Despite the welcome announcement today that our nation gained 57,000 jobs in September, the economic picture remains grim. Working Americans cannot be confident that the modest jobs bump, primarily in temporary jobs, means the nation has turned the corner on the longest period of sustained job loss since the Great Depression. The nation has lost 2.6 million jobs under President Bush’s watch, and we are still nowhere near on track to be where we should be nearly two years after the end of the recession.

The loss of 29,000 more jobs in the manufacturing sector last month shows again that our nation’s policies are simply not supporting middle class jobs. So far, we have lost 2.5 million manufacturing jobs under President Bush, and employment in the manufacturing sector -- bludgeoned by the Bush administration’s misguided trade and tax policies as well as its failure to act decisively on the dollar -- is at its lowest level since 1958.

Nearly four million more Americans are uninsured since President Bush took office. Nearly three million more slipped into poverty. Layoff announcements are on track to exceed one million for the third year in a row. Close to one million long‑term jobless workers are collecting extended unemployment benefits because their regular benefits have expired and they still cannot find work.

Nearly 11 million individuals are unemployed and want to work but cannot find jobs. Five million are forced to work part‑time because they cannot get full‑time work. Unemployment is higher in all but one state (where the rate is unchanged) under Bush’s leadership, and new claims for unemployment insurance compensation rose again last week.

Contrary to his promises, President Bush’s irresponsible tax cuts have not trickled down to create new jobs for working Americans. The net jobs gain in August and September amounts to only two percent of the goal of 688,000 jobs for the two months that the Bush economic team has promised, translating into an overall jobs deficit of 672,000 jobs below their projection.

Working Americans who are watching jobs leave their communities and who are struggling to survive in the worst jobs crisis our nation has seen in decades need a real national economic policy that will get our nation back on track without delay.

But instead of working to create jobs and offset the tremendous job loss during this Administration - - through investments to build schools, roads and bridges; greater aid for the states; extended unemployment benefits; and tax and trade policies to support job growth in America - - President Bush has offered up only flimsy plans that will lock in millionaire tax breaks, enshrine damaging budget deficits, and roll back rights for workers and consumers.

Contact Suzanne Ffolkes 202-637-5018