Tagged: jobs

Posted: August 6, 2012 at 12:09 pm

New Ad: Why is Rehberg trying to tip the scales even more for big corporations and the richest 2 percent?

Americans United for Change and AFSCME have a new ad on the air to hold Congressman Rehberg to account for his recent irresponsible votes to preserve the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2%. The ad running heavily on the local broadcast stations in Billings, Butte, and Missoula on August 6 and 7.

Tom McMahon, Executive Director, of Americans United for Change had some strong words for Rehberg:

“Congressman Rehberg is clearly willing to protect tax breaks for the richest 2% and big oil companies at any cost, even if means hiking taxes on Montana families. If tax cuts for the rich were really the key to economic growth, how does Rep. Rehberg explain why President Bush’s millionaire tax breaks resulted in the worst presidential jobs record in recorded history? While the Bush tax cuts for the rich certainly failed to create jobs, they were all too successful at running up the national debt. For Rep. Rehberg to insist on doing the same irresponsible thing and handing millionaires another $150,000 check they don’t need and we can’t afford and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. It is past time to end the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2%, so that the rich start to pay their fair share. If we don’t, we won’t be able to protect middle-class priorities like education and Medicare from deep cutbacks. Of course, Congressman Rehberg already tried to go down that road, voting to for the so-called “cut, cap, and balance” plan that would mean severe cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits for Montana seniors. The Congressman need to get his priorities straightened out.”

Here’s the ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqWoKXb7dB8

Here’s the script:

Continue reading →

Posted: April 26, 2012 at 7:38 am

VIDEO: Governor Schweitzer on Letterman and Morning Joe

Gov. Brian Schweitzer appeared on the “Late Show with David Letterman” last night as part of a New York City tour promoting Montana products and Montana as a vacation destination. Here’s the video:

The Governor appeared this morning on MSNBC’s Morning Joe:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Posted: April 11, 2012 at 5:58 am

Rehberg’s Cowboy Crotch Shot

Dennis Rehberg’s recent campaign mailer is getting some unintended laughs for its, uh, interesting choice of stock footage. (H/T to the Western Word first posting it.)

As Roll Call points out, Rehberg went straight for the “crotch shot” this time around. His mailer features just the midsection of an unseen cowboy and the suggestive innuendo “JOBS” on a very well-endowed belt buckle.

Insiders tell me this new mailer from the mustachioed multimillionaire is sparking quite a few comments, from “offensive” to “embarrassing” to “do any women work on Rehberg’s campaign?”

By the looks of this, apparently not.

Posted: March 31, 2012 at 6:54 am

Rick Hill Dumps on Montana

Congressman Rick Hill is dumping on Montana’s economy again because he think it will help him politically. If Hill and his insurance industry pals were serious about bringing jobs to Montana, they’d be promoting the state, not trashing it. The Helena IR recently criticized the Republican candidates for making false economic claims.

That didn’t stop Hill from writing on his blog:

“While the pundits like to point to the occasional economic bright spot as an indication that the economy is strengthening, most people on Main Street aren’t so optimistic.”

In the real world, however, the Bozeman Chronicle reports that:

“Montana’s unemployment rate dropped to 6.2 percent in February, extending a decline that begin in August, when the rate hit a high of 7 percent, according to state labor figures. The Montana Research & Analysis Bureau reported that the state’s unemployment rate dropped by 0.3 percentage points in February. The state has the 13th lowest unemployment rate in the country.”

Posted: January 27, 2012 at 6:59 am

Truth v. Lies: Economic Facts About Montana

(A 2012 Montana election primer for Democrats)

A while back I posted some talking points for Democrats. A few commenters asked for some elaboration. These points are very important for candidates and citizens alike, and I will reiterate them today.

It must first be understood that the GOP imbeciles in Montana (meaning most candidates, operatives, party leaders, heads of conservative groups, legislators and so on), have been in a state of perpetual anger and rage for the last six years or so. Why? Because they controlled Montana for 20 years, virtually ran it into the ground, and then have since been forced look on, helplessly, as Democrats took over the reins, went to work, and helped Montana make great strides.

Republicans cannot abide the fact that Dems have gotten the state in strong shape after decades of GOP neglect. Thus they have resorted to a rather sad strategy: they denigrate, deride and degrade (trash, in essence) the state of Montana, the Montana economy, and state government, even though we have one of the best economies and most efficient state governments in America.

Facts

1. Under Democrats, Montana has developed more energy (wind, coal, oil, gas) than at any time in history. (http://www.innovatemontana.com/economic-development/economic-development-report/)

2. For the last several years Montana has been ranked consistently among the top ten states in America for our tax climate and our business climate. We are one of the best places in America to start a business, across the board. Just this week, we were rated 8th best in the nation. (http://helenair.com/news/local/state-and-regional/study-ranks-montana-eighth-in-business-tax-climate/article_ad5e20da-47ec-11e1-8152-0019bb2963f4.html)

3. We have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. This week, it went down again, to below 7%. (http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/c068f307265449a18d8af20db28f23d1/MT–Montana-Unemployment/)

4. This has not gone unnoticed by Montana voters, for when asked, 55% of them recently said in a survey that the state economy is on the right track as opposed to the wrong track. In only three other states in America did voters respond so positively to that question. In most states, voters think their state economy sucks. (http://www.publicsectorinc.com/map/pdf/mi_ss_mt.pdf)

5. Finally, Montana was recently rated as the best fiscally managed state in America. Eighty-three percent of Montanans think that state government is managing taxpayer money wisely. No other state came even close. (http://mtcowgirl.com/2011/09/22/stunning-poll-results-from-a-ten-state-survey/)

(http://www.publicsectorinc.com/map/pdf/mi_ss_mt.pdf)

6. And why shouldn’t they feel this way? Montana has a $400 million surplus. In fact, for the last five years Montana has had a record sized surplus. And only a handful of states have surpluses right now. Most are in financial crisis. And Dems have cut more taxes than Republicans ever did. (http://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-budget-looking-at-million-surplus/article_a8764bcb-2076-5c99-a128-e54fbb473922.html)

7. Don’t just take my (liberal) word for it. Ask FoxNews or the Wall Street Journal, both of whom recently editorialized about the spectacular fiscal shape the state is in. For that matter, so did Denny Rehberg and Newt Gingrich. And so has every major newspaper in Montana.

(http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704130904574644510559988716.html)

(http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/IndyBlog/archives/2011/10/18/fox-news-contributor-suggests-dems-follow-montanas-lead)

8. The extra dough that Democrats have saved taxpayers has been (1) returned in the form of a rebate (the largst taxpayer rebate ever in Montana) and (2) spent on education, a historic investment in schools. (http://www.governor.mt.gov/boed/docs/GovernorsPresentationToBoardOfEducation_Jan_2008.pdf) see page 5

These are important points that, too often, are not internalized by Democratic candidates. But they are crucial. They are a dagger in the heart of Republicans. The message is very clear: In Montana, Democrats are a special breed, who are good with money, run government efficiently, and know how to create jobs and a strong business climate. It’s why Schweitzer has become one of the most popular Governors in America; it’s why Democrats won big in 2008; and it’s probably why Tester is leading Rehberg.

Why are these points, as opposed to other things that Democrats like to talk about, the ones that must be emphasized? Because they rebut the false story told by Republicans which is that Montana is strangling business with too much regulation, too many taxes, too much spending, etc.

This is what they are saying right now. Rick Hill, GOP candidate for Governor, was on the radio for a half hour the other day, and all he could do was trash Montana. The irony, of course, is the Rick Hill is a teat-sucker of major proportions. He sucked large at the government teat, earning almost a million bucks in taxpayer dollars as a landlord who rented property to the government. All while his wife was working in the governor’s office. And he’s complaining about “too much spending”?

Aside from being ineffective politically (because the polls show us that voters side with Democrats and like what they are seeing out of state government), it’s very unpatriotic and a truly awful dereliction of one’s civic duty, to throw your state under the bus, tell lies about it, in order to win an election. Democrats like Schweitzer try to recruit businesses and market the state’s assets, and the GOP undercuts the whole effort by telling the whole world how bad Montana is for business, when nothing could be further from the truth.

Finally, I got an interesting comment from a blogger who said that these talking points I’ve provided for Dems “sound like Republican talking points.” Trust me, there is nothing Republican about balancing the government checkbook and running a surplus, or using government in an active way to attract business to the state. Republicans know how to create deficits, cut taxes while fighting trillion dollar wars, and promote Federal Identification cards, and fight for Spear Hunting rights. What Montana needs is strong management of an effective state government, and Dems have provided it. Adopting the Gold Standard is not a credible economic policy. Again, the facts are in: Democrats know how to manage money; republicans do not.

And remember, there is a reason you hear the GOP gubernatorial candidates talk so much about Obama. It’s because they need to present voters with a Democratic boogeyman, and they can’t find one in in Montana.

The good news is, Democratic candidates are now on the offense talking about jobs, as you can see from the articles below. Armed with the facts, we can all help them win.

KTVM: http://www.nbcmontana.com/ktvm/30300689/detail.html
MT Standard: http://mtstandard.com/news/local/democrats-listening-tour-stops-in-butte/article_1ef30e62-47df-11e1-ac06-001871e3ce6c.html
KXLH: http://www.kxlh.com/videos/democrats-host-jobs-tour-in-helena/
KFBB: http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/Democrats-Bring-Jobs-Tour-to-Capitol-City-138167454.html
Beartooth NBC: http://www.beartoothnbc.com/news/helena/17861-jobs-tour.html
MT Standard: http://mtstandard.com/news/local/business-jobs-listening-tour-coming-to-butte-wed/article_ed5c4092-45e7-11e1-a43d-001871e3ce6c.html
KFBB: http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/Democratic-Representatives-Meet-with-Residents-137630223.html

Posted: January 24, 2012 at 8:10 pm

Rehberg Twitter Account Hacked with Hilarious Results

Yes, someone pretending to be Congressman Rehberg appears to have hacked into his Twitter account to make it appear as if the Congressman is seriously asking the President to reverse his “purely political” opposition to the Keystone XL Pipeline. I guess they got his website too.

The hack is a real burn, since Congressman Dennis Rehberg was actually the only member of Montana’s congressional delegation who, in a purely political move, voted against the Keystone XL pipeline. Just last month, Congressman Rehberg followed orders from his party bosses in voting against the pipeline and against a payroll tax holiday extension—a vote so unpopular Rep. Rehberg was forced to change his mind two days later.

Given Rehberg’s actual record, he could not possibly have really tweeted this, right? It would make him look like a complete fraud.

Rep. Rehberg’s actual vote can be seen here.

Rehberg is an easy target for this kind of prank. After adding trillions to the national deficit, giving himself five pay raises, and securing tax breaks for millionaires and corporations that ship jobs overseas, who would be suspicious that he would try to point his finger at someone else after voting against Montana jobs.

Thankfully, Congressman Rehberg’s account seems to have been reclaimed immediately, so it appears that the only damage the hackers were able to do involves this one item.

Posted: December 22, 2011 at 5:02 pm

Short on Economic Sense

This is shaping up to be a banner week for GOP-ers revealing how clueless they really are when it comes to the economy.

Intelligent Discontent posts this week about the surprising Facebook ad put up by Republican Gubernatorial primary candidate Corey Stapleton. In the ad, Stapleton comes out in favor of restricting the market for Montana’s natural resources It’s a strange agreement for a candidate who wants to be taken seriously to make in an election cycle where economic policy is front and center. Perhaps Stapleton should ask Washington Corp, which sells most of its copper in Asian markets, to explain it to him using small words. He should contact the Stillwater Mine about where we would be in terms of jobs if the state tried to prohibit it from selling palladium in Asia. (Probably out of business…)

What Stapleton (and several other gubernatorial candidates) don’t understand is that Schweitzer is helping Montana businesses find markets for their products, so that they can get top price. Republican officials rarely bother with such active governance, because they view government as “bad” and less government as “good.”

Posted: October 31, 2011 at 5:04 pm

A Do-Nothing Congressman No More

Rehberg unveils major jobs program

Plan addresses stalled economy; for once, Rehberg delivers

I know I’ve often criticized Denny Rehberg as a total loafer who spends his days drinking and doing little else.

But now he’s delivered, and delivered big. With unemployment in America at record levels, Rehberg, long criticized for being a passive Congressman with little record of action or accomplishment, today announced a sweeping, major initiative for job creation and economic development.

The program is being widely hailed by liberal and conservative economists alike as a bold economic plan that will have an instant and forceful impact on the Montana economy, and will create more jobs than any plan currently being considered in Congress.

More to the point, Rehberg is finally working on what matters to Montanans. He seems to finally have realized that as a Congressman, you need to be immersed in whatever is the most pressing situation facing your constituents. This is a marked departure from where he has been before. Jon Tester will now be in the fight of his life and will really have to come up big with a economic proposal in order to compete with Rehberg’s. No more may we say that Dennis Rehberg is a do nothing Congressman.

The Missoulian profiled the plan here.