Cantor rowing in the wrong direction

U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Richmond, still seems way behind the curve in understanding what is taking place in our economy (”Cantor: Obama’s economy breaks promise,” June 6).

On April 2, the day that jobless claims hit their highest level in 26 years, Cantor characterized legislators who voted for the 2009 budget as “overreacting” to the nation’s economic crisis. That budget was drafted by people who clearly understood that our economic turmoil would inevitably lead to huge unemployment.

The budget: 1) extends the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act to Dec. 31 and increases benefits by $25 per week, 2) eliminates taxes on up to $2,400 of unemployment benefits and 3) provides extended health care coverage for the temporarily unemployed.

Rep. Cantor voted against this budget.

President Obama spelled out frankly in his inaugural speech that unemployment would get worse before it got better, and worked with Congress to pass a number of bold measures to stimulate employment and pull the economy out of the basement.

Rep. Cantor voted against those measures, too.

Now in June, Cantor is calling on President Obama’s administration to “refocus on employment.” Well, duh. That’s what the administration has been doing since Obama took office. The efforts of the administration and Congress may be working — all experts agree that May had the slowest rate of job loss since September.

But if these efforts work, it’s no thanks to Eric Cantor.

Martha Williamson
Culpeper