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Rubio: Obama Stimulus 'Clearly Failed'

February 17, 2014

Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) released a web video Monday to mark the fifth anniversary of President Obama's economic stimulus, the $830 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, stating that the measure "clearly failed."

"Five years later, underemployment is still too high, the number of people that have dropped out of the workforce is astounding, unemployment remains stubbornly high and our economy isn’t growing fast enough — proof that massive government spending, particularly debt spending, is not the solution to our economic growth problems," Rubio said.

The full remarks are available below:

MARCO RUBIO: If you recall five years ago, the notion was that if the government spent all this money — that, by the way, was borrowed — that somehow the economy would begin to grow and create jobs. Well, of course, it clearly failed.

Five years later, underemployment is still too high, the number of people that have dropped out of the workforce is astounding, unemployment remains stubbornly high and our economy isn’t growing fast enough — proof that massive government spending, particularly debt spending, is not the solution to our economic growth problems.

Here’s what would be a solution: A vibrant free-enterprise economy and a people with the skills and the education needed to take up those jobs that a vibrant free-enterprise economy would create. That’s what our policymakers should be focused on — policies that bring our tax code, our regulations and our massive $17 trillion debt under control. Policies that encourage innovation and energy and trade and high-tech. And also policies that help people acquire education in the 21st century. It’s never mattered more.

We cannot continue to rely on a broken 20th century education model to empower our people with the skills they need for the middle class jobs of the 21st century. Sadly, that’s not what we’re getting from the White House, that’s not what we’re getting from this administration.

But I hope that in the years to come we can change that, because I honestly believe that no people on Earth are better positioned to take advantage of the promise of the 21st century than Americans are. All they need now is for their leaders to give them a chance. And that’s what I hope we’ll do.

So thank you for your continued support. May God always bless America. Thank you.