NH Jobless Rate Now Lower Than Inauguration Day

by: Dean Barker

Thu Sep 02, 2010 at 19:23:07 PM EDT

Here in New Hampshire, the evidence of recovery is clear. Unemployment is now lower than it was on Inauguration Day 2009, at a level 40 percent below the national average. Much progress has been made, but there is still so much more to do.

Yup. In January 2009, the US was in fiscal freefall from the disastrous consequences of George W. Bush's and Republican economic policies. Obama rolled up his sleeves and got to work, even as the Bush legacy jobless rate continued to spike all around the country.

We've got a long way to go, but thanks to the leadership of President Obama, Senator Shaheen, Reps. Shea-Porter and Hodes, and Governor Lynch, New Hampshire is now just under the jobless rate when Democrats regained control of the levers of power.

For our prosperity going forward, much depends on the choices we make.  For example, every Republican running for US Senate in New Hampshire wants to eliminate the remaining resources of the Recovery Act money.  The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office demonstrated clearly that this would be an exercise in job killing.