However, when the President said “the American people have turned in an economic performance that is the envy of the world,” he was standing on firm ground. The US unemployment rate for December was 4.9 per cent. That’s significantly lower than most other industrialized democracies. Unemployment in Germany stands at 9.3 per cent, France at 9.2 per cent, Canada at 6.5 per cent. Only Japan’s rate of 4.6 per cent and the United Kingdom’s 4.8 per cent were better than the US, according to latest figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

US has gained 4.6M jobs since 2003

Farm bill provides $40B over 10 years for conservation

Don’t use food as a diplomatic weapon; it hurts farmers

BUSH: I’d like our farmers feeding the world. We’re the best producers in the world. And I want the farmers feeding the world. We need to open up markets. Exports are down. And every time an export number goes down, it hurts the farmer. I want the next president to have fast track negotiating authority to open up markets around the world. We’re the best. We’re the most efficient farmers. I don’t want to use food as a diplomatic weapon from this point forward. It hurts the farmers. It’s not the right thing to do.

We need more work on value-added processing. I’m for research and development, so that we can use our technological base to figure out new uses for farm products.

I’m for completely getting rid of the death tax. One reason family farmers are forced to sell early is because of the death tax. It’s a tax that taxes people twice, it penalizes the family farmer.

Keep Freedom to Farm Act: cut price supports

A: Yes. The best way to ensure a strong and growing agricultural sector is through a more market-driven approach that allows our farmers to fully participate in the world economy. As farming moves towards market-driven production, I believe the government should help farmers adapt to a global marketplace by providing a strong safety net and the means to manage the cyclical downturns in the farm economy. I will reinforce the important role farmers and ranchers play in the U.S. economy by increasing trade opportunities, reducing regulatory burdens, and reducing the overall tax burden. My administration will also renew our commitment to investments in new and innovative technologies for rural America.

Farm policy: emergency relief; insurance; antitrust

• From this point forward, would not use food as a unilateral sanction or diplomatic weapon
• Called for emergency disaster relief, both through direct payments to farmers and through reforming crop insurance
• Supports tax incentives for use of ethanol
• Will ensure aggressive enforcement of antitrust laws and will move forcefully against any agribusiness entities that are conducting anti-competitive practices

Family farms: Food for Peace instead of food as a weapon

Ethanol tax incentives good for farmers and good for air

FactCheck: Yes, 52 months of job growth, but at lower wages

It’s true that the number of consecutive months in which the economy has added jobs is the longest on record, but the number of jobs gained is not. The pace of job creation was far stronger during the Clinton administration, when 22.7 million new jobs were added despite seven months that saw slight declines. Since Bush’s “record” run began in August 2003, the gain has been 8.3 million. It’s true that wages are up: Average weekly earnings for rank-and-file workers were $605.96 in Dec. 2007, compared with $578.67 a year earlier. But after adjustment for rising prices, the buying power of the average weekly paycheck actually declined.

FactCheck: Bush lost 1.6M PRIVATE jobs, gained some in gov’t

CNN FACT CHECK:Kerry is correct that Bush is on track to have a net loss of jobs by the end of his first term, and possibly to become the first president since Herbert Hoover to leave office with a net loss in jobs. However the 1.6 million figure that Kerry refers to in his speech overstates the scope of the nation’s total job loss. This number refers to the total number of private sector jobs lost since January 2001, when Bush took office, through August 2004. The 1.6 million figure does not factor in a net increase in public sector jobs, which reduces the loss in overall jobs to 821,000. The Kerry campaign explains this distinction in a fact sheet to reporters, but on the stump, Kerry himself only says that 1.6 million jobs were lost, without clarifying that he is referring to only private sector jobs, and not all jobs overall.

Education is the best way to create jobs

A: I’ve got policies to continue to grow our economy and create jobs. Here’s some help for you to go get an education. Here’s some help for you to go to a community college. We’ve expanded trade adjustment assistance. We want to help pay for you to gain the skills necessary. The best way to keep jobs here in America is to make sure our education system works.

To keep jobs in US, develop energy and keep taxes low

BUSH: Let me start with how to control the cost of health care: medical liability reform, for starters, which he’s opposed. Secondly, allow small businesses to pool together so they can share risk and buy insurance at the same discounts big businesses get to do. Thirdly, spread what’s called health savings accounts. It’s good for small businesses, good for owners. You own your own account. You can save tax-free. You get a catastrophic plan to help you on it. The best way to keep jobs here in America is, one, have an energy plan. I proposed one to the Congress two years ago, encourages conservation, encourages technology to explore for environmentally friendly ways for coal-to use coal and gas. It encourages the use of renewables like ethanol and biodiesel. Less regulations if we want jobs here; legal reform if we want jobs here; and we’ve got to keep taxes low.

Will double the workforce for our job training program

Will change outdated labor laws to offer comp-time

Dedicated to improving economy through job growth

Passed 13 week extension of unemployment benefits

Not satisfied until everyone who wants a job can find one

Flex-time & family-oriented work rules via tax code

Bush put a family-oriented twist on a familiar theme, casting his $1.3 trillion, 10-year tax-cut proposal as part of a grander concept of providing greater flexibility to employees. He added several points to his agenda:
• letting employees receive compensation time instead of overtime pay;
• making employer-purchased home computers tax deductible;
• forbidding the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from monitoring home offices;
• and encouraging television networks to return to an evening “family hour.”

Tax breaks, child care & bus fare for working recipients

Bush supports the following principles regarding welfare:
• Time limits on welfare benefits
• Require able-bodied welfare recipients to enroll in welfare-to-work programs
• Tax incentives to businesses who hire recipients
• Child care for recipients who work
• Increase access to public transportation for recipients who work
• Limit benefits to those who have additional children while on welfare
• Require unwed teenage mothers to live with parents or in a group home.