Newt Gingrich issued the following statement on the February jobs report, showing that the economy added 227,000 jobs:
After more than three full years of an Obama presidency, Americans are still frustrated by a sustained unemployment rate above 8 percent. Any new job is a welcome paycheck for the American worker, but as past recoveries show, the current rate of growth will leave the American economy sputtering for years to come.
The unfortunate reality for American families is that any marginal job growth is muted by soaring prices at the pump. The Obama administration has routinely hampered attempts to increase domestic oil production and is actively hobbling a truly American recovery.
Gas cost $1.89 a gallon the week President Obama was inaugurated just 3 years ago. As gas now creeps above $4 a gallon, the current administration cannot hide behind a stagnant unemployment rate while touting algae as the solution to our energy woes. $2.50 a gallon gas and real job growth is possible by unleashing America’s full energy production potential.
Simply authorizing the pro-jobs, pro-growth Keystone XL pipeline would add tens of thousands of new jobs to the economy while simultaneously lowering the price of gas. Unfortunately, we learned President Obama chose to actively lobby against yesterday’s bipartisan Senate bill to authorize the pipeline. Only an anti-energy administration is satisfied with 8.3% percent unemployment.
A truly American energy plan combined, with the proven Reagan-Gingrich model of lower taxes and less regulation, will spur the American people to lead the way to recovery.
Now more than ever, America needs a pro-energy and pro-growth President in the White House.
