The Economy Has Added 4.6 Million Private-Sector Jobs In The Last 30 Months

Recession Officially Ran From December 2007 To June 2009, Making It The Longest Since World War II. From the National Bureau of Economic Research: “The Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research met yesterday by conference call. At its meeting, the committee determined that a trough in business activity occurred in the U.S. economy in June 2009. The trough marks the end of the recession that began in December 2007 and the beginning of an expansion. The recession lasted 18 months, which makes it the longest of any recession since World War II. Previously the longest postwar recessions were those of 1973-75 and 1981-82, both of which lasted 16 months. In determining that a trough occurred in June 2009, the committee did not conclude that economic conditions since that month have been favorable or that the economy has returned to operating at normal capacity. Rather, the committee determined only that the recession ended and a recovery began in that month.” [NBER.org, 9/20/10]

• Recession Resulted In 8.3 Million Job Losses. According to the Associated Press, “the Great Recession killed 8.3 million jobs, compared with 1.6 million lost in the 2001 recession.” [Associated Press via Yahoo! News, 5/4/12]

Bush Recession Was So Severe That Economy Was Still Shedding Over Three-Quarters Of A Million Jobs Per Month Through First Few Months Of President Obama’s Term. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the economy shed 839,000 jobs in January 2009, 725,000 in February 2009, 787,000 in March 2009, and 802,000 in April 2009, for a four-month average of 788,250 lost jobs per month. [BLS.gov, accessed 5/3/12]

Since The Recession Ended In June 2009, The Private Sector Has Added Over 3.4 Million Jobs While Public-Sector Employment Has Fallen By 670,000. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 107,933,000 private-sector jobs in June 2009, and 111,400,000 private-sector jobs in August 2012, an increase of 3,467,000 jobs. The BLS also reports that there were 22,570,000 Americans working in the public sector in June 2009, and 21,900,000 working in the public sector in August 2012, a decrease of 670,000 jobs. The private-sector gains and public-sector losses add up to a total increase of 2,797,000 jobs.

The following chart shows the cumulative private-sector job gains and public-sector job losses since the recession officially ended in June 2009:

[BLS.gov, accessed 9/7/12; BLS.gov, accessed 9/7/12; NBER.org, 9/20/10]

• Conservative AEI: The Public Sector Is Shrinking, But Private-Sector Growth Is Above Average. From American Enterprise Institute scholar Mark J. Perry: “In the second quarter of 2012, ‘public sector GDP’ decreased -1.44%, and that was the eighth straight quarter of negative growth for total government spending, averaging -2.88% per quarter over the last two years. In contrast, there have been 12 consecutive quarters of positive growth for private sector GDP averaging 3.07% per quarter in the three years since the recession ended, which is slightly higher than the 2.8% average growth rate in private real GDP over the last 25 years.” [AEI-Ideas.org, 7/31/12]
• GOP-Favored “Government Downsizing” Has Been “A Drag” On Job Growth. From the Associated Press: “Conservative Republicans have long clamored for government downsizing. They’re starting to get it — by default. Crippled by plunging tax revenues, state and local governments have shed over a half million jobs since the recession began in December 2007. And, after adding jobs early in the downturn, the federal government is now cutting them as well. States cut 49,000 jobs over the past year and localities 210,000, according to an analysis of Labor Department statistics. There are 30,000 fewer federal workers now than a year ago — including 5,300 Postal Service jobs canceled last month. By contrast, private-sector jobs have increased by 1.6 million over the past 12 months. But the state, local and federal job losses have become a drag on efforts to nudge the nation’s unemployment rate down from its painfully high 9.1 percent.” [Associated Press, 10/25/11]

The Private Sector Has Added 4.6 Million Jobs Over 30 Consecutive Months Of Private-Sector Growth. The following chart shows the monthly change in private-sector jobs dating back to January 2008.

[BLS.gov, accessed 9/7/12; MSNBC.com, 9/7/12]

Repealing ACA Would Have Negative Consequences For Millions

Up To 6.6 Million Young Adults Would Lose Health Care Coverage Through Their Parents’ Plans. From the Los Angeles Times: “President Obama’s healthcare law helped as many as 6.6 million young adults stay on or get on their parents’ health plans in the first year and a half after the law was signed, a new survey indicates. […] Earlier surveys by the federal government found that the number of people ages 19 to 25 without insurance declined after the law was signed, reversing years of erosion in health coverage for young adults.” [Los Angeles Times, 6/8/12]

70,000 Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions Would Lose Insurance Coverage. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, as of May 31, 2012, 73,333 people were enrolled in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) created by the Affordable Care Act. [HealthCare.gov, 7/13/12]

5.2 Million People Would Have To Pay More For Prescription Drugs. From the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid: “As a result of the Affordable Care Act, over 5.2 million seniors and people with disabilities have saved over $3.9 billion on prescription drugs since the law was enacted.  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also released data today showing that in the first half of 2012, over 1 million people with Medicare saved a total of $687 million on prescription drugs in ‘donut hole’ coverage gap for an average of $629 in savings this year. […] Coverage for both brand name and generic drugs in the gap will continue to increase over time until 2020, when the coverage gap will be closed.” [CMS.gov, 7/25/12]

Over 35 Million Seniors Would Lose Access To Free Preventive Services. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS] report that 35,106,598 people were enrolled in Medicare Part B in 2011. CMS also reports:

Beginning January 1, 2011, the Affordable Care Act eliminated Part B coinsurance and deductibles for recommended preventive services, including many cancer screenings and key immunizations. The law also added an important new service — an Annual Wellness Visit with a health professional — at no cost to beneficiaries.

According to preliminary numbers, at least 25,720,996 million Americans took advantage of at least one free preventive benefit in Medicare in 2011, including the new Annual Wellness Visit.  This represents 73.3% of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, including 2,404,792 African-American beneficiaries, 537,110 Hispanic beneficiaries, 104,393 American Indian beneficiaries, and 508,398 Asian-American beneficiaries. [CMS.gov, 2/15/12]

Repeal Would Add More Than $100 Billion To The Debt

CBO: Repealing ACA Would Add $109 Billion To Deficit Between 2013 And 2022. From a letter the Congressional Budget Office sent to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH): “H.R. 6079 would repeal the ACA, with the exception of one subsection that has no budgetary effect. […]Assuming that H.R. 6079 is enacted near the beginning of fiscal year 2013, CBO and JCT estimate that, on balance, the direct spending and revenue effects of enacting that legislation would cause a net increase in federal budget deficits of $109 billion over the 2013–2022 period.” [CBO.gov, 7/24/12]

The Truth About Enyart’s Resume

Enyart Has Been Serving His Country In The National Guard For Three Decades. The following is Enyart’s complete list of assignments, courtesy of his National Guard Bureau biography:

1. November 1982 – November 1984, Trial Counsel, 66th Infantry Brigade, Decatur, Illinois
2. November 1984 – February 1985, Executive Officer, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry, Litchfield, Illinois
3. February 1985 – August 1985, Assistant Trial Counsel, 86th Army Reserve Command, Urbana, Illinois
4. August 1985 – September 1990, Selective Service System Officer, Detachment One, State Area Command, Springfield, Illinois
5. September 1990 – August 1993, Assistant Judge Advocate, State Area Command, Springfield, Illinois
6. August 1993 – May 1996, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, 66th Infantry Brigade, Decatur, Illinois
7. May 1996 – September 1997, Command Judge Advocate, 33rd Area Support Group, Chicago, Illinois
8. September 1997 – October 2002, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, State Area Command, Springfield, Illinois
9. October 2002 – December 2005, Staff Judge Advocate, State Area Command, Springfield, Illinois
10. December 2005 – May 2006, Deputy Commander, Joint Forces Headquarters, Springfield, Illinois
11. June 2006 – September 2007, Assistant Adjutant General-Army, Illinois National Guard, Joint Forces Headquarters, Springfield, Illinois
12. September 2007 – Present, The Adjutant General, Illinois National Guard, Springfield, Illinois [NG.mil, accessed 9/7/12]

Enyart’s Most Recent Post Was The Illinois National Guard’s Top General. From Enyart’s biography on the National Guard Bureau website: “Major General William L. Enyart is the 37th Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. He serves as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet and the Governor’s principal advisor on military matters. As the Adjutant General, General Enyart directs the Illinois Department of Military Affairs and is the senior officer in the Chain-of-Command for both the Illinois Army and Air National Guard. He is responsible for the daily operations of the Illinois National Guard and oversees its 13,500 men and women in uniform (1750 of whom are full time) and for the 300 civilian employees in the Department. As the head of the Department, General Enyart works closely with the leadership of the National Guard Bureau and the Departments of the Army and Air Force.” Enyart resigned from the Adjutant General post in June 2012 to pursue office. [NG.mil, accessed 9/7/12; NationalJournal.com, 6/23/12]

Enyart Also Served In The Air Force During The Vietnam War And Is An Attorney. From Enyart’s bio on his campaign website: “[Enyart] first came to the district and Scott Air Force Base in 1969 as an airman in the United States Air Force. Following an assignment in Okinawa supporting the Vietnam War effort, he returned to Southern Illinois and worked his way through college at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and political science, he attended the Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale. He then clerked for the law firm of Hunter and Schwartz (now Judge Bill Schwartz in Murphysboro) before starting his own law practice in Belleville. Shortly after opening his own practice, Bill joined the Illinois National Guard in 1982. […] In 2000, Bill earned his Master of Science degree in strategic studies from the United States Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.” [EnyartForCongress2012.com, accessed 9/7/12]