is About Jobs ... Clearly.'" ("Boxer Campaigns In Fresno, Talks Jobs," www.kmph.com, 7/7/10)

We couldn't have said it better ourselves, Senator. The choice voters make on Election Day will be about jobs and about which candidate will fight to create jobs and grow our economy. But you wouldn't have guessed Boxer cares much about job creation or economic growth when you take a look at her 28-year record of failure.

Since going to Washington nearly three decades ago, Barbara Boxer has consistently made it harder – not easier – for companies to do business in the United States. She has voted for more than $1 trillion in higher taxes, including against much-needed tax relief for small businesses. She's also championed onerous regulations on these job creators, making it harder and costlier for them to do business and to hire workers.

Perhaps, then, it's really no surprise Boxer has such a dismal rating from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest federation of job creators in the world. Instead, they've announced their support of Carly Fiorina, who has firsthand experience creating jobs, meeting payrolls and managing billion-dollar budgets. As a U.S. senator, Carly will champion policies that help create jobs and grow our economy by cutting taxes, fighting for every job and incentivizing innovation.

Boxer Has A Lifetime Rating Of 30 Percent From The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce. (U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Website, www.uschamber.com, Accessed 7/6/10)

"The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce On Monday Backed Former Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO Carly Fiorina's Bid For U.S. Senate And She Began A Two-Day Tour Of California To Highlight Her Business Record." (Philip Elliott, "US Chamber Backs Fiorina In Calif. Senate Race," The Associated Press, 8/9/10)

But until California voters have the opportunity to replace Barbara Boxer this November, they'll be stuck with a job-killing career politician who is concerned with saving only one job: her own.

Job Creators: Boxer Bites is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

A Hostile Farming Environment

FailedSenator.com — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:00:11 +0000

There’s no place more appropriate to highlight the contrasts in the U.S. Senate race between Carly Fiorina and Barbara Boxer than in the Central Valley. While Carly is again in the Valley today visiting farms in Arvin and Fresno and fighting against the pending 55 percent death tax hike, Barbara Boxer has been trying to play election year catch up on the issues that matter most to our state’s agriculture industry in an effort to save her own job come November.

But a short walk down memory lane shows just how little interest our state’s junior senator really has in supporting our nation’s farmers and ranchers. First, of course, is Boxer’s continued support for the death tax, which particularly hurts the agriculture industry, forcing families to sell parts or all of their ranches and farms in order to pay taxes on a deceased’s estate. Despite the tax’s devastating effects on the agriculture industry, Boxer has voted against relief at least 18 times.

Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Boxer’s refusal to help get water flowing through the Central Valley again, choosing to defend a small fish instead of the very Californians who elected her. Boxer’s hypocrisy is all the more stunning in light of the fact that she voted in favor of helping the people of New Mexico when they faced a similar situation in 2003. Yet today, she refuses to take action to help her own constituents.

And given the hostile environment Boxer has helped create for Central Valley farmers and ranchers with sky-high taxes and restricted water flow, it’s no surprise that unemployment is so high in the region, topping 15 percent in several counties. These sobering statistics further reveal the abject failure of the big-government “stimulus” package Boxer promised would “save or create” 400,000 jobs. Since the stimulus passed in February 2009, we’ve seen little improvement in our state’s unemployment situation; in some cases, Californians are even worse off today than they were 18 months ago. And more recently, we’ve learned that our hard-earned taxpayer dollars aren’t funding jobs as we were promised. In the Central Valley alone, it turns out that nearly $1 million is being spent on administrative overhead at the Tulare County Workforce Investment Board instead of providing services to out-of-work youth and adults. Meanwhile, BP was awarded $308 million for a power plant in Kern County that is nowhere near being built.

In recent months, Barbara Boxer has been working hard to fool voters into believing she’s fighting for them. But especially in the Central Valley, Boxer has done nothing but stand and cheer on the sidelines as California’s farmers and ranchers are suffering a knockout punch from a looming tax hike on the American dream they’ve built, a small fish that seems to trump their families and livelihoods and an unemployment crisis that shows no signs of letting up anytime soon.

That bites.

A Hostile Farming Environment is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

Job Creation 101

FailedSenator.com — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:45:08 +0000

In attempting to defend yet another one of her favorite big-government programs, Barbara Boxer yesterday revealed just how little she knows about private-sector job creation.

Boxer "Let Loose A Barrage" Of Claims That The Stimulus Has Created Private-Sector Jobs. "Boxer let loose a barrage when asked about the charge, listing half a dozen stimulus-funded road projects in California that hired private-sector workers. 'The Caldecott Tunnel, Doyle Drive, the 215, the 805, the 405 freeways, the Sacramento airport, those are all private-sector jobs,' Boxer said. 'I don't pit one type of working person against another.'" (Carolyn Lochhead, "U.S. Senate Approves Key State Aid Package," San Francisco Chronicle, 8/5/10)

Sounds like someone needs a Jobs 101 refresher (or, perhaps, an introductory course, since Barbara Boxer hasn't held a job outside government in more than three decades).

For the sake of argument, let's just assume Boxer is correct in saying that these stimulus projects have "saved or created" jobs. (This, of course, is a big assumption. But stay with us here.) Jobs "saved or created" through the economic stimulus plan are funded by taxpayer dollars. That means you and I and all of our fellow Americans – not the private sector – are directly paying for these jobs.

So, Senator Boxer, even if the stimulus was creating a job here or there, those are not "all private-sector jobs."

Class dismissed.

Job Creation 101 is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

Being a senator is just like being a soldier … except when it’s not

FailedSenator.com — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:14:12 +0000

During a campaign event in Inglewood over the weekend, Barbara Boxer’s disrespectful attitude toward our armed forces was on full display when she equated the experiences of members of Congress with the experiences of those who have put their lives on the line serving our country in uniform.

BOXER: “You know when you’ve got through similar things you need to share it. I don’t care whether you are a policeman or a fireman or a veteran or by chance a member of Congress. Maxine and I could look at each other and roll our eyes. We know what we are up against. And it is hard for people who are not there to understand the pressure and the great things that go along with it and the tough things that go along with it.” (Sen. Barbara Boxer, Remarks At A Campaign Event, Inglewood, CA, 7/24/10)

Of course. Because sitting on the floor of the U.S. Senate watching Republicans stare back at you from across the aisle is exactly like looking across the desert at an enemy with a weapon pointed right at you. Same thing … just different, right?

Unfortunately, this is exactly the kind of disrespectful and tone-deaf comment we’ve come to expect from a woman who has spent nearly three decades in Washington repeatedly opposing defense spending bills, including legislation that provided billions of dollars for body armor and defense health programs for our soldiers.

And we would be remiss if we left out the infamous incident when Barbara Boxer dressed down a brigadier general on national television when he called her “ma’am” instead of “senator.” Or when she refused to condemn a MoveOn.org advertisement that called General David Petraeus “General Betray Us” and accused him of “cooking the books.”

Our men and women in the military put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms; and for that, we owe them a debt a gratitude we will never be able to repay. Barbara Boxer, however, seems to believe that cutting off funding to our armed forces in times of war and disrespecting our soldiers with careless and out-of-touch statements is thanks enough.

Watch the video for yourself:

Being a senator is just like being a soldier … except when it’s not is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com

Boxer’s Record of Failure: The Numbers Don’t Lie

FailedSenator.com — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:47:38 +0000

Dear Friend,

As Californians face record unemployment, Barbara Boxer has spent a lot of time on the campaign trail recently trying to rewrite her record on jobs and the economy. There’s an old saying that there are numbers in everything and, after nearly three decades as a politician in Washington, Boxer’s record is no exception. No matter the rhetoric and funny math she uses in her election year bid to save the job she cherishes most, the numbers in this case tell the real story of Barbara Boxer’s decades of failure as a career politician.

Check out FailedSenator.com/ByTheNumbers to see for yourself. Highlights include:

Number of Californians currently out of work

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Amount of higher taxes voted for by Boxer
during her time in the Senate

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Percentage of Californians
who believe the state is on
the wrong track

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In her desperate quest to get re-elected, you won’t hear Boxer talking about the 80 percent of Californians who think our state is on the wrong track or about the 2.2 million Californians who are still out of work despite Boxer’s empty promises and a "stimulus" that’s left California behind. For Boxer, the numbers paint an ugly picture – a picture of an ineffective, tax-and-spend liberal obsessed with re-election in a state that’s had enough of her policies. Fortunately for us, though, the numbers tell the true story of Barbara Boxer’s failure, and we’ve spent some time putting them together for you. We call it "Boxer By The Numbers."

Help us spread the word by visiting FailedSenator.com/ByTheNumbers. As you will see, the numbers really do speak for themselves. Once you’re there, you can post the facts on Twitter, share the page on Facebook and even download a new Facebook profile picture to share with your friends. Can we count on your help?

Sincerely,

Julie Soderlund
Carly for California
Deputy Campaign Manager

Boxer’s Record of Failure: The Numbers Don’t Lie is a post from: Failed Senator: Documenting How Barbara Boxer Has Failed Californians for 30 Years | FailedSenator.com