Unemployment Doubles Under O'Malley
For Immediate Release
July 22, 2013
Contact: Steve Crim
Governor Martin O'Malley issued another self congratulatory and blatantly false statement n a press released issued Friday
saying: "As a state we've now recovered more than 99% of the jobs lost
in the national economic downturn - a significant step forward in our
job creation and recovery effort."
As he travels around the country, he continually
touts his success at job growth and "driving down unemployment."There's
just one problem, it's just not true. The irrefutable facts show the
actual situation to be completely the opposite of his false claims.
When Martin O'Malley became Governor in January 2007
the unemployment rate was 3.6%, on the very day of O'Malley's latest
outrageous claim, unemployment rose to 7%. So rather than driving
unemployment down, as he claims, unemployment has, in fact, nearly
doubled under the O'Malley Administration.
When O'Malley took the reins of state government in
January 2007 there were 108,096 people unemployed in Maryland, today
after nearly seven years of his leadership, there are now 218,741 people
unemployed. That is an increase of 110,645 additional people unemployed
and represents an increase in unemployment of more than 100%.
"This is a tragedy, these aren't just terrible
numbers, these are real people, fathers and mothers struggling to make
ends meet, to keep a roof over their head, put clothes on their kids
back and food on the table," said Change Maryland Chairman Larry Hogan.
Hogan, a successful businessman, who has brought
hundreds of companies and thousands of jobs to Maryland said, "Sometimes
politicians think that if they repeat something enough times people
will eventually believe it. Governor O'Malley is pretty good at weaving
magical tales with no basis in reality. But, no amount false spin can
change the cold hard fact that no other Governor in Maryland history has
ever lost as many jobs as Martin O'Malley has."
Change Maryland hosted an Summit on Improving
Maryland's Economic Competitiveness looking for solutions to the State's
serious economic problems, and has produced numerous economic studies
and reports showing that the 40 consecutive O'Malley tax hikes have
caused us to lose more than 6,500 businesses including 10 of our 13
Fortune 500 companies, and have caused a mass exodus of taxpayers
fleeing the state in record numbers.
"The time for results is long overdue. There are no
more excuses left for the O'Malley Administration? After nearly seven
years of failed economic policy, there is no one to blame but
themselves. We need Democrats, Republicans and Independents to put aside
partisanship and work together on the shared goal of increasing
employment is Maryland. The need for a real change in direction for
Maryland has never been more clear," said Hogan, a former State Cabinet
Secretary.
Change Maryland is the largest independent citizen
activist group in Maryland, and advocates for pro-jobs policy in the
state. The movement is made up of of more than 50,000 people from every
jurisdiction in the state, and was founded by Hogan, who is also a
Director of the Maryland Public Policy Institute, a respected economic
think tank and policy group.