Rob Cornilles' Empty Rhetoric on Job Creation in Oregon

Strategic Insights -

Rob Cornilles, the Tea Party Republican running for Oregon's 1st district, has been critiqued for his lack of specific proposals for reducing unemployment in the state. Despite his claims of supporting middle-class jobs, Cornilles has been shown to prioritize tax breaks for millionaires over actual job creation. His stance on payroll tax cuts, which would benefit middle-income individuals and create jobs, has been sharply contrasted with his own proposal to exempt millionaires from paying their fair share. The Democratic Party of Oregon has called out Cornilles for his "failed policies and empty rhetoric."

Key Takeaways:

  • Rob Cornilles has been criticized for being "short on specifics" when it comes to job creation in Oregon, citing the Oregonian's 2010 article.
  • Cornilles has expressed opposition to President Obama's plan to extend payroll tax breaks, arguing that a temporary tax cut would create problems in the future.
  • In 2010, Cornilles supported extending the Bush administration's tax cuts for the wealthy, stating that it would be "demonizing certain classes of our society" and discourage growth.
  • A non-partisan Congressional Budget Office report from January 2010 found that reducing payroll taxes on firms was one of the policies that would have the largest effect on output and employment per dollar of budgetary cost.
  • The National Federation of Independent Business has stated that a payroll tax holiday for small businesses can create jobs and reduce unemployment.
  • Cornilles has referred to himself as "the original Tea Party candidate" due to his long-running campaign and endorsement of Tea Party values.

Statistics:

  • 275,000 workers could be added or kept on payrolls due to Obama's jobs plan, according to a Bloomberg survey of 34 economists. (Source: Bloomberg, 9/28/11)
  • 0.6% increase in gross domestic product next year due to Obama's jobs plan (Source: Bloomberg, 9/28/11)
  • 0.2 percentage point reduction in the jobless rate in 2012 due to Obama's jobs plan (Source: Bloomberg, 9/28/11)
  • 34 economists surveyed by Bloomberg believed that Obama's jobs plan would help avoid a return to recession (Source: Bloomberg, 9/28/11)
  • 447 billion dollar value of Obama's jobs plan (Source: Bloomberg, 9/28/11)
  • 2010: Oregonian reported Cornilles as "short on specifics" on job creation (Source: Oregonian, 10/14/10)
  • 9/23/11: Cornilles criticized President Obama's proposal to extend payroll tax breaks (Source: Ann Samuelson's radio show, Part 2, 3:38)
  • 2010: Cornilles supported extending Bush tax cuts for the wealthy (Source: Oregonian, 9/11/10)
  • 1/10: Congressional Budget Office report on policies that affect output and employment (Source: Congressional Budget Office, 1/10)
  • 9/16/11: National Federation of Independent Business stated that a payroll tax holiday for small businesses can create jobs (Source: National Federation of Independent Businesses, accessed 9/16/11)
  • 5/5/10: Cornilles referred to himself as "the original Tea Party candidate" (Source: Executive Club forum, 5/5/10)

Sources:

  • Bloomberg, 9/28/11
  • Oregonian, 10/14/10
  • Ann Samuelson's radio show, Part 2, 3:38, 9/23/11
  • Congressional Budget Office, 1/10
  • National Federation of Independent Businesses, accessed 9/16/11
  • Executive Club forum, 5/5/10