Kaine Was President Obama’s #1 Cheerleader For The Failed Stimulus

“Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine On Tuesday Said The Stimulus Saved The Nation From The Worst Economic Crisis Since The Great Depression . . . .” (Bob Cusack, “Speaker Pelosi Bets The House On Success Of $787 Billion Stimulus,” The Hill, 2/17/10)

Kaine Said The Stimulus Was One Of The First Flagstones In The “Road To Recovery.” “His first priority was to stem the tide of job losses, shore up U.S. industry and set the wheels of economic growth turning again. From his efforts came the first flagstones in the road to recovery. The Recovery Act, which put vital dollars back into the pockets of working families, pumped critical funding into high-growth industries and promoted projects that employed Americans and improved vital infrastructure.” (Tim Kaine, “The President’s Progress,” Politico, 12/31/10)

In January 2009, Before The “Stimulus,” The Unemployment Rate In Virginia Was 5.7%. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/27/11)

· Virginia’s Unemployment Rate Was 6.7% As Of December, 2010. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/27/11)

Kaine’s Reaction To Closing JFCOM Was “Everything Has To Be On The Table”

An Advisory Group To The Pentagon Recommended The Elimination Of The Joint Forces Command Based In The Hampton Roads Area Of Virginia. “The Hampton Roads-based Joint Forces Command could be headed for extinction if Defense Secretary Robert Gates adopts the recommendation of a Pentagon board to eliminate it. A draft report issued by the Defense Business Board, an advisory group of former military officers and executives, calls for downsizing combatant commands, ‘beginning with the elimination of JFCOM.’” (Julian Walker, “Board Suggests Joint Forces Be Closed As Part Of Defense Cuts,” The Virginian-Pilot, 7/24/10)

“President Obama Has Accepted The Pentagon’s Plan To Close The Norfolk-Based Joint Forces Command, an economic blow to Virginia that was softened by the announcement that half of the installation’s functions would remain in the Hampton Roads region.” (Ben Pershing, “Obama Accepts Gates’s Plan To Close JFCOM, But Many Jobs Will Stay In Norfolk,” The Washington Post, 1/7/11)

Defense Secretary Gates Said “Roughly 50 Percent Of The Capabilities Under JFCOM Will Be Kept And Assigned To Other Organizations.” “As Gates announced the details Thursday of a plan to cut $78 billion in defense spending over the next five years, he said that ‘we have identified a number of missions since the August announcement that should be retained in the Norfolk/Suffolk, Virginia, area. We are still refining the details, but expect that roughly 50 percent of the capabilities under JFCOM will be kept and assigned to other organizations.’” (Ben Pershing, “Obama Accepts Gates’s Plan To Close JFCOM, But Many Jobs Will Stay In Norfolk,” The Washington Post, 1/7/11)

“The General Of The U.S. Joint Forces Command Said Wednesday That 2,300 Workers In Virginia Will Lose Their Jobs As Part Of The Pentagon’s Plan To Trim Bureaucracy And Cut Costs. The command employs nearly 6,000 military and civilian personnel, with the bulk of those working at its headquarters in the Norfolk/Suffolk area.” (“Closing U.S. Joint Forces Command To Cut 2,300 Jobs In Va.,” The Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2/10/11)

· “Virginia Will Retain About 1,900 Jobs Between Operations In Norfolk And Suffolk. About 500 Of The Command’s Jobs Will Remain Between Fort Belvoir And The Dahlgren Naval Surface Warfare Center In Northern Virginia. ‘While Joint Forces Command will still close, we were successful in retaining 50 percent of the command’s positions in the region,’ McDonnell said in a statement.” (“Closing U.S. Joint Forces Command To Cut 2,300 Jobs In Va.,” The Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2/10/11)